Hebrews 10:8-36
A question that I get asked quite a bit as it relates to Bible study is, “If Jesus has made a New Covenant with us in the New Testament, why do I have to study the Old Testament?” My fast answer is because Jesus resides on every page of the Old Testament, and we need to meet Him there to appreciate and the easiest way to think about that is this.
In the Garden of Eden, God presented Adam and Eve with a perfect life. They were going to live eternally in God’s presence, enjoying a close, personal relationship with Him. They were never going to go hungry. They were never going to get sick. They were never going to know destructive emotions like anger, shame, hate, and guilt. With that, God also gave to Adam and Eve free will. His love wasn’t imposed on them, but to ensure the purity of that love, God presents Adam and Eve with a downside to rejecting Him that exists through the placement of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the center of the garden.
The upside of being in a relationship with God was made clear. The other side of that coin was equally clear. Eat fruit off that tree and all bets are off. God tells them, “You will surely die.”
Now. God doesn’t put a barbed wire fence around the tree, He’s given Adam and Eve an understanding of the consequences. And yet they eat from the tree, sin is ushered into existence, and mankind has been sinning it up ever since. God will make a way for mankind to prosper but under different circumstances. Now there will be physical pain and death. Now there will be sickness and sorrow and jealousy and you name it. From the Garden onward – thru Cain and Abel to Abraham and Moses and David and all the prophets, through every sort of trial, God’s greatest creation chooses time and time again to rebel against Him.
And so, it’s in the Old Testament that we see God begin a generational preparation of the hearts of His people. God makes man aware that in His perfect timing, a Savior will come, and mankind will be saved from the prospect of eternal condemnation from sin.
From the moment Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden until that fateful moment in a manger in Bethlehem, God is preparing His people for the greatest gift He could ever give them. Salvation.
Along comes the Ten Commandments, the law. The expectations God has for His people. It fast becomes apparent that we’re inherently unable to obey the law. Because of that, God, once again overflowing in grace and mercy made a way for mankind to receive a temporary covering for their sins. Forgiveness was obtained through the annual blood sacrifices of livestock.
Every year, thousands of people would gather to slaughter thousands of animals as a form of repentance. Repentance was needed because people were too weak in spirit to obey the God who met their every need.
What we learn in Hebrews chapter 10 is that God wasn’t pleased with these sacrifices because they failed to provide a perfect cleansing from sin. Fortunately, we worship a God who loves to teach us stuff. What He teaches in the Old Testament is the depth of His love. Unconditional. Abiding. Patient.
The author of the Book of Hebrews tells us this…
“…our High Priest (Jesus) offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”
And as if that isn’t wonderful enough, it’s followed by this…
“And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,
“This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
Then he says,
“I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds.”
And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.”
If you live with the misperception that Jesus is running some kind of celestial ledger sheet on you, counting, and ranking your sins, let it go. At the moment you receive Him as your Lord and Savior not only does He wash all that mess away and set you free from the burden of your sin, but He will also never again remember those sins.
Jesus will set you free from whatever you need to be set free from, you just give it over to Him. Seeking forgiveness through any other means is as useless as slaughtering bulls. Don’t do it. Surrender today to the Lordship of Jesus and begin to experience the new life He has for you!