I please Almighty God to bless us together this evening as we meditate in his holy word. Let's turn to the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, chapter 9, and we'll read verse 22.

The epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, chapter 9, and reading verse 22. and almost all things are by the law purged with blood. And without shedding of blood is no remission.

We should be very thankful that we do have the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, which explains so much with regard to the Old Testament regulations which Israel were to keep and to continue with.

But we see God's wonderful goodness and favour that he brought Paul to know the Lord. He who was well-versed in all the Old Testament rules and ordinances but he had a wrong spirit. He didn't realise what the Lord Jesus Christ meant and really who he was.

But we know that after he was converted on that Damascus road he went into the wilderness and for three years he was taught by the Holy Spirit great and glorious truths. And therefore we're thankful today that we have his letters, his epistles that he's written, and also especially this epistle to the Hebrews.

And we recognise that of course it was written ostensibly to the Hebrews, to the Jewish people, who were of course so favoured to have the line of Christ through them. And yet how blinded they were.

And Paul of course was one of those who was blind to the truth until that time on the Damascus road when the light shone into his heart. And we know that that light was an all-powerful light. He describes it as above the brightness of the midday sun.

Well, we know what the sons like here. It's brighter of course out in the Israel and the Middle East but to think that there the Apostle Paul was under the influence of that glorious light naturally and also the glorious light spiritually which shone into his heart and therefore he was blessed with this revelation of God's wonderful truth with regard to the Saviour right from The first chapter in Hebrew is right to the last, the thirtieth chapter.

But this ninth chapter is of particular benefit and blessings because it speaks to us about the sacrifices and it speaks to us about the high priest. The high priest, of course, was a very important person and he was the person that had been commissioned to go into the Holy Place, the Holy of Holies, where was the Ark of the Covenant, on just one day a year, that Day of Atonement.

It was a very special day. And we can imagine Israel looking forward to those days, that Day of Atonement. And what happened was that the High Priest went into the holiest of holies, not without blood, blood from the slain animals which were then sacrificed.

And that blood was taken and the high priest sprinkled it first of all for himself and then as that cleansed person for Israel as a whole. He sprinkled it on the mercy seat in that holy place.

Well what a great blessing it was that there was this institution which Israel of course kept mostly, there were some little gaps, but generally speaking, year after year, they carried out this wonderful ordinance.

And we read a little bit about it here in this 9th chapter, because we're told in the 6th verse, Now when these things were thus ordained, the priest went always into the First Tabernacle, that's the outer area, accompanying the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone, once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people. The Holy Ghost, this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as yet the first tabernacle was standing which was a figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience which stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation.

So the Apostle gives a little bit of the background there and then he comes on to the glorious truth with regard to the Saviour and he tells us, but Christ being come and High Priest and high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, none of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Well, that's a great and glorious truth. And what a blessing for us today that we know that the Lord Jesus Christ did shed his blood. He did die upon that cross at Calvary. And because of that, he did enter into the holy place, the most holy place. And the most holy place, of course, was glory itself. You see, the Holy of Holies was typical of heaven, but it wasn't, of course, heaven. It was just a typical place for that. And there was no way of entering in to that place without blood. And so, my friends, there was no way of entering into heaven at last without blood. And it's not our blood. Our blood would never satisfy the demands a holy God, but it's through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave his life in our place.

The death of ourselves would not have availed anything, because we are sinners, vile, black sinners. But the Lord Jesus Christ kept the law. He made it honourable. He kept it perfectly, so that he was able to offer up himself as that perfect sacrifice to take away the sins of his people. That's a wonderful truth for us to think upon and to meditate upon because our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. And that's why the Apostle goes on in this glorious truth to say, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Just a few words, isn't it? But what a depth there is in those words. to think that He has entered in. He was permitted to go and He was accepted because He had shed His own blood and He had kept the law and made it honourable, something that you and I cannot do. But our Saviour kept it, kept it perfectly, no sin, pure and holy. And so we're told, for if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifyeth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Does it give us just a little view why we can understand why the Apostle Peter referred to this blood as precious blood. Indeed it was invaluable blood. Indeed without it there would be no hope for you and me today. But do we rejoice therefore in what Christ has done on our behalf and willing was Jesus to die that we, fellow sinners, might live. The life they could not take away, how willing was Jesus to give. He gave His life, He shed His blood, that we might have that good hope of eternal life. There's no hope of eternal life without the shed blood of the Saviour. being applied to you and me. What a great and wonderful plan of salvation it was, beyond our comprehension. Because the Apostle goes on to tell us, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience, from dead works to serve the living God.

Oh, it's great truths, my friend, and we should be so thankful that we have the New Testament, that we have in the New Testament these epistles which do set forth the great truth which was carried out typically in the Old Testament, but how, for the most part, eyes were blinded.

sometimes think if we hadn't got the New Testament, we'd only got the Old Testament, what would we think? What would we do? What would we say? Well, God in his great love has granted us his glorious revelation in the New Testament and you and I are able to read it. And what a blessing if we're able to understand the great truths. You know, many people read the Hebrews but don't really understand what it means and the significance of it.

But what a blessing if the Holy Spirit has opened our eyes to behold really wondrous things out of his law. And so the Apostle goes on to say, how much more shall the blood of Christ How much more? It's not the blood of bulls and goats, it's the blood of Christ. And then he says, and for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament, that means under the First Law, we were sinners, we were condemned, we needed forgiveness for all those sins which we've committed under the New Testament.

And so we're told he is the mediator. Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Well, I hope you and I realise there is an eternity before us, an eternity which you and I cannot escape. We will be found in eternity, either in glory with the Saviour or in hell with the great enemy of souls for ever and ever and ever.

But what a blessing it is if we have the evidence in our hearts that the Lord Jesus Christ nonetheless gave His life. He died in our place He shed his most precious blood to atone for our sins, indeed to cleanse us from all sin. It's a great truth, it's a wonderful truth, and may you and I truly rejoice in it.

How much more, says the Apostle, shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience. That means to purify conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Well, what a mercy if you and I have a desire to serve the living God. That means not to serve the devil, not to serve his ways which only add sin to sin, but to desire to serve our gracious and glorious God.

And the Apostle again clarifies the situation for our understanding and we're thankful for it. He tells us, for where a testament, a testament is really a covenant, a sworn promise, for where a testament is, there must also necessity be the death of the testator for a testament is of force after men are dead that means in our parlance means a will when somebody dies and they made a will it doesn't come into effect if they haven't died because they might change it while they're still alive but here we have this picture then given to us with regard to that which the Saviour has given to us, this eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is a force after men are dead. Otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. So what that tells us is the Lord Jesus Christ had to die. He had to die to bring this covenant into being. But how thankful we should be that he did.

Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood, when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people According to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats with water and scarlet wool, and hissed and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover, He sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged without blood. And without shedding of blood is no remission.

So we have to realise that if the Lord Jesus Christ had not died, had not shed his blood, there would be no forgiveness. We would still remain guilty But how wonderful it is to realise the great truth that the Apostle tells us when he wrote to the Romans, there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, those for whom Christ died. What a great and wonderful blessing, the glorious truth it is.

The Apostle goes on, it was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands. That means the natural holy place in the temple and also in the tabernacle. No, that was done away. That was destroyed. For Christ has not entered into the holy places made with hands. which are the figures of the truth. They were the figures. And you think that Israel, all those years, had these figures. How many of them were able to understand what they represented? I sometimes think, if I'd been there, would I have understood that great mystery which was set before them?

Year by year, the high priest went into the holy of holies, not without blood. And yet, you see, we're told, for Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands. The tabernacle and the temple were made with men's hands, which are the figures, they're just the figures of the truth. But into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Two little words at the end there, for us. It's very wonderful, isn't it? To think the Lord Jesus Christ has entered into heaven as our great and glorious High Priest through that blood that he shed upon that cross at Calvary. There is therefore that wonderful entering in.

And so the Apostle says, nor yet that he should offer himself often as the high priest entered into the holy place every year with blood of others. For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. What a great and wonderful Saviour we have. And sometimes it's very hard for us to understand that the Lord Jesus Christ was very God. He was the second person in the Trinity, co-equal with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. and yet he humbled himself and came obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That surely sets before us the wonderful glory of Christ and his sacrifice. What a wonderful saviour we have. What a blessing if the Holy Spirit is shone into our hearts so that we have really bowed down and worshipped worshipped this great and glorious Saviour, this great and glorious God. We know that He suffered in His manhood, but yet He was still verily God, and He willingly, willingly suffered that He might redeem our souls. Surely we come and say, what a Saviour, what a God, that there is such a wonderful plan for you and me today and we can indeed rejoice in it.

You know when the Apostle John was on the Isle of Patmos he was blessed with wonderful revelations and he tells us in the first chapter in the fourth verse John refers to himself to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace be unto you, and peace from him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

We need sometimes to ponder these things. There was John on the Isle of Patmos, an old man, and God gave him this revelation. And this revelation to the churches commenced with this grand and glorious statement. unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. How relevant that is for us today. Hasn't changed, still the same, 2,000 odd years. And it's so important for us to know that you and I are indeed under the blood.

We go back, don't we? into the history of Israel. We go back, don't we, to that time when they were in Egypt. And they need to come out of Egypt. They need to be blessed and delivered. And how were they to be delivered? Well, God knew how he would deliver them. And it wasn't through their own skill. It was through that which the Lord decided should be the way that would be a blessing for them. And he tells us in Exodus that Moses wrote some great and wonderful truths. He says, and I will pass through the land of Egypt that night and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, against all the gods of Egypt I will execute. judgment I am the Lord and the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are and when I see the blood I will pass over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt

Well that was a glorious picture for the Church of God. And down through the years, every year on the Day of Atonement, they would have thought of that which was done. That there was the sign of that blood. And of course the lamb was taken. The lamb was roast in the flames. Roast in the flames was to bear the anger of God. then they were to partake of it. Yes, it's a great blessing to think of the picture we have there to be under the blood and then also to feed upon Christ. They fed upon the Lamb of God and as the Apostle John said, sorry, John the Baptist said, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.

Well, what a mercy if God gives you and me faith, true faith, living faith to believe the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. We can be thankful that we have in the epistles glorious truths which direct us to the wonder of this transaction which was so faithfully carried out and in the epistle of Paul to the Ephesians and in the second chapter we read this and 12th verse that at that time ye were without Christ we were all like that we were all without Christ well may it not be so tonight At that time, he were without Christ, being aliens, that means enemies, from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. That's how we were born. What a blessing if the light of the gospel has shone into our hearts and shown us the value the glorious value of the blood of Christ.

So the apostle goes on, but now, but now. There was a change, but now. Has there been a change in our lives? When we were without God, without Christ, but now. In Christ Jesus, you sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. That means brought near. How wonderful that is to think we who were enemies, aliens to Christ and God, and yet through his amazing mercy and love has brought us near.

The Apostle says, for he is our peace. who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments, contained in ordinances, for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace, and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body, by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

Do you remember a day when we were at enmity with God, we were enemies of God, we said really in our heart, we will not have this man to reign over us. What a mercy to have a kind and gracious and merciful God. who has not dealt with us as our sins deserve. And that's why the Apostle concludes this 10th chapter with these wonderful statements.

For then must he have suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself. Nothing less than that would do. He gave his life as sacrifice on our behalf. So, says the Apostle, Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. That's a glorious promise, isn't it? It's a wonderful prospect, isn't it?

But you and I need to know, we need to understand this great truth that Christ has once offered to bear the sins of many and to know that Christ was offered to bear your sins and my sins. There's no entry into heaven, no entry into glory if we still possess sin. We need to know that sin is forever washed away in the precious blood of Christ. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

I wonder whether we are looking for the Saviour to return or whether we don't want the Saviour to return whether we want to remain in this poor old sinful world you know it's a real test of the reality of religion if we can be found amongst those who are looking for that glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

the Apostle when he wrote to Titus he wrote those wonderful words when he says, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. This was written He says, Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledging of truth, which is after godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. So what a mercy if you and I, amongst that number, and who are looking for this blessed hope who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity that means take away all our sins washed away in the precious blood of Christ and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works

What does the Apostle say? These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. We're not to hide these things. We are to declare them. We are to testify of the great and wonderful and glorious truth of them and to be very thankful for them.

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. Well, my friends, may you and I be amongst the many. Is it a concern that we are within that many? And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation, cleansed, purified in the blood of Christ, washed in the precious blood of the Lamb.

It's a wonderful truth, isn't it? It's so glorious to be able to think and to meditate and to ponder these great truths. The Apostle Peter knew what it was in these things. He tells us, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy Abundant mercy hath begotten us again, born again of the Spirit, unto a lively hope, a living hope, a real hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

there is our hope in the resurrected Saviour nowhere else what a mercy to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time and he goes on and says we're in ye greatly rejoice.

Well that's a test again of the reality of our religion. He doesn't say well we're in, you're pleased. We're in ye greatly rejoice. It's a great depth in that isn't it? That sets forth the true reality of God's grace and mercy.

Though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations and we are tempted we do have temptations the devil's by our shoulder the devil's trying to convince us there's no life there's no hope well the Apostle goes on that the trial of your faith living faith not a false faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth.

" We couldn't have a better analogy really than that, could we? When he speaks about gold and faith being much more precious faith than gold that perisheth. Though it be tried with fire, that means it's going to be tested. It's good as it is. It's necessary to test gold to get rid of all that is alien and false. burn it all up, so it is, with regard to our faith, tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen, he loved.

That's amazing, isn't it? How true. It's because God's loved us, that we love Him, when we think He's looked upon us, unworthy sinners who deserve an eternity in hell and yet he's loved us having not seen ye love in whom though now you see him not yet believing he rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory well it's good to examine ourselves look into our heart and observe there God's love to us, God's grace to us, in turning us to him, to seek for mercy, to pray for his blessing, to commit our way unto him. And then says the apostle, believing, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. You may say, well I never do that. Sometimes we need to examine ourselves very carefully, to just look back in our lives, to determine whether there was a time when by God's grace we believed and rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of your faith. What was that? Even the salvation of your souls.

Oh, there's nothing more valuable than our soul, nothing more precious than being redeemed. What a wonderful Saviour we have then, who has gone and stood in our place and paid the penalty due to us for all our sins and gave his life and shed his most precious blood and to rejoice then in this great and wonderful truth that we're so thankful for.

You know, there was the Apostle, when he wrote to the Corinthians, and in the first chapter, he spoke about the truth of God, and he tells us in that first chapter, he says, For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom and words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross, the death of Christ, is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

The preaching of the cross, again, is that precious to you and to me. Do we truly rejoice in it? Is it food and drink to our souls? Do we love to think upon it, to speak of it, to meditate upon it? Well, it's a great blessing if we do. And it's sent, and really is it not, in this great truth. And without shedding of blood is no remission.

Well, tonight, may we have the evidence of God's love toward us, in calling us out of the darkness of nature into the glorious light of the Gospel, in showing unto us the way of salvation, in showing to us that none less than God himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, was willing to give his life offering for sin and to be able to come and rejoice in this great truth and without shedding of blood is no remission and to have that faith to believe that we are indeed as the Israelites of old are under the blood and there is safety for our souls. Amen.