Turn to Numbers 28 if you haven't
already. Numbers chapter 28. I will read
just a couple verses to give us a brief summary of the context
of these two chapters. Numbers 28 and verse 1 and 2.
They will summarize everything that we would then read in 28
and 29. And the Lord spake unto Moses,
saying, Command, do you see that? Not request, not offer the children
of Israel. Command the children of Israel
and say unto them, my offering. Do you see that? Now let us never
forget that while that economy has passed away, Jesus Christ
has so fulfilled the law that the sacrifices and the offerings
that were offered in that time are done away with completely
in Christ. We don't even use them today
just as some kind of memorial. We have one memorial that we
do, and that's partaking of the bread and the wine. But this
was still God's offering. Wasn't it? My offering and my
bread for my sacrifices made by fire for a sweet savor unto
me shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. And then the rest of chapter
28 and 29 is given defining these offerings. Now, a couple facts
to contemplate. One, these were national offerings. And let me
explain that. These were offerings that were
offered for the whole of Israel to God. There were other countless
thousands of offerings that individuals were supposed to offer or in
some cases could willingly offer to the Lord for themselves. But
these things were offered unto the Lord for the congregation
as a whole. Contemplate another fact. In
chapters 28 and 29, and I will say this at the beginning, if
I have some of these numbers wrong, you forgive me. I got
one of the best of my books I have at home that actually took chapter
28-29, broke it down in all these different offerings, gave the
total of the offerings, but Mason and I didn't trust what they
had, so I also tried to compare that with what this said, and
I have to admit to you, after about 15 minutes of that, my
eyes begin to gloss over. and it became very difficult
to keep up with what was commanded on what day. Now, if you read
that and read it with some sense of the context, you realize this
could be complicated. Think about it. Every day, every
day, There was a lamb sacrificed in the morning and a lamb sacrificed
in the evening. No ifs, ands, or buts. Every day, and let me point out
before I go any further, these beasts that were sacrificed,
were offered unto the Lord, were slaughtered. This was not a skin
or hide prick with a little blood that come out and you could make
a sign of the cross with the blood or something. You understand
what I'm getting at? These beasts were slaughtered. They were killed. So every day,
without fail, Israel was to have offered unto the Lord a lamb
in the morning and a lamb in the evening. Then every seventh
day on the Sabbath, two lambs and the daily two lambs. So see,
these things would overlap. So every Sabbath day, there was
two more lambs sacrificed. Every first of the month, every
first of the month, 11 beasts and then two lambs, one in the
morning and one in the evening, and then any Sabbath day overlap,
there was 11 more beasts that had to be offered than the feasts. Passover, you had a lamb in each
house. Unleavened bread, you had 11
more beasts, and then the daily two beasts. And if one of these
days fell on the seventh day, you had the seventh day beasts
that had to be offered. Then you had the feast of Let
me get caught up here. The Feast of Weeks, 10 beasts.
The Feast of Trumpets, 10 beasts. The Feast of Atonement, 10 beasts
plus one lamb. The Feast of Tabernacles, which
lasted seven days, was 189 beasts that were slaughtered under the
Lord plus all of the daily lamb in the morning. lamb in the evening,
and then any overlapping Sabbath, Sabbath, Sabbath days, and first
of the month. Hundreds of beasts were slaughtered
throughout the year without fail. if they were to obey the command
of the Lord. Then, as I mentioned before,
you had all the individual, personal, daily offerings of individual
people. I have slaughtered a few animals
for food. And it is, to me, a gory ordeal. It's a gory ordeal. ordeal. Just
to slay a beast and see its warm blood run out upon the ground
and see the life move out of that beast and be gone, to not
be there anymore, is enough. But think of this, all of these
beasts day after day. No, there wasn't one day when
an offering was not to be offered. Not even one day. Even on the
Sabbath They were to offer the Sabbath offerings, were they
not? Blood, blood, blood. And as I text most of you that
are here this morning and some others who were not able to make
it, my title is this, All That Blood. Now what I want you to
do is turn to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. Think of
it, all that blood. We're at Hebrews chapter 10,
now I want you to contemplate this. All that blood, hundreds
of thousands of beasts slaughtered and offered unto the Lord. And
what did all that blood do? Nothing, nothing, but constantly
remind those for whom it was being offered of their sin. Look at it, Hebrews chapter 10,
inspired scripture, puts it this way. For the law, do you see
it? For the law, having a shadow
of good things to come, and not the very image of the things,
and I'm not gonna deal with that, but here look at it, can never,
do you see that? can never, with those sacrifices
which they offered year by year continually, make the comers
thereunto perfect. Mason, no perfection was ever
wrought by not one drop of blood, yet countless millions of drops
of blood of beasts never took away not one sin. I understand
why an unregenerate man or woman would read this book and be totally
confounded. Certainly, all of that coming,
and coming is a good thing, right? We're talking about coming to
God, coming to worship God in the way that he had prescribed
and commanded, yes? And yet not one One iota of merit
nor forgiveness was wrought by that blood or that coming. We implore men and women to come
to Christ, and come to Christ they should. come to Christ. They must if they ever experience
the blessing of God in Jesus Christ. But your coming does
not and cannot and will never take away one sin. You must come to him who bore
the sin and bore it away. So again, for the law having
a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the
things can never, with those sacrifices which they offered
year by year continually, make the combers therein too perfect,
for then would they not have ceased to be offered. Because
that the worshipers, our worship doesn't bring us merit before
God. Mason, God should be worshiped
even if he told me I still had to go to hell. And I know this
world cannot fathom that at all. I mean, if worshiping God don't
get me something out of it, then why should I worship God, especially
if I had to go to hell? Because God is holy. God is our
creator. And God is our benefactor. And
we are sinful, corrupt, miserable, filthy creatures who spit in
the face of God continually. God should be worshiped. That's
the problem. By nature, if we worship God,
we want something out of it. But to worship God means that
very thing. You worship God whether you get
anything out of it or not. For then would they have ceased
to be offered because that the worshipers once purged should
have no more conscience of sins. In those sacrifices, there is
a remembrance again made of sins every year. Not once every year,
but every year. Hundreds of thousands of beasts
have been lawfully willingly and worshipfully offered unto
the Lord, and yet they never took away one single sin. For it is not possible that the
blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. All that blood, think of it,
All of that blood and all it could do was constantly remind
me of my problem, sins. Now briefly, what is sins? I
think that most here this morning would agree with me. To take
the name of the Lord thy God in vain, that's a sin, is it
not? Is it not? That is sin. to commit fornication
or adultery, that is what? It is sin. To steal, to covet,
to not honor your mother and father and obey them, that is
a sin. Now here are some things others
may not agree with me with, but they would be wrong if they do.
The murder of countless thousands of children in the womb every
year in this country is sin. The government may give you a
right to your body, women, but God did not. And if you are a
believer, your body especially is not your own. You are not
your own. You are bought with the price.
God owns you lock, stock, and barrel, and you are to commit
and submit your body unto the Lord. That's a sin if you do not. But you know, here's one that
probably very few have ever really contemplated. If I complain about
the actions of the unregenerate, I am complaining against God. because God Almighty controls
even the actions of the unregenerate. You remember Shimei chucking
rocks down at David? And one of David's men basically
said, just give me the nod and I'll go take that dog's head
from off his shoulders. And what did David respond? Now
did David always respond? to every action of unregenerate
men this way? No, he did not, and neither do
you and I. We mostly bellyache and complain
and murmur. But what did David say on that
one occasion? God bid him curse David. Let him curse David. Maybe, maybe
God will requite me good this day for his cursing. Is that
not what David said? Even the wrath of men shall praise
thee." You see, this is why the prophet Isaiah told us that even
our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God's sight. My sins
are so innumerable and I have sins that I'm not even aware
they are sins. My best efforts, things I think
that God would look down and least look down and smile upon
me may well be the very thing that condemns my soul in and
of itself. What is it, who is it that would
bring me cleansing from such a corrupt state? It's not the
blood of beasts. It's not coming and worshiping.
It is the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, having, as I said, having
been unregenerate at one time, I understand the confusion in
the regenerate. They just cannot contemplate.
I mean, for hundreds of years, Israel offered these sacrifices,
and it gained them not one iota of merit before God, and God
told them to do it. I hear the cry, because the cry
is down in my old flesh. That's not fair. Right? That's not fair. No, it is just. because God is
that holy and we are that unholy. But the scriptures are clear. Even the Old Testament is clear.
Let's go on. Verse five, wherefore, of Hebrews
10. Wherefore, when he, and this
is speaking of Christ, Wherefore, when he cometh into the world,
he saith, Sacrifice, and offering thou wouldest not. And listen,
even King David understood that, even under the Old Testament
economy. Because this is quoted from the
Old Testament. Wherefore, when he cometh into
the world, he saith, Sacrifice an offering thou wouldst not,
but a body hast thou prepared me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices
for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come, in the
volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God. Above, when he said, Sacrifice,
and offering, and burnt offering, and offering for sin, thou wouldst
not, neither has pleasure therein, which are offered by the law.
Then said he, lo, I come to do thy will, O God, he taketh away
the first, that he might establish the second. Consider this, God's
word teaches, by demand, a superior offering than our best offerings
to God under the law. It demands a superior offering. It demands a singular offering. Jesus Christ is not offering
himself over and over and over and over. Jesus Christ offered
one sacrifice, and we read it actually in this chapter, one
sacrifice for sin forever. Forever. It is a superior offering. It is a singular offering. It
is a second established offering because the first was what? Taken
away. Taken away. Let's see this second
offering. By the which will. We are set
apart. That's what that word means.
I started to say that's all that word means, but that's not all
that word means. But it means to set apart. By
the which will we are set apart through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all. and every priest standeth daily,
ministering, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can
never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice, four sins, four ever, sat down on the right hand
of God, from henceforth expecting expecting till his enemies be
made his footstool for by one offering he hath perfected forever
them that are sanctified." This was to be and now has been
Messiah's one blood offering and all that blood meant more
to God than all the thousands of beasts that were offered under
the law. Because this man was capable
by his blood to satisfy divine justice on behalf of a people. And listen to me, I want to make
this as clear as I can. Believing the gospel is not saying
I believe Jesus Christ died only for the elect. That's not it. That is true, and it is a part
of the truth of God, but that's not what it's about. Believing
the gospel, believing Christ is saying, I believe Jesus Christ
accomplished exactly what the Father sent Him to accomplish
when He came in this world and lived and died and was buried
and rose again and exalted at the right hand of God the Father.
I believe that when He died, He sanctified me and He perfected
me. If He did not, then I never will
have any sanctification. and imperfection. Jesus Christ
did not die for the sins of everyone, because Jesus Christ satisfied
divine justice for everyone for whom he offered up himself. Listen
to A.W. Pink. This is a short thing A.W.
Pink gave about the blood of Jesus Christ. However men may
wrestle and quibble with the scriptures, one thing is certain.
The atonement is no failure. God will not allow that precious
and costly sacrifice to fail in accomplishing completely that
which it was designed to effect. Not a drop of that holy blood
was shed in vain. In the last great day there shall
stand forth no disappointed and defeated Savior, but one who
shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied."
There are very few men today preaching that gospel. You see, sanctification wasn't
offered. when Christ died. Sanctification
is not being offered when Christ crucified is preached. Sanctification,
the gospel being preached, is declaring that when he died,
he sanctified everyone for whom he died. And everyone for whom
he died not only was sanctified, but was perfected forever when
he died. His blood justified, Romans 5
verse 9. Remember how many times, there
are people, people think that the blood of Jesus Christ, it
speaks of the blood of Jesus Christ cleansing our sins, right?
They think this is some kind of mysterious thing, don't they? that the blood of Jesus Christ
washes away our sin. They think this is some kind
of mystical thing. No, this is divine justice being
satisfied. God's holy character being honored
when Jesus Christ bore the sins of his own people in his body
on the tree and he satisfied a holy God who was offended by
that sin. Amir, justified by his blood,
Romans 5, 9. Redemption through his blood,
Ephesians 1, 7. We are made nigh by his blood,
Ephesians 2, 13. He made peace by his blood, Colossians
1 and 20. And he makes perfect by his blood,
Hebrews 13, verse 20 and 21. You see, sanctification was wrought
when he was offered. Messiah's offering was followed
by his setting, S-E-T. That includes the sit. It says
he's seated at the right hand of God the Father. He's seated,
not just sitting. What does that imply? The word
means God the Father said you've done it all. You've earned the
honor and the right to rest. Now sit down here. That is to
be seated. He sits at the right hand of
God the Father because he's been seated at the right hand of God
the Father. And Messiah's offering was followed
by his sitting to confidently expect the results of his offering,
and what is that? To conquer and make footstools. Now here's the question. You
say, well, I believe God saved me. Has he conquered you and
made you his footstool? That's the question. Well, I
gave my heart to Jesus. That don't mean squat. It don't
mean squat. Well, I came to Jesus. That don't
mean squat. Has he conquered you and made
you his footstool? Well, I walked the aisle. I got
on my knees. I prayed and asked God to forgive
me. That's not the question. Expecting,
it says, until. his enemies be made his footstool. You see it? From henceforth,
from that time on, expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool, for by one offering he hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified. You see, a blood bought, a blood wrought,
one sacrifice secured the fact that some people would be Jesus
Christ's footstool. And I understand, I really do.
I understand the unregenerate when they say, I will not bow
to Jesus Christ. And I say to them, whoever they
might be, you may be right. You may not bow in this life
to Jesus Christ, but one day you will. But the cry of the regenerate
is, oh, God, bow me down today. Not, I thank God he bowed me
yesterday. That's all great. But God, bow
me down today. You know why? Because yesterday's
bowing is not enough. You see, a footstool remains
a footstool. A footstool is a place for the
conqueror to put his foot up on and say, hey, look at what
I did. You remember, I don't suppose
they do that much anymore. We're far too civilized when
we go to war for that now, aren't we? We kill thousands and millions
of folks on the other side, our enemies, but we're too civilized. Now, it used to be when you conquered
a country, A head of that country was made to lay in the dust and
the victor put his foot upon his neck and stood there with
his foot upon his neck. That's what it means by a footstool. I must needs be conquered by
Jesus Christ. I wouldn't sit down and try to
even count it. Even in our small group, after Our late pastor
Earl Cochran was taken on to glory. I don't know how many
people have come to me and said, I want to be baptized. And I jumped the gun. Although
I believe that when a person wants to be baptized, that's
the time for them to be baptized. And they want to, right? But
I've jumped the gun. How do I know that? Because some
of those people have gone the way of the wind. They've gone
the way of the wind. Why? Because they don't really
understand what it's like to be conquered by Jesus Christ. If you're under his boot, you'll
never get away from it. If you can get away from it,
you've not yet been conquered. All that blood, all that blood
that he shed, that precious blood demands that Messiah's blood
secure salvation for everyone for whom he died. If Jesus Christ died for all
men's sins without exception, and not all men go to heaven
without exception, then Jesus Christ's blood cannot be the
deciding factor. Can it? Can it? It just cannot
be. And yet this unregenerate religious
world of Christendom has been so duped by the monstrosity of
universal redemption preaching, that they actually cannot any
longer see that God Almighty is holy and demands absolute
justice. There are people today that think
God's holy because they don't smoke cigarettes. Am I telling you the truth or
not? As Earl used to say, there are some preachers that preach
more against a pack of cigarettes and a can of beer than they do
for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do they not? It's a sad, despicable state
to which our nation has fallen, not because we're immoral, but
because we are moral. And we think that morality must,
in some way, Get us at least some merit before God. I mean, preacher, you can't tell
me that I give to the Shriners Crippled Children's Hospital
and God won't show one ounce of respect for that. I am saying
that exact same thing. Because when you do, you got
to brag about it, right? You can't just do it secretly
and let it be done just for the children's sake. You got to tell
somebody about it, even if it's your husband or wife on your
pillow talk at night, and you don't tell anybody else. You're
just bursting at the seams. I got to tell somebody how good
I did today. Huh, your flesh ever did that
thing? And then we complain about everybody else and their faults. I'm not preaching down to you
folks. I mean, there are times when I feel like rather than
it being elevated like this, you know, every church I've ever
been in, church building I've ever been in, the preacher's
always standing way up here. I guess it's been some kind of
tradition. I think it ought to be actually the other way. It
actually ought to be up like this. It ought to be way down
here in the hole somewhere. I'm not preaching down to you. I'm
telling you we are so corrupt that unless Jesus Christ shed
every ounce of his precious blood for me, I am doomed to be abandoned
by God in the thick black darkness of hell forever. Forever. You see, I believe that Jesus
Christ did exactly what this book says he did, and that's
my only hope. I come to him because of that. I rejoice that he did
accomplish that. I live by the truth that he did
do it. I ask you, do you believe him
in that way as well? Heavenly Father, bless these
feeble words, this clay pot trying to speak thy truth. But Lord,
by your spirit, take your word and accomplish your will. In
Christ's name, amen.