Open your Bibles with me this
morning to the 16th chapter of Leviticus. Leviticus chapter
16. And begin reading with me at verse 7 and onward. This is the Old Testament law,
the Old Covenant law concerning the scapegoat. Chapter 16, beginning at verse
7. This is speaking of Aaron, the
high priest. These are the mandates of God
given through the law of Moses unto the high priest. And Aaron
and he shall take the two goats and present them or make them
stand, literally, before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon
the two goats." Remember what the Proverbs says, the lot is
cast in the lap, but the answer is from the Lord. One lot for the Lord and the
other lot for the scapegoat, or the goat of departure. And Aaron shall bring the goat
upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot
fell to be the scapegoat, or the goat of departure, shall
be presented alive before the Lord to make an atonement with
him, and to let him go for a scapegoat, or goat of departure, into the
wilderness. And Aaron shall bring the bullock
of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an
atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the
bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself. And he
shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar
before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense, beaten
small, and bring it within the veil. And he shall put the incense
upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense
may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he
die not." And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and
sprinkle it with his finger upon the face of the mercy seat eastward. And before the mercy seat shall
he sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times. Then shall he kill the goat of
the sin offering. That is for the people. And bring
his blood within the veil. and do with that blood as he
did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy
seat and before the mercy seat. And he shall make an atonement
for the holy place because of the uncleanness of
the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions and all
their sins. And so shall he do for the tabernacle
of the congregation that remaineth among them in the midst of their
uncleanness. And there shall be no man in
the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement
in the holy place until he come out. and have made an atonement for
himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation
of Israel. And he shall go out unto the
altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it,
and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood
of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round
about, and he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his
fingers seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness,
or literally the fallenness, of the children of Israel. And
when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle
of the congregation, and the altar, He shall bring the live
goat, and Aaron shall lay both his
hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all
the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions,
and all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat. and
shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness.
And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities into
a land not inhabited." A land literally of separation. And
he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. Now turn with me,
if you will, to Hebrews chapter 9. Let's read again. first 10 verses that we looked
at in detail last week, and then go on and read down through verse
20. Hebrews chapter 9. Then verily the first covenant
had also ordinances of literally religious divine service. and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made,
or a tabernacle constructed, the first, wherein was from the illiteral both the candlestick
and the table, and the showbread, which is called the holy place. the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the
tabernacle, which is referring to another room in the whole
tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the
golden censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about
with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's
rod that budded. and the tables of the covenant,
or the Ten Commandments. And over it, the cherubims of
glory, overshadowing the mercy seat, overshadowing the propitiatory
place of which we cannot now speak
particularly. or from the illiteral, it's more
accurately read, of which it is not now the time to speak
in particular. Verse 6, Now when these things
were thus ordained, or constructed, the priests went in the year, always, into the
first tabernacle. It's where the priests, plural,
performed most of their religious service, accomplishing the religious
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, the sins of ignorance
of the people. The Holy Ghost thus signified
that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest,
not yet revealed. While as the first tabernacle
was yet Literally, having a standing. Which was a figure for the time. Even then, it was to be understood
that this is a type and a shadow. 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 religious service perfect. as pertaining to the conscience. Religious service which stood
only in meats and drinks and diverse washings or literally
diverse baptisms and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time
of Reformation. or more literally understood,
the time of rectification. But Christ, being come, and high
priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not 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. For if the
blood of bulls and of 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 again, more literally, religiously serve
the living God. And for this cause, He is the
mediator of a new testament or covenant. That by means of death, or literally
that death having taken place, for the redemption of the transgressions
that were under the first testament, her covenant, they which are
called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where
a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of
the testator. For a testament is in force after
men are dead, otherwise it is of no strength at all while the
testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament
was dedicated without blood. For 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 hyssop,
and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, This
is the blood of the testament, of the covenant, which God hath
enjoined unto you." May God bless the reading of this word. Hebrews 9, verses 1-10 was focused
upon last week, and we saw that it centered around the holy place
and the holy of holies, as the word put it, worldly sanctuary,
and certain of their constituent parts. Namely, there was mentioned
the lampstand, the table of showbread, and the Ark of the Covenant with
its contents. Hebrews 9, 1-10 focuses upon
each one of these parts individually, as well as the whole tabernacle
collectively, explaining that they were all earthly, or as
it put it, worldly, in time, types and shadows of the promised,
eternal Christ of God. In fact, we noted last week how
that the Gospel of John, which was most likely written around
90 A.D. Now that's significant because
that's after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by
the Roman army in 70 A.D. And the Gospel of John declares
to us the pure gospel truth that Christ was, and is, and always
will be the full and genuine meaning of all the tabernacle,
with all of its priestly services and ceremonies. This even includes
the brazen altar, and the laver, and the golden altar of incense,
as well as the whole tabernacle in its entirety. We have already
learned from Hebrews chapters 1-8 that the promised Christ
of God is in fact the incarnate eternal Son of God, of the all-glorious and great
triumvirate God. Hence, The eternal Son of Man,
as well as the eternal Lamb of God, along with the promised
eternal Christ of God, is one and the same as the eternal Son
of God. And as being the promised God-Man
and sovereign Savior-Substitute, He came into this world on a
specific and a special mission. He was sent by God the Father
to be His holy, divine, and devoted special servant. He was sent
to perfectly fulfill all that the Father sent Him to do in
order to demonstrate in the history of fallen mankind all that He
has already accomplished in eternity in regards to the eternal salvation
of all His elect out of all of fallen humanity. Now that's the
gospel. That's the good news. Christ
was sent by God into this world to disclose and to declare by
Holy Spirit demonstration an eternal new covenant. A covenant that was new in respect
to its fresh, literally regenerating revelation that resides in the
historical reality that certain chosen, lost, but loved and blessed
sinners from every generation of the whole history of fallen
humanity have been saved from eternity, in eternity, and for
eternity by the Lord Jesus Christ. The only sovereign Savior substitute
that there ever was is or ever will be. This is the new revelation
that is the essence and substance of the new covenant. Eternally
ratified by the blood of the eternal Lamb of God. Brought
to pass by the fulfillment of the promised eternal Christ of
God. Who through the Lord Jesus Christ
lived in our history. as the eternal Son of Man, and
proved that he was indeed the incarnate eternal Son of God. He declared a new covenant, a
covenant that is governed by an eternal priesthood, with an
equally eternal rule of law, that is inclusive of all that
is contained in the temporary Moses-mediated priesthood and
law of the Old Covenant. The temporary Old Covenant, with
Moses as its divinely appointed mediator, was a covenant that
was cut at Mount Sinai with the earthly children of Jacob, whose
name was changed to Israel. Whereas the eternal new covenant
has the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God incarnate,
as its mediator. For there is one God and one
mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. in whom
God has placed and positioned from eternity, in eternity, and
for eternity all of his elect children from out of all of fallen
mankind unto eternal salvation. The eternal Son of God incarnate
is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, who is also the eternal
Lamb of God. He was sent into this fallen
world by His Heavenly Father to perform in perfect obedience
all that the Father required and commanded of Him in order
for Him to accomplish, down to the sacrifice of His own blood,
eternal salvation for all of His elect. The law of the Lord
is all of the Father's demand. on his son, that he had to obediently
fulfill every one of them. This includes all that he needed
to say, all that he needed to do, and all that he needed to
be in order for him to eternally secure the salvation of all the
souls that make up being his body, his bride, his household. Now, where we are in our study
of this portion of the Epistle of Hebrews, we shall see the
scriptural description that magnifies the eternal reality that the
person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ displays and demonstrates
for all of his elect. at Hebrews 9, verses 11 through
20. Let's take into consideration
verses 11 and 12. It says, But Christ, being common
high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not 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." Now, from
the original, these two verses could more accurately be read. Verse 11, "...but Christ being
come, or having arrived on the fallen human scene, High Priest of the coming good
things, That is the only holy, perfect, and eternal High Priest
that there has ever been. And High Priest of the prophesied
good things of the everlasting covenant. When Christ was walking by the
road with the two disciples and Emmaus, and He conversed with them, He
taught them out of the Old Testament, out of the law of Moses, the
Psalms, and all the prophets, all the things concerning himself.
And he is the new covenant. Verse 11 says that he came through
the greater and more perfect tabernacle. or through the venue of a completely
perfect tabernacle. We just read how the tabernacle
itself and the different rooms of it had to be atoned for because
of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, the fallenness. And
that's of the priests as well as the people. But Christ came through a completely
perfect tabernacle. And this phrase obviously speaks
descriptively of His own holy person and being. He is the tabernacle. The tabernacle not made by hand. That is, not of this literally,
the word building, it's more accurately translated, by the
word creation. He is not of this creation. Meaning, he came from eternal
heaven itself. I'm reminded of a phrase of Psalm
57, which says, listen to the first few verses here. Be merciful
or be gracious unto me, O God. Be gracious unto me. This is
how this psalm starts. For my soul trusteth in thee. Yea, in the shadow of thy wings
will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpassed. Here's verse 2. I will cry unto
God most high, unto God that performeth all things for me. Then verse 3. He shall send from
heaven and save me. And that was the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the eternal Son of God.
that was sent by God the Father from heaven, from the glory of
the Godhood itself, into being made like unto a man, partaker
of flesh and blood, but always holy. Verse 12 says,
"...nor by blood of goats and cats, but through," literally,
through, the word by there, that preposition, more accurately
translated, "...but through his own blood," that is, through
the omnipotent power of his eternal, holy blood, "...he entered once
for all into the holy of holies in heaven,
into the holy presence of the Father and the Son, into the
glorious presence of the Godhead itself. This is in contrast to the worldly
priesthood of the Levites who had to make mock sacrifices every
day and every year in order to typify the eternality of Christ's
one and only sacrifice of himself. And it's the last part of verse
12 that's, for us, the most glorious. Literally, it should be read,
eternal redemption having found. eternal redemption having found."
The words for us are input by the translators to make it clear
this was for us, but they're not found in verse 12. It's enough
to say that he found eternal redemption. Where did he find
it? How did he find it? The high priests from Aaron on
down throughout the history of Old Covenant Israel never found
eternal redemption. If they did, they would never
have to perform that ceremony over and over and over and over
again. Eternal redemption was found
by Jesus Christ because His blood has eternal power, has power
to cleanse for eternity, and because He was the eternal Son
of God. And everything that he does is
for eternity and is eternally qualified. Back in the Garden
of Eden, God definitively and descriptively declared by means
of his making a promise for the future, where the timeline of
fallen history is concerned, that there would come through
the woman into the realm of fallen humanity, even through human
birth, an eternally effective enemy of the serpent, and all
of the serpent's seed. In fact, Genesis 3.15, which
is God's address to the serpent after Adam's fall, literally
says, He, that is God's special seed singular, shall bruise thy
hip, and thou, He's addressing the serpent, the devil, shall
bruise his heel. And it was Hebrews 2.14 that
already explained this. For if you look back to Hebrews
2 and re-glance at verse 14, you'll see that it describes
for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself, that is Christ Jesus, likewise took part of
the same, that through death he might destroy him that hath
the power of death, that is, the devil." So we see this special Holy Seed
being the eternal Son of God and being come into this world
as the eternal High Priest substitute for all who are of his household
through the tabernacle of his own person and being, his own
person and work, and through his own blood sacrifice found
for us through the shedding of his own blood, eternal redemption. Praise his name. This brings us to verse 13, which
explains to us, For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the
ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, it says, sanctifyeth
to the purifying of the flesh, How much more shall the blood
of Christ, verse 14 goes on to tell us, who through the eternal
spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God? Having taken us into the eternal
tabernacle of Christ's person, And his eternal work as our high
priest and our sovereign Savior substitute, the spirit of the
inspired Word of God now brings us right back to the temporary
types and shadows of the sacrifices of bulls and goats and the ashes
of a red heifer. And the eternal Lamb of God is
once again the substance of the meaning of all these as well. From the original, these two
verses could more accurately be read. Verse 13, For if the
blood of bulls, and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling
the defiled, sanctifies for the purity of the flesh, how much
more rather the blood of Christ, or the blood of the Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit, offering himself spotless to God, shall
purify your conscience from dead works into serving the living
God." Now, what three observations
can be made from these two verses? Number one, the comparison being
made here is from the Old to the New, from the lesser to the
greater. The worldly ceremonial use of
the blood of bulls and goats, as well as the use of the ashes
of the burnt offering of the red heifer, without blemish."
They had to find a red heifer without blemish, and he was offered
as a burnt offering. This is spoken of in Numbers
chapter 19. And that's what is being referred
to here in verse 13. This was the typical sacrificial
ceremony for cleansing and purification from the defilement of sin. And
being only a type, it served to sanctify and purify only the
external flesh of both the priests and the individual
persons of the family of Israel. That's the first observation
that can be made. Second one, if the temporary sacrificial
type purified the flesh of the outer man, then certainly the
eternal High Priest, whom the type represents, who offers his
own spotless self and his own holy blood as a burnt offering
that is unto God as a sweet-smelling savor, then certainly such a
sacrifice as this must serve to eternally sanctify and purify
the inner man, the inner being of a defiled sinner. Last week,
when we were looking at Hebrews 9, verses 1-10, we noted that which was written
from verses 8-9, where it says, "...the Holy Spirit,
this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not
yet made manifest, or not yet revealed." while the first tabernacle
was yet, literally, having a standing. Verse 9, which it says, 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, particularly, the conscience. And now here,
from verse 14, we see that the offering of the Christ of God
is so powerful in its cleansing and sanctification that it cleanses
and purifies the conscience from all that sinfully defiles it. Now, the English word for conscience
comes from a compound Greek word that means co-perception, or
co-knowledge, or understanding in moral consciousness. And generally
it's assumed that the word conscience is a person who comes into agreement
with himself. But I don't think that's what
it's talking about here, because of the union that happens that
the new covenant declares, that the Christ of the new covenant
declares unto us that he enters into with all those for whom
he has made the sacrifice of himself for. And we are told
in more ways than one and more places than one in the New Testament
that we have the mind of Christ and with each other with fellow
brothers and sisters for whom Christ died, we are of one mind. We are of one understanding.
We have a co-perception of the truth. You see, this word from the Greek
also comes from its root word, which means to see completely,
to be informed of and become aware of. What's that talking about? The
gospel, brothers and sisters, is an announcement of something
already accomplished, already done. That's why it's good news. And once you hear the good news
and you are informed of the good news and you become aware of
it, it pulls you right in. It engenders faith. It bestows on,
it's the conduit where God gives you the grace of faith to see
clearly the things that these eyes cannot see. For we walk
by faith, not by sight. While we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things
which are seen are temporary. No wonder the Pharisees were
the offspring of the old covenant practices. They were wedded to
those rituals and those ceremonies and the law. Though they couldn't
live the law, they became hypocrites in the
way they lived because they broke the law and yet advocated such
perfection to living the law among all their peers. And that is the way it is today. It hasn't changed. once you become knowledgeable
of who Jesus really is as the eternal Son of God and he has
accomplished all that is needed to save your poor lost soul in
eternity and for eternity he has done this and he bestows
that grace which is his own faith you embrace tightly your Savior,
and your very conscience is cleansed of all that has sinfully defiled
it. It pertains to the converting
of fact in which genuine regeneration has on a sinner wherein one comes to be corrected
from their own wrong opinions, which before they were dogmatically
certain that they were right. Having been regenerated, however,
they have come to be of the same perception and perspective opinions
that the Word of God declares to be pure gospel truth. Hence verse 14 says that the
blood of Christ will purge your conscience. Those are the literal
right words. Purge your conscience from dead
works. Anything and everything, even
the thought that as long as you have this opinion, that you've
been saved. through some other means than
that which is described in the Bible. But you're alright. You're purged. You're purified
in your conscience from dead works. And what then is the result
of that purging? The text says, your conscience
having been cleansed by the blood of Christ, you will literally
religiously serve no longer dead works, but the living God. Therefore, does the next verse
go on to tell us, this is verse 15 now, and for this cause, He
is the mediator, literally, of the new covenant. That by means
of death, that is His death, or literally, that His death
having taken place, And don't you see that cross of Calvary
on the timeline of human history, and we don't know exactly where
it falls. We can get close. We can only
approximate, like any of those dates back to the fall. But that cross on the timeline
reflects the Lamb of God, the eternal Lamb of God. whom the
Word of God says is slain, what's the date? From before the foundation
of the world. When were you saved? From before
the foundation of the world. When were you reconciled to God? From before the foundation of
the world. When were you justified by God? Declared righteous by
God? From before the foundation of
the world. When were you declared holy and blameless and without
spot and blemish from before the foundation of the world? When were you sanctified from
before the foundation of the world? Because the eternal Son
of God has done it all. And for this cause, He is the
mediator of the new covenant. that his death having taken place
for the sins of his people, for the redemption of the transgressions
that were under, or that were, literally more accurately, that
were upon, or that were connected with the first covenant, they
who have been called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. That is, all those who are the
called, Past, present, and future. All of them. Where the whole age of sin and
death is concerned. They might receive the fulfillment
of the promise of the gift of God. And what is the gift of God?
Romans 6.23 tells us. It tells us that the wages of
sin is death. But the gift of God is what? eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Finally, from this text, the
real reason is also here given for the triune God to send the
eternal Son of God to be the mediator or literally the reconciler,
the eternal Redeemer and the sovereign Savior substitute for
all the elect of God. He is the only one found to be
qualified. He is the only one found to be
able to perfectly perform such a task. I'm reminded of the text
from Revelation. Listen to this, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive
glory, and honor, and power. For Thou hast created all things,
and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. And then John
writes, And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne
a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven
seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming
with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, to loose the
seals thereof? To loose the seals of sovereign
providence over the age of sin and death. And no man in heaven
nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book,
neither to look thereon. And I wept, because no man was
found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto
me, Weep not. Behold, the Lion, which is of
the tribe of Judah, The root of David hath prevailed. He hath overcome to open the book and to loose
the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the
midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst
of the elders, stood a Lamb, as it had been slain." He's in
the eternal realm now. and beholdingness. A lamb, as it had been slain,
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits
of God, sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the
book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and the four
and twenty elders fell down before the lamb, having every one of
them hearts and golden mouths full of odors, which are the
prayers of saints. And they sang a new song. saying, Thou art worthy to take
the book, and to open the seals thereof, for Thou wast slain,
and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood, out of every kindred,
and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God,
kings and priests, and we shall reign on earth." What a picture! That's the gospel of the glory
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning what verse 15 of Hebrews
9 tells us, remember Hebrews 7.22 has already told us that
by God's eternal decree and declaration, and not by his legal appointment
as with the priestly tribe of Levi, hath Jesus become a surety
of a better covenant? That's Hebrews 7, 22. Furthermore,
Hebrews 8, verse 6, has in no uncertain terms already told
us, but now it says, hath he obtained, or literally, hath
he brought to pass a more excellent ministry By how much also he
is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established by law."
Literally. The words by law are not found
in our English translation. But that's what the meaning of
the Greek word is. For established. It was established
by law. What law? It was based upon better
promises. Well, it's not the law of Moses.
He doesn't promise to do anything to us except condemn us. It's
the law of the Lord, because in the law of the Lord is the
promise based upon the incarnate Son of God's obedience. I have
been saved. So then verse 16 goes on to explain. For where a testament, or especially
this new covenant as referred to, where a covenant is, there
must also of necessity, literally, be brought in, be brought into
the equation of things. And what must be brought into
the equation of things in order for us to inherit the will, last
will and testament of the Son of God, there must be the death
of the testator, or the death of the covenant maker. Verse
17, for a testament, or where this new covenant is of force,
or where this new testament is concerned, it is affirmed, that's
what the word means, it's affirmed and confirmed after men are dead,
not before. or literally, over the death
of the testator. That's why Christ has to be the
Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world, or nobody on the
timeline of fallen humanity. No one that comes into existence
on the timeline of fallen humanity is saved. That's what defeats the devil.
That's why the cross is the ultimate coup de grace. against Satan. He's totally destroyed. Jesus came into the world. He made history. He made history
to be his story. Everyone knows that the last
will and testament depends upon the death of the one who makes
the will in order for it to be of any value. Otherwise, it is
of no strength at all, as the scripture says here, while the
testator liveth, or literally, since the testament is of no
value unto those who are the heirs of it, when the testator
is living." This is why Jesus, throughout his life and walk
of ministry, continually told his disciples how he, in a divinely
appointed time, was going to be taken by the Jews and put
to death, and then in three days rise from the dead. The disciples
were saddened to hear this. They didn't like to hear these
things come out of his mouth. But their very eternal security
depended upon the death of their Lord and Savior. They were thinking
of their worldly security. They wanted him to go. Peter
even exerted himself and his opinions to the point where he
says he would And he probably drew his sword when he said it,
I'll fight and die before I let anybody come and take you. And
that's when he heard those words from Christ, get thee behind
me, Satan. Jesus told them, greater love
hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. And then he told them, you are
my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you, if we do the law
of the Lord. Finally, Hebrews 9, verses 18-20 describes,
"...whereupon neither the first testament nor covenant was dedicated
without blood," that is, apart from blood. And it tells us,
verse 19, "...for when Moses had spoken every precept to all
the people," get the order, according to the law, it says, "...he took
the blood Then he took the blood of calves
and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, all
of which are types and shadows, and sprinkled both the book itself
and all the people. Verse 20, saying, This is the
blood of the covenant which God hath enjoined unto you. Now from
the original again, these verses could more accurately say, Whence
neither the first, apart from blood, has been inaugurated or formally put into operation. Verse 19, for every commandment
According to the law, having been spoken to all the people
by Moses, and he having taken the blood of calves and of goats
with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, he sprinkled both the
book itself and all the people, saying, This is the blood of
the covenant which God enjoined, commanded you, enjoined to you. These are clearly types and shadows
of the Lord Jesus Christ being referred to. For what's being
described here, what's being explained here is the culture
and the practice and the living in this world under the Old Covenant. This is what the priests did
daily and annually, year after year after year after year after
year. It was their culture. And like the eternal new covenant
that has been formally put into operation by the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world, the old covenant was inaugurated
with the blood of slain calves and goats, types of the Lamb
of God. But the sacrifices were not ceremonially
carried out until after every commandment of the law was spoken
unto the people by Moses. Even so, the pure gospel of redemption
accomplished was taught by Christ through the law of Moses, which
included not only the Decalogue, but also the whole sacrificial
system. And also the Psalms and all the
prophets. That's the Old Testament. Faith
cometh by hearing. Hearing by the Word of God. And then, Jesus, after he taught
about himself from all of the Scriptures, he went to the cross and suffered
and died. blood and water having flowed, having spilled out from his pierced
side. The thorns that spring up under
fallen man's feet were made into a crown and placed upon our Savior's
holy head. The scarlet wool typifying the
purity of our Savior's person and His bloody sacrifice. The wool is pure white, but they
dyed it scarlet. That shows the pure Son of God
and His sacrifice is still holy. The purity. of our Savior's person and his bloody sacrifice. The
hyssop signifies our Savior's humility and the purging power
that his blood has to cleanse even the guilty conscience of
the sinner redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. and the sweet-smelling
savor of his person and his righteousness apart from the law." Dear ones, this is a large part
of the law of the Lord, which we are blessed to come to love
and to live by. David saw this. Why would he write, O how I love
thy law, it is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119, 97. Why would he say, through thy
precepts I get understanding. Therefore, I hate every false
way. That's Psalm 119, 104.