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HEBREWS CHAPTER 9 KJV WEB See previous page Heb 9,1-28 (80l) Thy kingdom come >> Prayer >> The priesthood >> Jesus ministered to people through His ministry toward God – God commanded Moses to place the Golden Altar of Incense in front of the curtain so the priests could daily tend to it, because no one was allowed in the Most Holy Place except the high priest only once a year. This passage says that the Golden Altar of Incense was placed in the Most Holy Place, but Exodus 30-6 says, “You shall put this altar in front [italics added] of the veil that is near the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the ark of the testimony, where I will meet with you.” He spoke about the location of the Golden Altar of Incense as though the veil weren’t there. Therefore, we say that God removes the veil as we minister to Him through Prayer. The Golden Altar of Incense represents prayer, and according to the symbolism, prayer escorts us into His presence (into the Holy of Holies). Before we pray we must walk past the Table of Showbread representing the word of God and past the Golden Menorah lit with seven candlesticks that sheds light on His word. For many Christians, prayer is all but missing. Living a life of prayer has the power to transform a person from a telluric man of the flesh to a godly man of the Spirit, yet most Christians never make it past the table of showbread in their walk with God. Prayer makes us spiritual people, and our flesh doesn't want us to be spiritual. We can read the Bible all day long, and we can go to cemetery school and come out with a doctorate in theology, but if we never discipline ourselves to pray, we will not have developed a relationship with God by venturing into a Most Holy Place with God through prayer. (246d) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> The true tabernacle – In the the Holy Place the priest passed the Table of Showbread and the lampstand before he reached the perpetually burning incense, representing prayer, to rekindle it. The priests replaced the Showbread every day that represented the word of God, indicating that the Lord wants His word to be fresh in our minds with new insights every day. The Golden Altar of Incense was physically placed in front of the curtain leading into the Most Holy Place, but its spiritual location was behind the curtain, suggesting that being a disciple of prayer provides access into the Holy of Holies, as we couple it with Scripture that we observed on the table of showbread with the golden lampstand giving light to the word of God. Thus, we understand prayer to be a type of temple worship by a priest that is performed in the Most Holy Place. Jesus alluded to this in Mat 6-6, “When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” This inner room refers to the Most Holy Place. Heb 9,1-26 (141f) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Old Testament bears witness to the new >> It bears witness to Jesus >> Prophesy about Jesus’ death (151f) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> New Testament bears witness of the Old >> The law – When Jesus ascended back to heaven, He fulfilled the old covenant priestly duty of taking the blood sacrifice and presenting it in the Holy of Holies. To do this the high priest had to walk past the Golden Lampstand and the Table of Showbread, past the Golden Altar of Incense and behind the veil into the Holy of Holies, where he would make propitiation for the sins of the people. These temple laws were given in the time of Moses and were strictly observed, but the years between taking possession of the land of Canaan and building Solomon’s temple (about 440 years) temple worship was disregarded through apostasy. It was also disregarded in a long period prior to the Babylonian takeover. Heb 9,1-16 (139i) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Tear down the old to rebuild the new – Verse one says, “Even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship,” suggesting that the second one does too. So, what are the regulations of new covenant worship? The regulation of the old covenant was the law, but Jesus said that the worshiper of the new covenant worships God in Spirit and truth. Therefore, the regulation of the new covenant consists of obeying the Holy Spirit, and note that it is divine. The writer of Hebrews went on to discuss aspects of the old covenant tabernacle, but he never mentioned the outer court, which was nothing more than a wall built around the tabernacle that represented the outer most perimeter of the temple, made of porpoise skin, representing the skin of our own bodies, where the bull was killed for its blood and its body burned. That is, our bodies are the new covenant temple. Entering the temple we encounter the first of two curtains; once inside, we see a table of bread. Although this is the holy place they did not call it holy bread, but sacred, representing Scripture. We have two forms of God’s word in the holy place: sacred and holy. There was the light of God’s truth, symbolized by the lampstand, and the sacred bread, representing the body of Jesus, who called Himself the bread of life, broken for us. He was also considered the word of God in the gospel of John, manifested in human flesh (Jn 1,1-14). Christ was given for us as we break the bread, and the light of the lampstand shines to give us understanding (2Cor 4-6). Second, our experience in the holy place qualifies us to advance to the Most Holy Place, for residing in front of the curtain is the golden altar of incense, representing prayer. As we seek God in prayer, the Holy Spirit ushers us into the Most Holy Place where we fellowship with God and come to personally know Him on a whole new level. The old covenant temple was torn down in AD 70 and the new temple has become our bodies. In the same way that Jesus' body was torn down and resurrected by the Father, so we go from the holy place of the sacred bread to the Most Holy Place of the living bread, where they kept the sample of manna in a golden jar. In the same way that our bodies must die before we can go to heaven, so God has called us to die to self to advance in various levels of divine worship. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9,1-6 (189a) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Holy sacrifice >> The smell of death >> Priestly anointing perfume of sacrifice – The golden altar of perpetual incense is the key that unlocks the symbolism of old covenant temple worship. It released a beautiful fragrance into the room, yet it was the smell of death, one of the many ironies of the Bible. Verse six explains why the golden altar of incense had to be located outside the Holy of Holies, “The priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle, performing the divine worship.” They were continually maintaining the temple's aroma, which required them to dispose of previous ashes and add more incense. Perhaps heaven smells similar to the incense that God commanded Israel. There was another room beyond the first one, called the Holy of Holies, where according to verse 4 we find the golden altar of incense and the Ark of the Covenant. Moses’ description puts the golden altar of incense just outside the veil (Exodus 30-6), so the priests could keep the incense burning, since they were forbidden to go in the Most Holy Place except once a year to perform the annual sacrifice. This is in contrast to verse 4, which puts the golden altar of incense within the Holy of Holies. So, is there a discrepancy here? It is unlikely, since the writer of Hebrews was an expert in matters regarding Jewish temple worship. Rather, he was making the point that the Golden Altar of Incense had equal standing with the Ark of the Covenant, which was Israel's most prized possession! Since the Golden Altar of Incense represents both dying to self and prayer, what does that say about prayer? It means that in order to develop a life of prayer, we must first die to self. As in the pattern of baptism, that which dies according to the will of God will be resurrected to newness of life, so a life devoted to prayer leads away from a telluric existence to one that is spiritual in nature. Heb 9,1-5 (133j) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> Our obedience is holy to the Lord – There were many layers to the tabernacle. Counting them, there was the outer court represented by the wall of fabric surrounding the temple, representing our flesh. Then, there was the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. That makes three. There was the Ark of the Covenant, which was a room in itself containing “the golden jar holding the manna, Aaron’s rod which budded and the tables of the covenant,” making four in total. The Bible says that the Ark of the Covenant was God’s dwelling place. You could almost say that God lived in a box. People have since tried to put God in a box, but what does the Scripture say? “See that you make [it] according to the pattern shown you on the mountain” (Ex 25:40). Since our bodies are the new covenant temple, we are the box. Heb 9,1-3 (134f) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Composition of our bodies is from the earth >> Worship unlocks the spirit realm -- These verses go with verses 6-15 Heb 9-1,2 (37f) Blood of Jesus (Key verse) Heb 9-1 (174a) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Man’s religion >> Good traditions (Exception to bad religion) >> Good customs -- This verse goes with verses 9&10 (205h) Salvation >> Salvation is based on God’s promises >> New covenant >> The old one is obsolete – Each person can be seen to have an old and new covenant. The old covenant is the time in a person’s life before he believed in Jesus, while the new covenant marks the time when he now believes. Every Christian is living in the new covenant age, for the days of his unbelief are past in reference to his former manner of life depicted by disobedience and living in view of the law. The law made no promises of redemption; instead, Christ came and saved us. He gave us a new covenant by which He affords His grace as our strength to perform the works of the law that we could not do before we believed in Jesus. (206g) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to the gifts of God >> Conditions to the promises of God -- This verse goes with verse 10 (252j) Trinity >> You shall put no other gods before Me >> Worship God >> Worship God by your lifestyle -- This verse goes with verse 9 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9-2,3 (132c) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holy Spirit is in God’s people >> Spirit of God in the spirit of man >> Spirit gives access to the Father through Christ -- These verses go with verses 6-15 Heb 9-2 (76n) Thy kingdom come >> Desires >> Word is food >> Bread of life is the word of God – The sacred bread representing the word of God was located in the holy place, the outer room of the tabernacle, indicating that the Scriptures are sacred but becomes holy when we believe it. Along with the showbread was the Menorah, the golden lampstand holding seven candles; these two things working together—the showbread and the lampstand—bring about the revelation of the truth that we call "faith". Without the light the showbread would be in darkness; we would have to grope to find it, and even then we couldn't read it. Conversely, without the bread there would be nothing for the light to reveal, just an empty table. It is not the Bible only but the illumination of the Bible that we need. Sometimes we read the Bible, and it sounds like seemingly meaningless words; we are reading in the dark. Other days we read and the words jump off the page. How do we turn on the light so we can see what we are reading? Everybody knows something about the will of God, so if we do what we know, it will turn on the light so we can read and understand. There are three things at work here: the light, the word and obedience. When we supply the third ingredient to our faith, the word of God illumines both mind and body. Isn’t that what Jesus said? “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light” (Mat 6-22). (231j) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Body of Christ is the organism of God’s kingdom >> We are the body of His kingdom -- This verse goes with verses 6-12 Heb 9,6-27 (209j) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Jesus is our sacrifice >> Jesus paid the price for us >> Jesus is the lamb of God >> The Great High Priest offered up Himself – The priests offered sacrifices both for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. He entered the holy place, where he passed the table of showbread and the seven candlesticks shedding light on the word of God. He sprinkled the articles of the temple with blood as he progressed to the Golden Altar of Incense, representing prayer, located just outside the curtain, the veil in front of the the Most Holy Place. He brushed past the curtain and entered the inner sanctuary where he offered the annual sacrifice. The imagery of old covenant temple worship represented the ministry of Christ in ways that also refers to the new covenant worshipper. The Holy of Holies was a place where no man could go, except the high priest only once a year. The high priest made the sacrifice with the blood of animals, and so it only represented the sacrifice that would come later made by Jesus Christ in His own flesh that He prepared through a life of faithfulness to His Father, living without sin, making His sacrifice holy and acceptable to God. Based on these sacrifices that acted as a perpetual reminder of the sacrifice that was to come, God accepted Israel’s temple worship that represented propitiation of sins committed in ignorance. Heb 9,6-26 (37g) Judgment >> Redemption of man >> His blood is the gift of His grace – Into the holy place the priests continually entered throughout the year, where the seven candles of the Menorah shone on the sacred bread, as the Holy Spirit shines on our heart to give the inspiration of God's word. The golden altar of incense in front of the veil represents prayer, being an article of the Most Holy Place, though placed outside the veil so the priests could maintain the perpetual incense, while into the Most Holy Place the high priest could enter only once a year with blood from an animal. If the holy place were not properly maintained throughout the year, the significance of the annual sacrifice was nullified. Accordingly, when Jesus went to heaven as the perfect sacrifice, the act of the Father receiving Him meant that we could be forgiven. Sins committed in ignorance can only be understood in contrast to its opposite, sins committed in full knowledge. Let’ face it, there are sins we know full well what we are doing, yet we can be forgiven through repentance and faith toward God, so the concept of ignorance is in reference to disobeying the Holy Spirit. Heb 9,6-15 (132c) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holy Spirit is in God’s people >> Spirit of God in the spirit of man >> Spirit gives access to the Father through Christ -- These verses go with verses 24-26 (134f) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Composition of our bodies is from the earth >> Worship unlocks the spirit realm -- These verses go with verses 1-3. Essentially, God is saying that it is our turn to die to self, that we may offer the sacrifice of our sinful flesh along with our dreams and aspirations, and take on God’s plan and purpose for our lives, and follow Him into the Most Holy Place, where we have fellowship with Him. Heb 9,6-12 (231j) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Body of Christ is the organism of God’s kingdom >> We are the body of His kingdom -- These verses go with verse 24 Heb 9-6,7 (8l) Responsibility >> Responsible to defend God’s cause >> Preparing the sacrifice – There was an annual sacrifice that the high priest performed once a year to make propitiation for the sins of the people. The high priest would take blood into the Holy of Holies, not his own blood but that of a bull, sprinkling the brazen altar and the articles of the temple on his way to the Most Holy Place. Once he entered through the second veil, he sprinkled the Ark of the Covenant in appeal for God's forgiveness of Israel's sins committed in ignorance. The priest offered sacrifice first for His own sin, and then for the sins of the people, but Jesus offered His flesh without sin, not for Himself but for us. He lived in a physical body like ours that Paul described as "the likeness of sinful flesh," likeness meaning that He was exactly like us except for sin. Paul also wrote that Jesus was in appearance as a man (Phi 2-8); that means He had the appearance of a sinner. The sacrifice of the lamb was performed outside the temple upon a brazen altar located in the outer court, surrounded by a curtain made of porpoise skin, which represents the skin of our own bodies, the skin of Jesus' body. He died to the evil passions and desires that rose in His flesh that tempted Him to forsake His Father. Heb 5-7 says, “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.” Long before Jesus was crucified He died to the sin nature in His flesh, which consecrated the sacrifice that He made on the cross. He ascended to heaven where He physically offered Himself to the Father as the sinless Lamb of God. It took a man without sin to die for the sins of the people; only God could do this; not even an angel could live in a body of sinful flesh without committing sin (Job 4-18). Since Jesus was both God and man, He could sacrifice Himself for the sins of the people and use the sacrifice to appeal to His Father for the forgiveness of our sins who believe in Him for eternal life. (176a) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Ignorance >> Misguided – What are these “sins… committed in ignorance”? Obviously they are apart from full knowledge! There is a kind of sin that both Lucifer and Adam committed in full knowledge, whereas Jesus’ blood sacrifice can only cleanse sins that were committed in ignorance. That is; the blood of Jesus cannot forgive sins that fall under the category of disobeying the Holy Spirit. In Revelation chapters 2&3 Jesus commanded us to develop the hearing ear, but in hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit it opens the possibility of disobeying Him; therefore, it is important to protect our heart from this kind of sin that Paul called "defilement of... spirit" (2Cor 7-1), for it has an eroding effect on our faith, and once our faith is destroyed we lose access to His grace. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9,7-28 (189i) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Martyr >> Jesus was a martyr Heb 9-7 (155d) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Witness of the believer >> Conscience >> An evil conscience keeps us from believing in God >> Knowledge of evil testifies against our deeds – It is impossible to commit sin in ignorance, for it is the knowledge of sin that makes sin sinful (Rom 7-13). We sin on purpose, so to only forgive the sins committed in ignorance would seem a very narrow band indeed. However, an aspect of God’s grace involves the fact that He sees us as ignorant; this is why He can forgive us. The full knowledge of sin speaks of spiritual sins. The sins of the religious leaders of Israel who had Jesus crucified knowing He was their Messiah is an example of spiritual sins that are committed in full knowledge of the truth. All sin has an eroding effect on our faith, but some sins are resolved to actually sacrifice our faith, the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees had Jesus crucified in full knowledge that He was their Messiah, which was the sacrifice predestined from the foundation of the world that God would use to forgive sins committed in ignorance, meaning that He could not forgive those involved in crucifying His Son, nor those who sinned in the likeness of Caiaphas, the high priest. The Roman soldiers who performed the sacrifice were eligible for salvation, but Caiaphas who wanted Jesus dead was exempt from God's forgiveness. Anybody who would crucify Jesus Christ has exempted himself from eternal life. There is no repenting from that, for their hearts are hardened beyond remedy. Heb 9,8-28 (229j) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Partaking >> Partaking of Jesus >> Partaking of Jesus’ gift Heb 9,8-15 (227f) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> God working in you >> Dependence on Jesus >> Depending on Jesus to have compassion >> Depending on Jesus to receive us -- These verses go with verses 24-28 Heb 9,8-10 (38e) Judgment >> Jesus defeated death (Satan) >> Resurrection anointing (187a) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Die to the flesh >> The ministry of dying to self >> Die to self to minister to God >> Jesus died to self and ministered to God – The way into the Holy Place was not available while Jesus’ body was still alive, but now that His flesh has been torn, the veil was torn with Him, and now God has given us access into the Most Holy Place, that we may pick up our cross and follow Him into the Holy of Holies. The Bible teaches that our body is the temple of God, and that He has called us to offer our evil passions and desires as our sacrifice to Him. The high priest took a basin and filled it with the animal’s blood and then brought it into the temple, passing the Table of Showbread, the Menorah with the seven candlesticks and the Golden Altar of Incense. He passed through the second veil and into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled blood on the Ark of the Covenant that contained the original stone tablets of the Ten Commandments that Moses brought from the top of Mount Sinai written by the finger of God, which in the new covenant represents the Holy Spirit writing His word on our heart (2Cor 3-2,3). We receive the Spirit-imparted word as a revelation of Jesus Christ, our most treasured possession. As He continues to reveal His word in our innermost being where God now lives, it changes our identity as we conform to the person who dwells in us (Col 3-9,10). (190f) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Circumcision >> Undressing >> Dismantling the outer tabernacle – Dying to self is something we do by the Spirit, since the flesh cannot kill itself. We must let God perform the circumcision, as it is written, “In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Col 2-11,12). We have access into the Most Holy Place through the word of God and prayer. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9-8 (61d) Paradox >> Two implied meanings >> Outer tabernacle—Jesus’ body / Our bodies -- This verse goes with verse 17. The Holy Spirit dwelling in the believer reveals the word of God to us. This verse refers to both the dying body of Jesus and to us dying to self in hope of accessing the Holy of Holies. This is the ministry of the word of God and prayer: it gives us the tools we need to die to the sinful passions and desires of the flesh. As we do, God bestows His anointing on us. He calls us to sacrifice our flesh as Jesus did, only in a spiritual sense that we may enter the Most Holy Place through the sacrifice of Christ. (109ha) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Spirit and the word >> Spirit the teacher >> Spirit interprets the word for us (118m) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Freedom >> Law of the spirit >> Newness of the spirit transcends oldness of the letter – It is interesting that John the Baptist did not become one of Jesus’ disciples but remained separate from His ministry, maintaining his own disciples. John was the prophet sent at a time of transition between covenants. He represented the pursuit of righteousness through the Law, while Christ represented the forgiveness of sin through God’s mercy and grace. Although John’s ministry revolved around introducing the coming of Messiah to Israel and preparing the way for His ministry, yet when He came, John did not graft onto Him. The reason he didn't was that John represented what remained of the old covenant. That is, his ministry was to both open the door to the new covenant and close the door on the old covenant. Therefore, the death of John the Baptist represented the death of the old covenant, so when John was beheaded the old covenant died with him, but when Christ died, He birthed a new covenant by virtue of His resurrection. See also: Baptism; Tit 1-10,11; 75j (133e) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> The temple of God is holy (206a) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to living in the spirit >> Conditions to partaking in the spirit Heb 9,9-14 (41c) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Be like Jesus >> Jesus presented Himself to God without sin for us – The priests first bathed prior to putting on the ceremonial garb in preparation for the annual sacrifice that was eventually fulfilled in Christ. They would wash in a bath that represented the sinless life of Christ, cleansing themselves of the dirt and grime and filth of the flesh before they brought the heifer to the outer tabernacle and slit its throat, allowing the blood to spill into the bronze basin in front of the doorway to the tent of meeting, where the sacrifice of flesh and blood was made. Then they carried the blood of the animal into the tabernacle and cleansed the articles of worship with the blood of a bull, but cleansing the priest’s body came before any blood was spilled, representing the perfect life that Jesus lived before He offered Himself as the lamb of God. Although these things had been predestined from the foundation of the world, there was the practical fulfillment that God in weakness of human flesh performed. Jesus ascended to the Father after He gained redemption for the sins of the world through the sacrifice of Himself on the cross. He received His perfect sacrifice after a life of thirty-three years in sinful flesh without committing sin. Had Jesus sinned once, He would have defiled the sacrifice and His Father would not have received Him; in fact, He would not have even raised His Son from the dead. Therefore, Jesus lived without sin as the Son of God and rose from the dead to prove that He was a perfect man. Heb 9,9-11 (214f) Sovereignty >> God controls time >> God’s timing >> Dispensation of God’s revelations >> Dispensation of Christ -- These verses go with verse 26 Heb 9-9,10 (174a) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Man’s religion >> Good traditions (Exception to bad religion) >> Good customs -- These verses go with verse 1 Heb 9-9 (154j) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Witness of the believer >> Conscience >> Having a good conscience >> God is my conscience -- This verse goes with verses 13&14. How important is our conscience? It is imperative! Our conscience is what we use to relate to God, like the doorkeeper who gives access to the Most Holy Place. With an evil conscience the doorkeeper shuts the door. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ destroyed the power of sin which is death and strengthens us to overcome temptation, so with the gift of His grace we are no longer conscious of sin. Our relationship with God mended through the blood of His cross, the sins of the past forgiven, our future is guarded by the power of God and grants us repentance when we slip, resulting in a clear conscience. (252j) Trinity >> You shall put no other gods before Me >> Worship God >> Worship God by your lifestyle -- This verse goes with verse 1 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9-10 (103a) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> God’s cleansing power >> Cleansing blood of Jesus -- This verse goes with verses 13&14 (206g) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to the gifts of God >> Conditions to the promises of God -- This verse goes with verses 16-18 Heb 9,11-18 (35a) Gift of God >> God is willing to Give >> He is generous with the flesh of His Son Heb 9,11-15 (29j) Gift of God >> God is on our side >> God identifies with us >> He is our advocate -- These verses go with verses 24-28. Jesus appeared in the presence of God for us. He didn’t do what the high priest did so many times in the past, offered the annual sacrifice by entering an earthly temple and presenting himself to God as an authorized symbol of what was to come. Instead, Jesus went directly to heaven and presented Himself to His Father, where salvation was made complete. By the reception of Christ the Father promised to receive whomever would believe in Jesus for eternal life, ushering us into His presence as the spiritual offspring of Christ. These things were predestined before the foundation of the world, just as we have been predestined to become the children of God, so when Jesus presented Himself to His Father, He did it for us, that we should follow in His footsteps. Jesus didn’t need acceptance from the Father, since that acceptance was already extended to Him at His resurrection. It was inevitable that Jesus would never commit sin, and it was inevitable that Father and Son would rejoin to complete our salvation, though it was already completed on the cross with Jesus crying, “It is finished” (Jn 19-30). Nevertheless, being a practical God and always wanting victory fulfilled in every detail, considered it complete when He received back His Son safe and sound. God demands proof about everything and therefore expects us to prove our faith through obedience. The resurrection was proof that Jesus was without sin, and His ascension into heaven was the testimony of His absolute perfection. See also: Jesus intercedes for us; 83g (30h) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> God favors you by His grace >> He favors you through His son (41g) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Be like Jesus >> God’s righteousness is His doing -- These verses go with verses 24-26 (83g) Thy kingdom come >> Intercession >> Jesus intercedes for us >> Jesus is our Great High Priest – Jesus, during His 33 years of life in the flesh, was preparing the sacrifice by living without sin, and then He sacrificed His flesh on the cross, yet even then He was not acting as a priest. Actually, His murderers were more priest-like than Him, though they were Roman soldiers offering the sacrifice, who were of no account to Israel. Jesus played the part of the sacrificial Lamb torn for the sins of the world. Once resurrected and ascended to the Father, Jesus began filling His role of a Priest, beginning when He presented Himself to His heavenly Father as a man who once walked the earth, yet without sin. The Father raised Him from the dead, tantamount to accepting His sacrifice, and His ascension christened Him as Great High Priest for all mankind, who now sits at the right-hand of the Father. The purpose of the sacrifice was to make it possible for Him to intercede for the people, meaning His role as Great High Priest is more important than His role as Lamb of God, which proved Him a worthy intercessor, that of delegating the Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him for eternal life. See also: Jesus intercedes for us; 29j (133f) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> God has made His people holy -- These verses go with verses 24-28 (241i) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Persecuting the kingdom >> Persecution to the death >> Kill Jesus >> Kill Jesus by the predetermined plan of God >> The apostles taught about His death – It is ironic the high priest didn’t understand that what he was doing was merely simulating the real sacrifice that Jesus would make in his own death, but it is even more ironic that the high priest was mostly responsible for hanging Him on the cross. Caiaphas was the ringleader of His kangaroo court, who condemned Him to death as a man who deserved to die for reasons they only could understand. Jesus was crucified the day of Passover, so when Caiaphas made the annual sacrifice only hours after seeing the blood of Jesus spilled on the ground, he apparently didn't put two and two together, because his heart was hardened beyond repair. Heb 9,11-14 (45e) Judgment >> Judgment on believer’s sin >> Through His Son >> On the cross -- These verses go with verses 25&26 (119l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Curse of God is broken >> Curse of the law is broken -- These verses go with verses 24-26 (120g) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Forgiveness >> Forgiveness is an act of mercy >> We have forgiveness through the blood of Christ -- These verses go with verse 22. God divinely sanctioned centuries of old covenant temple worship that simulated cleansing the people from their sins if they performed the sacrifices exactly as they were commanded, accepting it as a form of obedience that He would use to pass over their sins. Those sacrifices did not actually forgive sin but acted as a placeholder until Christ should come and perform the real sacrifice that God used to forgive not only Israel but all the nations of the world, past, present and future sins. Heb 9-11,12 (140c) Temple >> Temple made without hands >> Hiding place >> House where you live with Jesus Heb 9-11 (217c) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> God is independent of His creation >> No one can walk in His glory without His consent -- This verse goes with verse 24 (237h) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Transferring the kingdom >> The Church is transferred to the kingdom >> The ascension >> Jesus’ ascension -- This verse goes with verse 24. Jesus wasn’t worried about being received into heaven, since He had already been raised from the dead. Jesus ascended with the experience of all man’s sin heaped upon Him, and He ascended back to the Father with the experience of being cast into hell as though a sinner, ascended with the experience of all man's sin dropping off Him since none of them were His own. He ascended as Savior of the world after dying without sin and breaking the law of sin and death. He ascended to the Father’s right-hand and has there been received. This is the place of His heavenly ministry as the Great High Priest, who intercedes for His people from the very throne of God. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9-12 (172j) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Catholicism >> Scripture that contradicts the Catholic faith >> Jesus never to die again >> Because His death was sufficient -- This verse goes with verses 25,26 Heb 9,13-28 (205f) Salvation >> Salvation is based on God’s promises >> New covenant >> The new covenant in His blood Heb 9-13,14 (103a) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> God’s cleansing power >> Cleansing blood of Jesus -- These verses go with verses 19-23 (154j) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Witness of the believer >> Conscience >> Having a good conscience >> God is my conscience -- These verses go with verse 9. The cross has power to cleans our conscience from dead works, suggesting that it is the heart of the matter. Sin defiles our conscience and keeps us from knowing God. Conscience refers to sins we have already committed, while dead works refer to actions and words that do not pertain to God’s interests, a useless waste of time and energy. God wants us completely devoted to Him so everything we say and do pertains in some way to promoting His Kingdom, “for whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom 14-23). We are called to use every fabric of our being to glorify God, as it says in Psalm 69-9, “Zeal for your house has consumed me.” (191g) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Result of putting off the old man >> Set apart >> God sanctifies us by His doing Heb 9-14,15 (244f) Kingdom of God >> The eternal kingdom >> Eternal life of the trinity >> Spirit is the source of eternal life Heb 9-14 (14f) Servant >> Ministry of helps >> Helpers obey Christ (44j) Judgment >> Transformed >> Fulfill your ministry according to the will of God (111e) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Spirit and the word >> Father and the Son – The Spirit and the Word working together purchased the redemption of man. All three members of the trinity are at work in everything God does. Jesus obeyed the Father, the Holy Spirit empowered Him to do the Father's will, endorsing the sacrifice, and the Father sent His Son, received Him in heaven and invited Him to sit at His right hand. (161j) Works of the devil >> Carried Away >> Condemnation without basis of sin (171b) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Outward appearance >> Vanity >> Vain effort >> Vain attempt to pursue God (173l) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Man’s Religion >> Deeds that are not initiated by God >> Deeds that are not initiated by the Holy Spirit – The term “dead works” is the new covenant definition of sin. This definition is far more encompassing than the old covenant understanding of sin that was defined by the law, for it involves both the things we know are wrong and the things we do that are not initiated by the Holy Spirit. In other words, the things we do that God considers dead are the things we do apart from faith. This is not to imply that all our works must be inspired by the Holy Spirit; that expectation would create more anxiety than fruit. At any point that we are unsure we are living in God's will, we are not bearing the fruit of faith. We may keep our hands busy doing good works, but if we are not led by the Spirit to do them, “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). (255g) Trinity >> Father, Son and Holy Spirit >> The process of imparting the substance of God >> Father discloses the Spirit by the word KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9,15-22 (26c) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Death is separation from God’s presence -- These verses go with verse 27. Many people don’t understand why God required blood before forgiveness. He planned to create man and allow him to sin. This gave God the opportunity to experience for Himself the repercussions of rebellion against His own will and experience sin and death without actually sinning, thus retaining His perfection. There is no aspect of life or death that God has not visited. It is important that He experienced everything, for if He didn’t, how could He be God? Before the cross He never experienced sin or death; He had to do this, otherwise His creation would always hold it over Him that we experienced something He didn't. However, since the cross He experienced sin and death, and now He is above His creation in every way, and by that He can subject all things to Himself. Not only did God experience sin, He experienced them all. We have only experienced our own sin along with those who have sinned against us, but Jesus experienced the sins of every family on earth that has ever lived throughout all time. As King David said after he murdered Uriah the Hittite and took his wife, Bathsheba, "Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight" (Psalm 51-4). God must experience all things in order to be God, and the cross gave Him the opportunity to experience sin and death. See also: Cross (Why Jesus had to die); Heb 9-22; 120g / False judgment (it takes one to know one); Act 26-24; 202h (26i) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Death of Christ -- These verses go with verse 27. This covenant is in reference to an inheritance that in case God should die, He is leaving us with all His possessions. He owns the entire universe, and He owns the earth and everything on it. It would behoove us to understand that He has already died, and we have already received the inheritance, and now we who have made a covenant with Christ through His blood, have inherited His entire creation. However, Paul speaks about this in Gal 4,1-7, about a son who was born a prince of a kingdom, who could not take possession of it immediately because of his youth, but had to mature into it, and when he grows to become a man, then he can rule the kingdom. Jesus has died and we have inherited His kingdom; He has also risen from the dead, and we will reign with Him. See also: Inheritance; Heb 9,15-17; 36g / Inheritance (Believer owns everything); Eph 1,18-23; 39ib Heb 9,15-18 (216j) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> God Is Independent Of His Creation >> You cannot control God’s desire for you >> man is not in control of his own destiny -- These verses go with verses 26-28 Heb 9,15-17 (36g) Gift >> God opens His home to us >> Inheritance >> We are heirs through faith – The covenant that God made with Israel through Abraham and then stipulated through Moses that related to all mankind resembled a will. God gave the earth to Adam and Eve. This passage says that an inheritance is only valid when the One who made it has died, and Jesus the Son of God died on the cross, though His resurrection did not invalidate the inheritance. We who believe in Jesus are joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8-17). Since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Father has put the entire creation into His possession, and we have become heirs with Him, meaning that our inheritance has increased from merely possessing the earth to now inheriting the entire creation with Christ, after God has put us in right standing with Himself, and raised us to the level of His Son. We through the death of Christ have inherited everything, and He has come into possession of us. The Father raised His Son from the dead and gave Him place just under His authority, and then raised us up with Him and seated us in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph 2-6). There are two things that must take place before receiving the inheritance: a will must be drawn naming the beneficiaries, and the man who wrote it must have died. The will was made in the occasion of death who owned the estate to determine who of his survivors should receive His possessions. The old covenant inheritance was the journal that Moses wrote, naming the violations that stood as conditions forfeiting the inheritance, but the new covenant was written in Christ's own blood, and the beneficiaries are named in the Lamb’s Book of Life. It says that Moses took the blood of the calves and goats and sprinkled the book itself and all the people saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.” Moses did this only once, inaugurating the old covenant and acting as a high priest to demonstrate to Aaron how temple worship should be performed. Aaron afterward took over the ministry as Israel’s first high priest. See also: Inheritance; Heb 9,15-22; 26i Heb 9-15 (83h) Thy kingdom come >> Jesus intercedes for us >> He represents us before the Father -- This verse goes with verse 24 (91g) Thy kingdom come >> The called >> Walking along the narrow way >> Responding to the call of God (173b) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Catholicism >> Scripture that contradicts the Catholic faith >> Relationship between Jesus and His mother >> Jesus is our mediator, not Mary (or the apostles) Heb 9,16-18 (206g) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to the gifts of God >> Conditions to the promises of God -- These verses go with verse 22 Heb 9-16 (253ed) Trinity >> Relationship between Father and Son >> Jesus is equal with the Father >> Jesus has all the internal qualities of the Father >> Jesus is God of the Old Testament Heb 9-17 (40d) Judgment >> Jesus judges the world through His own death -- This verse goes with verse 27 (61d) Paradox >> Two implied meanings >> Outer tabernacle—Jesus’ body / Our bodies -- This verse goes with verse 27 (68c) Authority >> Jesus Delegates Authority To Execute Judgment >> Against Satan -- This verse goes with verse 27 Heb 9,19-23 (103a) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> God’s cleansing power >> Cleansing blood of Jesus -- These verses go with verse 10. Jesus didn’t go to heaven with a basin full of His own blood and sprinkle it over everything. For one thing, nothing is allowed in heaven from the natural realm, for the things of this realm are vulgar to God. Heaven has no need to be cleansed, so what are these heavenly things to which he is referring? They are the people of God who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. We are the heavenly people that God has cleansed with things better than the blood of bulls and the ashes of a heifer. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9-22 (11e) Servant >> Jesus is our standard (120g) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Forgiveness >> Forgiveness is an act of mercy >> We have forgiveness through the blood of Christ -- This verse goes with verses 11-14. People have asked a valid question, why did Jesus need to die on the cross? There needed to be the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sin! God is a different sort of person than the rest of us. He operates exclusively through His word so that His word literally defines Him. He treats His word as though it were law, such as the laws that govern the physical universe. Everything God speaks becomes law, and God will not transgress His own word. That is, “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6-18). He said to Adam in Gen 2:17, “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” Sin now causes death, and this statement cannot be overturned. Sin existed before Adam, indicating that Adam entered Satan's curse. "The wages of sin is death" (Rom 6-23) is a law; therefore, there must be a death imposed to counteract that law. That is, if people sinned and it caused them to die, then there must be a man who comes without sin and dies for the people to break the law of sin and reverse the power of death in their lives. In other words, it wasn’t just that someone should die, but that someone without sin should die. God could not have sent an angel to die for the sins of mankind, because God’s greatest, most powerful angel wouldn’t have had the stamina to resist temptation for 33 years in the flesh without sinning (Job 4-18). Only God could do this. Without question, Jesus’ greatest miracle was that He lived a sinless life for 33 years, so when He died on the cross, He broke the law that requires sin to be the cause of death, represented by the veil of the temple that tore in half from top to bottom (Mat 27-51), the veil that represented sin that partitioned the holy place from the Most Holy Place, illustrating separation from God. He broke the power of sin in those who would believe in Him for eternal life (Eph 2,14-16). Without shedding of Jesus' blood there is no forgiveness. See also: Why Jesus had to die; Heb 9,15-22; 26c (206g) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to the gifts of God >> Conditions to the promises of God -- This verse goes with verse 1 Heb 9,23-27 (134e) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Composition of our bodies is from the earth >> We are physically excluded from the spiritual realm Heb 9,23-26 (140f) Temple >> Temple made without hands >> Hiding place >> God builds your spirit with His own hands Heb 9-23,24 (224h) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Description of heaven >> The joyful kingdom >> Heaven is better than earth – Earthly things were cleansed with copies of heavenly things. The origin of all life dwells in heaven, where our future life is awaiting us. We think this earthly life is real, but wait till we get to heaven and we will discover a reality that far exceeds this one. It says that the heavenly things needed to be cleansed; that sounds strange, since we could probably all agree that if heaven is a perfect paradise, why do things that originate from there need to be cleansed? Heb 2-10 says, "It was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings." In this case "perfected" bears the same meaning as cleansed. Hence, in the process of cleansing us, God perfected His Son through suffering as a mortal man, and when He died, the Father heaped the sins of all mankind upon Him, causing Him to sink into hell, where He deposited our sin. "Therefore it says, "When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men. (Now this expression, 'He ascended,' what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things)" (Eph 4,8-10). Heb 9-23 (253ja) Trinity >> Relationship between Father and Son >> Jesus is subject to the Father >> Jesus is under the authority of the Father >> Jesus did His Father's will – The writer of Hebrews is making a distinction between the copies of the things in the heavens and the heavenly things themselves. Had Jesus gone to heaven and stood in the presence of His Father with a basin full of goat’s blood, His sacrifice would have been rejected. The blood of animals was acceptable to God to cleanse the earthly sanctuary, only because God commanded Israel to do it, meaning it was based on obedience, and that is what the earthly and the heavenly sacrifices had in common. God commanded Jesus to sacrifice His body on the alter of obedience. He stood before the Father with His own blood and atoned for the sins of the people and God accepted it, because He ordained it. This was the Father's plan from the beginning; Jesus was simply acting in obedience. The Father accepted His blood sacrifice for three reasons: Jesus was God in human flesh; He was without sin, and the Father ordained the cross as the ultimate sacrifice that would atone for the sins of the people. It is like a college professor who requires a ten-page paper, making stipulations of its: due date, subject matter, font type Times New Roman, letter-size 12-point and the paper double-spaced. Nevertheless, a student hands in a fifteen-page paper two weeks early regarding a different subject matter in Arial font, 14 letter-size and 1½-spaced, and the student expected the professor to be pleased with it. It may have looked good and read well, but it wasn’t what the professor wanted, and so it was rejected, because the student didn’t follow directions. Father and Son are in perfect agreement with each other about everything. Jesus was the Son of God and we are His sons and daughters, and so the same rules apply to us. Obedience is what gains God’s approval. It is how we bless our neighbor, our immediate family members and our brothers and sisters in the faith, and it is how the Kingdom of God grows spiritually and numerically. However, we think we have better ideas than God, and so we implement them and forget what God said. He has a plan and purpose for our lives, a set of good works prepared for our hands and a predestined path for our feet that we should walk on it, but we think we could please God better if we did our own will, and this is how most Christians live. We try to please God doing our own thing, which always appeals to our flesh, and then we ask God to bless it. The reason the Kingdom of God is stagnant these days is that people think their ideas are better than God's ideas. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9,24-28 (29j) Gift of God >> God is on our side >> God identifies with us >> He is our advocate -- These verses go with verses 11-15 (133f) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> God has made His people holy -- These verses go with verses 11-15 (172i) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Catholicism >> Scripture that contradicts the Catholic faith >> Jesus never to die again >> Because He conquered sin and death – “Otherwise he would have needed to suffer often.” This is what the Catholics believe is happening every time they take communion (Eucharist), calling it transubstantiation. Satan would love to make Jesus suffer often. He must have imagined Jesus suffering every time people took communion, and thought it would be a good doctrine to teach his parishioners, and now it is well-entrenched in the Catholic Church. It says, “Once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” For anyone to say that the bread and the wine magically turn into the body and blood of Christ at the blessing of the priest is sorcery. If the offering of Jesus once was enough, then why do Catholics continue this blasphemous heresy? The Catholic manner of communion is more like the old covenant high priest who entered the Most Holy Place year by year with blood not his own, only the Catholics do it weekly. Jewish old covenant temple worship was valid, but the Catholics offer communion after Christ has shed His blood, thus hurling contempt on the cross. The fact that they continually offer the body and blood of Christ suggests that to them His sacrifice was insufficient, that it must be supplemented with their synthetic doctrines. In the end they admit they don’t understand it themselves, which they use as further proof of its validity. It is a fabrication of their vile imaginations, a way of holding people in bondage to the clergy. A priest must bless the communion, and if a layman blesses it, their little magic trick doesn’t work. It becomes necessary for a priest to be present, which makes the Catholic parishioners beholden to the Church for its spiritual well-being. In contrast, the Bible teaches that we are obligated only to Christ for our salvation and spiritual well-being. (227f) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> God working in you >> Dependence on Jesus >> Depending on Jesus to have compassion >> Depending on Jesus to receive us -- These verses go with verses 8-15 Heb 9,24-26 (41g) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Be like Jesus >> God’s righteousness is His doing -- These verses go with verses 11-15 (119l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Curse of God is broken >> Curse of the law is broken -- These verses go with verses 11-14 (132c) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holy Spirit is in God’s people >> Spirit of God in the spirit of man >> Spirit gives access to the Father through Christ -- These verses go with verses 2&3 Heb 9-24 (44a) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Complete >> It is finished >> Fulfill God’s will – God likes things completed. Paul reiterated this numerous times, and so did James who said, “that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jm 1-4). He wants our righteousness to be complete, to finish what He has called us to do. He doesn’t like things undone. It is His nature to finish whatever He started, and He wants us to do the same. The Father did not recognize the blood sacrifice to be complete until the entire ceremony was completed. Consequently, there are varying levels of completion in the covenant of forgiveness. We could say that it was finished in the Garden of Gethsemane in the sense that He completely resolved in His heart that He would go to the cross. He already knew He would go, but the garden represents the difference between a plan on paper and a plan in progress. We can invent an award winning design, but until it is tested it means nothing. When Jesus made the sacrifice of Himself, it was another level of completion. Then He rose from the dead, which was another level, each completed phase being added on top of the other, until He reached heaven and sat at the right-hand of absolute power, completing our salvation. (67c) Authority >> Jesus at the right hand of the father >> He is interceding for us there – This verse depicts the functional element of our salvation. It is the principle verse of the entire book of Hebrews, and Hebrews is the principle book of all Scripture, suggesting that this is the most important verse in the Bible. The writer of Hebrews was working up to it, and now he said it, and we should stop to view its grandeur and let it have the influence in our lives that it deserves. Although Jesus said, “It is finished” on the cross, yet the Father wasn't done until He raised Him from the dead. The resurrection finalized our salvation, making it so sure a thing that the whole future creation depended on it. Imagine Jesus saying goodbye to His disciples on Mount Olivet and then realizing that His feet were not lifting off the ground; this is an impossible scenario, since He had already been raised from the dead, having received His Father’s approval. (83h) Thy kingdom come >> Jesus intercedes for us >> He represents us before the Father -- This verse goes with verse 15. Old covenant Jewish temple worship symbolized the act of Christ appearing in the presence of God for us. The essence of His ministry was when He ascended to heaven and was accepted by the Father, representing us all. (104f) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart shall see God >> Shall see the Father >> Being in the presence of God – Jesus went to heaven and made propitiation for the sins of the people, suggesting that the cross didn’t accomplish this. That is, He didn’t make propitiation for sin on the day of His crucifixion. The sacrifice was made, but Jesus had not yet presented His blood in the Most Holy Place, until He ascended to heaven. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He probably meant a lot of things, the main thing being His suffering was finished; His purpose for coming to this world and living as a man in the weakness of human flesh was finished. Taking away Satan’s authority as god of this world and repossessing the keys of sin and death was finished, but the covenant that would cleanse man from sin was not complete, until His resurrection and ascension when He presented Himself to the Father on our behalf. The moment He sat next to His Father on His glorious throne, the plan of redemption for mankind was finally complete. It must have been an uproarious moment in heaven. (217c) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> God Is Independent Of His Creation >> No one can walk in His glory without His consent -- This verse goes with verse 11 (231j) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Body of Christ is the organism of God’s kingdom >> We are the body of His kingdom -- This verse goes with verse 2 (237h) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Transferring the kingdom >> The Church is transferred to the kingdom >> The ascension >> Jesus’ ascension -- This verse goes with verse 11 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9-25,26 (45e) Judgment >> Judge believer’s sin >> Through His Son >> On the cross -- These verses go with verses 11-14 (172h) Jesus never to die again (Key verse) (172j) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Catholicism >> Scripture that contradicts the Catholic faith >> Jesus never to die again >> Because His death was sufficient -- These verses go with verse 12. Jesus paid for the sins of the world with His own blood and then ascended to the Father, and this event happened once. For people to create a doctrine that centers around taking communion and having the bread and wine mysteriously transform into the literal body and blood of Christ (as they affirm) is blasphemous. It is saying that the work of the cross was insufficient, that there was something left undone we must do. If they want to finish the work of the cross, then Col 1-24 is in order, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake." "Filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions" (NASB 1977) refers to dying to self. That is what the Catholic priests should be doing, not having sex with children. Instead, they say that if we don’t take communion by an ordained priest officiating and blessing the holy sacrament, then our salvation is incomplete. Some think they can lose their salvation if they don’t regularly take communion, like filling a car with gas. It takes the blessing of the priest for this mystical change to occur, making the people beholden to the religious establishment, so they must come to church, and while they are there, give their money. That is the real purpose for this doctrine. Heb 9,26-28 (216j) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> God Is Independent Of His Creation >> You cannot control God’s desire for you >> man is not in control of his own destiny -- These verses go with verses 15-18 Heb 9-26 (39g) Judgment >> Jesus defeated death >> Jesus’ victory was through His flesh (214f) Sovereignty >> God controls time >> God’s timing >> Dispensation of God’s revelations >> Dispensation of Christ -- This verse goes with verses 9-11 Heb 9-27,28 (38a) Judgment >> Blood of Jesus >> God judged the devil through the blood of His son KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9-27 (26c) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Death is separation from God’s presence -- This verse goes with verses 15-27 (26i) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Death of Christ -- This verse goes with verses 15-22 (38d) Judgment >> Jesus defeated death (Satan) >> Resurrection brings about judgment – If someone stood before Christ and had the arrogance to ask Him, ‘Who gives You the right to judge me?’ Jesus might say, ‘My Father does, who raised Me from the dead.’ The man might continue, ‘Yeah well, He raised Me too,’ and Jesus would say, ‘But He raised Me first as a means of raising you, so that your resurrection is hinged on Mine.’ The cross of Christ created a way for God to raise both the righteous and the wicked from the dead for the purpose of eternal life or eternal judgment. Prior to the resurrection, there was no established way for God to judge the world, because He had no benchmark outside the law. The resurrection is the method of God’s judgment for both the righteous and the wicked. He could have judged the world for violating the Law of Moses, but now it is improbable that God will even mention the Law in judgment, because there is a violation that supercedes breaking the law, that of rejecting Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. This suggests that omission of righteousness is more evil than commission of sin, in that one defines the other; that is, we sin in place of doing His will. God has fixed a day called the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20,11-15) when He intends to judge the world. It will be the day the wicked will meet Jesus, who will explain to them that they deserve hell for rejecting Him. The Son of God, the only perfect and holy man who ever lived, died for their sins and they rejected Him. This one omission of righteousness has become the basis of all sin. God has ordained faith in Christ as the act of righteousness that clears all transgressions. Our sins are forgiven and our righteousness is sanctified through faith in Him. The sinner may hand Christ a list of righteous deeds he has done, but it will not be acceptable outside of faith in the Son of God. See also: Sin has accumulated since the resurrection of Christ; Mat 23,29-36; 40m (40d) Judgment >> Jesus judges the world through His own death -- This verse goes with verse 17 (48c) Judgment >> God judges the world >> Eternal judgment of the resurrection – This popular verse depicts the principle that after we die we enter into judgment with God, but how is the writer of Hebrews using it in this context? In as much as it was appointed for Jesus to die once, after this comes judgment. After Jesus died it says He went to hell to make proclamation to those who died in their sin. He testified to them that they sacrificed eternal life for eternal darkness, just to have their own way (Eph 4-9,10; 1Pet 3,18-20). Then He was raised from the dead. This verse indicates that we will die too, and as God judged His Son, so He will judge us, and there is a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. In fact, there is a believer’s judgment that many Christians are unaware (2Cor 5-10). The judgment of the believer will be different from the judgment of the sinner in that God will add condemnation to the sinner and cast him into hell, but in the believer's judgment He will compare the life He had prepared for him with the life he actually lived and take away rewards for obedience that he did not do. (58m) Paradox >> Two implied meanings >> Literally die and partake of the first resurrection / Die to self to receive the anointing – After we die, then comes judgment, and the result of that is the resurrection. Taken literally, after the body breaths its last, the soul faces God’s judgment. Spiritually interpreting this, we go through a similar process, but instead of our bodies literally dying, we die to our evil passions and desires, our natural fleshly impulses, things that bring shame to ourselves and to Christ. When we physically die as Christians, we face the believer’s judgment, which will determine the quality of our resurrection. Similarly, when we judge the carnal temptations of the flesh and abstain from them through the power of the Spirit, we experience a type of resurrection in the form of an anointing that has the power to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth. We display the anointing as Jesus said in Mat 5-16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Our speech changes into the utterances of God, and our countenance changes into the glory of God, as it says in Ecclesiastes 8-1, “A man's wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam.” The anointing is a manifestation of the work that God is doing in our hearts. (61d) Paradox >> Two implied meanings >> Outer tabernacle—Jesus’ body / Our bodies -- This verse goes with verse 8 (68c) Authority >> Jesus Delegates Authority To Execute Judgment >> Against Satan -- This verse goes with verse 17 (69i) Authority >> Righteous judgment (Outcome of Discernment) >> Judging the flesh by the Spirit (72a) Authority >> Ordained by God >> We are ordained to walk in His authority (187e) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Die to the flesh >> Dying to receive the glory of God >> Die to self to be set free – At face value this verse is talking about the natural death of man and his subsequent judgment from God. However, there is another interpretation that is derived from a principle of Scripture, something Jesus mentioned, also John, Peter and Paul, not in a couple verses but extensively, comprising an entire chapter of this website called Dying to Self. This is not to minimize what the writer of Hebrews was saying, but to bring about clarity of a principle that is far less known. Jesus said in Jn 12-24,25, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.” If the grain of wheat is eaten, the only advantage is the nutrients it offers, but if we plant the grain in soil that has been prepared, it grows a stalk with many grains. The seed must first die as Paul also indicated in 2Cor 4,10-12, “Always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.” (240f) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Hindering the kingdom >> Natural disadvantage >> Natural disadvantage of the flesh >> Limitations of the flesh KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Heb 9-28 (24e) Sin >> Poverty (Forms of fear) >> Waiting creates anxiety (84c) Thy kingdom come >> Be on the alert >> Be faithful till Jesus comes >> Invite the return of Christ (237a) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Transferring the kingdom >> The Church is transferred to the kingdom >> The Rapture >> Appearance of Christ – This verse gives reference to the Rapture, our blessed hope. Unbelievers throughout the generations have mocked Christians about the second coming of Christ, saying, "Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3-4), yet we have more reason to believe that Jesus will come in our lifetime than any generation before us. Unbelievers think we are stupid for hoping in the Rapture, but we are not fools for believing in Jesus. God has given this blessed hope to keep us alert, and our lamps trimmed, for He could return at any time and we don’t want to be caught off guard. Everyone who has ever lived and believed in Jesus has hoped for the Rapture, yet He has not come for anyone. He wants every generation dressed in readiness at a moment’s notice, otherwise mankind would go astray in his heart, as Jesus promised, “…the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matt 24:44). He is coming in the generation that has quit waiting for Him, and the generation that quits waiting has quit believing. Therefore, if you want Jesus to come in your lifetime, quit believing in Him. Ironically, the Church’s faith has staved off His return, as Jesus said to doubting Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet have believe” (Jn 20-29). Every generation since Christ has been given God’s seal of approval of their faith by His absence, and the generation that does not have this seal will be more likely to see His appearing. It is a blessed generation indeed who sees His return, though many will be caught off-guard, but those who are faithful will welcome His return. See next page