07/09/2020
Monday, September 7, 2020
WHERE JESUS’ BLOOD WAS OFFERED
“It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands, which are figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” – Hebrews 9:23-24
LIGHT FOR NOW: You are purified.
In knowing where Jesus offered his blood or what Jesus did with his blood, an understanding of our opening text is very vital. The word, ‘purified’ as used in the text is the word ‘katharizo’ in the Greek, which implies to cleanse out or wipe out. Hence, this was not referring to a building in heaven like the physical one built by Moses. Hence he explained that Jesus upon his resurrection did not enter into the holy place made with hands, rather into heaven to appear in the presence of God for us. The writer spoke about Jesus wiping out our sins in Hebrews 1:3 “…when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high”. So what he did first was to wipe our sins, and then sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. Now, the writer of Hebrews explained in context where Jesus offered his blood: “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the pouring of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:13-14). Thus, Jesus through the eternal spirit offered his blood in our hearts. He purged our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. So, when he said in Hebrews 9:24 that “he appeared in the presence of God for us”, he was referring to the believer. The presence of God is in the believer. In chapter 13, the writer explained further: wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Thus, what Jesus purged and sanctified was not a building built with hands, but a people who are the church.
Hebrews 2:12 saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praises unto thee. Hebrews 3:6 echoes same, it reads, “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end”.‘His house’ or the ‘house of God’ clearly was in reference to a people (that is, the church of the firstborn or believers). Jesus therefore did not take his own blood to a planet, but to men. The reason for his blood was to sanctify (purge or cleanse) men and not building built with hands. No wonder the writer of Hebrews 12:22-23 says, “you are come to mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, …to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven…”. The phrase ‘to the general assembly’ here implies a celebration or festivity. That is, to celebrate a victory. In essence, we have come to the finished work of Christ. The word, ‘city’ implies a people or a gathering. In other words, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God was not referring to a place, rather was used figuratively by the writer to refer to a people. Therefore, in Hebrews 9:23-24; it is clear that the things that were purified were not earthly vessels but human hearts. We have been purified. Jesus’ blood which is his person purified us. Hallelujah!
INSTRUCTION: Christ dwells in your heart. That indwelling was your purification and sanctification.
Prayer: Father, thank you for what your finished work has accomplished in me. I am sanctified, justified and holy in you, in Jesus Name!
QUOTE: Your purification is not your work. It is in his finished work.
