Daily Meditations

Hebrews 10:23 He who promised is faithful We examined the “ hope set before us”  in Hebrews 8:18-19 where it is likened to an  “anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”  This hope is able to enter the sanctuary behind the curtain. In other words, our hope is not a far-fetched, vague anticipation of what is to come; it has flesh and blood and is fully realised in the person of Jesus Christ.  We have now been instructed that He is our sacrifice, it is His blood that washes our consciences clean, the curtain was symbolic of His body and through Him we may enter the holy presence of the Lord God. Jesus is also our High Priest both on earth and in heaven, as such He has cleansed our guilty consciences, sprinkled our sinful hearts and washed us with the purity of His Word. In other words, this statement encompasses all of the eternal truths contained in the previous verses. Jesus is our hope, it is His sacrifice on our behalf that gives us confidence to enter the heavenly re...

Hebrews 10:22b Bodies washed with pure water There are two further considerations when we consider our suitability for an audience with the Lord God. He makes the rules, and in this matter He insists we come before him having been ceremonially prepared. When the priests of Israel attended for ceremonial duties in the Tabernacle / Temple they too must be ritually cleansed. Firstly, they were made clean by the blood of a sacrificial offering, it was unthinkable to approach the glory of the living God without first ensuring that sins had been atoned for. Secondly, they must attend the bronze basin or laver where they would wash themselves (Exodus 30:17-21). Only after fulfilling these ceremonial purifications could they enter into the Holy Place and perform their duties before the Lord.  In the same way, we must have  “our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and have our bodies washed with pure water .” Most believers find personal prayer and contemplation bef...

Hebrews 10:22a Let us draw near Having embraced the teachings of the previous verses we are now issued with an invitation;  “Let us draw near to God.”  Our sins have been removed and washed away by the blood of the Lamb. The entrance into the holy presence of the Lord has been opened, the dividing curtain on earth was just temporary for it symbolized the body of Christ. He has now ascended to the right hand of God Almighty as our High Priest and made a way for us to approach our Heavenly Father without shame or fear. How do we do this? With what kind of attitude do we trembling mortals approach the glorious throne of our Creator? The author of Hebrews has an answer ready for us, “you must come with sincere hearts and the full assurance that faith brings.” There it is!  The attitudes we adopt when approaching the throne of grace are sincerity and faith. In other words, we are genuine in our devotion, and we believe in what Christ has done for us and that it is solely ...

Hebrews 10:21 Our Great High Priest The short statement contained in this one verse is like a shovel-full of cement for it connects and holds many things together! It acts as an adhesive between Jews and Gentiles, between Old Testament theology and the events precipitated by the coming of Christ. It also provides a strong association between heaven and earth. Notice that here, from verse 19, the author starts to regularly speak in the first person plural as he applies the sacred truths to the people he is addressing. These facts now become personal, and having explained things to his Jewish readers the letter encompasses all peoples,  “We have a great Priest, over the house of God. ” Jesus Christ is not just Priest over the Jews or just the Gentiles. All those who are brothers and sisters in the family of God are represented by the Lord in His appointed role. The house of God is NOT a building, it is not a movement or a religion, a denomination or a theology, it is the entire body ...

Hebrews 10:20 A new and living way There are suggestions that the three entrances into the Tabernacle had Hebrew names linked to the Way, the Truth and the Life. (John 14:6) So, for a priest to enter the outer Court which housed the altar of sacrifice and the bronze Laver of cleansing, he must pass through the Way. To enter into the tent, the Holy Place, where the Menorah, Table of Shewbread and altar of incense were housed, He must go through the entrance of Truth. However, for the solitary High Priest to enter into the Most Holy Place on his annual visit, the curtain was the entrance of Life. Hence it follows that when Jesus opened this sacred access into God’s glory, for us all, He opened a new and living way through the curtain, the way of Life.  The High Priests of Israel were never perfect men, part of the ritual for them, on the Day of Atonement, was to offer blood sacrifices for their own sins let alone the sins of the people. Jesus is our High Priest, He entered the Most H...

Hebrews 10:19 Confidence to enter the Most Holy Place This verse has been, and always will be, an outrage so far as orthodox Judaism is concerned! The Most Holy Place was, of course, the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle / Temple. This was holy ground like no other, it was the place where the glory of God was contained, it was so holy and sacred that it was “off limits” for all ordinary people, even the priesthood. The highest honour amongst the ancient Jews was the role of High Priest and this man alone could enter the Most Holy Place but only once per year. His role, on what was called the Day of Atonement, was to make reparation, with blood, for the sins of the people and, as we know, only their unintentional sins. This ceremony was watched by the gathered crowds and the entire priesthood; they waited with bated breath to see if the anointed Priest would emerge unscathed from his meeting with the Lord God. Once the day and its ceremonies were completed, no one was allowed access t...