Hebrews 9:25

Hebrews 9:25

Away with repetition!

The author is intent on his readers grasping the superiority of our heavenly High Priest by comparison with the earthly occupants of this role. Firstly, he draws attention to the monotonous rituals of the earthly priests who, year after year, fulfilled their roles in a repetitive series of ceremonies that had no apparent end or long-term solution to the problem of sins. In early autumn every Jewish worshipper marked their calendars and pondered a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to witness the Feast of Trumpets and the days of repentance that terminated in the rituals of Atonement and, if they could, they remained for the Feast of Tabernacles. Everyone knew what would happen on these holy days, for the routines never changed, but never-the-less, they watched, waited and celebrated their traditions and then went away to get on with life. It was, of course, an honour for the man who was High Priest to perform his duties on behalf of the nation, but everyone knew that the same routines must be performed again in 12 months’ time. 

Our High Priest, Yeshua, has not needed to replicate His priestly duties, such was the perfection of His work and the outcome of His offering that it needs never to be repeated. The entrance of Jesus Christ into the Holy of Holies in the Father’s presence, is a one-off event that stands for all time and covers all who believe by faith in His sacrifice. In addition, the High Priests of Israel had nothing to offer but the substitutionary blood of animal sacrifices. Obviously, they were not prepared to offer their own blood to cover the people’s sins, nor were they asked to! What they did was just a shadow, a foretaste of what Christ came to do. He shed His own blood, and it follows that this offering should and could never be repeated. How extraordinary! How selfless! How wonderful, that our High Priest has done it all for us and we no longer have to strive to find ways to appease the Lord God for our constant failure and sinfulness. Jesus has done it all! May we never forget this, our efforts at self-justification before God are pointless. We cannot work to appease Him; all He requires is our faith in His sacrifice! Hallelujah!

 

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