...which stood only in meats and drinds,
and divers washing, and carnal ordinances,
imposed on them until the time of
reformation. But Christ being come
an 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.
Hebrews 9:10-12
Let take a moment to meditate upon these verses: Jesus Christ is the High Priest that does not need a physical building and did enter into the Most Holy place in the tabernacle, the place where God has His presence, once for all eternity this entrance is done, final, never again to be repeated. This entrance into the greater tabernacle He was able to do by the shedding of His own blood, and not be meat, or drink, or any other animal as was needed to be performed by the tabernacle made by hands. The entrance into this greater tabernacle did what the tabernacle of could not do: redemption. Not a temporary redemption that needed to be repeated at least once a year by the high priest of Israel, but an eternal redemption once for all time: "For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sancitifieth 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 serve the living God" (Hebrews 10:13-14)? God accepted the sacrifices given by the ancient Hebrews but now a greater High Priest came and by the eternal Spirit (Notice that this word "Spirit" is not a neuter word in Greek, rather a masculine word, therefore it speaks that this "Spirit" was not just some power, rather God in the Third Person who alone Himself can accept the sacrifice of spotless blood by Jesus Christ"). If the old sacrifice could sanctify, how much more then can the blood of Jesus sanctify? How much greater is this event of the death of Jesus than the previous economy and dispensation of God in the ancient tabernacle? A person by their coming to God and offered a sacrifice by faith pleased God, and the high priest making intercession for sin pleased God and sanctification could be applied, how much more should we sacrifice ourselves to God? We are alive in Jesus Christ to serve Him. The question is: are you? What is this sacrifice that is acceptable to God? It is your obedience! The bringing of an animal,or fruit, or vegetable was done in obedience, and it is this obedience that is acceptable to God, nothing else albeit good and philanthropy. You must die to yourself, and anything and anyone who would attempt to cause you to think differently. Think upon this: "And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance" (Hebrews 9:15). by means of the sacrifice given by the ancient Hebrew by faith he believed the promises of God. By means of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we have a sure promise of eternal life, and inheritance that only God Himself can give to anyone. Do you want a blessing? Good! Here it is: Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, a salvation of eternal life, and to receive an inheritance, and adoption by God. What else do you need? If God is God, then only God can give redemption, only by the action of God can there be a sure redemption, and Jesus being the High Priest under the dispensation of God gives redemption, and this is another testament to Him being God, the Second Person of the Godhead. The miracle of God is salvation. You cannot earn it, do anything to cause God to give it, but you can accept it, and you can convert to Him by denying yourself and picking up your cross and follow Him. God gives freely faith, and receive that faith upon acceptance and that faith grows as does your earthly sanctification by studying His word and applying His word in your life and this then is obedience, and obedience of sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed for you, are you willing to sacrifice for Him?
Deliver thyself, O Zion,
that dwellest with
the daughter of Babylon.
Zechariah 2:7
Sacrifice yourself by obedience
Richard L. Crumb
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