Free Bible Commentary
“Hebrews 9:23-28”
Categories: Hebrews“Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”
---End of Scripture verses---
Everything about God’s present and final covenant with mankind is “better” than the old one He had with Israel. The true tabernacle of heaven (Hebrews 9:11) in which our permanent High Priest (Hebrews 7:24) serves is better than the old “copies” that once existed on the earth. “The heavenly things” are the spiritual realities delivered in Christ that offer a “better hope” (Hebrews 7:19) and “better promises” (Hebrews 8:6) because they were enacted by a better sacrifice (Hebrews 9:23) that has truly “cleansed” us of our impurities and sanctified us for service in the Lord’s house.
“The consummation of the ages” spoken of in verse 26 is equivalent to these “last days” (Hebrews 1:2) in which we are living now. It is a reference to “today” (Hebrews 4:7), the final dispensation of time on earth that was consummated with the sacrifice of Christ’s blood and God’s final and best offer of a covenant relationship with Him. Christ “will appear a second time for salvation” for “those who eagerly await Him” (verse 28), and oh what a glorious time of celebration and rejoicing that will be!
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (2 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
But for those who have not been washed in the blood of the Lamb and do not belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, this will not be a time of comfort, celebration and rejoicing. “It will be a time of terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:27). “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (verse 27). This is an obligation that we all must keep and it is an impossibility for any one of us to cancel this appointment.
If you can honestly say that you are not ready to stand before the Lord in judgment, today is the day to make your life right with Him. You are not guaranteed another breath, another heartbeat, another minute of life on earth.
Please read Hebrews 10:1-10 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
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