Hebrews 9:18-22

Summary retelling of Hebrews 9:18-22

The first covenant was inaugurated by the shedding of blood.  In fact, we hear in a retelling of Exodus 24:3-8 in which Moses received the covenant, declared it to the people, made a sacrifice, and then sprinkled the people and the book of the Law.  Moses told them that this was the blood of the covenant that God commanded for them to receive.  He then sprinkled blood on all of the implements of the holy space.  Thus we can saw that everything that is touched by human influence needs to be purified with blood because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Again the author of Hebrews goes back into the Old Testament to illustrate his points.  Again this reinforces the idea that the Old and New Testaments are not in opposition to one another.  One is not replacing the other.  Rather, the first points us towards the second.  The second demonstrates the ultimate fulfillment of the first.  By using the Old Testament to make points, the author adds validity to his argument.

Why is it important to not ignore the Old Testament?  Why is it important to understand what God is really doing in the Old Testament?

Second Thought:

Moses sprinkled everything with blood: the implements in the worship space, the people who heard the Law, and the Law itself.  Moses used the blood to demonstrate purification.  Moses used the blood to show the people that the things that they had made were not good enough just because they had made them.  Everything needs to be purified if it comes into contact with humanity.  Our nature is sin and our flesh is corrupt.

Does it make you think to realize that even the worship things that were built to God’s designed specifications had to be purified?  Why is it significant to realize that Moses sprinkled everything with blood?

Third Thought:

Thus, we arrive at the author of Hebrew’s main point in this passage.  Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.  Even the things that we do where we are following God’s plan are likely to need purified because of our sinful nature and our ability to corrupt almost anything with which we come into contact.  We need the shedding of blood to make things right.

How does this principle set us up for understanding why we need Christ?  How does this example from the story of Moses explain why Jesus’ death is so important?

Passage for Tomorrow: Hebrews 9:23-28