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1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ~ Hebrews 10:1-4
Today, we transition into Hebrews 10 where the main topic continues to be our faith in the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ. The effect of all of those Old Testament sacrifices didn't last very long. One had to bring a fresh sacrifice every time he sinned, and once a year the whole nation had to offer the same sacrifice, year after year. The Old Covenant required repetition. But, the New Covenant is beyond time and space. The sacrifice of Christ was offered at one point in history, but its effects are eternal. As we transition into Hebrews 10, we find the characteristics of the death of Christ, which supply all that was lacking in the old sacrifices.
In v.1 of today's passage we read, "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship."
The sacrifices of the Old Testament were so massive that the blood would often run down out of the temple into the Brook Kedron. Daily the priests performed sacrifices on the behalf of the people. But, as we have been pointing out for some time now, the Law of Moses just covered sin. It was not sufficient to have impact into eternity. Neither could it change the heart of anyone.
Annually, the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies once a year, bearing with him the blood of the sacrificial lamb. The people waited outside in fear, wondering if the sacrifice would be acceptable before God. If not, the high priest would die in the face of the judgment of God. And, if it was acceptable, the people would rejoice and give great thanks to God for His unfathomable forgiveness.
Each year, pictured for Israel was the eventual coming of Christ who endured the very wrath of God and turned it away from us who believe. The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was to remind the people that judgment awaits everyone when we die.
The ceremonial rituals were merely a pale shadow of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Greek word translated "shadow" here means a silhouette or a form without reality. Shadow is the best translation because it was a form without any substance. The many sacrifices of the Old Testament sacrificial system were only a form of Christ and was without substance in comparison. It portrayed something that was real but itself was not that real.
The death of Christ is that ultimate real sacrifice which accomplished for eternity what an eternity of the other sacrifices couldn’t accomplish. The case of sin that's long hung over mankind is over, and we can close the books because the New Covenant is eternal, it is beyond time and space, and, is therefore most effective at reaching the human heart.
The word "perfect" means to come to its complete end or to come to its full completion. The completed end of any kind of a pattern that God establishes is that man might come into a full relationship with Him. That’s possible only through the Lord Jesus Christ, not through the Law of Moses.
In v.2 of today's passage we read, "Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins."
The Old Testament sacrifices had a shelf life, they had to because they could not fully cleanse sin nor could they cleanse someone's conscience. In addition, daily they returned to the place they were before where the people never really got any relief and/or freedom from sin.
If, at any time along the way, the Old Testament sacrificial system had actually removed their guilt and actually brought them into fellowship with God, it would have ceased to be necessary because it would have accomplished its perfect end, but it never did. And so when they were doing this, not only did it not remove their sin but it constantly reminded them that it did not remove their guilt.
The Lord Jesus died in order that I might be free to die with Him, and He rose again in order that I might be privileged to rise with Him. And, we will never know the rising without the dying. This is the marvel of the Christian faith. When we truly see His heart for us, we will truly be willing to lay down our lives to bring Him glory.
In v.3-4 of today's passage we read, "3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
The great cry in the human heart has always been to be in the presence of God. But, the sacrifices of the Old Covenant could not bring the people to God. Even the priest at his best on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, could not take the people inside the veil. The veil always remained and the people could not access God. All those sacrifices, even those on the Day of Atonement, couldn’t bring access to God.
Rather than the Old Covenant removing sin, it stood as a constant reminder that sin was not removed. This merely underscores the fact that the sacrifice of animals is powerless to remove sin. To purify a man, to free a man from the conscience of guilt that binds all of us, much more was required. The perfect and the eternal sacrifice of the perfect Son of God was required.
All of the blessings and privileges which come to us in the death of Christ were foretold in the Old Testament sacrifices. When John the Baptist first saw the Lord Jesus, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." Clearly, the last Old Testament prophet, John the Baptist, identified the Lord Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of all the Old Testament pictures.
We were ransomed, bought and paid for by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. It is not because of anything we have done, but because He poured out His life for us so that we might live. Just as the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts kept the destroyer from killing all of the firstborns of the Israelites in Egypt, so also the Lord Jesus’ blood saves us from God’s wrath.
