A Better Sacrifice under Grace

Day By Day By Grace
Bob Hoekstra
June 15, 2010

For such a High Priest was fitting for us…who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices…for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself…Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (Hebrews 7:26-27 and 9:12)

Another superior aspect of the new covenant of grace is the sacrifice we have in Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. The sacrifices under the old covenant were offered repeatedly, and they involved the blood of animals. In both respects the sacrifice of Jesus is far better.

The priests under the law presented their same sacrifices day after day. These sacrifices could not remove sin. "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins" (Hebrews 10:11). These sacrifices provided a temporary covering of sin, anticipating the permanent work of the Messiah to come. However, at the same time, in these sacrifices was a constant remembrance of sin and guilt.. "In those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year" (Hebrews 10:3). As the blood was shed, the ultimate consequence of sin (death) was being played out before the people. "And according to the law almost all things are purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). Eventually, Jesus died as the perfect, "once-for-all" sacrifice. "For such a High Priest was fitting for us…who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices…for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself." This was a sacrifice that could actually remove sin. "Once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself…so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many…But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God" (Hebrews 9:26, 28 and 10:12).

The limitation of law sacrifices was that mere animal blood was being shed. "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4). Thus, our High Priest under grace offered His own blood. "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." The blood of Christ was uniquely effective. It was the "precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot…The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (1 Peter 1:19 and John 1:29).

Dear Lamb of God, what a marvelous sacrifice You gave by grace! One death for all the sins of the world makes eternal redemption available to all who believe. I gratefully rejoice in this wondrous gift!