Hebrews 9:11-15

 

Heb 9:11 (KJB)

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;

 

The writer begins this verse by stating “but” which contrasts the previous verse, comparing the perfect tabernacle where Christ ministers and the earthly tabernacle. Christ became the High priest of the new covenant because He paid for the sins of His people with His blood. In the earthly Levitical system, the priests offered sacrifices of animals but Christ who was the mediator of the New Covenant, offered Himself. Under the new Covenant, there is no physical, earthly tabernacle. The tabernacle is in Heaven where the Lord Jesus Christ ministers. The good things to come under the new covenant were absent in the first, such as, eternal life, total forgiveness of sin, removal of sins from the supplicant, access to God any time, immediately qualified for Heaven because of a sinless soul. These are some things which make for the better things to come.

 

Heb 9:12 (KJB)

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.

 

This verse continues telling us that the Christian’s forgiveness did not come by the blood of bulls and goats but in contrast to the earthly priests who shed the blood of animals, Christ came and shed His own blood. Christ became the holy place upon Calvary because as soon as He declared “it is finished,” He gave up the ghost and now the way into the Holy of Holies, that is, to God Himself was now open for the true believer. If you remember, the Holy Place was the sanctuary right in front of the Holy of Holies. Now that the way to God was open, the true believer now has been redeemed by the blood of Christ and that atonement was so effectual that not one vestige of sin remains in the believer in their soul existence. This means that the Christian is cleansed from sin forever and is qualified for eternal life which is part of the inheritance. (1 Pet 1:4 KJV) To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

 

Heb 9:13 (KJB)

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

Here the writer begins a statement which ends in verse 14. He brings to mind the offerings of the bulls and goats and the sacrifice of the red heifer from Numbers 19. He makes these statements that these particular sacrifices, under the old covenant, were accepted by God to atone for the sins of the flesh and to sanctify the people, that is, the sacrifice of the red heifer which upon completion, the ashes were taken outside the camp and was considered the waters of separation. If you notice that none of these aforementioned sacrifices had the ability to clean the heart of man.

 

Heb 9:14 (KJB)

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?

 

Without spot - Spotless or without blemish

Purge - Cleanse or purify

 

Under the old covenant, God had accepted the sacrifices of the bulls, goats, and red heifer for the purification of sins. The writer completes the thought by using a question. In comparison to the animal sacrifices which were limited in the scope of atonement, how much more are those cleansed by the blood of the spotless Lamb of God? The animal sacrifices pertained only to the flesh but the sacrifice of Christ not only pertained to the flesh but to the Spirit which sanctified the body in the sacrifice. This showed that the entire Trinity was involved in the sacrifice of Christ. (Isa 53:10 KJV) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. The Father planned it, the Son obeyed and willingly performed it, and the Spirit sanctified His body and soul and thus gave Himself to God without blemish. He was the pure Lamb of God. The sacrifice of Christ was able to reach beyond the surface of the flesh and to purify the conscience from dead works. No longer will the dead works of the law take precedence in the life of a believer but now they are alive unto God and will do the works of God which are of the new covenant. The dead works also pertain to those who are spiritually dead and who may do works of altruism but done in the flesh. Now those works are done to the glory of God as the doer of them is born again and alive unto God.

 

Heb 9:15 (KJB)

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.

 

Since Christ is the mediator of the new covenant which makes us alive unto God, it was accomplished because of His purity, His superior priesthood and His blood being superior to those of the animals under the old covenant. His death made it possible for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that is, those sins which were atoned for repeatedly, are now, removed through the blood of Christ forever and will never have to be atoned for again. Those who are called under the new covenant will receive the promise of eternal inheritance, that is, our inheritance is in Heaven. (Eph 1:14 KJV) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Now that Christ had mediated the New Covenant, the promises given to Abraham for an eternal inheritance could now be apprehended. This is because Christ can be surety for all those He has chosen for salvation.

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