December
3, 2003
THE
BLOOD OF THE COVENANT
"Now
may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the
dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood
of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good
work to do His will" (Hebrews 13:20, 21, NKJV).
To many
it has been a mystery why so many sacrificial offerings were
required in the old Testament, why so many bleeding victims
were led to the altar. The great truth that was kept before
men, and imprinted on the mind and heart, was this, "without
shedding of blood there is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22).
In every bleeding sacrifice was typified "the Lamb of
God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
Christ
Himself was the originator of the Jewish system of worship,
in which, by types and symbols, were shadowed spiritual and
heavenly truths. Many did not understand the true significance
of these offerings; and the great truth that they pointed
forward to the promised Messiah through whom alone is forgiveness
of sin. The sacrificial offerings, the blood of bulls, goats
and lambs could not take away sin.
A lesson
was embodied in every sacrifice, impressed in every ceremony,
solemnly preached by the priest in his holy office, and taught
by frequent repetitions, that through the blood of the Messiah
alone is there forgiveness of sins.
Anciently
believers were saved by the same Saviour as we are now, but
it was veiled. They saw God's mercy in figures. Christ's sacrifice
is the glorious fulfillment of all the Jewish religious ordinances.
When Jesus bowed His head and died, when by unseen hand the
veil of the temple was rent in two, a new and living way was
opened for all mankind. Everyone can now approach God through
the merits of Christ. It is because the veil has been rent,
signifying the end of the sacramental services, that men can
draw near to God individually and directly. They need not
depend on priest or ceremonial sacrifice. Liberty is given
for all to go directly to God through their personal friend
and Saviour, His beloved Son.
We are
saved by "the blood of the everlasting covenant"
offered up by the Son of God on behalf of all the human race.
Adapted
from "God's Amazing Grace", p. 155.
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