THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE HEBREWS

CHAPTER 10
 

SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME

SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME STUDY ON SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME VERSE WITH SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME MESSAGE

          It’s always a pleasure to have you back again to share more Daily Bread. If you’ve ever read the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, you know that a major part of the “law” was offerings and sacrifices. In the first part of this chapter, Paul again shows how these offerings and sacrifices were “shadows” of the sacrifice of Jesus, and that His sacrifice of Himself permanently replaces the old law.

The law, being a shadow of heavenly things to come,
and not being the exact reality of the things,
can never make the people perfect
with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually.
If those sacrifices did purify them,
wouldn’t they have stopped offering them?
Because once the worshippers were cleansed,
they should have no more awareness of sins.
But in those sacrifices there is a reminder again made of sins every year.
Because it isn’t possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sins.

          Here’s a great passage from the book of Micah that explains.

There are several more places written in the scriptures of the Old Testament that plainly say that sacrifices and offerings aren’t what God wants ... 1 Samuel 15:22, Psalms 51:16, Jeremiah 6:20, 7:22-23, Isaiah 1:11, and this one that Paul quotes next, comes from Psalms:

Paul explains what the Lord was revealing below ... In so many words, He was saying, God didn’t want those sacrifices, so He made Jesus into flesh and blood so that He could perform the will of God, (Matthew 26:39 and John 4:34) and be the one and only sacrifice that would cleanse the sins of man. Now, Paul’s explanation:

Above when he said,
Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings
and offering for sin thou wouldest not,
neither hadst pleasure therein;
which are offered by the law;
Then said he,
Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.
He takes away the first (Old Covenant),
so that He may establish the second (New Covenant).

By God’s will,
we are made holy
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all.
 

          Another thing to know about the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant  is that in the old way, people had to wait until they made sacrifice in order to reconcile themselves to God, but in the new way, God’s Grace is at hand immediately through repentance.

          Now, you may think that Paul is a bit redundant about this High Priest business, but consider how important this subject really is. The patterns of the Old Testament, representing the New Testament that was to replace it, was a fact that was totally missed by the unbelieving Jewish people who crucified our Lord. Something so clear to see, yet misunderstood, deserves repetition. If Paul couldn’t make his point clear in one way, he would try again in another way, and again in another, and again and again and again. His persistence is admirable, really, and as you’ll see in Verse 36 of this chapter, he encourages patience, or persistence in the Hebrews as well.

SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME LESSON WITH SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME EXPLANATION

And every priest stands daily
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices,
which can never take away sins:
But Christ Jesus,
after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever,
sat down at the right hand of God;
And from that time on,
awaits until His enemies be made His footstool.

By one offering He has cleansed for ever
them that are sanctified
(called, chosen, set apart, made holy).
 

Paul doesn’t stop there either. If that’s not enough to convince the Hebrews, he adds how the Holy Spirit told them beforehand through scripture all about this change of covenants.

The Holy Ghost also is a witness to us:
Because of what He had said before
(through the prophet Jeremiah),

Now where there is forgiveness of sins and iniquities,
there is no more offering for sin.
 

Now Paul changes hats from teacher, to motivator, encouraging the Hebrews to be strong, and keep on going, not to give up, but to be persistent until the end.

Therefore brethren, having confidence
to enter into the holiest (the presence of God)
by the blood of Jesus,
by a new and living way,
which He has prepared for us,
through the veil, that is to say, His flesh;
and having an High Priest over the house of God;
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,
and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us stand firm in our faith without wavering
(for He is faithful that promised);
And let us think of one another
and stir up love and good works:
Not neglecting the gathering of ourselves together, as some do;
but encouraging one another: and so much more,
as you see the Day (of the Lord) approaching.

For if we sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the Truth,
there remains no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful waiting
for judgment and fiery indignation,
which shall devour the unbelievers.

Those who disregarded Moses' law
died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
How much worse punishment do you suppose those people deserve
who have trodden under foot the Son of God,
and have considered the blood of the Covenant,
with which He was sanctified, an unholy thing,
and have insulted the Spirit of grace?

For we know Him that has said,