HEBREWS 21


     We will begin this lesson in Hebrews 10:8 "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;"

     We discussed in the previous lesson that this was just a
formality that the people felt obligated to perform. This type of
worship, then and now, is unacceptable unto God. They were going
through the motions of worship, but they did not have their heart in
it. Notice {neither hadst pleasure therein}. The law seemed to be a
set of rules to follow, rather than following God.

     Hebrews 10:9 "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He
taketh away the first, that he may establish the second."

     The law, which was first, was impossible for these people to
keep, because to them it was just rules of conduct. These sacrifices
did not open the way to God. They needed a personal relationship with
God. The second, that Jesus provided {the grace of God} opened the
access to the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. Now this was not
just rules to keep, but a relationship with God. The will of God, from
the beginning, was to fellowship with man. That is why He made man. In
the garden of Eden, God walked with Adam in the cool of the evening.
We find that several men of God pleased Him by walking with Him.
Genesis 6:9 " These [are] the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man
[and] perfect in his generations, [and] Noah walked with God."  The
very best example of man walking with God is when Enoch was walking
with God and God took Enoch home with Him. Genesis 5:24 "And Enoch
walked with God: and he [was] not; for God took him."  Enoch never
died, he was walking with God one day and God just took him with him
as we said above. I have said this before, but it is true. If you do
not enjoy going to church, and being with God, you possibly should
take another look at your relationship with God.

     Hebrews 10:10 "By the which will we are sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]."

     God will not overrule the will of man and save him against his
will. The will of man can decide to follow the spirit and live for
God, or it can decide to follow the flesh of man and be lost. I John
5:6 "This is he that came by water and blood, [even] Jesus Christ; not
by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that
beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth."  We will see in the
next Scripture, that the flesh of Jesus is the Bread of life. John
6:51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man
eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will
give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Notice
in the Scripture that there are actually 3 that bear witness in the
verse above and in the following verse. I John 5:8 "And there are
three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the
blood: and these three agree in one." Not just blood came forth from
Jesus' side, but water and blood. John 19:34 "But one of the soldiers
with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and
water."

     Hebrews 10:11 "And every priest standeth daily ministering and
offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away
sins:"

     I will put just one of the Scriptures pertaining to daily
sacrifices here. There are far too many to list them all here. This
just shows the futility of sacrificing animals' blood that can only
cover sin, not do away with sin. Exodus 29:38  "Now this [is that]
which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day
by day continually."

     Hebrews 10:12 "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice
for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;"

     Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father, because His work
was finished. It was finished actually, when He said It is finished,
while He was hanging on the cross. I mentioned in an earlier lesson
that the very reason God allowed the Temple in Jerusalem to be
destroyed, is because they would not stop sacrificing animals. Jesus
paid the penalty for sin, for all time, for everyone who will believe
and receive Him as their Saviour. To sacrifice, after His perfect
sacrifice, would be to say that we did not believe His sacrifice was
sufficient to do away with sin.

     Hebrews 10:13 "From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made
his footstool."

     Matthew 22:44 "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right
hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?"  Both of these
Scriptures show that at some time Christianity shall reign supreme
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus Christ shall then be Lord of
lords and King of kings and the Christians shall reign with Him as His
subordinates.  Jesus has reconciled God to all who will believe,
through His shed blood.

     Hebrews 10:14 "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever
them that are sanctified."

     Sanctified means that we have been made holy in God's sight
through the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus washed us in His blood and made
us righteous in God's sight. Another meaning for sanctified is, set
aside for God's purpose. We are far from perfect, until we accept
Jesus as the perfect Lamb sacrifice for our sins, then we are perfect.
It is His shed blood that makes us perfect. Acts 20:32 "And now,
brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is
able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them
which are sanctified." Notice one more time that this is not the
world, this is the family of God.

     Hebrews 10:15 "[Whereof] the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us:
for after that he had said before," Hebrews 10:16 "This [is] the
covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord,
I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write
them;" Hebrews 10:17 "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no
more."

     This is speaking of the 2 houses of Israel. The natural Hebrew
and the believers in Christ who had been Gentiles. They are adopted in
to the family of God, because they believed in Jesus. Jeremiah 31:33
"But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their
inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and
they shall be my people." Jeremiah 31:34 "And they shall teach no more
every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the
LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the
greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity,
and I will remember their sin no more."   Those who have faith in
Jesus Christ are the spiritual descendents of Abraham. Just as Abraham
found favor in the sight of God because he had faith, these believed
and it was counted unto them as righteousness. Galatians 3:29 "And if
ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to
the promise."  He does not remember the sins any more because they
have been wiped out and they no longer exist. They were washed away in
the blood of Jesus.






























                             Questions 21

1.  What were these sacrifices that the people felt obligated to do?
2.  The law seemed to be what, rather than following God?
3.  Who is the He, in verse 9 of Hebrews chapter 10?
4.  He says, I came to do ___ ____.
5.  He taketh away the first that He may __________ the second.
6.  Why was the law, and the sacrifices with it, not able to satisfy
    the people?
7.  What does mankind have to have, to have peace in his soul?
8.  Who was the first man in the Bible who walked with God?
9.  Name 2 other Old Testament men who walked with God?
10. Who was the man who walked with God and never died?
11. We are sanctified through what?
12. What decides whether we follow God or the flesh?
13. What does Jesus call Himself in John chapter 6 verse 51?
14. What are the 3 that bear witness in earth?
15. When the soldier pierced Jesus side, what 2 things came forth?
16. How often were 2 lambs to be offered as sacrifice by the high
    priest?
17. After Jesus finished His work on earth where did He go?
18. At what moment was Jesus' work finished on the earth?
19. Why did God allow the temple in Jerusalem to be destroyed?
20. To sacrifice after Jesus had been crucified for the sin of the
    world would be to say what?
21. What are Jesus' enemies to be made?
22. Christianity shall rule supreme sometime through what?
23. Who has Jesus reconciled God the Father to?
24. What are the Christians called in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 14?
25. What does sanctified mean?
26. What makes us perfect in God's sight?
27. What covenant has God made with His followers?
28. Who's seed are the believers in Christ?