James 5

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James 5:1

The Purification and the Appearance

Hebrews 9:16-17. These verses form a parenthesis. In Hebrews 9:15 the writer spoke about the death and the inheritance. He is now explaining how these two are connected to each other. The one is not separated from the other. Then it was like that and it is still like that nowadays.

An inheritance is something that someone bequeaths when he dies. He who has possessions he bequeaths will usually make a testament. In a testament the ‘testator’ describes who will receive his possessions when he dies. That means that his death must have taken place before the heir, the one who is called the beneficiary in the testament, can enjoy the possession that is promised to him in the testament. Therefore it is said in these verses that a testament only is valid when the testator dies. In order to execute the will of the testator, that one’s death has to be absolutely sure.

Now the exceptional thing in this situation is that Christ is both the Testator and the One Who is entitled to that inheritance. As God He is Testator and as Man He died. As the Son of God He is also “the heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2). Considering that He shares that inheritance with you (Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 3:6) and that you belong to the ones He called and who will receive the eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15), it can only bring you to your knees to worship Him. These are things that are beyond human understanding, but in faith you will accept that they are true. It is exactly the glory of Christ and the mystery of His Person that make us draw near to Him in worship.

A testament or covenant therefore only is valid when death has occurred. That is not something that was only valid in connection with the new covenant. Also in the old covenant or Old Testament it was already like that. The Old Testament contains an abundance of examples of the necessity of the occurrence of death before men were able to stand in relationship with God. Just think of the whole offering service. Yet again a person either undergoes the judgment himself or sees how his sins are blotted out because an Other underwent the judgment for him.

Hebrews 9:18-20. To illustrate his teachings the writer quotes another example that was familiar to his readers. Moses had passed on the words he heard from the Lord about His covenant on the mountain, to the people (Exodus 24:3). The people then responded solemnly to obey this covenant. Thereupon Moses offered the offerings and sprinkled blood on the altar and on the people and the book (Exodus 24:6). The blood is the blood that God commanded as His answer on the promise from the people. Threat came from this blood. God made known what would happen to Israel if the people would trespass the words of the Lord.

The blood of the new covenant speaks a totally different language. The believers of the New Testament are sprinkled with it. Atonement, forgiveness and blessing come from that blood (1 Peter 1:2; Hebrews 12:24). In the value of that blood we, who are not any better than those who were under the old covenant, are able to stand before God.

Hebrews 9:21. The sprinkling mentioned here, happened on the day of atonement, though not by Moses, but by Aaron. The point of the writer is to demonstrate the meaning of the blood under the old covenant and how everything was ruled by it. It clarifies the fundamental role of the blood, both in the old and in the new covenant.

Hebrews 9:22. “Without shedding of blood” there is no forgiveness possible, nor redemption (Hebrews 9:12), nor cleansing (Hebrews 9:14). By saying that with blood “almost all things” are cleansed, it is clear that the writer is aware of exceptions, as, for example, for a poor (Leviticus 5:11-13; Leviticus 15:10; Numbers 31:22-23; 50; Numbers 16:46).

There is almost nothing that modern theologians hate more than the very thought that without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. It means that humanity consists of hopelessly lost creatures on whom the death penalty lies and that only through death it is possible to remove this death penalty, through which lost creatures are able to receive forgiveness. How necessary the death of Christ was indeed!

Hebrews 9:23. With “the copies of the things in heaven” the whole earthly tabernacle with its service is meant. They are an illustration of the better, true, “heavenly things”. The symbolical things had to be cleansed, for they were touched by sinful people. That cleansing happened through blood. However, as a consequence of the fall of man also the heavenly things, that is the created heaven, are defiled (Job 15:15) and have also to be reconciled (Colossians 1:20). In connection with that cleansing the writer speaks about “better sacrifices”. The blood draws our attention to the work of Christ; the sacrifice draws our attention to Christ Himself and the sacrifice He offered.

Hebrews 9:24. Christ has entered “the true one”, that is the heavenly holy place or sanctuary. The earthly sanctuary was the “copy”. It was nothing more than a copy, an image or picture of the heavenly sanctuary. Christ has not entered the earthly sanctuary, but the heavenly one. He entered it in a different way than Aaron entered the earthly one. Aaron remained just a very short time in the sanctuary. Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary in order to appear in the light of God on our behalf. As a result of that we are able now to be there too. He represents us before God.

Hebrews 9:25. Christ entered the holy place, the sanctuary, on the basis of His one-time sacrifice. That is perfect. Therefore repetition is not necessary. The day of atonement was totally different. There the prescribed sacrifices had to be offered each year. You can derive from the repetition that that was inadequate. The high priest had to enter the sanctuary over and over again with blood and indeed with strange blood, which means with other blood than that of himself. That is a great difference with the Lord Jesus Who on the contrary, entered the sanctuary with His own blood.

Hebrews 9:26. The writer again demonstrates clear what the consequence would be if the one-time sacrifice of Christ had not been adequate. He would then have had to come from heaven numerous times, again and again, to suffer. This proves the foolishness and also the reprehensibility of the mass sacrifice of the roman-catholic church, in which Christ is sacrificed again and again. If that one sacrifice of Christ wouldn’t be adequate, when then would His sacrifice be adequate? It is one of both: either the sacrifice of Christ was perfectly accomplished once for all or it will never ever be perfect. In the latter case an equally endless repetition would be required as this was the case under the old covenant.

But Christ came only once and has accomplished a one-time work that never has to be repeated ever (1 Peter 3:18). The time of suffering was determined by God. It would happen at the consummation of the ages. Only when many ages had proven that there is no good to be expected from man, God sent His Son.

The corruptness of man has been fully exposed, with its lowest point the rejection of the Son of God. At the same time this great purpose of God to put away or abolish sin, was made known in the manifestation of the Son. He is the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The complete fulfillment is still to happen, but the foundation for the ultimate, definite and complete abolishment is laid by the Lamb when He died.

Hebrews 9:27. Everyone will die once. That is the inevitable consequence of sin through which death entered the world (Romans 6:23). With death the consequences of the earthly life are irrevocably and eternally established for everyone. He who dies in unbelief will end up in Hades, the place where pain rules (Luke 16:19-31; 1 Peter 3:19), and finally in hell (Revelation 20:11-15).

Man is not given a second life on earth. A circle of life and death, the so-called reincarnation, is a fabrication from the devil. People who ignore God love to believe that. Still, with death everything is not finished yet. There is an “after this [comes] judgment” that will be executed by Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:1; John 5:27).

Hebrews 9:28. Like all people Christ has also died only once, but with what wonderful, heavenly, everlasting and irrevocable consequences for the believer! He has two great assurances: the forgiveness of his sins and the return of the Lord. Christ died in the place of everyone who believes in Him. He bore their sins (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:12). When He appeared as Man on earth it was to die. Now He is in heaven, after He accomplished His work, He appears before God’s face for us.

When He appears for the second time on earth, it is then for them who eagerly await Him. This is not about the rapture of the church, but His appearing on earth. The remnant of Israel will eagerly await Him and we also are looking forward to see Him. We love His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).

When He then comes it will have nothing to do with His work regarding sin because the problem of sin has already been solved once for all at His first coming. When He comes the second time, it will not be in humiliation, but in glory. Then the full salvation of the kingdom of peace will be realized by Him.

Now read Hebrews 9:16-28 again.