In the past, the sacrifice of animals made certain things holy. A sacrifice is a gift to God. The author of Hebrews has already explained that the blood of sacrifices made God’s house and its contents holy (Hebrews 9:21).
Ezekiel 21:1-22:31
Hebrews 10:1-17
Psalm 108:1-13
Proverbs 27:12
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New Testament: Hebrews 10:1-17
Summary: Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
It is better to obey God than to offer sacrifices
In Hebrews 10:5-7, the author copied Psalm 40:6-8 from the old translation of the Bible in the Greek language. And now he explains that passage in his own words. That is a good way to teach the meaning of the Bible. But teachers of the Bible should do as he did. They should read the Bible passage to their students before they explain it.
Sometimes a Bible translation is not completely accurate. That happened here, too. The Greek translation says that God was not ‘pleased’ with the sacrifices. But the original passage in the Hebrew language says that God did not ‘desire’ them. The author was not trying to impress anyone, and he did not mention his knowledge of the Hebrew. But he had studied the Bible in both languages. We know that because he included both words (‘pleased’ and ‘desired’) in his explanation. Both were true. God was not pleased with the sacrifices, and he did not desire them.
The sacrifices were the animals that people gave to God. And it may surprise us that God was not pleased with them. The Book of Leviticus often says that the sacrifices pleased God (Leviticus 1:13; Leviticus 3:5; Leviticus 3:16). Also, it may surprise us that God did not want sacrifices. His law says that his priests must offer sacrifices. And God’s law tells us what God wants to happen.
Perhaps the explanation is in passages like Isaiah 1:11-13; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-22 and Micah 6:6-8. People were giving sacrifices, but they did not want to obey God. They carried out the sacrifices, but they were doing very many wicked things too. Such sacrifices did not please God. Samuel told Saul that it is better to obey God than to offer sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22).
God never intended the sacrifices to continue for all time. When Jesus, God’s Son, died as a sacrifice, he was the perfect sacrifice. After that, there was no reason to offer animals as sacrifices. So God ended it. And instead, God established something better. Like Jesus, God’s people would love God with their whole hearts (Mark 12:29-30). So they would genuinely want to obey him.
God’s plan to make his people holy
God’s ‘will’ means the things that he wants to happen. It includes especially his plans for his people.
The word ‘sanctified’ means that God has made someone or something holy. ‘Holy’ means that the person or thing belongs to God in a special way. He has separated them from other people or from similar things, for himself.
In the past, the sacrifice of animals made certain things holy. A sacrifice is a gift to God. The author of Hebrews has already explained that the blood of sacrifices made God’s house and its contents holy (Hebrews 9:21).
But here in Hebrews 10:10, it is people that God has made holy – not buildings or objects. And God has made them holy because that is his will, his plan for them. These are people who once were God’s enemies. They did many wrong and evil things against him. But now God has saved (rescued) them. So they have become his people. He has separated them so that they belong to him in a special way.
The sacrifice of animals made God’s house holy. But a better and more wonderful sacrifice has made these people holy. That sacrifice was the death of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
The sacrifice of animals was a ceremony that taught people about God’s will for his people. The sacrifice of Christ was the reality. He carried out God’s will to make his people holy.
The sacrifice of animals happened often. The priests’ work was never complete or perfect. The sacrifice of Christ happened once only. His work was both complete and perfect.
The sacrifice of animals could not change people’s lives. But the sacrifice of Christ makes unholy people holy. It separates those people, so that they belong to God.
From: usefulbible.com – by Keith Simons
Overview: Hebrews – Click Here
The Incomparable Priest
Hebrews 10:1-18
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