Hebrews 10:1b
"…sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."
Or prepared and ready for God. Disheartening, isn’t it? And yet it was an unending process. Now, I find it hard to believe, but I’ve read it more than once, that Josephus made the claim that at the time of Christ, almost a million animals a year were sacrificed. Now I find that hard to believe because you divide a million by 365 and that’s almost more than they could kill in a day. But, we know it was a humongous number of animals that were daily being sacrificed at the Temple there in Jerusalem, and yet practically for nothing because animal’s blood couldn’t do anything. It like the Law itself had no power to bring about a change in mans sin nature or conscience. And this is the stance of Paul in his other Epistles as well, he states that in and through Christ alone is the guilt and stain of sin removed from mans conscience.
Hebrews 10:2a
"For then would they not have ceased to be offered?…"
In other words, if those animal sacrifices were all that were necessary, wouldn’t the day have come when they’d quit? But they never could. They never could because those sacrifices could not take away sin. And to-day the starting up of such is to do the same will only serve to blacken the eye of God because of what He has invested, the Blood that holds the power of an Endless Life, the blood that man had flowing in him in the beginning. The power of His pure blood coupled with its intrinsic value of a Endless Life. Reading on in verse 2:
Hebrews 10:2b
"…because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins."
If those animal sacrifices were complete in themselves, those Hebrews should have been able to go away from that Temple. Freed from sins guilt and its subsequent shame. They should have been able to go back to their homes in Greece or Babylon content that all of their sins were forgiven. They would have had their consciences cleansed, no more guilty or shame of their past. But could they? No. Next year they had to be back again. Now verse 3.
Hebrews 10:3
"But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins (how often?) every year."
We’re talking primarily about the Day of Atonement. So the Hebrew’s sins were never removed. They just kept coming back. It was unending. And this is what Paul is proving – and what a difference – as we’re going to see the other side of the coin. Here in verse 4 is why they had no assurance of sins forgiven, because it was not possible. The priests nor the animals blood had that power therefore it was weak and beggarly.
Hebrews 10:4-5
"For it was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when he (speaking of the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth) cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared for me:"
Now we’ve got to stop a moment. What was he really saying? Did God take pleasure in all those innocent animals being slaughtered? No. He didn’t take pleasure in it. Here Paul is quoting from Genesis 3:15, Psalm 40:6-8 and 50:8-23. Now when they made a dent in the Hebrew’s spiritual life, I’m sure it made a difference. But most of the time, the Hebrew’s spiritual life was in the pits. Let’s go back to Isaiah chapter 1, lest we get the mistaken idea that God was so pleased when those Hebrews would bring those perfect little lambs or those cute little goats and have them killed. He wasn’t pleased with all that, but it was part and parcel of His demands on the Nation of Israel to let them show their obedience and, yes, their trust. If they did it right, they brought those sacrifices by trusting. Because that’s the way God told them to do it, but most of the time even trust was absent. See? Here in Isaiah, this is God speaking through the prophet concerning all these sacrifices.
Isaiah 1:10
"Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom (now that’s the other word for Jerusalem) give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah."
Now, why in the world call Jerusalem, Sodom and Gomorrah? Because of their wickedness. Oh, you have no idea, see? Now verse 11.
Isaiah 1:11
"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full ("I’ve had it up to here" is the way we put it) of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I (God) delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats."
Isaiah 1:12-13
"When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; (which of course was part and parcel of the sacrificial worship) the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting."
Then Jeremiah in chapter 6 and verse 20 says about the same thing at the same time as Isaiah and don't forget Amos in chapter 5 verses 21-22. Now do you know how meticulous the Hebrews were about all that? Most people don’t understand the customs. They were so intent on knowing the exact time that a new moon came about that they would actually station people on the mountains of Israel to watch the nighttime sky for the first slightest sliver of the new moon and they could announce to the Temple people, the new moon has begun, see? Their months were all based on the new moon and it meant the first day of that particular month for each had 28 or 30 days and they always started on the new moon. Unlike our Romans calendar which is based on the pagan festivals and the Sun god Rah.
All right, see this is what the Lord is talking about. They made such a big deal over the "new moons, the Sabbath days, the calling of assemblies." God says, "I cannot, away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting." He's had His fill of their religious exercise to the point of pushing Him out of sight and out of mind.
Now whenever I read these verses, you know what I have to think of? I wonder how many services across the world today the Lord has the same feeling for? Most of them have just become an abomination. They have departed from the truth of God’s Word and God hates it. But they think that they can compensate for it with all of the entertainment and what-have-you. But I’m sure God doesn’t. He doesn’t swallow that. And He would like to just say, "Away with it." You lawless ones but through it all what is man actually doing? Building up the wrath soon due them.
Isaiah 1:15
"And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood."
Quite a condemnation isn’t it?
Take your Bible and line me up with the Scriptures. Just compare Scripture with Scripture and with the Holy Spirit’s guidance we trust we can stay with the truth. That’s the most important of all.
Okay, we’re going to pick right up where we left off in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 4.
Hebrews 10:4
"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."
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