Hebrews 9:16-28 | What's the connection?

History of Sacrifice

As broad as the connections are, to the Hebrew reader, it would be tremendously significant, as well as specific. It is important to remember that the Bible has no filler. It requires no filler. The details can draw a lot of significance for us. The specific reference that is being made in Hebrews draws us back to Exodus 24. Let us take a look at the passage and see how the details mirror each other and draw further significance in Christ.
3 So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.” 4 And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. 6 And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.” 8 And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.”
-Exodus 24:3-8
Leviticus 17 also emphasizes the sanctity of blood. It states, "11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’" (Levi. 17:11). Critically, the text highlights the specificity of what Jesus had truly accomplished. The things made with hands needed to be cleansed. The hands themselves needed to be cleansed. Everything was tainted by the Fall and corruption in the world. That is, until Jesus entered the womb of a woman by way of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Sinless One, was the sacrifice that truly cleansed all that needed to be cleansed. He was able to enter the true tabernacle, the eternal dwelling place of God. The work He thus could perform is one that bears significant spiritual weight.

As we can see in verse 8 in the passage above, it was the spilling of blood that sealed the covenant. Similarly, Jesus' blood sealed for us a new covenant. "28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:28). As Hebrews 8 further emphasized this new covenant, Hebrews 9 shows how it was sealed. The blood of Jesus was sufficient to bring in that new covenant that far outshines the old. Once again, the message proves that Jesus is better.

What connections do you see?
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