Daily Devotionals

It's Not Supposed to Be This Way Week 3: Wednesday

In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22

Sin destroyed everything when it invaded the world. It brought pain, sickness, heartache, and death. But, as terrible as these were and still are, these are not humanity's most significant problems. You see, sin also separated us from God. That means any hope of having a relationship was gone unless God intervened. We needed forgiveness and restoration that only the blood of Jesus could bring. 

The author of Hebrews made it clear in Hebrews 9 that "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness" (22). In other words, without the shedding of blood, there could be no restoration between God and humanity. At the beginning of this chapter, the writer of Hebrews explained that the Israelites operated under a sacrificial system before Christ. This system began in the tabernacle, which had two rooms divided by a curtain. The first room was the Holy Place. The second room was called the Most Holy Place (verses 2-3). Others have translated this to be called the Holy of Holies. The second room contained the Ark of the Covenant and the place of atonement (verse 5). Only the High Priest was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place, and he was only allowed there once a year (verse 7). When the High Priest went into this room, he offered sacrifices for his sins and the sins of the people of Israel (verse 7). This was the system that the Israelites operated under for years and years until Jesus came. When Jesus came, He became the once-and-for-all perfect, sinless sacrifice when He died on the cross (verse 14). This changed everything.

When Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice by shedding His blood and dying on the cross, people no longer had to sacrifice animals. You see, Jesus had lived a perfect, sinless life and paid the penalty required for our sins: death. Because He was perfect, His blood pays the price for our sins when we place our faith in Him. Will you trust in Him today?

Moving toward action

Are you putting yourself in situations where you are around people far from Christ? If not, where can you place yourself where you can be surrounded by people with whom you can share the hope of Christ? Maybe this means joining a gym or finding a coffee shop where you can frequently talk with those who work there. Maybe it means intentionally having conversations with parents at soccer practice. Whatever you decide, put yourself in places where you can have intentional conversations with the people around you about the difference Christ can make in your life.

Going Deeper

Hebrews 9:1-10 (NLT)

"That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. 2 There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. 3 Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. 4 In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron's staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark's cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.

6 When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. 7 But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

9 This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. 10 For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies-physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established."