Useful Bible Studies > Hebrews Commentary > chapter 7
Some things are so important that they must happen often. For example, the priests in God’s temple (God’s house) in Jerusalem had to offer sacrifices daily.
There were sacrifices each morning and each evening. There were also special sacrifices each Sabbath (Saturday) and on the sacred holidays. You can read the rules about these sacrifices in Numbers chapters 28 and 29. The fire that burnt the sacrifices never went out (Leviticus 6:13).
These sacrifices were animals that the priests offered to God. They offered some sacrifices for their own sins. And they offered some sacrifices on behalf of the people. The sacrifices had to be continuous because people’s sins are continuous. ‘Sin’ means the bad and wrong things that we do against God. And God considers sin to be a very serious matter. Sin ruins the relationship between people and God (Isaiah 59:1-2).
Sacrifice was the method that God chose to show people how to have a relationship with him. People should die because of their sin. But God allowed an innocent animal to die instead. And by that means, people could serve God. However, God never intended that arrangement to be permanent.
Some things are so important that they can only ever happen once. The most important event that has ever happened is the death of Jesus, God’s Son. He died as a sacrifice for the sins of everyone who trusts him. As our priest, he offered his own blood to God his Father, in heaven.
God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice. And so he forgives the sins of everyone who invites him into their lives.
Jesus died once only. But by that one event, he has destroyed the power of sin, death, and the devil (Hebrews 2:14; Hebrews 9:26).
Next part: The oath is stronger than the law (Hebrews 7:28)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.