A Lenten Journey: The Wilderness Trail — Day Twenty-One

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Hebrews 9:23-28, The Message

That accounts for the prominence of blood and death in all these secondary practices that point to the realities of heaven. It also accounts for why, when the real thing takes place, these animal sacrifices aren’t needed anymore, having served their purpose. For Christ didn’t enter the earthly version of the Holy Place; he entered the Place Itself, and offered himself to God as the sacrifice for our sins. He doesn’t do this every year as the high priests did under the old plan with blood that was not their own; if that had been the case, he would have to sacrifice himself repeatedly throughout the course of history. But instead he sacrificed himself once and for all, summing up all the other sacrifices in this sacrifice of himself, the final solution of sin.

Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ’s death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation.

‘The final solution.’
Usually,

that phrase carries
a decidedly 
negative valence.

But not here.
Not ever again.
ONCE AND FOR ALL,
in every sense of those
words.

ONCE.

FOR ALL.

Wow.

 

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Comments

  1. Absolutely love it when the New Testament serves as commentary for the Old. I echo your prayer, “Wow.”

  2. Praise God for his final solution! I cannot imagine life without his comforting presence, wise guidance, strength, peace, joy, and more. And then, as if all that wasn’t enough, he’s going to take me home to live with him in heaven when this life is completed. Indeed–the only response is “wow.”

  3. Once, for all, for you, for me. Yes! God’s solution is the absolute blessing and miracle. Blessings, Diana!