This Week's Scripture & Reflection: Hebrews 10:19-23
The Levitical system of worship in the Old Testament was and is known for its many sacrifices and offerings. And while these sacrifices were required by God through the Law that He gave specifically to the Israelites, His chosen people, the sacrifices themselves were unable to cleanse the consciences of the Israelite people from their sin. In fact, in those sacrifices lay a reminder of their sins year after year (cf. Hebrews 10:3).
In His omniscience, God enacted a temporary system of continuous sacrifices and offerings to point to the One individual whose single, one-time sacrifice would atone for all sins for all time (cf. Hebrews 10:12)! Through Jesus' blood-shedding sacrifice, we as believers and followers of Christ now possess the confidence to enter the Most Holy Place, an area once restricted to only the High Priest, through a new and living way that Jesus Himself initiated and opened through the veil, that is through His flesh!
When Jesus died on the cross, the veil separating the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle was torn from top to bottom, thereby eliminating the old Levitical system of worship and sacrifice and establishing a new one that guarantees free and open access to the Most Holy Place, the very presence of the living God (cf. Matthew 27:50-51). The perfect, unblemished blood of Jesus Christ gives us full confidence and freedom to approach the Father without restriction or condemnation because His blood was completely sufficient to atone for all sins of all degrees and extents, for past, present, and future.
Jesus initiated and opened the new and living way! More importantly, He is the way, the truth, and the life (cf. John 14:6)! He is the ultimate fulfillment of every covenant, prophecy, and promise! Celebrate the the only wise King whose own life has given us life eternal and more abundantly!