What is the meaning of Hebrews 9:22? According to the law The writer points back to the commandments God gave through Moses. Everything Israel did in worship—every sacrifice, festival, and priestly duty—was defined “according to the law” (Exodus 24:3-8; Leviticus 16:34). This lays an unshakeable foundation: • God Himself set the terms for approaching Him. • The law exposes sin and reveals our need for cleansing (Romans 3:19-20). • It also foreshadows a greater reality that would come in Christ (Hebrews 10:1). Because the standard comes from God, it is not up for negotiation or human improvement. nearly everything must be purified with blood In the tabernacle and temple services, blood touched nearly every sacred object: • The altar, basins, and utensils (Exodus 29:12-21). • The ark, the scroll, and the people themselves (Hebrews 9:18-21). • Even the high priest’s garments were sprinkled (Leviticus 8:30). Leviticus 17:11 explains why: “the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls.” Blood symbolized poured-out life; it carried away defilement and marked what now belonged to God. and without the shedding of blood From Eden forward, God made it clear that sin produces death (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23). He illustrated this when He clothed Adam and Eve with animal skins (Genesis 3:21) and when Abel’s acceptable offering involved a slain lamb (Genesis 4:4). Major moments in Israel’s story echo the same pattern: • Passover deliverance rested on lambs’ blood applied to doorposts (Exodus 12:13). • The Day of Atonement required blood taken behind the veil for the nation’s sins (Leviticus 16:15-16). Every drop pointed to a substitute bearing the sinner’s penalty. there is no forgiveness Forgiveness is not simply God overlooking wrongdoing; it is God justly removing guilt. Hebrews reminds us that “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). Those sacrifices covered sin temporarily, anticipating the one sacrifice that would deal with it finally and forever: • Jesus entered the heavenly sanctuary “by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12). • At the Last Supper He said, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). • Now “the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7; Ephesians 1:7). Because Christ shed His blood, God can forgive fully while remaining perfectly just (Romans 3:25-26). summary Hebrews 9:22 ties the entire Bible’s redemption story together. God’s law demanded a life-for-life payment, so nearly everything under the old covenant was cleansed with sacrificial blood. Those repeated rituals were previews of the once-for-all shedding of Christ’s blood, the only means by which real and everlasting forgiveness is granted. The verse invites us to trust wholeheartedly in that finished work and to live cleansed, grateful lives in response. |
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