The book of Hebrews was written to emphasize the fact that the new covenant under Christ is better than the old covenant. This is true regarding the priesthood (Hebrews 7:23-28), sacrifices (Hebrews 10:1-4), promises (Hebrews 11:39-40), and so on.
One of the comparisons made by the Hebrew writer had to do with the blood of the sacrifices. The reason why this comparison was important had to do with the fact that blood was inherently connected with the covenant itself. After describing Jesus as “the mediator of a new covenant” (Hebrews 9:15), the Hebrew writer said:
“For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, ‘This is the covenant which God commanded you’” (Hebrews 9:16-20).
“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:22-26).
If every covenant is inaugurated with blood (Hebrews 9:18), what was it about the blood of the new covenant that made it better than the old covenant? Notice what the Hebrew writer had to say about this:
- Blood of Christ rather than the blood of animals – “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:11-12). In Christ, we can be redeemed and forgiven of our sins. In contrast, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).
- One sacrifice rather than yearly sacrifices – “But into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. […] Nor was it that [Christ] would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:7, 25-26). Jesus was “offered once to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28). While the priests under the old covenant would stand “daily…offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,” Jesus “offered one sacrifice for sins for all time” and then “sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:11-12), signifying the fact that His work of making offerings for sins was completed.
- Cleanses the conscience rather than just the flesh – “For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13-14). Again, because “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4), those sacrifices could not provide the worshiper with a clean conscience. That was only possible with the forgiveness offered through the sacrifice of Christ.
- Offered in heaven rather than in the earthly tabernacle – “Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:23-24). The high priests were symbolically in the presence of God when they made their offering. Jesus was in the actual presence of God in heaven.
- Good things rather than a shadow of good things to come – “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near” (Hebrews 10:1). The law pointed to Christ who had “a more excellent ministry” as “the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).
- Perfected those who are sanctified rather than a reminder of sins year by year – “But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. […] For by one offering [Christ] has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:3, 14). Every year as sacrifices were made under the old covenant, they pointed into the future to a more perfect sacrifice.
- We have access to the true holy place rather than being on the outside of an earthly tabernacle – “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22). Through Christ, we have access into heaven itself. Therefore, we are to “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
For all of these reasons, the blood of Christ which inaugurated the new covenant was better than the blood of the animal sacrifices associated with the old covenant.
However, this also means there is greater judgment against us if we disregard the blood of the new covenant. Notice what the Hebrew writer said about this:
“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:26-29).
God has extended His grace to us in allowing His Son to shed His blood on the cross for our sins. Yet if we disregard this gift and choose to continue in sin, not only will we miss out on the grace offered to us, we will also receive the punishment we deserve for our sin.
Let us not disregard the blood of Christ which He shed to inaugurate the new covenant. Instead, let us understand the greatness of His sacrifice, recognize its superiority to the sacrifices under the Law of Moses, and appreciate the grace of God in offering the gift of eternal life in Christ to those who will faithfully obey Him.
