Hebrews 10

1 – 2

The Law is only an unclear picture of the good things coming in the future. It is not a complete picture of the real things. The people under the law offered the same sacrifices every year. These sacrifices can never make perfect those who come near to worship God.

If the law could make them complete, the sacrifices would have already stopped. The worshipers would be made clean, and they would no longer feel guilty for their sins.

If killing an animal and offering it to God would have forgiven the sins of Israel, then Moses would only have to do it one time and never again. The problem is that we have a selfish nature and go back to our old ways and need to be forgiven again. We need the blood of Christ to forgive us once and for all!

I do not really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I do not do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the Law is right about me. Romans 7:15-16

3 – 4

These sacrifices remind them of their sins every year, because it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Doctors say that the reason you feel guilty is because you have done things that go against your culture.  The truth is that we feel guilty when we go against God’s culture.

5 – 6

So when Christ came into the world, He said: “You do not want sacrifices and offerings. But You have prepared a body for Me. You do not ask for burnt offerings and offerings to take away sins.

The original language gives the idea that God created a body for Jesus in the same way that a He did for Adam.

7. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come. It is written about Me in the book. My God, I have come to do what You want.’”

The original language found in Psalm 40 shows that Jesus was offering himself as a servant forever. Psalm 40:6-8

8. In this Psalms He first said, “You do not want sacrifices and offerings. You do not ask for burnt offerings and offerings to take away sins.” These are all sacrifices that the law commands.

The only sacrifice that takes away sins is the death of Jesus on the cross.  If we want to come before God we cannot bring our sin with us.

9 – 10

Then he said, “Here I am. I have come to do what You want.” So God ends the first system of sacrifices so that He can set up the new system. Jesus Christ did what God wanted Him to do. And because of this, we are made holy through the sacrifice of His body. Christ made this sacrifice only once, and for all time.

Jesus is an example for us to allow God to tell us what He wants us to do.  We do not make a deal with God and tell Him that we will do something for him if He will do something for us.  We are His servants and we get joy from doing things His way.

11 – 12

Every day the priests stand and do their religious service. Again and again they offer the same sacrifices. But those sacrifices can never take away sins.

But Christ offered one sacrifice for sins, and it is good forever. Then He sat down at the right side of God.

When Jesus died on the cross, He said, “It is finished.” John 19:30

13 – 16

And now Christ waits there for His enemies to be put under His power. With one sacrifice He made complete forever those who are being made holy.

The Holy Spirit also tells us about this. First He says:  “In the future I will make this agreement with the people of Israel, says the Lord. I will put My teachings in their hearts. And I will write them on their minds.”

If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that His death paid the price for your sin, and that He rose from the dead to give us new life -you will know how God wants you to live without needing a set of rules cut into stone!

Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether My teaching is from God.  John 7:17, Jeremiah 31:33

17. Then He says: “Their sins and the evil things they do I will not remember anymore.”

How blessed is he whose sin is forgiven, whose sin is covered!  Psalm 32:1, Jeremiah 31:34

18 And when these have been forgiven, there is no more need for a sacrifice for sins.

It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 1 Peter 1:19

19. So, brothers, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place. We can do this without fear because of the blood of Jesus’ death.

Do you take the time to enter into the Holy Place with God?  Many people think that they are good enough and that they do not need Jesus to stand before God in their place.

20 – 22

We can enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us. It is a living way. It leads through the curtain—Christ’s body. And we have a great priest over God’s house.

So let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith. We have been cleansed and made free from feelings of guilt. And our bodies have been washed with pure water.

This water is God’s word. Ephesians 5:26

23. Let us hold firmly to the faith that we have confessed. We can trust God to do what He promised.

Do not be ashamed to say that you are a Christian!  God has shown us that He is faithful even when we are not faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13

Everyone who says that they know Me before men here on earth, I will also know before My Father in heaven. But everyone who says that they do not know Me here on earth, I will not know before My Father in heaven.  Matthew 10:32 – 33

24. Let us think about each other and help encourage each other to show love and do good actions.

After you decide to follow Christ, you need to become a student of the Bible.  After you have God’s word living inside of you, God will begin to send unbelievers to you.

The original language says that we encourage each other with passion.  What we encourage each other to do is to reach out to others.  If you are not finding ways to help unbelievers, and praying for them, and looking for a way to plant a seed of the Gospel, then the devil will see to it that you become interested in other things.

25. You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing. But you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the Day coming.

The Jewish Christians had a lot of reasons to be afraid of what the Jews would do to them.  Some of them were afraid to meet with other Christians. God does not want Christians to walk alone.  When the big test of your life comes, you will not be able to stand against it alone and with no armor.

26. If we decide to go on sinning after we have learned the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins.
Remember that this book is written to Jewish Christians.  They were being treated badly by the Pharisees and they could be tempted to sacrifice an animal, even after they knew that Jesus is the sacrifice for sin.
You shall have one law for him who does anything and did not mean to do it. Numbers 15:29-31

27 – 31

There is nothing but fear in waiting for the judgment and the angry fire that will destroy all those who live against God. Any person who refused to obey the law of Moses was found guilty from the proof given by two or three witnesses.

He was put to death without mercy. So what do you think should be done to a person who does not respect the Son of God?

He looks at the blood of the agreement, the blood that made him holy, as no different from other men’s blood. He insults the Spirit of God’s grace. Surely he should have a much worse punishment.

We know that God said, “I will punish those who do wrong. I will repay them.” And He also said, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Some teachers try to say that these verses are not talking about Christians.  They say this because they do not believe that someone who has been saved can ever turn against Christ. The words here plainly say that the blood of Jesus made this person holy so we know that this is talking about Christians.

Walking on the blood of Christ means that you have turned away from Christ and the Bible says that this cannot be forgiven.

So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except turning against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven.  Matthew 12:31

32 – 33

Remember those days in the past when you first learned the truth. You had a hard struggle with many sufferings, but you continued strong.

Sometimes you were hurt and persecuted before crowds of people. And sometimes you shared with those who were being treated that way.

Remember what you went through in the beginning of your faith.  Maybe you lost some friends or your family did not understand you.

And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for My sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life.  Matthew 19:29

34. You helped the prisoners and you even had joy when all that you and owned was taken from you. You were joyful because you knew that you had something better and more lasting.

Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were thrown out of the synagogue and put in prison.  They lost everything they had, but they did not care because they knew they had Christ. Matthew 5:40

35 – 36

So do not lose the courage that you had in the past. It has a great reward. You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what He has promised.

There is no reward waiting for those who turn back from Christ.

37. For in a very short time, “The One who is coming will come. He will not be late.

We are happy that the Lord did not return some years ago because then we would never have known Him.  He has not come back yet because H him e is waiting for more people to come to Jesus.

38. The person who is right with Me will live by his faith. But if he turns back with fear, I will not be pleased with him.”

We need to decide to trust in Jesus.  No religious ceremonies or going to church will save us. Habakkuk 2:3-4

39. But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved.

Why would these words say that there are people who turn back if it is impossible to turn back? What makes us think we can escape if we turn away this great salvation? Hebrews 2:3