Hebrews 10:4, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
I was listening to the Bible today on DVD and heard something from the book
of Hebrews that caught my attention. Notice that Hebrews 10:4 teaches that
the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. The very fact that the
Bible says the blood of bulls and goats cannot save is solid evidence that
Christ's blood is 100% required, important and essential for our redemption.
Christ's death is insufficient to save anyone. The blood had to be shed and
applied to the mercy seat in Heaven, just as it was required by the high
priest in the Old Testament tabernacle.
There are numerous false prophets in our churches (pastors, teachers and authors), wicked men, who blaspheme the Word of God by desecrating and diminishing the precious blood of Jesus. Two such wayward men are Dr. Robert B. Thieme Jr. and Dr. John MacArthur. Both of these men teach that Jesus' blood soaked into the ground at Calvary and stayed there.
Both men claim that it is Christ's death that is all-important, and not the literal, physical, blood of Christ. They are saying that the Lord's blood is a common thing, like a puddle of rain water or top soil on the ground, having no special significance in and of itself, except perhaps as being symbolic of Christ's death. Listen to what the Bible has to say about those wicked men who make light of Christ's literal blood...
Hebrews 10:29, “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”
The word “unholy” here is the Greek koinos and means “common.” According to MacArthur, the shed blood of Jesus fell onto the ground and stayed there, having no special significance, being as common as the dirt into which it soaked. The Bible says that MacArthur has trodden under foot the precious blood of God's covenant (promise). The entire plan of God's redemption for mankind couldn't be finalized until Jesus' literal, physical, shed, blood was placed upon the mercy seat in the heavenly holy place. There is a tabernacle in Heaven my friend. The Old Testament tabernacle (tent) was a shadow of the true tabernacle in Heaven.
We read in the book of Revelation that God has a tabernacle in Heaven, which will one day come down to earth and God will live amongst men. Revelation 21:3, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” What a glorious day that will be!!! Until then, our dear God and Savior has wonderfully chosen to be as close to us as possible, living within our very spirit, soul and body. I love God for doing that. My precious God lives within me, always there, 100% of the time and has promised never to leave nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). Thank you Lord!!!
When I had my two neck surgeries in 2009 and 2010 (especially the second surgery because it went worse), I was all alone after coming out of anesthesia at the hospitals. They were traumatizing experiences and sorrowful. I wanted to die. Albeit, I not only knew that God was with me and watching over me; but moreover, He lives within my very body and soul...
- Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”
- Romans 8:11, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
- Romans 8:14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
In the Old Testament, God gave the Jews ceremonial laws, which were symbolic of divine truths. As you'll read in the following passage of Scripture, the ceremonial laws were a shadow of things to come. That is, they were symbolic of prophetic events that would come to fruition in the future...
Hebrews 10:1-4, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
If the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, then the clear implication is that Christ's blood can. This truth is confirmed in Hebrews 9:12, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
The following Scriptures are nothing less than amazing and plainly teach that the Old Testament tabernacle, holy place, mercy seat, sacrifices and high priest were simply patterns of the true things in Heaven. And most importantly, notice that God says our sins are purged (washed away forever) BY JESUS' BLOOD...
Hebrews 9:22-24, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”
Once a year the high priest was required to enter into the holy place with the blood of a lamb. This was to atone for the sins of the Jewish people. The high priest interceded between God and the people, a shadow of the coming Messiah Who would one day intercede with His own blood once and for all time for mankind. Everything that happened in the Old Testament concerning ceremonial laws were teaching lessons. The strict dietary laws and prohibition of wearing garments composed of mixed fabrics were intended to teach the importance of keeping separated from the sinful world. Circumcision was a constant reminder that a Jewish male was to be separated from the world, sanctified unto the holy Lord God.
The prohibition of collecting sticks on the Sabbath Day taught the importance of not adding works to faith for salvation. The Sabbath Day itself was also a ceremonial law, which pictured the Messiah in Whom we rest for forgiveness of sins. Just as God rested from His works and rested on the Sabbath, so also are we commanded to cease from our own self-righteous labors and rest in the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ...
Hebrews 4:10: “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”
The “rest” which the Bible speaks of here is
salvation. We receive eternal life and forgiveness of sins by resting in
Christ's death, burial and resurrection from the dead. Today, Jesus is our
Sabbath in Whom we rest to be saved. God commanded man to work 6-days in the
Old Testament. But on the seventh day of the week, which is Saturday,
everyone (even the farm animals that daily plowed the field) were to have a
day of complete rest. The spiritual significance of the Sabbath was
critically important, showing that men are saved by ceasing from their
personal labours and resting 100% in Christ's labors instead. It's not what
you're doing that gets you to Heaven; but rather, where you're resting...
REST IN JESUS!!!
The Heresy of Dr. Merrill F. Unger and John F. MacArthur, Denying the Blood
Dr. Merrill F. Unger (1909-1980) teaches in his “Unger's Bible Handbook: An Essential Guide To Understanding the Bible”:
The Testimony Concerning the Son, 6-10. The first witness is external and is to Christ's righteousness and to His redemption, 6. “This is He who came through water and blood.” “Through water” to the inauguration of our Lord's public ministry by His baptism in the Jordan (Mt 3:13-17), by which He identified Himself with a ministry of righteousness. “Through blood” refers to His vicarious death on the cross (Heb 9:12) by which redemption from sin was accomplished.
The second witness is internal and is that of the Holy Spirit, 6b. He continues to bear witness to Jesus' righteousness and redemption, and because He is the truth His testimony is absolutely true. Verse 7 is not in the oldest and best manuscripts and should be omitted. [emphasis added]
SOURCE: Dr. Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Bible Handbook, p. 828; ©1966, Moody Press.
I was saddened when I read the preceding commentary by Dr. Unger, because of two things:
First, Mr. Unger teaches the same heresy as Dr. John MacArthur (cf. The MacArthur Study Bible, commentary for Hebrews 9:12, 22-24), that when the Bible speaks of Christ's blood, God really meant “death.” Dr. Unger is teaching heresy! If God meant death, then He would have said “death”; but God used the word “blood,” because He meant blood.
Second, I totally disagree with Mr. Unger that 1st John 5:7 doesn't belong in the holy Bible. It should be clear to you from this poor commentary by Dr. Unger, that he was deceived by the Devil. Mr. Unger, as were James Strong and William Vine, both caught up into the Alexandrian, Egypt, texts (which were corrupted in the first century by Origen). For a so-called “theologian,” Mr. Unger wasn't that smart after all! The “blood” does not refer to Christ's death! If God meant “death,” then He would have said, “death.” If death was symbolic, then God would have told us so.
The Lord plainly told Moses in Exodus 12:13b, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” That Passover blood pictured the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, Who shed His precious blood for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16). I am appalled when I hear any preacher say, which sadly includes Charles Spurgeon, claim that Christ only died for believers, and not the whole world. Mr. Spurgeon was a one-point Calvinist, because of this heresy he adopted. May I kindly refer you to the inspired Scriptures for the truth of the matter. 1st John 2:2, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Who can argue with that plain statement? Christ appeased God's wrath against sin (propitiated), when He sprinkled His liquid blood upon the heavenly Mercy Seat in the presence of the Father (Hebrews 9:12, 24; 12:24). The gift of eternal life and the forgiveness of sins are now freely available, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15).
Beware of any Bible teacher, evangelist or preacher who claims that it is Christ's death, and not the blood, that washes away our sins. The holy Bible says:
1st John 5:4-8, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”
As evidenced in the earlier quote I shared with you from Dr. Unger, he believes that “by water and blood” refers to Christ's water baptism in the Jordan river and death on the cross. I strongly disagree. I believe “by water” refers to Christ's virgin birth, that is, His virgin birth. After all that is what is proclaimed in 1st John 4:1-3:
1st John 4:1-3, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
When 1st John 4:6 speaks of “by water and blood” (not “through blood” as Unger errantly quotes from some perverted Bible version), I believe it is referring to Christ's blood sacrifice for our sins...
1st Corinthians 10:16, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”
Ephesians 2:13, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”
Notice in the preceding Scriptures that it is “THE BLOOD,” and not Christ's death, that cleanses our sins away!
It is just my humble opinion, but I believe
that the phrase “by water and blood” in 1st John 4:6 refers to
Christ's physical reincarnation (i.e., the virgin birth), which speaks of
His Deity; and also of Christ's blood sacrifice on the cross, and the liquid
blood which He ascended into Heaven with (John 20:17), and sprinkled
(Hebrews 12:24), upon the Mercy Seat in the Holy Place (Hebrews 9:12), in
the presence of the Father on our behalf (Hebrews 9:24). These are witnesses
that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God.
No Salvation To Those Who Fail To Cease From Their Own Labors
Hebrews
4:10: “For he that is entered into his (God's) rest,
he also hath ceased from his own works...”
This is how I know that Roman Catholics are not saved, that is, because
they have not ceased yet from their own labors. Catholics trust in keeping
the Seven Sacraments, which includes being water baptized into the Catholic
church. They foolishly rely upon some sinful priest absolving their sins in
a confessional booth. This is sinful doctrine, straight out of the pits of
Hell beneath. The Bible does NOT teach sacraments. Sacramental salvation is
a doctrine of demons. Biblical salvation as as simple as taking a nap, you
simply rest in Jesus because of what He has done to pay for our sins.
Jesus shed His literal, physical, precious, blood to pay for our sins. 1st Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Amen, we are redeemed only by the literal, physical, precious, blood of our great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
No priest can forgive or absolve anyone's sins. Only Jesus, Who has the nail-scared hands and feet, can forgive a person's sins. Only the crucified Lamb of God taketh away the sins of the world. John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Praise Jesus!!!
This doesn't necessarily mean to work a job for 6-days; but rather, to make wise use of our time and stay busy. Hard work is a blessing. People who are busy working are far less likely to commit crimes and get into trouble. An idle mind is the Devil's workshop. God blessed Adam (man) by ordaining that mankind should work hard after being evicted from the Garden of Eden. God cancelled their lease because they violated the terms of their contract. Hard work is good. However, concerning salvation work is a very, very, bad thing. No matter how hard we work, we cannot undo the wrongs that we have done. Everyone sins, everyone! For all have sinned (Romans 3:23). The Lord paid a debt that He did not owe, because we owed a debt that we could not pay.
M.R. DeHaan (1891-1965) made these excellent statements...
"Before an individual can be saved, he must first learn that he cannot save himself."
"We need not all agree, but if we disagree, let us not be disagreeable in our disagreements."
"Be on guard against any tampering with the Word, whether disguised as a search for truth, or a scholarly attempt at apparently hidden meanings; and beware of the confusion created by the senseless rash of new versions, translations, editions, and improvements upon the tried and tested Bible of our fathers and grandfathers."
"The true Church preaches REGENERATION; not reformation, not education, not legislation, but regeneration."
SOURCE: THE TABERNACLE, Pg. 101
The Sinless Lamb Of God
The lamb had to be a male, spotless and without blemish, because it pictured the sinless, holy, perfect, Lamb of God, Jesus Christ! The lamb couldn't be sickly, diseased or a female. It had to be the best of the best. This is why it is sinful to use fermented wine or leavened bread in the Lord's Supper, because Jesus is sinless and His blood is without corruption. Fermentation and leavening are symbolic of corruption. Yeast is bacteria that causes the bread to leaven and rise. It's ok to eat yeast bread. I love yeast pizza dough. Check out my Pizzeria Uno recipe! Albeit, it's not ok to use yeast bread in the Lord's Supper. To do so is to insult the Lord and blaspheme His holy character and sinlessness.
The Bible teaches that Jesus never sinned, not even once. Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” And again in 1st Peter 2:21-22 we read, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.” Anyone who sinfully portrays Jesus as a sinner is evil. Ron Howard's movie The Da Vinci Code is evil, portraying the Lord as being sexually immoral, impregnating Mary Magdalene and fathering a secret society. Another filthy and blasphemous film was Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), which portrayed Jesus disciples as homosexuals. The Last Temptation of Christ portrays Him as an adulterer. Hundreds of films dishonor the Lord Jesus Christ, and thousands more take the Lord's precious name in vain.
We are saved by Jesus' precious blood. Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Only an ungodly man like John MacArthur or R.B. Thieme Jr. would dare to denounce the importance and saving-power of Christ's literal, physical, blood. MacArthur deceives churches in public speaking engagements, by claiming that he thinks the blood of Jesus is important and precious; but if you read his MacArthur study Bible on Hebrews chapter 9 you'll find that he believes that Jesus' blood is merely representative of the Lord's death. So MacArthur believes that Jesus' blood is very important and wonderful only in that it symbolizes Christ's death. This is a total denial of the Christian faith.
Biblically, Christ's blood DOESN'T represent His death. Jesus death is His death, and His blood is His blood. Christ's literal, physical, blood is important, and not one drop remained in the dirt at Calvary. Jesus' literal, physical, precious, blood was taken to Heaven and placed upon the mercy seat in the holy place in God the Father's presence on our behalf (Hebrews 9:12,24). Christ's work of redemption was finished at the heavenly mercy seat after His blood was placed upon the mercy seat, just as was the pattern in the Old Testament. The death of the lamb wasn't enough to atone for the sins of the people. The lamb's blood had to be applied in the holy place. If the high priest entered into the holy place without blood, God killed him instantly. The blood had to be applied.
The word “atonement” is an Old Testament word. Only one reference is made of atonement in the New Testament in Romans 5:11 to establish a connection between the old and new covenants. The word “atone” means “to cover.” The blood of bulls and goats could only cover men's sins temporarily, but could not wash them away forever. In sharp contrast, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ washes our sins away for ever and ever. Jesus' blood did not atone for our sins; but rather, Christ's literal, physical, precious, blood removed, washed away, and cleansed our sins for all eternity!!! Amen!
The fact that the Bible plainly teaches that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away our sins is solid proof that only Jesus' literal, physical, precious, blood can take away our sins. If Christ's blood only refers to His death as John MacArthur errantly teaches, then why would the Bible tell us that “THE BLOOD” of bulls and goats could not take away our sins. The Bible didn't say that THE DEATH of bulls and goats could not save; but rather, “THE BLOOD!” Only the dear Lord's blood can wash away our sins!
When the Lord's Spirit came upon Egypt during the 10th and final plague, the Lord said that He was looking to see THE BLOOD of the lamb painted on the doorposts of the home. If the lamb was dead, but the blood wasn't applied, then the firstborn of both human and beast died. There were no exceptions! ...
Exodus 12:13, “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”
Did you read that... WHEN I SEE THE BLOOD! ... When I see the blood I will pass over you!!! God was looking specifically for THE BLOOD. Not coincidentally, Ray Comfort completely avoids this truth in his The Evidence Bible. How could any preacher not comment on the importance of Jesus' literal, physical, precious, blood??? R.B. Thieme Jr. speaks evil of Christians who teach the blood, portraying them as cultists and bloodthirsty savages. Yet, God Himself repeatedly in the Bible teaches THE BLOOD OF JESUS!!! Here again is another vital Scripture passage which uplifts the precious, literal, physical, blood of our Lord Jesus...
Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”
From the blood of the innocent animals that God slew to provide skins for Adam and Eve when they sinned, to the blood of the animal that Abel slew to offer up a blood sacrifice to demonstrate his faith in the coming Messiah, to the saints in Revelation 7:14 whose robes are washed in the blood of the Lamb of God—The Bible teaches that we are redeemed by the precious, literal, physical, blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God!!! Amen and amen! Jesus is precious!!!
Revelation 5:9, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”
