Once and for all...

"Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever."
--{Hebrews 7:26-28}

I remember a while back when I read these verses. It was great reminder that Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross was enough for us. There was no need for Him to do it again.

In the old testament (before Jesus came and died on the cross), the Israelites had just left Egypt and Pharoah. Moses (with God's help) had led the children of Israel out of slavery. The Israelites then began to travel through wilderness and desert to reach the promise land that God had in store for them.

During their journey, God asked that a place be made where His spirit could reside.

When the Israelites traveled the Lord led them by a piller of cloud in the day, and a piller of fire at night. Though when they stopped to set up tent, God asked for a tent like tabernacle to be set up in His honor.

The place was set up with various stages for those who came in, to worship God. The priests of that time though where the only ones who could go into the most sacred place in the tabernacle. The Holy of Holies. This is where God's spirit dwelled in full force. Only the best of the priests could enter.

The priest would enter once a year (could be wrong on how many times) and offer up sacrifices for the attonment of their sins. They would take lamb without blemish and use it as a burnt offering and take care of the camp's sins. The priest would also have a rope with a bell tied to their ankle, as he entered the closed in tent of the Holy of Holies. They would watch the preist enter and then listen for that sound of the bell. And if it came to a point where there was no more ring, they would end up pulling the string...

It was such an awesome, yet scary thing. For like I said this was where God's glory resided during rest stops on the way to the promised land. There was no room for mess up, when it came to being in His prescence. Even Moses was not able to see His glory when he asked to see it, Moses was only allowed to see "where God was" after He passed by...before that God covered Moses' eyes so He would not die.

Then we come to the new testament. Jesus comes down to earth and takes on human skin. He walks among us. He comes and like I said before turns everything upside down. He loves the unloved, touches the untouched. Jesus travels around for three years healing and preaching the good news to all those that would listen.

He then does the unthinkable...Jesus becomes the High Priest. He goes and makes attonment for the sins of man. He becomes the lamb without blemish to take away the sins of the world. He sacrifices himself and dies on the cross. His blood washes away the sins of the world. Those looking for for forgiveness...looking for a fresh new start...now have new hope. Then He sealed the deal by being raised from the dead.

Jesus did it once. For He was blameless and perfect. No more with getting on the cross and dying again and again.The priests in the old testament had to offer a sacrifice again and again...because they were weak, frail, with sin.

If you've come to Christ and have a relationship with Him...know that the power that raised Him from the dead is the same power that now dwells in you.

It is really cool how it all comes back around again. God dwelled in the tent and priests had to offer sacrifices again and again to please Him, and to get rid of the priest's and the camp's sin. Then Jesus comes and sacrifices himself once and only once and this pleases God, and takes away our sin. Then when we accept Christ as our Saviour, His spirit comes and dwells inside us (inside our tents). He is forever pleased with us!

Praise the God who saves!!!