Death. Sacrifice. Life.
Hebrews 9:16
For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity
be the death of the testator.
NLT:
Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the
person who made it is dead.
NASB:
For where there is a covenant, there must of necessity be the death of the one
who made it.
Death.
Once a person dies, their will is executed (activated,
enforced, carried out). For this to happen, proof of death is necessary (death
certificate).
Simple enough, however, look closer.
In the original text the word translated here as, “testament”
or “will” is the same word for “covenant” (Diathéké
(dee-ath-ay'-kay).
As in New Covenant and Old Covenant, or
New Testament and Old Testament. Like God’s covenant with
Noah, with Abraham; the covenant of marriage.
The Lord’s Supper in
Matthew 26:28. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed
for many for the remission of sins.
Our text could be read like this: Where there is a covenant,
there must also of necessity be the death of the covenant maker.
That’s a little deeper than some lawyer reading grandpa’s
will.
Matthew 16:24; Anyone
who wants to come after Me must deny self, take up cross (implies
death) and follow Me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will
lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Galatians 2:20; I
am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives
in me; and the life I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loves me and gave Himself for me.
John 12:24; Unless
a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but
if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 He who loves his life will
lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
John 15:13;
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends.
Philippians 1:21; For
to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
17 For a testament is in
force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the
testator lives.
Your covenant
with Christ, comes to Life, when you die. Not physical
death, but fleshly death, dead to sin, alive to Christ.
After the Resurrection, Jesus told His disciples to wait
for Life giving Power.
Acts 1:4-5;
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart
from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you
have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized (sign
of death, burial, resurrection) with the
Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Spirit: Pneuma,
breath, wind.)
In the beginning God breathed the breath
of Life into Adam. (Breath: ruach, same word for Spirit, wind.)
Jesus told them to wait until baptized
with Life giving Power.
Acts 1:6
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will
You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
They were still too much alive in their flesh, still
wanting their own way, for Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom.
7
And He said to them, “It is not for you to know
times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall
receive power...
After dying to self, because there is no power
at all while testator lives.
...when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses (martus,
martyr) to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
So, they went to Jerusalem and waited, and waited, and
waited, ten days they waited, until they finally died to self, enough to come
together...
Acts 2:1. When the Day of Pentecost had
fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And
suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then
there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat
upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit (filled with Life) and began to
speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gave them utterance.
It was a Turning Point, they went from denying,
doubting complaining cowards to bold and courageous warriors for Christ,
turning their world upside right. They were endued with Power and were more
alive than they’d ever been.
That sacrifice of self, that death she died, ignited Life,
Eternal Life decisions, worldwide. Because that’s what God does, brings
Life from death.
18 Therefore not even the first covenant was
dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken
every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop,
and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21 Then
likewise he sprinkled with blood
both the tabernacle and all the vessels
of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all
things are purified with blood, and without
shedding of blood there is no remission.
Sacrifice.
For all who saw it happen, the blood is what
let everyone know that Charlie was gone before he hit the floor.
Hebrews 9 is a bloody chapter. Blood is mentioned
twelve times total. Six in the verses we just read.
We sing about the blood in Church. What can
wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus...
If you’re unchurched, you may think that’s creepy. So,
what’s up with the blood?
After the fall, God shed the blood of innocent
animals to make clothing to cover the nakedness, the sin, of Adam and Eve.
That set the
precedent.
Without the shedding of blood there is no
remission of sin.
God’s Divine Justice allowed the innocent blood of
animals to temporarily cover (atone) the sins of man.
The Old Covenant took a lot of work, time, energy and
resources. Forever preparing, and sprinkling and cleansing, repeatedly,
unendingly.
It took sacrifice.
So does the New Covenant.
Which is by Divine design.
We are saved by grace, a free gift from
God, hallelujah, but there’s a whole lot more to being married than one time
saying, “I do.”
It takes work, blood, sweat and tears. It takes sacrifice.
Once you say I do, it’s no longer all about you.
Once you accept Jesus as Lord, then, He’s the Boss,
it’s not about Him making you happy, it’s about you serving Him well, doing His
will. Sacrificing, your temporary life for His Eternal Life.
Romans
12:1-2;
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God.
Matthew
5:13-16;
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its
flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown
out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You
are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be
hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it
under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who
are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father
in heaven.
Salt and Light impact their environment for the better. You are to do that same.
23 Therefore it
was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should
be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices
than these. 24 For Christ has not entered the holy
places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not
that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most
Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then
would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now,
once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but
after this the judgment, 28 so Christ
was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly
wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Life
Appointed for men once to
die.
Once.
God’s plan and desire is for all to die once, (unless raptured).
If we are born again, we will never suffer the second
death—eternal separation from Life, in the lake of fire. Rev. 2:11, 20:6.
Born twice, die once. Born once, die twice.
To those who eagerly wait
for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for
salvation.
Are you eagerly looking, longing, watching, waiting,
preparing for Him to appear?
2
Timothy 4:7-8
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the
faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to
me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His
appearing.
Listen to Marco Rubio
say it so well.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us the
Way, and telling us the Truth, that if we want to follow You we must die, we
must sacrifice, and then we will experience Life, Eternal Life. Help us Lord,
to stay the course, walk in Your Love, so that we, and all those You’ve given
us will hear You say, “Well done.”
Thank You.
We love You, forever.
Amen.
Prayer
Requests:
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9:16-28
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Hebrews 9:16-28
This was feed for you to read. Now it’s
Seed for you to sow.
Thank you for sharing.
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