.. "Come Ye Sinners"...
..Arr. by A. Bailey..

The Keys to The Book of Hebrews - Old , New, Once, First, Second, End, Better, Perfect

Hebrews Chapter 9 - ONCE - to die -

By O. Allen Bailey

"… And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation..." Heb 9:27-28

I think if any one had ever heard any scripture quoted from the Bible, they would have heard at least two - John 3:16 and Heb 9:27, because both are perverted and applied in such a way by legalists as to only threaten and scare men.

Every unregenerate, natural person of mankind knows that they must physically die; they know this by nature. They would have known this if it had not been written in the Bible, and they had read it there, or they had heard it read from the scripture. To my mind this verse of scripture has nothing to do with the mere fact that every individual soul of mankind must perish in death in the dissolution of these natural bodies; neither is it placed here to threaten sinners with a horrific judgment in future, and as it is explained and used in the Apostle's writings here, it is not for the purpose of warning of an impending and terrible judgment upon sinners (and the righteous), which awaits them in a coming "judgment day", but rather it illustrates and delineates the very opposite, as I presently hope to show.

I don't know how many, but I would venture to say that the overwhelming proportion of Christendom will connect this verse of scripture with the supposed "last day" judgment as mentioned above. In fact, this interpretation became popular with those who use it in an attempt to only scare people into a profession of legal religion. These important sentences are important and crucial to the glory and beauty of the harmony of the text; Then why should we let the fearful and the unbelieving wrench these precious jewels from their proper and glorious setting and cast them under the feet of swine. To my mind, If I am set for the defence of the Gospel, then I must consider this precious stone as an integral part of it, though trampled over by the blindness and spiritual ignorance of spiritually deficient professors. Moreover, we should always attempt to avoid accepting the interpretations of scripture as they are ordinarily received by the majority of the professing religious world, and as they are normally received merely upon a traditional basis. Neither should we accept them based upon some individual's credentials and reputation as being above others in superior training, standing and knowledge, because

"...There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment..." Job 32:6-9.

I believe that Elihu was speaking under a divine influence here, representative of a God-called minister. Others may disagree if they like. Having said so much, yet let us labor to strive for the things among our brethren that make for peace, and the things that would not disturb, but that would rather edify one another - neither fall into the habit of being a mere critic, so to make each other an offender for a word, but rather to help each other along the way as God gives us all grace, for "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from above."

In Chapter 9 of Hebrews, The apostle has been treating upon the service of God commanded under the Law. The details of this can be found in Exod, Chap 30. which the apostle refers to here, specifically the part where the High Priest entered

"Alone once every year with blood to offer for himself, and for the errors of the people." (verse 7) ref Ex 30:10.

The whole theme of the book of Hebrews is to show the gloriouslly transcending and perfect sacrifice for sin as performed in the end of the (Law) world by the Lord Jesus Christ by his death upon the tree, as compared with the typical offerings made under the Law Dispensation. It declares that the offerings made for sin under the law were completly deficient in the sight of God to actually put away sin:

"..For it is impossible that the blood of goats and bulls should take away sins..."10:4.

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The Lord Jesus is the Great High Priest and Only True Mediator ever ordained under Heaven among men to make an acceptable offering and sacrifice for the atonement of sin; that all other priests ordained under the former economy did only at the best, typify the coming reality of the Lord Jesus, the son of God, Whom was truly God and man, and thus qualified in God's Mind and Purpose, and His Own Holy Being to perform the good pleasure of God in the work of Eternal salvation as a perfect and totally compete sacrifice and offering unto God once and forever (not as offered unto man, mind you, but unto - GOD). No offering, as made by man, or to man has ever been proposed or rather ordained by God for the atonement of sin, although this is the prevalent doctrine promulgated and advanced throughout Christendom in this day and time - because they teach that the sacrifice of Christ of Himself as an acceptable offering unto God for sin is only effectual to redeem sinners, not because the work did absolutely redeem sinners, but only conditionally, based upon their acceptance or subsequent rejection of it as they learn of it in the preaching of the Gospel - In short, the bottom line (according to their belief) is that Christ did not absolutely redeem anyone at all, but only provided an opportunity that they might redeem themselves by closing with the terms of this conditional or rather propositional offer - an offer not really made as unto God in substance, and that God the Father did actually accept the offering of Christ Himself, but as for all men in general and also conditionally, based upon their consequent acceptance of rejection of the offer;

- But the truth of God is that the Sacrifice of Christ was truly and absolutely accepted by God, as offered by Christ for those particular ones He intended it for, and thus He did actually and positively redeem these particular ones whom it was intended for. If the Death of Christ is in any way an offering unto man, then I have not so learned Christ or anything about salvation; because salvation is by the sole merits and work of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Him alone, and the contrary and perverted Gospel is to me no Gospel at all, but only an insult and an affront to the Glorious Gospel that is revealed through the operation of His Spirit, and proclaims the finished, effectual, and complete salvation that He brought unto His people by His work upon the tree.

But when was the typical offering made by the High Priest under the Law dispensation? Was it not after the beasts had been slain? Yes, because the blood of the sacrifice was then afterward collected to be carried into the Holiest of Holies by the High Priest. The slain goat represents Jesus Himself, when His blood was shed, and like the typical sacrifice, He suffered without the camp by losing His life's blood; Consider the people of Israel with the Gentiles wnen they took or led Him out of the city (of Jerusalem) which was the capitol of their nation and considered by the Jewa to be the only proper place or center of worship; and the yet standing visage or representation of the camp of Old Israel under the Law:

Gal 4:25 "..For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.."

"..Heb 13:11 "..For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Heb 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.."

Like the figure and relationships under the former economy, sacrifice and intercession is inexorably intertwined. Like the High Priest, Jesus interecedes with His blood for those He was made His sacrifice for. As the High Priests under the Law made atonement only for the people of Israel. and no other under that figure - as the patterns of things in the New Heaven and earth where now dwells righteousness by the sacrifice and intercession of the Lord Jesus. If you are blessed to be a believer, do you not see this is because Jesus has been interceding for you at The Throne of Grace? It was His intercession coupled with what He accomplished on the cross that was the cause of your belief in Him and the virtues of His blood. Jesus did not die to make all men merely "redeemable" or put them in a "savable" state; But He did die in order to "obtain eternal redemption" for them. (Heb. 9:14)

Heb 1:3 "..Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.."

Again, we might ask, when was the blood of Jesus offered unto God as a sacrifice for sin? We believe that Jesus' blood was shed or drained from His body, and no doubt (naturally speaking) ran down upon and in the earth, thus signifying that it was (left) there in the earth from which man or Adam came, he being of the earth, earthy, and sanctified this sinful ground for man's account. His Holy body also was placed within this same earth, (tomb) hell (grave), or place of the dead. All this is shown in the figure of the High Priest wno represented Christ and His sacrifice for sin.

But in the figure, Aaron or the High Priest entered alone into the Holiest of Holies with all the blood of the goat and bullock as an offering unto God. Jesus' body, representing the slain goat was burned outside the camp of Judaism in the fire of God's judgment upon the sin of His people, but (like the typical goat) His blood was carried by Himself into Heaven itself to make intercession for the sins of His people. Those who are given to believe upon His name (like the scapegoat which was led into a desert or wilderness uninhabited, so His people also suffer with Him experimentally while in the wilderness of this unbelieving world of continuing legalism; They suffer with Him outside the tabernacle or the camp of the legal dispensation which still reigns over those adherents thereof, whether they be Jew or Gentile after the flesh and here these "outcasts of Israel" must also bear with Him His reproach before an unbelieving world; because in Him they are enabled to trust in the Living God. When they have been brought out of the elements of the bondage of servile legalism they no longer have a continuing city of refuge therein; As the Apostles who also suffered reproach for His name's sake or that believed upon His name for salvation:

1 Tim 4:10 ".. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.."

"..Heb 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.."

The pattern only of the reality of these things were done in the "heavenlies", but the"heavenly things themselves" with better sacrifices than these. Heb 9:23. Jesus has not entered into any supposed holy place made with mens hands, neither is worshipped with mens hands as the natural man assumes; but in His Ascension and Glorification has entered Heaven itself there to make intercession for us:

"..Heb 9:24 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: Heb 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.."

Then follows the text:

"..Heb 9:27 AND as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation..

Therefore, the part of the chapter referring to the High Priest entering the tabernacle every year, not without blood, is integral and critical to understanding the above quoted text. The scriptures are written in a contextual way, (contextual means that there are words and other supporting parts surrounding the particular word or phrase under consideration, so we must be careful not to blindly detach phrases from the scriptures without a supporting context - though as the following will show, this is commonly done. Man's blind natural understanding is not able to follow the (spiritual) context, or for that matter, (spiritually) understand detached portions either.

"...Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ..." 1 Cor 2:12-16.

- Showing that the natural and unregenerate mind of man cannot follow and understand these things by the logic and understanding of nature; because the natural mind has no real interest in the spiritual import of the subject, neither is the natural mind in harmony with the general theme and tenor of the analogy of faith. Popular expressions , phrases and even scripture quotations that are commonly found in the mouths of the masses are usually trite, purile, (and most of the time, because they do most invariable put the wrong intrepretation upon it,) are often very silly to the spiritual mind of Christ's believing children.

"...Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word..." John 8:43.

--- and as Christ continues speaking to the carnal Jews

"...He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God...."

The great revelation of Salvation by Divine Grace, and Grace alone through the atoning blood of Christ is foolishness to the natural mind of man, and is only made palatable to the believing children of God as they are blessed to be led into the glorious mysteries of this subject by the Holy Spirit; As the Apostle states (1 Cor 1:23-29)

"....But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no flesh should glory in his presence.

"...Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people..."

As has been said, these typical offerings made under the Old Covenant Dispensation were never ordained to actually take away sin:

"...Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation..."

And as it is said in Lev 16:31

"...It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever..."

-Because there remained a more glorious rest in Christ, the True and Acceptable Sacrifice, Whom once for all time, He made by the Sacrifice of Himself in the end of the world (of these typical sacrifices) for the transgressions of God's people.

There has nothing been ordained by God, or ever shall be to take away the actual sins of man except the blood of the Lord Jesus. Jesus fully accomplished this by actually taking His people's sins unto Himself; that is, their sins were actually transferred onto and unto Him when He died upon the tree. This is explicitly stated in scripture:

"...All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all..." Isa 53:5.
"....He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities...." Isa 53:11

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"...Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed..." 1 Pet 2:24.

This is to declare that Christ actually took our sins unto Himself, and not the consequence of them only, which consequence is (Eternal death); for He did really take these actual sins unto Himself. The types and figures under the law must hold true in their relationships with Christ's Offering, just as they were performed under the Law. The sins of the people (only in a figure, of course) were actually transferred from the people of Israel onto the two goats and the bullock, as is mentioned by the writer of Hebrews. One goat was killed as an offering, and the other goat was kept alive and presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. Previous to all of this some had presumed to make unauthorized sacrifices unto the Lord and died:

"...And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
"....And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
"...Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.....

"
God will accept no offerings whether as typical,and as authorized by Himself under the Law, or other than the One Great Offering made by the Son of God Himself in the end of the world of all typical offerings.

"...Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be (or can be) saved..."Acts 4:12.

The types and figures of this are shown in Lev 16:

"...And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil:
And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:
And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people. And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.
And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.
And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.
And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever..." Lev 16:1-31

Now after having attempted to lay some background and groundwork, let us return to the text :

"… And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment..."

But what "appointment" is under consideration here ? Jesus was appointed unto death, because He was first, a man, a human being, in the likness of sinful flesh, Job's statement was fully fulfilled in Him as man, when Job said:

"... Man that is born of a women is few of days, and full of trouble..."

Jesus, as man was a "man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief." He lived an earthly life of 33+ years, which some has said to be reckoned one complete generation by the Jews in those times. "Isaiah wrote: "..He was taken from prison and from judgment,and who shall declare His generation,.." To my mind, the Apostle is truly referring to the corporal, or physical death of the body of Jesus, as man, but he is connecting it in a way as not to refer to a future "judgment" day, but rather he is using the analogy of a testament, legacy, or will. He has brought up this subject before in Chapter 9, and how plain has the Holy Ghost made these truths and connections!

"....How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?..."

I have already gone over this, but in somewhat a reverse order than the apostle has laid it down:

"...And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
"...Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood..."

Oh, how beautiful are these comparisons to me when I am sometimes blessed to receive a glimpse of them in faith! The term judgment as used here, means "the gospel, as the good news" and the revelation of the work of salvation as it is read and made known in the probation of a will or testament. Do we not refer to the revelation of the redemptive work of Christ as the New Testament? that is that He, as the Divine Testator has performed His work, and by the virtue of the inestimable value of these Riches, has made them known in the reading of His Will and Testament. He is the Great Mediator, as the typical high priest under the Law Dispensation stood between God and the people, so Christ Jesus as mediator of the new testament written in His Own blood stands between God and His redeemed people. His blood covered the sins of His people that were under the terms of the first covenant:

"... For the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament..."....They which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance....

"
He is not only the Great and Holy Testator, or the Rich Benefactor that has freely given His Own grand legacy, to wit, the benefits of His Own blood, but He is also the Great Executor, and we might say Probator of His Own Will and Testament ,since He has also arisen from the dead, to prove the validity of the Supreme Sacrifice of Himself, and is now seated at the right hand of His Father, and is now making intercession for us with the Testament of His Own blood, and sends His Own Spirit to now testify these things in the churches, through faith in His Name, being built upon the holy apostles, Himself being the head and chief cornerstone. He stands forever as a Holy Sacfifice in the sight of God. We shall never be able to extoll this Legacy Of Love to any degree of satisfaction while we yet dwell in this body of sin and death! Who is sufficient for these things? None, for Christ is also our sufficiency as The Great Probator when He sends His Spirit, the Comforter into our hearts and reveals the good news of our inheritance and the revelation of this Eternal Testament, which was ordered in His Eternal Mind in all things, and that is sure to all the heirs contained in His God's Will.

The apostle so clearing explains this phrase in the very next verse:

"...So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many...."

Not many times, as he has repeatedly said in his treatise; but only ONCE - as compared to the mortal priests that were ordained under the Law service...If these offerings had any real efficacy in them to purge sin, it would only have been necessary to offer them ONCE, and then there would have been no necessity for any further offerings as a sin atonement.

"....For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins..."

Christ did actually purge His elect people from the penalty due their sins, and does also purge their conscience, for it was God's Will that He not only penally (that is, remove them from any degree of punishment for their sins, but also did ordain that this fact be made known to them in the gospel.

"...For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an he4fer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance...." Heb 9:13-15.

"...So Christ was once offered..."

- Just in the same way as it is necessary for the testator to die before the will has come into any real effect.

"... For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth..." Heb 9:17.

A will or testament does not produce any real benefits to the heirs until the testator is dead. Christ was once offered, not as the priests under the Law could not continue by reason of death, but Christ, Who ever lives as a Perpetual Priest, forever stands as the Divine Executor and Administrator of His Own Will and Testament and reveals the benefits of His death to all the heirs of salvation. In Him all offerings for sin and transgression have ceased. All the heirs have now to offer is the praise that His Love and Grace has worked in their heart for His abundant mercy, as the writer says again:

".... By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name..."

They are not required to enter in once a year as in the figure of the high priest under the Law, but through Grace have continual access unto the Throne of Grace by Him: All they can offer through the Spirit is the praise of their heart and lips unto His Name. They go forth from the legal building of types and shadows unto Christ, Whom was reckoned a scapegoat for our sins, and He suffered without the camp, as Aaron, the high priest in a figure placed his hands upon the scapegoat, and it was led into the wilderness of no man's land, we must

"...Go therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
"...For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come...Heb 13:13.

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"... And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation..." Heb 9:27-28

Again, as in the figure, and maintaining the relationships: While the high priests under the Law entered the most holy place, or the chamber beyond the veil, to make typical atonement for the sins of himself and then for the sins of the people, the congregation waited in anticipation for his return or reappearance. No doubt there was much anxious suspense among them, for they did not really know that the offerings would be acceptable before God, especially during the times that the ordinaces of the law were first given, since God had destroyed some of them for attempting to present offerings and sacrifices in a presumptious and unauthorized manner, but especially by unauthorized persons. Their faith, as well as ours, was sometimes held in jeopardy, or we might say tried, until God reveals Himself as merciful, both to them and unto us, who "Hath not come to the mount that might be touched (by the finger of God in judgment), but unto the heavenly Jerusalem, and unto the spirits of just men made perfect, both in our souls, and as pertaining to our conscienceness of sin, through faith in His Name, through that which He has accomplished for us - Then we as well as John, can see no farther beyond the veil than God had presently purposed. Neither can we rise above our present unbelief and fear until Christ manifests the benefits of His blood of His New Testament within our conscience through the Agency of His Own Eternal Spirit; As the high priest under the law, Our Great Priest Jesus must return in the Person of the Holy Spirit to reassure us of His Divine accomplishment in dying for His people's sin's, and then we are made to rejoice greatly when we can once again hear the bells upon the fringes of His garment, knowing that our High Priest yet lives, and that The Blood of His New Covenant stands to make intercession for us before God. We await in the gospel kingdom for His "second" or successions of appearances and reappearances - to our faith in Him. We now stand in a similar relationship and manner with this to Him as then did John The Baptist, when he inquired of Jesus' disciples:

"...Art Thou the Christ, or do we seek another..."

Though we, like John have never seen Him in His earthly, incarnate appearance, neither have we performed or witnessed the burial of His Holy body beneath Jordan's wave, or heard the voice of God from heaven - still in the knowledge of the Gospel and the kingdom of heaven, we are greater than John, having been blessed with the full benefits of it after Jesus went to the tree and died there. Still like John He sends His disciples, the Apostles, and through the Spirit reassures our hearts and minds once again, or the "second" time, that His work was fully accomplished when He was on earth and He was indeed the Messiah in raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, etc. and doing the works that no man had ever done, or shall do again, fully showing

"That our iniquities were pardoned, and we have received double of the Lord's hand for all our sins".

His children now do also continually await and anticipate His final coming to them - which will forever consumate Christ's present appearances in faith, when faith shall be transformed into spiritual reality; where He shall appear to them in changing their vile and corruptible body, raising it a spiritual body, fashioning it like unto His Own glorious body, and carrying them to His and all His saint's Home in Glory.

The benefits of His death as revealed in the Gospel to the heirs of salvation, forms a part of this wondrous, divine legacy; but what fullness of it shall be displayed when we view His Face in Eternal Glory, and forever know the full benefits of this Glorious Testament that was written in characters of Jesus's Own blood.

ONCE TO DIE

* By O. Allen Bailey

LM - 8's

Jesus, Thou art our Great High Priest
In Hope we wait outside Thy door;
Till from our fears, give sweet release,
And Thy sweet promise, we look o'er.

As the priests were there performing,
All the work God gave them to do;
Here our hearts, in Grace are learning,
What Thou did'st do when all was through.

'Twas only once, that Thou entered,
Of sacrifice, did need no more;
All God's Love on us was centered,
To give the blessing kept in store.

Here Thou fell beneath sin's burden,
There, with our names upon Thy breast;
God's great Power was yet upgirding,
When Thou did'st make Eternal Rest.

As light, Thou came in the morning
Of a new clear and dawning Day;
Even there, with great adorning,
Found Thy poor children where they lay.

Placed Thy Grace and mercy on them,
Thou healed the sick and raised the dead;
Oh, Thy Love, what mind can fathom
When in it's sweet paths, we are led.

In the garden, here we view Thee
There sweating blood from every pore;
When we're given faith to view Thee,
And gives to us an open door.

Then the light, on our parh shining,
To more and more, Thy mercy show;
More and more, our heart's refining,
'Tis more and more, Thy Love to know.

We await Thy reappearing,
Then, we can see, sin's done away;
As our High Priest, our sins bearing
When God these sins on Thee did lay.

Our spirit cries, "Come Thou quickly,
Thou need no longer make delay;
For we know we still are sickly,
Though Thou hast put our sin away.

But His Spirit, reassuring,
Does quitely say to us within;
"I forever, for thee caring,
Since I have taken all thy sin,

I know the path you must travel,
And all the way I've led thee in;
This strong cord shall ne'r unravel,
I'll bring you through the thick and thin;

Here my Name thou shalt be praising,
With all of thy advancing years;
Of My Grace, in thy songs raising,
As a sweet savour in God's ears;

Then rest awhile, cease from fearing,
Though if thy way be hard and long;
I Myself, was one time bearing
This cross you know here, all along.

Some sweet Day I'll give thee passage,
-Open the Portals all the way;
-Never need an angel's message
To help thy faith here day by day;

Thou shall see My Face in Glory,
My full goodness, I'll then display;
You'll ever take inventory
Of what My blood did there outlay.

*Copyright 2001

O. Allen Bailey

*This material may be freely copied and distributed, but shall not be altered or sold.