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Pastor Nathaniel's Blog August 14, 2024
"Death in the Sanctuary"
I'm about to shock you with a theological point you may have never considered before: Jesus brought death into the heavenly sanctuary! This may seem like a blasphemous statement, but it's entirely biblical. There's a passage in Hebrews that has given comfort to countless Christians for 2,000 years. But there's something simultaneously troubling and amazing contained in that passage. Hebrews 9:12 states, "He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption" (NIV).
I think we should first celebrate the amazing parts of this passage. The "he," of course, is Jesus - which is immensely good news! The "Most Holy Place" is a reference to the sanctuary in heaven, which functions in Hebrews as God's situation room for planning and enacting his divine rescue of us. And we are told that Jesus has obtained "eternal redemption" as a statement of fact rather than a wish or a hope. This is amazingly reassuring to hear!
However, did you notice the troubling part about the blood: "but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood?" It's great to know Jesus' blood only had to be shed once for all, but pay attention to what Hebrews 9:12 is suggesting: a man who was once dead entered into the heavenly situation room, not only with the indicators that he had once been dead (his scars) but also with that which was shed in death to obtain eternal redemption - namely, his own blood!
This isn't the only place in the Bible where this fact is emphasized. In Revelation 1:18, Jesus describes himself as "the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!" (NIV). In both these passages, what is stressed is that Jesus was dead - not that he looked dead, was dead for only a short time, or that he's familiar with death, but that, according to the literal Greek, he "became a dead thing." Hebrews 9:12 is saying that Jesus is the ultimate traveler: he knows what it's like to be fully alive, and he knows what it's like to be completely dead. And now he is able to be the ever-living Lord who saves his people and obtains eternal redemption for them!
Friends, you can rest assured that the death Jesus died for you spells your redemption from death and gives you assurance of everlasting life!
God bless,
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
