The Great Sacrifice continues. Heb. 23-28 (101)
“…But now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” v. 26.
- “But now,” not at the beginning of human history; “once,” that is, once for all, never to be repeated; “in the end of the world,” or in “the fullness of time” Gal. 4:4. This expression “end of the world” or more literally, “consummation of the ages”. The Divine distinctions of time with respect to God’s grace toward His Church, may be referred to three general heads: that before the law, during the law, and since the incarnation of Christ unto the end of the world. This last season, absolutely considered, is called the “fullness of times” Eph. 1:10, when all that God had designed in the dispensation of His grace was come to a head, and wherein no alteration should be made till the earth was no more.
- “Hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” He “appeared” but now He was “manifest in flesh” 1Tim. 3:10, 2Sam. 24:10, Job 7:21, Dan. 9:24. Jn. 1:29. 1Pet. 2:24; 3:18, 1Jn. 3:5. The end or purpose of this appearing of Christ was to “put away sin”—and is rendered “disannuling” in Heb. 7:18. Let it be carefully noted that this declaration is made only as it respects the Church of Christ. He made a complete atonement for all the sin of all His people, receiving its wages, expiating its guilt, destroying its dominion. The results are that, when God applies to the penitent believer the virtues of Christ’s sacrifice, ch. 10:12, 26, Ep. 5:2, Tit. 2:14, all condemnation is removed Rom. 8:1, and its reigning power is destroyed Rom. 6:14.
- “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” (v. 27, 28). In these verses the apostle concludes his exposition of the causes, nature, designs and efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ, wherewith the new covenant was dedicated and confirmed. In them a three-fold confirmation is made of the uniqueness and sufficiency of the Savior’s atonement. First a comparison is drawn: pointed by the “as” and “so”. Second a declaration is made as to why Christ died: it was to “bear the sins of many.” Third, the resultant consequence of this is stated at the end of v. 28. Pink Arthur W
- First, the comparison. This is between the death of men by the decretory sentence of God, and the offering of Christ by God’s appointment. “It is appointed unto men once to die.” 2Sam. 14:14, Job 14:5; 30:23 Ps. 89:48, Rom. 5:12. That “appointment” was a penal one, being the sentence and curse of the broken law Gen. 2:17, consisting of two parts: temporal death and eternal judgment. Death is not the result of chance, nor is it a “debt of nature,” a condition to which man was made subject by the law of his creation. Death is something more than the result of physiological law: the same God who sustained Methusalah for well nigh a thousand years, would have sustained Adam’s body for all eternity had he never fallen. Sinless angels are immortal. Death is the wages of sin Rom. 6:23. The case of Enoch and Elijah, Lazarus and that generation of believers alive on earth at the return of Christ 1Cor. 15:51), are only exceptions to the common rule, by mere acts of Divine sovereignty. Pink Arthur W
- “After this the judgment.” Mat. 25:31, Jn. 5:26–29, Act. 17:31, Re. 20:11 This, by the same Divine, unalterable constitution, is also “appointed” unto all: Death does not make an end of man, but is subservient to something else, which is equally certain and inevitable in its own season. As death leaves men, so shall judgment find them. This “judgment” is here opposed to the “salvation” of believers at the second appearing of Christ 2Cor. 5:10. It is the judgment of the wicked at the last great day: Romans 2:5. It will be the executing upon them of the condemnatory sentence of the law, the irrevocable curse of God—eternal banishment from Him, for indescribable and eternal torments to be inflicted upon them.
