The Longing for Christ's Return

Taking the next section in Hebrews 9, we read these verses:

15Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you." 21And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

²³Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. ²⁵Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, ²⁶for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, ²⁸so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

In my previous study in Hebrews 9 I learned that one of the big differences with the new covenant from the old is that Christ purifies everything in us. Not just the physical stuff, but the internal stuff of us as well.

Today I learn that Christ had to die for the new covenant to be in effect. Without death, the will of God is not in force. That "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins".

Oooh....and read this.....

Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, ²⁶for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Christ died ONCE for everyone for all time. Not like with goats and sheep and whatnot that had to be sacrificed all the time and only covered the physical sins of folks. Christ died once for all kinds of sins, for all kinds of people in all different time spans. Just once, for everyone, for all time. Think about that for a minute. I know this stuff....but it still just amazes me everytime I think about it.

So when Christ returns to earth....it won't be forgive our sins, but to save those (who have been called) who will be eagerly awaiting his return.

Okay...have to admit....I'm not always eagerly waiting for Christ to return. I do want to see my boy grow up physically and, I do want to have some of my dreams fulfilled. But most of all I do want to see my boy turn to Christ as the only answer to everything in life and I need more time to hopefully see that happen.

At the same time....ooh if Christ would return today, that would be a good thing wouldn't it? No more pain, no more sorrow, no more wondering what to do next and if I'm doing it in a God-fearing manner. I would be able to just see God and it would be so easy, so much better than what we have now. Ah....that is longing as well.

But I do want my boy to have that longing too......and right now he's just not there yet.