There was a twofold character in the offerings which has its counterpart for us in Christ, and this is brought out in Hebrews 13:7-197Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 9Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 10We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. 18Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. (Hebrews 13:7‑19). This twofold character must be distinguished, and yet maintained together, or there will be feebleness in the children of God and much want of enjoyment. The first and most fundamental point was that in the offerings there was that which was consumed. Being identified with the sin of man, it was either consumed under the wrath of God, as in the sin offering, or it went up as a sweet savor, as, for example, in the burnt offering. But besides this, there was another character that entered into the sacrifices; in many cases men partook of them. In the meat offering and peace offering, such was the fact, and even in the sin offering the priest had a portion.
This is what is referred to here in Hebrews 13. These Jewish Christians were in great danger of forgetting their privileges. They had abandoned everything that they had once revered as the religion given them by God. The grandeur, the magnificence, the glory of the Levitical institutions — all was left behind. God was not now thundering from heaven, for He had wrought with infinitely greater moral glory. He had sent His Son from heaven: Pardon and peace had been brought, with joy and liberty in the Holy Spirit, but all this was unseen, except by faith.
Faithfulness in a Time of Falling Away
It is one thing to enter into the comfort of the truth when all is bright and fresh, and another thing to hold it fast in time of reproach, shame and derision, and accompanied by the falling away of some. When the first joy is somewhat lessened, the heart naturally returns to what it had once rested on. There is always this danger for us, that when evil is felt, the blessing is not so present to the soul. Who is there among us that has long known Christ and known His ways, that has not felt this snare?
And what is the divine remedy? It is just that which the Holy Spirit here uses: “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)). We must not sever this verse from the succeeding one: “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.” The Holy Spirit would guard these Jewish believers against that which, compared with our own proper Christian blessings, is mere trash — such as earthly priesthood, holy places, offerings and tithes. These things, after all, were but novelties compared with Jesus.
Jesus Christ the Same
Looked at historically, Christianity might seem a new thing. Christ had been but recently manifested, but who was He? And from whence had He come? He was “the firstborn of every creature” — the Creator! “All things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist” (Col. 1:15-1715Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:15‑17)). He was the One whom God intended to manifest from all eternity. And here we see Him in His complete Person — “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Through Him God could bless, and God would have us occupied with Him.
Earlier in the chapter we are told to remember them that had the rule over us — to follow their faith, even if they themselves were gone. But these all pass out of the scene, while “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” This is the only thing that abides, and establishes too. Christ was the substance: All else was shadow. Therefore, He goes on to say, “We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle” (vs. 10), for the “tabernacle” was used to express the Jewish system. If others have the husk, we are feeding on the kernel. Everything had passed away in Christ. In Philippians also, the Apostle could speak contemptuously of circumcision in contrast with having Christ, even though circumcision was of God. To be occupied with it, now that Christ was come, was to be outside, to be of “the circumcision.”
To Eat the Sacrifices
To eat the sacrifice was not merely the burning of the offering, but the partaking of it. We have got Christ Himself and our sins put away, for sin — root and branch—have been dealt with by God. There is not now one question unsettled for us who believe. In the Jewish system, God and the offerer had their portions in the sacrifices, and now we may say that God has His own portion in the same Christ on whom we feed. The entrance into this exceedingly blessed thought is one of the things in which the children of God greatly fail — that we are seated by God Himself at the same table where He has His own joy and portion. Of course, there is that in which we cannot share. In the burnt offering all went up to God. The sweet fragrance of all that Christ was goes up to Him. We must remember that God has His infinite joy in Christ, and not only for what He is in Himself, but for that which He has done for my sins. When we think of this, all of self is absorbed and must sink before it. The old nature we have still, but it is in us to be crushed. We have to treat it all, its likings and dislikings, as a hateful thing. But the new life needs sustaining; it grows by feeding. As in natural life, the mere possession of riches will not sustain life; the life has to be nourished. So in spiritual life, it is not only true that Christ is my life in the presence of God, but I must make Christ my own for my food—eating of Him day by day (John 6:5757As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (John 6:57)). He is in very deed given to us, to be turned by faith into nourishment for us. And the sweet thing is that we are entitled thus to think of Christ, given by God to be this food for us. It is not only that Christ is God’s, but He is ours too: Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
J. N. Darby (adapted)