“Previously saying, ‘Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them’ (which are offered according to the law), then He said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.’ He takes away the first that He may establish the second” (Hebrews 10:8-9).
Hebrews 10:8-9 provides us with a brief description of the offerings associated with the Old Covenant sacrificial system. Those sacrificial offerings from the Biblical book of Leviticus included…
- The burnt offering (chapter one).
- The grain offering (chapter two).
- The peace offering (chapter three).
- The sin offering (chapter four).
- The trespass offering (chapter five).
Yet despite the fact that these offerings are painstakingly described over multiple chapters of God’s Word, our passage from Hebrews reminds us that, “…the Levitical system by itself was not the means willed by God to remove His people’s sin permanently; rather, it was given to point people to the only effectual sacrifice for sin—Jesus Christ.” (1)
Hebrews 10:9 couples that idea with Jesus’ willingness to accept this sacrificial responsibility: “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” In fact, Jesus expressed that sentiment on several occasions as He led by example…
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day” (John 6:38-39)
“…He knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done'” (Luke 22:41-42).
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father” (John 10:17-18).
“While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, ‘Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.’ But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother'” (Matthew 12:46-50).
(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2213). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.