The Law magnified the issue sin and placed Israel under a very detailed and involved system for addressing the sin problem. It also placed hindrances on their experience of God personally as the High Priest was the only person allowed beyond the veil.
Hebrews 9:8 By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use. 9 This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. 10 For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies––physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.
Under the Old System there was no way to put sin behind you because the thought of it would be ever before you. That is the fruit of the Old Covenant. That was it’s purpose. God intended that to be the case in order to set the stage for His Only Son to come and be the final sacrifice for all eternity!
It was never God’s intention to permanently deal with the sin problem in the Old Covenant. It was God’s intention to set the stage for His Son to come and establish a New Covenant that would deal with the problem once and for all and last forever.
Under the Law man’s conscience is plagued by the guilt of sin continually. This is still the effect of the law and of observing any of the ceremonies attached to it’s keeping.
Notice how it makes it clear that the gifts and sacrifices were unable to cleanse the consciences of the people who brought them.
There was no once and for all solution to the sin problem under the Old Covenant. This is why we have Hebrews 9:10 “For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies––physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.”
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
