Hebrews 9:28, commentary and pictures

Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many in a single sacrifice of his own life that is never to be repeated. He came first in lowliness and suffering as a man of sorrows, then ascended bearing humanity triumphant, and he will appear the second time wholly changed, no longer bearing sin, as heaven's King in divine glory to bring salvation and eternal life. After rising he ministers his atoning blood in the heavenly sanctuary, pleading for penitent believers and finishing the final atonement and investigative judgment for the removal of sin before he comes again to bless those who wait. Those who look for him are waiting, watching, loving and converted people who rest on his sacrifice, keep God's commandments, and welcome the news of his near coming with joy and hope. Awaiting him requires preparation with clean hands and pure hearts, putting away evil and overcoming through his cleansing blood, while working watchfully, warning the world to repent, and living in faith, purity and love until he gathers his prepared people home.

Once Offered for Sin

Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many as a single sacrifice that is never to be repeated, and believers rest on the power of that sacrifice while looking for Him to appear a second time to bring salvation. That one-time offering bore the sins of many and of the human race, and His appearing again will be without bearing sin. Unlike the repeated yearly services in the earthly sanctuary, His sacrifice and His entry into each phase of heavenly ministry were once for all. Looking for Christ on the strength of that finished offering gives His followers a definite mission to devote time and talents to sharing God's truth for this time.

That one great offering of His own life was foreshadowed by the earlier animal sacrifices. Those types pointed forward to Christ and found their fulfillment in Him, having been appointed by God to keep faith alive until their antitype came. When type met fulfillment at Christ's death, those sacrifices lost their value. Without Christ's death the Jewish system of sacrifices and ceremonies would have been meaningless.

The rock smitten in the wilderness was a symbol of Christ, struck once just as Christ was offered once and not to be sacrificed again. When water was needed again God told Moses to speak to the rock, showing that blessings are now to be asked for in Jesus' name rather than by repeating Christ's sacrifice. Those who seek the blessings of His grace may ask in Jesus' name with penitential prayer, bringing Christ's wounds before God, and receive the life-giving salvation symbolized by the water flowing from the rock.

His first coming was in lowliness and obscurity, in a life of suffering and poverty as a man of sorrows acquainted with grief whom men hid their faces from and crucified. That lowliness, suffering, and death were His offering as the sacrifice for sin. Afterward He ascended to heaven still bearing humanity triumphant and victorious, with the blood of the atonement sprinkled upon the mercy seat and His own garments to bless the people.

His offering of Himself on the cross was made once for all and satisfies for all eternity for the sins of believers. His sacrifice for the human race is efficacious and speaks better things than the blood of Abel. That atoning sacrifice accomplishes salvation and is the means by which God saves humanity, with the hope of redemption resting on His coming as Saviour and King.

Second Appearing in Glory

After finishing His work as mediator, Christ will appear a second time without bearing sin, no longer to bear sin again but to bring salvation and eternal life to those who look for Him and to bless His waiting people. Those who watch and expect His coming rest on the power of His sacrifice and look forward to His return, warned not to let indifference keep them from recognizing its signs or the day of their visitation. Those who wait for Him need not worry about the future but can trust God with all their being, with the privilege of standing pardoned in God's presence and soon standing with the redeemed on Mount Zion.

His second coming is wholly changed from His first, which was marked by lowliness, obscurity, suffering, poverty and death as the sacrifice for sin as a man of sorrows acquainted with grief whom men hid their faces from and crucified. Having ascended victorious still bearing humanity triumphant and exalted, and having presented His atoning blood in the heavenly sanctuary, He will come again not as a suffering prisoner surrounded by a rabble but as heaven's King in divine glory. He comes in His own glory and the glory of His Father and the glory of the holy angels, declaring that no further sacrifice for sin remains.

He appears the second time in the same humanity that was veiled on earth, now revealed as He descends from heaven robed in glory, triumphant and exalted. He appears in priestly character, having taken the blood of His own atonement into the holiest of all and sprinkled it there upon the mercy seat and upon His own garments to bless the people. He is escorted by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of beautiful triumphant angels, wearing a crown of glory within a crown instead of a crown of thorns and clothed in whitest white instead of the old purple robe, with the name King of kings and Lord of lords on vesture and thigh.

The heavenly light of the Transfiguration foreshadows that appearance in glory with the holy angels, while the conversation about His suffering at Jerusalem shows that the cross must come before His glory. His return is connected with the resurrection and transformation of the just, with Moses representing the risen saints and Elijah those who will be alive and changed at His coming. He will appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory to gather His jewels to Himself, to establish His kingdom on earth at the end of Satan's reign when sin is rolled back with crushing force upon its originator, and the glory of the kingdoms will be given to the saints of the Most High. The first, second, and third angels' messages were sent to prepare human beings for this event, representing those who receive the truth and with power open the gospel to the world. At that solemn judgment the trumpet sounds, the dead are awakened, and each receives according to what was done.

That coming ends the unwearied conflict with the prince and power of darkness pledged when the serpent's head was to be bruised, a conflict with no end before then in which His chosen soldiers war against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. He comes without sin unto salvation to save His followers and to destroy Satan, who has ruined many souls through masterly deceiving power. His return is certain and will occur at His appointed time, and His appearing is very near because the work is nearly done, so that He will soon gather those who are prepared and take them to the heavenly home. The promise of His second appearance did not mean that He would leave heaven to bless His people on earth in 1844, for after His ascension He ministered in the holy place and at the close of the 2300 days entered the most holy place to cleanse the heavenly sanctuary, and unlike the repeated yearly earthly services His sacrifice and each entry were once for all whose final close could not be known in advance.

The promise of His appearing was applied to the expectation that Christ would appear in about twenty-five years from 1818 and around 1840 or 1844, bringing joy and longing for a share with the redeemed and intense, hopeful waiting whose communion with God was an earnest of expected peace. When the expected time passed without His appearing, sincere believers' disappointment tested whether profession came from love for Him or from fear, exposing belief driven only by fear and profession that had never truly believed or affected life. Those who truly love His appearing remained faithful through disappointment with joyful expectation, while others turned back, ridiculed them, and showed they had never truly believed.

Heavenly Sanctuary Ministry

After rising and ascending he presented his atoning blood in the heavenly sanctuary, ministering for eighteen centuries in the first apartment where that blood pleaded for penitent believers and secured their pardon and acceptance with the Father yet left their sins still remaining upon the books of record. At the close of the 2300 days he entered the most holy place to perform the last division of his solemn work, the cleansing of the sanctuary for the removal of sin before redemption is completed, as the typical service had a work of atonement at the close of the year. Unlike the repeated yearly services in the earthly sanctuary, his sacrifice and his entry into each phase of heavenly ministry were once for all, and the promise of his second appearance to bring salvation to those waiting for him did not mean that he would leave heaven to bless his people on earth on the Day of Atonement in 1844. Daniel 8:14 does not point to the earth being cleansed by fire at his second advent, but to this closing work as High Priest in heaven in finishing the atonement and preparing his people to abide the day of his coming.

That heavenly work is the investigative judgment and final atonement for those entitled to its benefits, with confessed sins borne away as by the scapegoat and brought to completion for the removal of sin. His entering the heavenly holy of holies and appearing before God to perform the final acts of his ministry as High Priest is distinct from his second coming to earth. After completing his work as mediator and the blotting out of believers' sins, he will appear a second time without sin unto salvation to bless his waiting people with eternal life.

The Day of Atonement illustrates it, for as the high priest entered the most holy place with atoning blood and then came out to bless Israel, so Christ entered heaven to intercede and will finish the atonement and appear again to bless those waiting for him. As Aaron on that day entered with blood as mediator for Israel and then came out to bless the people, so the great High Priest completes his work of atonement for his people. The closing work of the High Priest includes finishing the atonement and preparing people to abide the day of his coming, while his people seek pardon with contrite hearts.

As the only mediator, High Priest, and Advocate in whom the sacrifices of the Old Testament were centered, he offered himself once as the only sacrifice that bears sin and makes atonement. By that sacrifice he presents his people's prayers, repentance, penitence and faith before God purified by his merits, claims forgiveness for them, clothes them in his righteousness, and has their names recorded in the book of life to walk with him in white. Through his atoning sacrifice those who have transgressed God's law can find peace and pardon.

His intercession needs no human virtue or mediator, and those who come to him in faith are saved. The way is open for everyone who has fallen by breaking God's law to prepare for his second appearing. Through his intercession and cleansing blood those who prepare will be vindicated at his appearing, having put away all evil and overcome and held the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end, obtaining redemption with the image of God renewed in mind and heart and character, accepted in the Beloved and made like Christ in character, receiving his wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.

The present antitypical Day of Atonement is a solemn time calling for repentance and purification with purity and faithfulness. His blood cleanses the soul from defilement, making help and purification available, while each person must consider how his case will stand in the judgment with humble reliance on him rather than self-reliance. The work of proclaiming present truth is accomplished through his ministration in the great day of atonement, as he works through his ministers.

Those Who Look for Him

Those who look for him are waiting, watching, loving, converted people who know the truth as it is in Jesus, who honor what they profess, who rest upon his sacrifice, and who await him in hope and faith more earnestly than they who wait for the morning. They are working, believing people full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, whose faith speaks out through earnest belief, who render loyal allegiance to Christ as Leader, and who keep love for the grand Bible truth of his second coming. In contrast to many professing Christians who are not converted and do not know what is truth, hearing the truth given with no uncertain sound puts people among those looking for him. This hope belongs to the humble child of God whose changed affections bring him into harmony with God and whose heavenly inheritance outlasts the glory of worldly greatness, and it is reason to value Christ's work and join in warning the world. It should fill those who love and look forward to his appearing with joy and shape faithful daily living, rather than leaving their minds absorbed in earthly concerns.

They are a distinct people who keep all God's commandments as Sabbath-keepers working against Satan, hated by him for taking his subjects to keep the hated law. Their faith is marked by keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath, the fourth commandment, while they wait for the appearing of the Lord from heaven. Religious error and deception about the law, including the attempted change of the Sabbath, continue until he appears, through which time God has these faithful witnesses who endeavor to keep all his commandments. While the churches are asleep and can be held by increased power and lying wonders, Satan bids his angels lay their snares especially for these watchers, to make possessors of lands and money drunk with cares, to place their affections on money, earthly treasures and the world presented in the most attractive light, and to make them care more for these things than for the success of Christ's kingdom and the spread of truth. He seeks to keep all means in his own ranks, to endanger their appointed meetings with vigilance, disturbance and confusion, to destroy love for one another, to discourage ministers and drive them to want, and to make covetousness and love of earthly treasures the ruling trait so that salvation and grace stand back and their influence does not lead others to heaven.

Love for him is shown by joy, peace, and glad expectation at news of his coming, stirred by belief that it is near, and those who love Jesus welcome the news of his return. Belief that his coming is near stirs people to seek the Spirit's sanctifying work and brings peace, joy, and love. Reluctance or dislike at the news of his coming shows a lack of love for him. Response to delay reveals whether profession rests on love or fear, for sincere believers looked for their Savior and expected him to come for their deliverance, and when the expected time passed without his appearing their disappointment tested their profession of faith. Those who truly love his appearing remain faithful through disappointment, while others turn back and ridicule them, exposing belief driven only by fear and showing that they had never truly believed or let that hope affect their lives.

Looking means watchfulness to recognize the signs and day of visitation and readiness to receive its message, and those who watch and expect his coming are warned not to let indifference keep them from recognizing them. The second-advent message was for people watching for his return, not for religious leaders who had rejected heaven's light and were spiritually asleep, who reject the light they have been given and may fail to recognize the time of his advent. Pride and failure to exalt Christ leave people no better prepared to receive him than the Jewish people were at his first advent.

Sabbath-keeping youth who profess to be looking for the Son of man to appear unto salvation will have that profession tested and proved in the perils of the last days through distressing perplexity that reveals the genuineness of faith. True looking for him requires giving up the world, and joining the world in picnics and other gatherings for pleasure under the claim of innocent amusement separates from God and makes children of the world. Those who lean to the world, whose views and feelings harmonize with the spirit of the world rather than with Christ's self-denying followers, who prefer worldly company yet keep a name among God's people, become a miserable example to unbelievers and a stumbling influence to the weak and unconsecrated in the church. In this refining time such professors will either be wholly converted and sanctified by obedience to the truth or be left with the world to receive their reward with the worldlings.

Readiness and Holy Living

Awaiting his appearing requires preparation by putting away all evil and overcoming the world, the flesh, and the Devil through his cleansing blood. Those who look for him look steadfastly and wait and watch more earnestly and wishfully than they who wait for the morning, with clean hands and pure hearts, filling the position of repenting and confessing sins in the great antitypical day of atonement. Their names are numbered with those who receive the seal of the living God and are recognized and marked as worthy of his protection. The way is open for everyone fallen by breaking God's law to prepare, and through his intercession as Advocate those who prepare obtain redemption, are vindicated at his appearing, have the image of God renewed in mind and heart and character, are accepted in the Beloved and made like him in character, receiving his wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, if they hold the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end.

Knowing the truth only as theory is not enough, for his word must dwell in the heart and govern the life, producing faith, purity, and conformity to God's will as evidence of its sanctifying power. Belief that his coming is near stirs seekers after the Spirit's sanctifying work and brings peace, joy, and love, so that those who love him welcome the news of his return with glad expectation and hope and wait for him in hope and faith. They must not live in worldly friendship or spiritually asleep, as though their Lord delayed his return.

Looking for him gives a definite mission to warn the world to repent and get ready, devoting time and talents to sharing God's truth for this time rather than circulating books unrelated to it. A more decided missionary work must be done before his second appearing, a mighty work that must continually rise to greater prominence and become far more extensive, not ceasing until it encircles the world. A heavenly angel is sent to spread light over the earth and warn its inhabitants of coming wrath, and those who receive the light turn toward heaven and glorify God, while others resist it.

Those who warn the world of the coming of the Son of man are to follow the temperance principles practiced by John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord, and John represents God's people in the last days. Health reform helps them control appetite and passions, gain mental strength and clear judgment, discern the Bible's truth, reject error, and present pure Bible doctrine. Readiness is waiting watchfully while continuing to work, watch, and pray in personal piety, for life is not to consist only of waiting, nor of activity and excitement that neglect the heart's relation to Jesus. This hope should fill those who love and look forward to his appearing with joy and shape faithful daily living rather than leaving minds absorbed in earthly concerns or covetous cares, trusting God with all their being without worry about the future, not living in worldly friendship or as though the Lord delays his coming.

His return is set against the world's hostility to God and his law and is the answer to it, for he who bore the sins of many in his first coming will come a second time without sin to bring salvation. That opposition is a warning that Satan seeks to reproduce such hostility even within the church. Those who have loved him and washed the robe of character white in the blood of the Lamb will be gathered as prepared and taken to the heavenly home, standing pardoned from all transgression in the presence of God and standing with the redeemed on Mount Zion. They are the humble children of God whose affections have been changed into harmony with the will of the Ruler of the universe, whose names angels have written in the record book of heaven, and for whom mansions are prepared, holding heirship to riches that will endure and glory that will keep brightening through the ages, while the greatness, glory, and immortal hopes of the world perish with their possessors to dust.