1. The law is only an unclear picture of the good things coming in the future. It is not a perfect picture of the real things. The people under the law offered the same sacrifices every year. These sacrifices can never make perfect those who come near to worship God.
2. If the law could make them perfect, the sacrifices would have already stopped. The worshipers would be made clean, and they would no longer feel guilty for their sins.
3. These sacrifices remind them of their sins every year,
4. because it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5. So when Christ came into the world, he said:“You do not want sacrifices and offerings.But you have prepared a body for me.
6. You do not ask for burnt offeringsand offerings to take away sins.
7. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come.It is written about me in the book.My God, I have come to do what you want.’” Psalm 40:6-8
8. In this Scripture he first said, “You do not want sacrifices and offerings. You do not ask for burnt offerings and offerings to take away sins.” (These are all sacrifices that the law commands.)
9. Then he said, “Here I am. I have come to do what you want.” So God ends the first system of sacrifices so that he can set up the new system.
10. Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do. And because of this, we are made holy through the sacrifice of his body. Christ made this sacrifice only once, and for all time.
11. Every day the priests stand and do their religious service. Again and again they offer the same sacrifices. But those sacrifices can never take away sins.
12. But Christ offered one sacrifice for sins, and it is good forever. Then he sat down at the right side of God.