Page 32 - Laying Down the Law

possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when
He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not
desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and
sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have
come - in the volume of the book it is written of Me - to do Your will,
O God.'" 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.

There are a number of ways in which to understand these words, “He takes away
the first that He may establish the second.” Certainly they imply that the offering of
Christ has replaced the sacrifices and offerings of the Law. On another level these
words reveal the desire of the Father that was accomplished through Christ. Yahweh
has desired obedience from man, and not sacrifice.

I Samuel 15:22
So Samuel said: “Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and
to heed than the fat of rams.”

Look at the repetition of the words of Christ in the above passage from Hebrews.
“Behold, I have come... to do Your will, O God.” This is what Christ accomplished for
the Father. Before man received the indwelling Spirit of Christ they could not attain
to the righteousness of God. The will might be present, but the power to accomplish
it was not. The result was disobedience followed by sacrifices and offerings for sin.
Christ came to bring an end to sacrifices, and to establish obedience in the lives of
God’s people. He takes away the first that He may establish the second.
Yahweh was never satisfied by the offerings and sacrifices of men. He permitted
them UNTIL the one perfect sacrifice should be offered on behalf of men, and
obedience established in those who had received a new nature.

Amos 5:21-24
I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept
them, nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the
noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Yahweh has always desired righteousness and obedience. Sacrifices and festivals
are not an acceptable substitute for these. Christ takes away one to establish the other.
I receive correspondence from people who tell me with great excitement that the