Hebrews 9:24-28 – “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, NOW TO APPEAR in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world HATH HE APPEARED to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him SHALL HE APPEAR the second time without sin unto salvation.”
The Importance of Spiritual Vision
All spiritual senses are important. In the pages of scripture, we are told, “He that hath an ear, let him hear.” Hearing is important. Furthermore, we are instructed concerning those who are “past feeling.” Feeling should never be the most significant of the senses, but its importance cannot be denied. Even the sense of taste is necessary, for if every Christ-rejecting sinner would only “taste and see” that the Lord is good, there would be few unbelievers in this wicked world.
In this post, it is the sense of sight that has my attention. Through faith, we can see what others cannot see. Because of what God said, we can see a picture in contrast to the one that the doctor paints! The prophet of God sees the event before it happens! The man of God who is wise in the scripture can see what ought to be done in the most difficult of situations! The prayer warrior can see what is coming before it arrives, and he can therefore be a watchman, sending forth a warning! Oh, that we might see!
Peter knew the importance of seeing “afar off.” In his second epistle, Peter admonishes the believer to add various traits to his experience. “Add to your faith virtue,” he says. “And to virtue knowledge.” He continues the list. Why have these traits in our lives?
II Peter 1:8, 9 – “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF! That’s why we need these things! We need to be able to see afar off! We need to see tragic events before they get to us! Peter learned this from experience. You will remember that the night of our Lord’s arrest, it was told Peter by our Lord Himself, “Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.” Jesus told Peter that before the break of day, he would deny the Lord three times.
Peter, along with James and John, go with Christ into the Garden of Gethsemane. The command of our Lord is one appealing to the vision – “WATCH!” It was the Lord’s desire that Peter, James, and John pray with Him in death’s dark hour. But finding his disciples in that dismal hour, He found them asleep. Peter slept when he should have been watching in prayer. After the conclusion of the prayer meeting, Christ dismissed Peter, James, and John to go out into the night. It was in that dark night that Peter denied the Lord three times. He did it without even trying! He never saw it coming! He wept bitterly! In those bitter tears was the bitter cry, “If only I had watched!” I am convinced that, had he been WATCHING in the garden, he would have seen the enemy coming, and would not have bitterly WEPT that night.
Spiritual Vision in Light of our Text
Having seen the importance of our vision, let us now look at our text at the beginning of this post. In Hebrews 9:24-28, three times we have Christ “appearing.” The word, “appear” means “to make visible.” In our text, it is clear that Christ HAS APPEARED (past tense); Christ DOES APPEAR (present tense); and Christ SHALL APPEAR (future tense). The single reason Christ “has appeared,” “does appear,” and “shall appear” is simple – He wants each of us to see Him! Oh, that we might see Him today! Many will be the hindrances, but may our prayer be “Lord, open our eyes that we might see!”
Christ “Hath Appeared”
Hebrews 9:26 – “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world HATH HE APPEARED to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
It is clear here that Christ hath appeared for the purpose of putting away sin. John makes it equally clear.
I John 3:5 – “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”
It is Christ’s past appearing that puts away our sins! Christ calls to every sinner to SEE HIM; Christ beckons us to look to Him to be saved from our sins! Look at the grand and glorious verse regarding seeing Him for salvation:
John 6:40 – “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which SEETH THE SON, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Jesus gives this truth to Nicodemus in a very real way. Christ makes an analogy, referring to an Old Testament story.
John 3:14, 15 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
In the story to which Christ is referring, many Israelites had been bitten by serpents. Moses asked the Lord to give the Israelites help. The Lord made provision. He commanded Moses to make a brazen serpent and put it high upon a pole. Everyone who simply LOOKED at the brazen serpent was healed. The infected individual did not have to understand how the healing worked; he just had to look on the brazen serpent for healing! Just look! That is all! Their faith in the brazen serpent provided the healing apart from everything else.
Jesus, using this illustration, tells Nicodemus that Christ would be lifted up in the same way. This lifting up of Christ refers to His death upon the cross. Upon the cross, Jesus Christ was lifted up from the earth! There, He appeared to take away our sins! He was made visible to the entire world! All one has to do is look at the cross for salvation. Trust Jesus to save you, and you are saved!
As simple as Bible salvation is, many complicate it, attempting to block our vision. Many churches are leading people to hell by compelling them to look at something other than the work of Jesus Christ on the cross for salvation. Some churches will lift up baptism, and command you to look unto baptism and be saved. Some are trusting, not merely baptism, but baptism in Jesus’ name to be saved. Others compel you to “live right” to be saved. Others preach that law-keeping and commandment-keeping are the saviors. But the gospel of Jesus Christ is still the same – “Every one which SEETH THE SON, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life!” He appeared at Calvary to take away our sins! See Him! Trust only His work on the cross, and you’ll be saved!
He “Does Appear”
Hebrews 9:24 – “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, NOW TO APPEAR in the presence of God for us.”
Christ not only APPEARED at Calvary’s cross to put away sin, but He also presently APPEARS in the presence of God for us.
Jesus Christ, forty days after His resurrection, ascended to the Father. There, He sits on the right hand of the Father. Christ is not sitting on the right hand of the Father twiddling His thumbs. He is there, praying for every believer, making intercession for us.
Hebrews 7:25 – “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
The devil tries everything in his power to cause believers to forget this blessed truth. When trials come, the devil lies to us, telling us that Jesus doesn’t see where we are, and that He does not care. However, if you could open your eyes, you would see right now that Christ is praying for you in your times of despair! Don’t lose courage; Jesus is praying for you.
There was a godly preacher who was preaching the gospel. In his preaching, he made the crowd angry – so angry that they began to throw stones at him. The man’s name was Stephen. As the stones were hurled his direction, he looked up! As he looked up, he caught a glimpse. Someone APPEARED! Who appeared to Stephen?
Acts 7:56 – “And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”
Dear friend, if you can look beyond your circumstance, I am sure that you will see Jesus Christ at the Father’s right hand, praying for you!
Christ “Shall Appear”
Hebrews 9:28 – “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him SHALL HE APPEAR the second time without sin unto salvation.”
I do not know of a more blessed doctrine than that of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Just as sure as He did appear at Calvary to take away sins; and just as sure as He presently appears in the heavens to pray for His own; He is sure to appear unto them that LOOK FOR HIM!
This great doctrine regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is not without its opposition. Atheists declare, “I do not believe Christ is coming.” However, stupid beliefs as such won’t change it! Ready or not; like it or not; believe it or not; accept it or not – Jesus Christ is coming again! Even in churches, doctrines of devils have gained prominence. The verse we are currently discussing, Hebrews 9:28, admonishes us to LOOK FOR HIM! Yet, there are many doctrines that try to get to look for the Great Tribulation. There are yet a number of other doctrines that try to turn our eyes toward the Antichrist. I know of preachers who have had sleepless nights because they felt that the Lord showed them who the Antichrist was. What a tragedy. If these same preachers would get a vision of THE CHRIST, and get as shook up about that as they do the Antichrist, what a revival they would see in their own lives. It is a trick of the devil to get us to look and expect the Antichrist instead of the Christ. What subtlety of the devil to get us more concerned about the coming of events instead of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. While some are preaching, “Look for the Antichrist’s appearing,” or “Look for the appearing of the Great Tribulation,” may solid, gospel preachers rise up and point to the coming Saviour, who is soon to appear to them who look for Him!
