July 9, 2006
DEATH AND JUDGMENT
Hebrews 9:27

   "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27) is one of those verses whose apparent meaning is so clear and simple that many people have it on a plaque hanging on the wall. It seems to suggest that people should consider that death is inevitable for every-one, and since judgment follows, they had better take seriously the mess-age of the Bible and salvation through faith in Christ. While this truth is scriptural, should we expect that meaning to be inserted into the context of this verse? Let us consider the setting and see if it fits.
   "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 enters 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 age has 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 (not dealing with) sin unto salvation" (Heb. 9:24-28).
   First we read of Christ's entry into heaven, and His appearance there on behalf of the believer. Unlike the High Priests of old entering yearly into the tabernacle, Christ needed to do this but once. It was by virtue of His own blood, not the blood of animals. He appeared on earth at the "end of the age," for the purpose of annulling the sin offering by His one offering. Therefore, when Christ makes His appearance coming out of the heavenly tabernacle to earth at His Second Coming, it will be "apart from (the) sin (offering)" as He brings the "so great salvation" promised to Israel!
   In all that, should we expect a warning about death and judgment toward unbelievers in the world? Do not all the verses in this passage focus on the work of God's great High Priest bringing the long-promised salvation to the believers in Israel pictured here as waiting outside the tabernacle for the their great High Priest to appear and proclaim forgiveness and peace? The phrases "once in the end of the age," "once to die," and "once offered to bear the sins..." should have hinted strongly that this death was not of men in general, but of this great High Priest whose judgment is salvation, as He releases the guilty from the city of refuge!

Ivan L. Burgener