First, the writer speaks of purification and remission, two separate actions and earlier wrote of the priestly service in both the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place is accessed once a year and deals with atonement for sin; the Holy Place is accessed every day for offering incense and prayer.1 The
It is true that the sacrifice for remission was a once-for-all (singular) action yet Jesus as. However, the True High Priest is accessible at all timeswriter of the letter begins by making statements against placing the message into the context of the Day of Atonement Atonement:
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavensThen indeed, Jesuseven the Sonfirst covenant had ordinances of God, let us hold fast our confessiondivine service and the earthly sanctuary. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, buttabernacle was prepared: the first part, in all points tempted as we arewhich was the lampstand, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the thronetable, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of gracethe tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, that we may obtain mercywhich had the golden censer and find grace to helpthe ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in timewhich were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of needthe covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. (Hebrews 49:141-165 NKJV)
The death of Jesus as a one-for-all sacrifice didpassage opens by describing the Most Holy Place, and then states what follows is not end His workmeant to give any more details of those things. Since the Most Holy Place is entered only on the Day of Atonement, it initiated a new a better phasethe writer has in effect stated they are not considering the Day of Atonement sacrifices.
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure. (Hebrews 10:6 NKJV)
The writer of Hebrews does not identify which things in heaven need to be purified, only that there are some. The Gospel gives us an example of how the heavenly purification will take place: by the touch of Jesus and by His Word. Regardless ofFor example, the specific things whichChurch will be purified, the Christian faith is that the touch of the resurrected Christ and/or by His Word is sufficient to purify whatever is His will.:
that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:26-27 NKJV)