“They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings–external regulations applying until the time of the new order.” Hebrews 9:10
The author just finished describing some of the regulations that the high priest had to deal with in the Old Testament Covenant. God had very specifically detailed as to how the Temple was to be set up and what was in it. He also detailed how the sacrifices and ceremonies were to be done. The rule book for this is quite extensive, take a look at the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Imagine how difficult it had to have been to follow all those rules.
In this scripture it points out that all these regulations were just external regulations. All these works were just temporary works. It was just an external work of what was supposed to be occurring inside of a person. The problem with this is that all these works could not change the inside of a person.
How many times has a parent told a child to say sorry to someone for something done wrong? The child says “I’m sorry”, but in a way that he is not really sorry, only sorry that he got caught. He only goes through the motions of change, but nothing changed. In this same way, God had the people stating they were sorry and trying to get a change of heart, but could not get it. It was only an external action.
God placed these regulations in place but only for a certain amount of time. They would be in place only until the time of the new order. This new order was to be when Jesus came. He is able to deal with the insides of a person and make a real change.
Today we do not follow the regulations for the Temple anymore. But we often have unwritten regulations: go to church every Sunday; wear nice clothing to church; put a ‘I love Jesus’ sticker on our bumper; and not drinking alcohol, along with many other little “regulations”. All of these are only external. If they do not show the true inside changes of the heart, they are worthless, it is only external.
Today I pray that God will reveal the motives of your actions; that God would bring about a real change in your heart and life; that God will reveal to you the actions that do need to occur in your life; and that God will give you the strength for the inner changes required.
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