⁴ For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Impossibility emphasized. First, the Law could make no one perfect (10:1); the sacrificial system could not take sins away. The high priest could not effect forgiveness.

Other things in the book of Hebrews that are impossible: 1) In Hebrews 6:6, it would be impossible for a true believer to fall away from Christ, because if that were the case, then restoration would be impossible. It would require a re-crucifixion of Christ – which would be an absurdity; 2) In Hebrews 6:18, we are taught it is impossible for God to lie; 3) In Hebrews 11:6, it is impossible to please God without faith. Something simply cannot happen, that’s what impossible means.

In our text for today, the truth goes against the prevailing attitude toward the Law of Moses. The Jews saw it as the means of righteousness. They were so concerned about attaining righteousness through their own efforts, they were blinded to the obvious. The mere repetition of the sacrifices should have tipped them off that gaining righteousness through the Law was beyond their reach.

The way they treated it was like putting a carrot on a stick, fixing it on a horse so that it hangs down in front of the horse – the animal keeps reaching for it, but never attains it, but keeps moving forward. In their efforts to win righteousness through keeping the Law of Moses, the Pharisees and other religious leaders were using the Law as a carrot. Through their manipulations, they were able to control the people. The people bought into this perversion of the truth. The Law was indeed good, but no one could keep it perfectly, except Jesus Christ. For everyone else, the Law was a constant reminder (or it should have been, for that was its intended purpose) that sin was ever present.

But, as is so often the case, the people by and large rejected the notion of their own sin being bad enough to keep them from the promises of God. They were unable to see the perpetuity of their sinfulness. No amount of blood from bulls or goats would be sufficient; not for lack of quantity, but for lack of righteousness, the very thing they were trying to gain. Yet people continue trying to become more religious, carrying out more rituals, and all the while God’s solution is free and available to all through faith. The difficulty many have comes down to humility, a willingness to admit that sin runs at a far deeper level than outward rituals can reach. The honest acknowledge that righteousness is more than just a little out of reach. It is impossible, apart from God’s solution.

Lord, thank You for ridding us of empty religious rituals of animal sacrifices, and also from legalistic attempts to gain righteousness through good works.