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Answer
Hebrews 9:27 states, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (KJV). The Letter to the Hebrews highlights the supremacy of Jesus and the duty we hold to focus on Him. Hebrews 9 underscores Jesus’ superiority as the mediator of a new and everlasting covenant. Towards the conclusion of the passage, the author of Hebrews affirms that it is appointed for men to die once «And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: », (Hebrews 9:27). Understanding the author’s intention in this statement reveals another aspect of Jesus’ superiority and why He deserves our trust and love.
Initially, the writer clarifies in this passage that the initial covenant—the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19:5-6)—had its own rules for worship (Hebrews 9:1-2). Specifically, he mentions the tabernacle and its contents (Hebrews 9:2-5). When the tabernacle was built and functioning, the priest would regularly enter the outer part of the tabernacle to offer sacrifices «Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. », (Hebrews 9:6). However, less frequently, the high priest would enter to make offerings for sins committed unknowingly «But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: », (Hebrews 9:7)The writer explains that the tabernacle and the regulations for worship there — including the continual sacrifices — illustrate that these things did not resolve the sin problem once and for all; rather, they looked forward to Someone who would (Hebrews 9:8-10). This is important for several reasons — one being that it is appointed unto men once to die, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
While the priests entered a physical tabernacle made with human hands and had to offer sacrifices many times, Jesus entered the holy place not made with human hands and offered one perfect sacrifice — Himself — to resolve sin, providing eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11-12). In this way, Jesus resolved the problem of sin and death — a problem that destined people once to die. The sacrifices of the Mosaic Covenant were many and were temporary. They could not take away sin; they could only point to the need for that sin to be dealt with once and for all. Jesus, as the Perfect Sacrifice, was able to cleanse us from sin and free us from death (Hebrews 9:13-14).
When He did this, Jesus also became the mediator of a new covenant (predicted in Jeremiah 31). That covenant, for Israel and Judah, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31), would provide for the people to have forgiveness and to be God’s people, “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all.”
Know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. », (Jeremiah 31:34). The new covenant would be God’s way of resolving sin and death for the people of Israel and Judah. Jesus’ sacrifice not only provided eternal redemption for all who would trust in Him, but also provided the means for the new covenant to be fulfilled for Israel and Judah one day in the future— they also were stricken with the sin problem, because “it is appointed unto men once to die.” The old covenant did not provide righteousness to the people of Israel; it only showed the need for redemption in Christ «Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. », (Galatians 3:24). Thus the new covenant is superior to the old covenant, and Jesus as the mediator of the new covenant is superior to Moses (Hebrews 9:15-22;3:1-6).
Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all, not like the oft-repeated sacrifices the priests brought. And His sacrifice was effective as an acceptable sacrifice to the Father. By His own sacrifice He “put away sin” «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. », (Hebrews 9:26), thus resolving the problem of death that results from sin. It is appointed unto men once to die and after that to be judged «And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: », (Hebrews 9:27). Because of Jesus’Perfect sacrifice, we no longer need to fear death because we will be raised to new life (1 Corinthians 15:20-21). We no longer need to fear judgment because it is by grace through faith that we are delivered from sin (Ephesians 2:8-9). We will not be condemned for sin because we are forgiven and made righteous in Jesus. When He comes again, it will not be to judge the sin of those who have been redeemed «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.», (Hebrews 9:28).
It is appointed unto men once to die, but Jesus has conquered sin and death, and for this reason, we must pay close attention to Him and what He has done and said «Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. », (Hebrews 2:1).
