Holiness, Blood, and the Limits of the Old Covenant

The following is a transcript from The Heights at Night, the weekly gathering of young adults at The Heights Baptist Church. This transcript has been edited and abbreviated for reading purposes.

Point 1: Death at a Worship Service

Have you ever thought about the fact that within the Bible, people died when they worshiped God incorrectly. It is because God is so holy.

Examples of fatal or severe judgment in worship

1. Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1–3)

Aaron’s sons offered “unauthorized fire” before the Lord, and fire came out and consumed them. They attempted to worship in a way God had not commanded.

2. Korah’s Rebellion (Numbers 16:1–35)

Korah and his followers challenged Moses and Aaron’s God-given priestly authority. The ground swallowed them alive, and fire consumed 250 men who tried to offer incense.

3. The People at Beth-Shemesh (1 Samuel 6:19)

When the Ark was returned by the Philistines, some men of Beth-Shemesh looked into the Ark. God struck down seventy of them for treating His holiness lightly.

4. Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:6–7; 1 Chronicles 13:9–10)

When the Ark was being transported improperly on a cart instead of by Levites carrying it with poles, Uzzah reached out to steady it. God struck him dead for his irreverence.

5. King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16–21)

Though not killed immediately, Uzziah was struck with leprosy for burning incense in the Temple, a priestly duty he arrogantly claimed for himself. He lived isolated until death.

6. Israelites in the Wilderness (Numbers 14:26–35; Psalm 95:7–11; Hebrews 3:7–19)

An entire generation perished in the desert because of unbelief and rebellion in worship, refusing to trust and obey God despite His presence with them.

7. Sinai Boundaries (Exodus 19:12–13; Hebrews 12:20)

At Mount Sinai, even touching the mountain where God descended was punishable by death, underscoring His holiness.

Connection to Hebrews 9

There is this access and relationship to God that I desire that these people could not have. The disparity between God’s holiness and my unholiness is severe. According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the consciousness of the worshiper, but only deal with food and drink and various washings. Our outsides could be clean, but their hearts and their conscience were still seared. As long as the first section is still standing, the way into the holy places is not yet opened.

Point 2: Understanding God’s Wrath

God’s wrath is not like what we would see in human wrath. A flare up, a response. God is immutable. He is unchanging. God is always the same. God always has wrath.

It is better to understand God’s wrath like this. It is like our immune system. We are always trying to protect ourselves, and something that comes in that is not like us, that is going to attack us, it will fight to reject it. God is holy and he is constantly and justly and graciously ejecting sin and eradicating sin. His wrath cannot be divorced from any other attribute that God has. To remove things that are not like God is a loving and kind thing.

So he created a way in the first covenant in which we could actually have a relationship with God. We end up sacrificing these perfect animals to remind us that we are in desperate need of a Savior.

Point 3: Longing for Real Access (vv. 7–10)

However, we would long for real access. Not just these tastes. Not just these little fragments. I want to be in the presence of God.

Even the high priest goes once a year and not without taking blood. The wages of sin is death. In order to take my place of death, it is not that I sacrifice something else that was tarnished, but instead something else that is perfect has to die. Taking blood is to take a life. A perfect and spotless lamb or dove or calf needs to be sacrificed to atone for your sin. Their perfection stands in place of your imperfection.

Our outsides could be clean, but their hearts and their conscience were still seared. What have you done to try to alleviate guilt? Distraction. Your phone. Substance. Justify it. Pray over it. Make up for it. Romans tells us that the old covenant revealed our sinfulness. It revealed how broken we were. We needed a path.

My life is like a cup of water that some bird showed up and just took a crap in it. It does not matter how much water I add to that. It is no longer pure.

Through Christ, my desire to be in a relationship with him is satisfied. Now I approach him, as we read in Hebrews 4, with boldness and confidence.

Conclusion and Transition to Christ

The earthly system screamed both danger (God’s holiness and wrath) and desire (the longing for access). Hebrews 9:1–10 sets us up to see the contrast: in Christ, guilt is removed, wrath is satisfied, and access is opened once for all.