The Importance of a Future State (Part 1)

Preached by Jonathan Edwards, 1721-1722
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment. Hebrews 9:27


The scope of the chapter: to show how the things of the law and first covenant were types [and] shadows of things under the gospel state, and how much more excellent the antitypes.


There is a parallel run between the tabernacle and heaven: between the sacrifices of bulls, goats and calves, and the sacrifice of Christ, between their blood and his blood; between the high priests and Christ, between their entering into the Holy of Holies and his entering into heaven. But only, there is this difference: the high priests entered often into the holy place, but Christ the antitype of them entered but once into heaven, as in the two verses foregoing our text: "Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 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." And this is illustrated by the verse of our text, "As it is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment." That is, as man, for whom Christ died and was offered for, is to die but once, so Christ that died was offered but once to save him from death, from spiritual and eternal death, and from the sting and power of natural death.