Just cited, is one of the most misapplied and misunderstood verses ever. Of course, the tendency to read verses in isolation (rather than in context) does not help matters. The fact that Christians have bought into an immediate afterlife (apart from resurrection) is a stumbling block. And finally, applying a Western interpretation without the necessary Israelite background is perhaps the biggest reason why this verse is used to teach that man is really alive when he dies and in fact faces an immediate judgment upon death.
Let's first look at the verse based upon how it is commonly taught as see if we cannot find immediate problems from other scriptures.
The common understanding of this verse indicates that man (at death), continues to live and is ushered in to the presence of God to face judgment, where if he is not "saved" (he didn't make the proper contribution to complete Christ's work on the cross), he is then, tossed directly into "hell".
So, from this verse, it is taught (wrongly) that all men WILL die once. Is that scripturally accurate? What of those who are snatched away to be with Christ Jesus? What about those who are alive at Christ's appearing? What of those who died MORE than once? Yes, you read that correctly. There were specific cases in the scriptures of men (and women) who died MORE THAN ONCE. The most widely known example is that of Lazarus. Remember Lazarus? He had been a friend of the Lord's who died and was raised from the dead. Now, he was NOT raised to immortality. That is important to note. Jesus is the ONLY man to have been resurrected to immortality (see 1 Tim.6:16).
Lazarus died a second time. When? We don't know but I assure you that he did, in fact, die again. Now, are we to believe that while Lazarus was dead, he was ushered into the presence of God and judged? Keep in mind, Jesus had not even gone to the cross yet. So, we know, that "men are not appointed to die ONCE".
Secondly, what is the context of the ninth chapter of Hebrews? The writer of "Hebrews" is, (now hold onto your hats, ladies and gentlemen) written to Hebrews who had a knowledge (thorough knowledge) of the Old Testament scriptures. They knew well about the function and office of Israel's high priest. They knew well about the sacrifices made of bulls and goats and how these sacrifices were used to symbolically atone for Israel's sins (foreshadowing the more excellent sacrifice to come). The writer of Hebrews is telling them that Jesus, the Son of God, was the ultimate High Priest, of whom the high priests of the Old Testament were but a shadow. If you have not done so at this point; take a moment to carefully read the entirety of Hebrews 9, to gain the proper context. And, as a matter of fact, beginning in chapter 7 and continuing through chapter 10 of Hebrews, the writer is painting Jesus as The absolute High Priest.
Beginning in verse 24, the writer contrasts Jesus' sacrifice of himself with that of the High Priests who made annual sacrifice.
"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 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." (v.24-26)
Jesus' sacrifice was a ONE-TIME sacrifice. It should now be apparent who the men "appointed ONCE to die" are referring to in this chapter. The men are the High Priests and high priests only. As you read chapter 9 and even continue into chapter 10 (keep in mind that chapter breaks and verse numberings are not inspired but are inserted by men) notice that nowhere do we read of warnings concerning a post-mortem judgment, or hellfire. All that is in view is the sufficiency of Christ’s work on the cross. However, via reading our traditions into this passage, we impose a meaning on the verse (27) which is completely foreign and out of context.
Also, the high priests went into the holy of holies (foreshadowing Jesus entering the presence of God) and came out of the holy of holies (foreshadowing Jesus’ eventual return) showing that the sacrifice was accepted.
Now, we should consider some major differences between the high priests’ sacrifices and that of Jesus. First, the high priests had to continually (annually) make sacrifice unto The LORD for Israel. However, Jesus’ sacrifice was but once and was for all. Also, the remembrance of sin was not done away with upon the sacrifice made annually by the high priests:
“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:1-4)
But, what of the” judgment” referenced in the verse? We, who have been raised in orthodox Christianity, have been taught that “judgment” is a bad thing. But, is that right? Is judgment always a bad thing? A judicial judgment (which is the meaning of the Greek word “krisis”, translated here as “judgment”) can be good. For example, a judge may be hearing a civil case and award a judgment in favor of one of the parties. So, too, in this particular “judgment” and what the Old Testament work of the high priest foreshadowed. Below are two examples which fit perfectly into what is described and contrasted in chapter 9 of Hebrews.
Consider Aaron, the first high priest, in Exodus 28:29-30:
“And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. 30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.”
Who is our mediator? Jesus. He is in the presence of God, with us on his heart, before God.
As part of the Mosaic Law, a provision was made for one judged to be an innocent manslayer. See Numbers 35:22-29:
“But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him anything without laying of wait,
23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: 24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: 25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; 27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:
28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
29 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.”
Now, consider the passage above with Hebrews 9:27 about how “…it is appointed unto men once to die, after this judgment…” Also, note that in the original, there is no definite article (the) between “this” and “judgment”. So, what was the “judgment” of Numbers 35, described above? The judgment was that the killer was an innocent manslayer. The death of the high priest would allow for the killer to go back to his city of refuge.
The writer of Hebrews, in verse 27, was making the point of Israel being the manslayer of Jesus. Are we not told throughout scripture that Israel was blinded that they would not see who Jesus was? Look, for example at the passage below, considering Israel:
“He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.” (John 12:40)
Hebrews 9:27 (and the way it is taught) is a great example of why context is so important and why verses cannot be read in isolation, expecting to find truth. When you read, not only Hebrews 9 but also the entirety of chapters 7 through 10, nowhere will you find an inkling of what bible teachers are guilty of teaching, when it comes to this verse. As a matter of fact, this verse should be reassuring, not foreboding, once we understand the context of what is being conveyed. Jesus is the ultimate High Priest, who will accomplish something for all of creation. Jesus’ sacrifice of his life and his sinless blood will accomplish for all of creation, what cannot be accomplished via bulls and goats.
This should cause us to consider something additionally when it comes to the question of what was accomplished at Calvary and how far-reaching Christ’s work will go. God’s requirements of the sacrifice of bulls and goats did not take away sin, except as a shadow of what was to come. In addition, these sacrifices had to be done continually because as we see in Hebrews 10, the remembrance of sin continues. However, was faith of Israel required for the absolving of sin? In other words, was the faith of Israel and each individual what took the sins away? No, it was all about God and what He had in mind for what Christ’s sacrifice would do, not just for Israel, but for all of creation.
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