Christ is the Once for All-time Sacrifice for Sin – Hebrews 10:1-18 (Pastor Josiah Shipley)

Hebrews 10 and the Difference Between Shadow and Reality

Now I want you to pay attention. It wasn't anything in Israel wasn't their military size. Please open your Bibles the Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10.

Now.

Today, I want to ask you Are you worshiping a shadow of the real thing or are you worshiping the real thing? Are you worshiping an image of the real thing or are you in fact worshiping the true form? And that's what we're going to talk about today in Hebrews chapter 10 now past couple sermons.

I've done have been very topical. This one will be an exposition of Hebrews chapter 10 verse 1 through 18. So here's the good news. You will not have to turn your Bibles. You can stay in Hebrews chapter 10 the whole time.

That's easy, right Maria? That's easy, right? So I'm gonna read From Hebrews chapter 10 verse 1 through 18. It's a long section. So get your eyes on a Bible Hebrews chapter 10 verse 1 through 18 here the word of Yahweh for since the law Has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities.

It can never buy the same sacrifices offered continually year after year make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered since the worshipers having once been cleansed would no longer have any consciousness of sins.

But in these sacrifices the reminder of sins every year for it is impossible. For the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin. Consequently when Christ came into the world he said Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired but a body you have prepared for me and burnt offerings and sin offerings.

You've taken no pleasure. Then I said behold I've come to do your will Oh God as it is written about me in the book of the scroll. When he said above you neither desired or taken pleasure in Sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings.

These are offered according to the law. Then he added behold. I've come to do your will. He does away with the first in order to establish the second and by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all and Every priest stands daily at his service offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins but when Christ Had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sin he sat down at the right hand of God Waiting for the time until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet for by one Single offering he has perfected forever.

Those who are being sanctified and the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us saying this is the covenant I'll make with them after those days declares the Lord I'll put my laws on their hearts and I'll write them on their minds and then he adds I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more for where there is forgiveness of these.

There's no longer any offering for sin. Let's pray Yahweh we open your word to hear your voice and nobody else's. Let every person within the sound of my voice have ears to hear today. It's in your name.

We pray. Amen. This is Probably my favorite book of the Bible and this is my favorite chapter in that favorite book. We could do a lot now today again. We're just gonna walk through verse 1 through 18.

That's that's that's our job today. And our job is not to figure out what this means to you who cares? Our job today is to figure out what this means. What did the writer intend to communicate to his readers.

That's all we care about. I don't care about how it makes me feel. That comes on the back and what I care about is what did the writer of this book intend to communicate to his readers? Shouldn't that be what every one of us care about when we open this someone in here?

It was so beautiful called me yesterday and said Josiah for the first time in my life. I understand That when I open this book. When I open this book it is God speaking to me. So often we use the phrase God's Word and have no recognition of what that means.

This is God's Word because these are God's words. Then we hear that these are his words and nobody else's words and should matter more to you than God's and in verse 1 You will note The word for now that is a transitionary word, so let me just catch you up real quickly.

Remember, this is the only book of the New Testament. We're actually not sure who wrote it. It doesn't really matter for our purposes today. We will be able very clearly to figure out when it was written in just a moment.

Chapter 9 as I wrote in a little summary on the top of your paper chapter 9 focuses on Jesus's atoning work. Now, I could have George because he would know best. Because he is one of our MIT students.

Stand up and tell us what atonement means, but I will do the job for him today. Atonement is a blood payment for sin. It's a blood payment for sin. Chapter 9 is about Jesus's atoning work. Chapter 10 has one focus.

And that focus is this that he only had to do it one time. That's the focus of chapter 10 that Jesus only had to do it one time and that's it for. Since the law was but a shadow of the good things to come.

Instead of the true form of these realities it can never by the same Sacrifices offered continually every year make perfect those who draw near. What's a shadow. Well a shadow is a silhouette an image of the real thing, but it's not the real thing.

Let's imagine for a moment that John Snipes got a new truck. And he wanted to show all the guys his new truck and we all go out there and instead of looking at the truck. We just look at the shadow on the parking lot.

He would note that we are not celebrating the real thing. Y 'all follow me on this. We see the law. The law is a shadow of the real thing now. What is the law? Well that phrase in the New Testament most commonly refers to the Mosaic law.

Now bear with me for a moment. The first five books of the Bible were written by who? My Moses cam Devante. Y 'all knew that one, right? Yeah. Okay, good. I'm glad to hear it. It was written by Moses and In those first five books is contained the law of God.

Remember God picked a people out of all the peoples on the planet and said alright. Since we had to start over with this whole mankind thing. Here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna give you guys my law and I'm gonna tell you how to live and I'm gonna be Your personal God different than I am every other people group on the face of the planet.

That's my gift to you. The law was not a burden but a gift. But he tells them. These don't take away sins. These don't take away sins. They are symbol of something coming in the future. Now on the back of your paper, you will note that I found a chart online.

That was pretty helpful and I put it on the back of your paper. Oh, by the way homework questions on the back of your paper. The pastors this is the 14th one since the beginning of 2024. Have made little homework sections on the back of some of these handouts.

Five or six of you email me this week, and I just sent you all of them. It's an excellent opportunity. There's some there but that chart is meant to help you all the sacrifices of the Old Testament Can be categorized in one of five types of sacrifices and these are all found in the book of Leviticus.

Okay, so let me just very quickly. Give you a very quick description of the book of Leviticus and then we can move on. The book of Exodus ends with the Israelites building the tabernacle. We're basically a house for God to live in now.

We understand that God is not contained in four walls. But a house for God to communicate them in the book of Leviticus tells them how to use that house. The purpose of the book of Leviticus is for the people of Israel to learn how to worship God.

Using what they just built. That's the whole purpose of it. And it's written From that vantage point so every sacrifice can be categorized in one of five. A burnt offering, a grain offering, a fellowship offering, a sin Offering or a guilt offering.

Now if you want to make a note on the back of your paper on this little chart the first three were all voluntary. They were not commanded that they had to be done. The burnt offering, grain offering, and peace offering were all Whenever you wanted to.

The bottom two were mandatory. The sin offering and the guilt offering. Every time you see the word sacrifice In the New Testament in person of Jesus. I need you to understand what he's talking about.

The amount of sacrifices of animals that were slaughtered in that system. When you read the account of Jesus. We okay? Ton of moving around. We all right? Okay, when we read the account of Jesus in the New Testament.

Every time we talk about the sacrifice of Jesus. It's how he replaced all of this. If you've ever wondered Why we no longer sacrifice bulls and goats? This is what Hebrews 10 is about and it says in verse 1 these were a shadow of the good things to come.

Instead of the true form of these realities. You see the writer was writing to people who even 30 years after Jesus had come. Some of them were still using the old sacrificial system the shadow. And the writer saying no.

No the real thing is here. It came 30 years ago, and you're still doing the shadow what I was always pointing to what are you doing? And you are either intentionally or unintentionally. Disrespecting the real substance that came ladies and gentlemen.

If you are here today to fulfill a religious service if you are here today because it's something you do on Sundays and this Attitude you have right now does not leave this room. You are worshiping a shadow.

You are worshiping a shadow and not the real thing and God does not have idols. God does not have idols. What does God to do? What does God do with idols? Destroys them guys if you are worshiping anything other than the true form.

It's not real worship, and he says these realities can never Perfect those who draw near Ladies and gentlemen all the religious ceremonies in the world. All the prayers you pray all the times you kneel at this altar all the times you come to church all the times you give.

Your offering.

They can never Perfect you. Never it will never be enough. Never you could attend church every week three times a week for 50 years. You could give all your money you could do whatever you want. It will never perfect you never.

Because all those are shadows of the real reality of who Jesus is. We'll get more to that word perfect in a moment verse 2. Otherwise if they have perfected them look at the last line of verse 2 there were no longer been any consciousness for sin.

The Old Testament sacrificial system Was put in place to remind people of their sin. What we do at the Lord's Supper is to remember not the sin, but the sacrifice let me say that again. The Old Testament sacrifices remind you of the sin.

The Lord's Supper reminds you of the one who was sacrificed. That's the difference. Do you hear it? The reminder every time you made a sacrifice every time you killed a goat every time you burned the drink offering.

Every time was to remind you of your sin and your separation from a holy God. What we do every time we partake of a Lord's Supper is remember not the sin but the one who was sacrificed. The Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world.

Verse 3 but in these sacrifices the reminder of sin every year. For is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin. Now you may think now. Does that mean everyone in the Old Testament was damned?

Cursed condemned. No my friends see the blood of those bulls and goats never took away their sin. But their faith in obedience to God is what saved them. As Our pastor Jeff often says a prayer cannot save you.

But the faith of one's heart in the God who answers prayer can. Did you hear that? It is not the blood of some goat that can take away the sin against the eternal God. But the faith and obedience to the God who commanded them.

It is their faith that saved them. Faith has always been the instrument of salvation. Always for by grace you have been saved through faith. It has not changed from beginning to end faith and whatever God has revealed to them at that time.

Verse 5 the incarnation is the fulfillment of the law. Now before we move on we went over this word a couple weeks ago. What is the incarnation? It is Jesus becoming man becoming flesh. And with all that verse 5 when Christ came in the world he said.

Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired but a body you have prepared for me. David said that in Psalm 40 and as I've mentioned before you should learn to use the tools of your Bible Footnotes or whatever may be to notice that.

This is a quote from Psalm 40 and David a thousand years before Jesus ever came as prophesying about Christ in Jesus through David a thousand years before he ever came the earth says this. Sacrifices and offerings really is not what you want.

But a body you've prepared for me. Those burnt offerings and sacrifices and sin offerings you take no pleasure, but I have come to do your will. Verse 7 Jesus said a thousand years before he came what he said in that garden.

Not in my will. But your will be done. Can you say that today? God not my will but your will be done. Is what you want feel or think more important than what God says? Do you treat it that way the mark of humility is this?

That what you want feel. Desire doesn't comply with God's commands, but becomes that which he wants feels and desires.

The mark of.

Sanctification is that your desires become that which are Jesus's desires. That's the mark that submission that's humility when it's not any longer and it's a lifelong process. When it's less of you fine, I'll do it and more of you saying that's what I want to do.

And that's the attitude Jesus had in the incarnation. He says in verse 7. I've come to do your will verse 8 when he said above. You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sent offerings again on the back of your paper.

You can read descriptions of all those. Those were offered according to the law. Then he adds behold. I've come to do your will he does away with the first in order to establish a second and Here right here is the answer to why we no longer do those sacrifices.

Those were a shadow and not the true form and they are always meant to lead us to Christ and. Notice that word in verse 9. He does away with the first in order to establish the second. Christ Fulfills the law now.

Let me just take a moment to explain that word. Just like this water bottle. And and sometimes we really mislead that like does it not matter anymore? Does it not apply to him anymore? Of course, it does.

Fulfillment means to fill up. If I were to fill up this water bottle with water. I could add nothing else to it. It doesn't make it not important. It doesn't mean I don't pay attention or read it anymore.

It means it's completed. On to the next one this no longer. I should seek no future fulfillment in this one. Just like when you read the Old Testament prophecies about the birth of Jesus. That's already happened.

Correct. Can we agree that Jesus already coming born? Does that mean those prophecies are no longer important. No, it means you should look for no present fulfillment. It has already been fulfilled the law has been fulfilled in Jesus and just like those birth prophecies the purpose has come and The purpose was the point is to Jesus verse 10 and by that will We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.

Once and for all I've shared this before but maybe some of you have ever thought this before if you've ever been in this scenario. Because you miss pastor Jeff sermons on a prayer not saving you. This is what you thought happened.

You thought that when you pray to pray or started going back to church or whatever and when you ask for forgiveness. That God forgave you of all your sins you committed up to that point and maybe you thought this.

But if I sin after I pray that I have to quickly Say another prayer again for if I die in my sin I'll go straight to hell. Anyone else ever thought that so then you'll do something like this and this is not actually a joke.

It is Torment you'll do something this you'll say Oh God, I'm really sorry. I did that. Amen. Did I really mean it? Because now I've got to ask for forgiveness for the using his name in vain and praying for it.

Not really just to get past it and I still got to ask for forgiveness for what I actually did and you will spiral and spiral and spiral and spiral. Because you are trying to trust in a shadow and not the true form.

You're looking to a shadow of the thing to come not the real thing. Look at verse 10 again and by that will We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once and for all. Once and for all.

Now that phrase sanctified first off. Let's talk about this for a minute. If you notice the theme of the music this morning. It was that God is holy and we all understand that somebody tell me what that means that God is holy.

He's set apart. He is his own being he's on another level. There is no one and nothing that can compare to him. He is otherness. He is different. That is holy. Now that is who he is. When he sanctifies the people he makes them holy.

Makes them set apart and so we can think of sanctification in three ways. We can think of it as it says in verse 10 in the past tense we have.

Been.

Sanctified you see that in verse 10 have been did everyone here past 10th grade. Devante has not yet. Okay 10th grade English. This is past tense. You have been sanctified and we follow that.

Now.

You can also think about it in the present tense, which is what verse 18 is about. We'll get to that in a moment. Excuse me verse 14. You can also think about it in the future tense. Let me explain. God is holy.

He doesn't need someone to make him. Holy. He is holy. We don't sing songs like God help us make you holy. God is holy. We just say he is holy surrounded by holy because that's who he is. We are made holy.

And when someone is positionally sanctified they are put in that group of people of God and they are forever the people of God and Then you have your individual life of your walk with Christ and that you are being Sanctified.

That's progressive see positional progressive that is progressive sanctification. And let me just make sure everyone hears me say this. That will not look the same for everybody. Jesus said when it comes to producing fruit of obedience.

Some 30 times over some 60 times over some a hundred times over so on and so forth. But everybody's producing fruit. If you're not you have not been sanctified. Let me say that again, and I will say it slower if there is no.

Evidence.

If there is no evidence of any progression in the conforming of Jesus in your life none at all. There is no aspect of your life where you're becoming more holy no aspect of your life Where you coming more obedient no aspect of your life where you desire things of God more you are not a Christian.

It is not me saying that it is Jesus in the gospel of John take it up with him. Go buy some whiteout change your Bible if you got to but that's what the Bible says. He says if you love me, you will keep my commandments.

We are here talking about in verse 10 the positional sanctification. We have been sanctified through the offering of what? The body of Jesus Christ now that we went over that word a few weeks ago Christ.

That's the chosen one the anointed one way that is just the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah Messiah Christ. Exact same word like Juan and John. I know they don't sound the same in English, but they are Juan and John Christ Messiah same exact thing the promised one you see all those countless sacrifices for Millennia who are pointing to the real sacrifice of Jesus.

So when Jesus starts his public ministry and John the Baptist looks over and says behold the Lamb of God. To take away the sin of the world do not miss that phrase. For it was the Lamb of Abel that Abel sacrificed.

It was the Ram of Abraham that Abraham sacrificed. It was the goat of Noah that Noah sacrificed. The Lamb of God is the one that God sacrificed. No debate needed on who killed Jesus the Jews the Romans the white people that it does not matter God the Father killed Jesus Isaiah 53 10 and the Lord was oh The Lord was pleased to crush him.

Isaiah 53 10 church.

Do I'm begging you? Do not Diminish the wrath of God to think that it increases his love. God doesn't need saving from his word. You do not have to make God sound nicer than he is. For it's in that wrath that you see his love flow.

We read two weeks ago. That God and we and if in case anyone's new if you've ever heard someone say God's not angry. Yes. He is. I Listened to a song in the radio a couple weeks. I said God's not mad at you.

Yes, he is. And I'm about to show you why that makes his love so great. Psalm 5 says he abhors the wicked. Not just wickedness the sin. Remember the whole hate the sin love the sinner. That is not God's perspective.

It says he abhors the wicked. Psalm 7 verse 11 says he is angry every day. He feels indignation every day and. Yet it's because of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. His compassions fail not in greatest his faithfulness.

That shows you how great his love is. That's how you know because He became flesh. And he was sacrificed for the sins of the world. Not because he wasn't angry with him because he was but his love was greater than that.

Christ’s Once-for-All Sacrifice and the Finished Work of the Cross

Verse 11. This is the climax of the book of Hebrews. Let's read 11 through 14. Every priest stands daily at his service offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.

Waiting for that time for his enemies to be made a footstool for his feet. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Look at verse 11 one more time. Every priest stands daily at his service now stands that word has some impact here.

Every priest stands daily. That's the present tense in it. Now this is a little note for later if this is over your head don't worry about it. What year all of if we as a church get this right pastor Jeff will jump up and dance.

What year did General Titus of the Roman Army come and destroy Jerusalem? Come on. Let's see it. Yeah, there it is. Okay a president Trump dance. That's pretty close 70 AD and for the benefit of his massacre.

He was later made the Emperor. Isn't it amazing we call mass murderers like the great like Alexander the Great. And that crazy that we do that and we don't even think of him that way. It says every priest stands now when General Titus came in.

What did he do to the tabernacle? He destroyed it. He didn't more than destroy it. But that's another that's another history lesson. That's in the present tense every priest stands so this is not that difficult.

Cheryl you can do this. That means this book had to be written Before General Titus destroyed the tabernacle. I'm gonna follow that. Did everyone see that or no. It says every priest stands day after day.

Stands just like in verse 2. It says these would have ceased they would have ceased. This was written before them and here's why that's important. That doubles down on what I'm saying in that city 35 years before that the Son of God was sacrificed and as Hebrews chapter 10 says.

They are trampling on his body under their feet when they go and take those lambs to be sacrificed at that same tabernacle again The blatant disrespect of that one wasn't good enough. We're gonna keep do it the way we've always done it.

That is what the book of Hebrews is talking about, why are you still doing that? And he says those verse 11 will never take away sin and here we repeat what I said earlier I've said this before but I can say this with general confidence.

I believe there will be far more people in hell that think they love God than there will be atheists.

Far more far more.

Because they're trusting in a shadow and not the real form. You know in Genesis chapter 15 verse 6 the Bible says Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. And As Mercedes rightly pointed out Wednesday night Bible study not simply he believed in God.

That's not what the text says when Paul quotes it in Romans chapter 4. It says Abraham believed God. He took him at his word. He took him at his word. Do you believe God? I didn't ask. Do you believe in God.

Only the unintelligent do not believe in God. Do you take him at his word? Do you trust him? Here's how you know, here's how you know. Do you live your life according to his word and trust that it will work out for your good.

That's what the scripture says. That's the mark of faith. Now we could give a million examples. But the point is if you say you trust somebody to do some work at your house. And you're looking over the shoulder the whole time.

You don't trust them to do the work. Contractors y 'all hear me on that. You don't you can say you do all you want. Your actions show different. Yeah, yeah, I can. I've got a headlamp. I don't need you to do that, right?

Verse.

12 oh.

And my point in saying that was this look at the end of verse 11. That can never take away sins. If you trust your emotional feeling after hunters done playing his guitar. That will never take away your sins.

If you trust your church attendance that will never take away your sins ever. You can memorize God's Word. You can lead a Bible study. You can teach Sunday school. You can do whatever you want. But if you are trusting in those shadows.

To take away your sins verse 11 says they will never be enough. Never. Verse 12. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins. There you go. For any of you have ever wondered has God like wiped off the world and redone this a bunch of times and sent Jesus look again.

How many times did Jesus came and sacrificed one time? Okay? He sat down at the right hand of God and as pastor Jeff has noted before you know why he's sitting down. He already said on the cross. It's finished.

My job is done. And it says he's waiting for his enemies to be made a footstool for his feet. Some of us don't have the right idea of Jesus. Oh Jesus has enemies, but he's not at battle with them. He's sitting down.

He he is not threatened. This is the Jesus that when those enemies came in his presence before he uttered a word they fell to the ground and begged for mercy. This is that Jesus. That Jesus is not in need of help in his war.

He's already won. He's waiting for the culmination. And you may ask. Why the delay? Because there are still some of his yet to be redeemed. There are still some of his children who have not yet come and made the call to salvation.

When the last one of those. Then he'll come and do his business. Verse 14. For by one single offering He has perfected.

For all time.

Those who are being Sanctified now for you grammar nerds in here. Greek has a middle voice, but it's basically the passive voice. That is a passive indicative participle meaning.

Ing.

Your Bible should translate that being sanctified. Let me read that again, please. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time. Those who are in the process of being sanctified.

You hear that?

That's good news. The one in the process of being sanctified and the process of being made holy hasn't achieved it yet has already been forever perfected. This is and I've said this before the worst business deal in the history of the universe.

The Son of God comes to this planet and creatures that he got on his knees and formed out of dirt. Rejected him and killed him before the judgment throne. He gets credit for their sin. They get credit for his obedience and then he makes he makes them worthy of that on the back end.

And in all of that still does not get the credit he deserves. Oh. Not from the world. That's a given from us in this room from us in this room. For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Oh Christian, please rest in that. Please rest in that that by the one offering of Jesus. That the one who is trusting in Jesus not just and look if you need light. For your salvation don't ask yourself.

Did I trust in Jesus 30 years ago when I first came to him? Are you trusting him for your salvation right now? Are you still trusting in Jesus for your salvation? Are you still trusting in Jesus for your sanctification?

Are you still trusting in Jesus to carry you home? He said in Isaiah 46 Even to the gray hairs I will carry you. I'm gonna read a quote from One of the greatest Christians to ever live Charles Spurgeon, and this is him.

Speaking on this verse and just note God's Word hasn't changed. Christians from centuries before us are encouraged by the exact same scriptures. We're reading today. This is what he said. And now Christian try and lay hold of the meaning of this text.

Christ has made your conscience at ease forever if it disturbs you. Recollect it has no cause to do so if you are believer in Christ. Has he not given you that which will put away all consciousness of sin?

Rejoice it has purged you so entirely that you may sit down and rest. If you go back to verse 1 it said those sacrifices can never perfect those who draw near. Oh, but the sacrifice of Jesus in verse 14 has already perfected forever.

Those who are still in the process of being sanctified. It says in verse 2 Consciousness of sin would have ceased. But ladies and gentlemen, I am fully aware of my sin. But every time I'm aware of my sin, it just makes me more aware of the sacrifice that was paid.

There can be no accusation against me. The accuser has no hold on me for no matter what lobs he throws at me. The scripture says by one offering he's already perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

It's already done. I Can rest in that? Sin has no hold on me. Not because of a shadow. But because if I do nothing else, I am trusting in the real thing and as the work of Jesus Christ. And as we finish our text verse 15 hundred you can go ahead and come up here verse 15 and the Holy Spirit Bears witness to us for after saying this is the covenant.

I will make with them on those days. I want to. I want to go on a little tangent for a minute. And this is the beauty of doing expository sermons you get to talk about a lot of topics. I'm afraid many of us just missed the significance of verse 15.

I can see it in your eyes. Some of you don't understand what just happened. Let me read that again slowly. And the Holy Spirit bears witness to us.

Saying.

Verse 16 and 17 is a quote from Jeremiah 31. All right now Justin Coleman. I'm gonna trust you right now. You ready? Yeah, and the 200 people in this room are counting on you you ready. All right. Here we go.

Are we watching the UFC fights this Saturday? Excellent. All right. So then you got this one you ready? Who wrote the book of Jeremiah? Clap it up Jeremiah. But did you look at verse 15, I think the writer of Hebrews misquoted who wrote it.

Could you look at verse 15 won't for me one more time your eyes are on me not on the Bible get them on the Bible verse 15 Says the Holy Spirit said that. Now I thought J Cole just said that Jeremiah wrote that is your view of the Word of God the same as Jesus's.

Do you have the same view of the Word of God that God's Apostles did? That though Jeremiah's pen was on that paper. It was the Holy Spirit who authored that book. Guys, this really isn't a book. We probably should quit calling it that.

This is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different people on three continents in four languages over 1 ,500 years and it has one author Burkett one. One author and that is God the Holy Spirit. This is his book.