Commentary on Hebrews 9:7

(Hebrews 9:7) But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

Here is the lead in to this verse.
 "The first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary." Exodus 26:1; Exodus 36:1

"..the priests entered regularly into the outer room... But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood,.." Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:34

"This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, ...He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal salvation." Hebrews 9:12

Having obtained eternal salvation.
One might read this and think that the salvation was for Jesus. Now why would Jesus need salvation? He had done no wrong, but he had taken upon himself, voluntarily, the sins of the world. He became sin who knew no sin, that we might become the Sons of God. But wasn't the purpose of the cross to eliminate sin, produce forgiveness within us, and give us the right to become God's sons? Absolutely, then are we not the ones that needed the salvation? Yes.

Verse 7 tells us that he offered his own blood and body, for himself, and for the sins of the people. 
That should have answered the question. If eternal salvation was gained, and everything was a pattern, then we gained an eternal salvation also. Jesus, upon his death, set the pattern, that was to be used upon us, in motion. He gained eternal security, and we who receive him gain this security also.

Now how does any of that apply to Hebrews 9:7?

1. It demonstrates that Jesus was qualified to make the sacrifice and offer it on our behalf.
2. He had to be a man. Since the inception of the law, the priesthood came from one tribe. 
3. He offered the sacrifice and atoning blood for himself and for us, just as the law prescribed.
4. What Jesus did was better than anything the Levitical priests could do, for this was greater. Greater because it was one time, not the blood of animals, but his own; he did this for the world, past, present, and future; His priestly act of love eliminated the sin of the world.

The high priest entered the inner room (the holy of holies), and offered for himself and "for the sins the people had committed in ignorance."
Let's talk about the word ignorance for a moment.
Webster's defines ignorance as the want, absence or destitution of knowledge. It is sometimes used for omissions or mistakes.
(Strange, the word destitution means want or absence. So let's just say that a person that is ignorant does not have enough knowledge, and perhaps they desire more, or they are content to not learn anything that might better their state of being - I am thinking of the fellow who beats his wife, kicks his dog, and orders the kids to get him a beer.)

We might crudely say that an individual does not know anything (Yes, we all have other horrid terms for that), but that is probably far from the truth, for most merely choose to ignore what they are told. If you have ever watched any of the live cop shows you will see this concept in action, all the time. Once the police catch  these people, the perpetrators mouth's start going off with all the excuses that they can make up. All for the purpose of covering up their choice to ignore the laws, and previous restrictions placed upon them.

 To refuse to acknowledge that there are laws, and restrictions (like no trespassing signs or danger-do not enter) does not make the act correct or legal.

One of the things that the writer of Hebrews points out is, that the law, that thing which causes so many of us to cringe, was a shadow of good things to come. Hebrews 10:1

Paul told us that the law had to pass away and that we now live under a new set of rules. Rules that God himself wrote upon our hearts and minds. No longer a posted sign, restricting your actions, but an inward lifestyle that has become a part of you.

When Jesus challenged the Pharisees he said, which is the greatest commandment? To love the Lord, your God; And the second, to love your neighbor as yourself. Who needs a sign restricting you when you have this emblazoned upon your heart. If you choose to perceive this as a command then it is one which asks to you move forward, not withdraw. It asks you to set aside your selfish desires and demonstrate the love that Christ showed you.

You were adopted into a family (God's), not because you sat, by tradition inside the building of a particular denomination, nor because you were acting so lovely, for no one was worthy to be adopted. But what did John tell us, that God so loved the World; a world filled with anger, hatred, ignorance, and a handful of people that tried to love God.

If the law was a shadow (not the real thing) of good things to come, and they did come, can you not see the freedom the God is trying to give us. Not a lifestyle of restrictions but a constant outward expression of his love. A love which sets aside our selfish desires, and chooses to serve others as he served us. This verse demonstrates that if we blow it down here, on this earth, whether through ignorance or error, Jesus was enough. He was enough to cover all our sins, and he did it once, finished, and sat down, never to offer himself again. Maybe now Paul's admonition about not being able to repent once again, because our trying to drag Christ back to the cross to cover our errors, is not going to happen. If Christ's death and resurrection was not enough, then all this is a lie, and you know that is not the case.