On the cross Christ suffered death for everything (2:9). We should not only be concerned about sin, for, due to the fall of Adam, everything of the old creation is out of order. Everything is wrong. Therefore, Christ suffered death not only for us but for everything. Colossians 1:20 says that through His death Christ reconciled all things to God. Because of Christ’s death, everything must be in its proper order. We need to believe this.
Christ has destroyed the Devil (2:14). The Devil, the leading troublemaker in the universe, has been destroyed by the death of Christ. Sometimes you need to remind Satan of this, telling him, “Satan, why do you come here to bother me? You were destroyed on the cross. Who gave you permission to come here? I command you to get out.” We need to believe that the Devil, the leading troublemaker, has been destroyed.
Christ released us from the slavery under fear of death (2:15). We do not need to be afraid of death any longer, because the sting of death has been abolished. Christ accomplished this on the cross before He went to the throne. Satan has been destroyed, death has been abolished (2 Tim. 1:10), and we have been released.
Lastly, after finishing everything else, Christ cut the pathway of the cross. Now we have a highway, a freeway, leading directly from here to the throne. A straight and flat highway has been paved from the cross on earth to the throne in heaven. There are no dips or curves on this highway. The way from the cross to the throne is a highway, not a rugged way. If you say that the way is rugged, it means that you do not have the map of the book of Hebrews. You have the wrong map. Your map is too old, and you need to drop it. According to the new map, the way from the cross to the throne is a highway paved by the suffering Jesus and the glorified Christ. Today we do not see Christ suffering on the cross; we see Him glorified on the throne. When Stephen was being stoned to death, he was, in a sense, on the rugged way of the cross. But, in another sense, he was on a highway. He saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God in glory and his face shone like that of an angel (Acts 7:55-56; 6:15). Stephen was on the highway leading to the throne.
Now we come to the section of Christ’s ministry in heaven. On earth, Christ cut the pathway of the cross, and in heaven He has opened a new and living way into the Holy of Holies (10:19-20). He has cut the highway and opened the new way into the Holy of Holies.
Christ has purified the heavens and the things in the heavens with His blood. Although we may not have seen this, it is mentioned in the Holy Word. Not only do we need the purification by the blood of Christ, but the heavens and the things in the heavens also need it, as the tabernacle and all things pertaining to it were sprinkled and purified by the blood of the sacrifice.