154Inaugurate

enkainizo — Greek

Hebrews 9:18 says “neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.” The word is enkainizo — to make new, to inaugurate, to open a thing for use. A covenant is cut, then inaugurated, then in force, and Hebrews insists the inauguration was by blood: Moses “took the blood of calves and of goats... and sprinkled both the book, and all the people” (9:19). The same verb opens the renewed covenant: “a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (10:20). The way was not opened by a speech or a decree. It was inaugurated the way every covenant was — by blood.

The Root

enkainizo (G1457) — to renew, to inaugurate, to dedicate for use.

The Courtroom Word

An inauguration term — the opening of a covenant for use, done in blood.

Its Role in the Court

Cutting a covenant sets its terms; inaugurating it opens it for use. Hebrews ties the two together and names the means: the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood, and ‘almost all things are by the law purged with blood’ (9:22). The renewed covenant follows the same pattern — the way opened through the Lamb’s flesh and blood. Inauguration presupposes the covenant already cut and its terms already given; the blood does not write new terms but puts the written ones into service.

Proof Texts

Hebrews 9:18 “Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.” The first covenant opened in blood.

Hebrews 9:19 “He took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people.” The inauguration at Sinai.

Hebrews 10:20 “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” The renewed covenant opened the same way.

Hebrews 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” The law of the inauguration.

In Plain Terms

To inaugurate is to open something for use. Hebrews says the first covenant was opened with blood — Moses sprinkled the book and the people. The new and living way was opened the same way, through the Messiah’s flesh and blood.

Bring It Home

A building can be finished and still stand locked until the day it is dedicated. Hebrews says covenants work the same way, and the dedication is always in blood. Moses opened the first covenant by sprinkling the book and the people. The renewed covenant was opened by the Lamb — a new and living way, consecrated through His flesh.

Courtroom Roles

Yahuah (the Maker) whose covenant is opened for use.
Moses (the mediator at Sinai) who sprinkled the book and the people.
Yahushua (the Lamb) through whose flesh the new and living way is opened.

Where It Sits

IThere Is a Court

IIThe Court Runs on One Code

IIIYou Are Named on the Docket

IVThe Acquittal

VYour Life Is the Testing

VIIt Is All Entered as Evidence

VIIThe Bench Convenes

Movement IV — The Acquittal. Charged and unable to pay, you are cleared at the tree — the Father laid the account on the Lamb He provided. Entry by blood.