(24) For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; (25) not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another ——(26) He then would had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of all ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (27) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, (28) so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

The author of Hebrews is unknown. In verse 27, chapter 9, we study how Christ died but once and bore our iniquities – the primary concern of the author is objective salvation focused on the saving work of Christ. His atonement was made according to the eternal plan and will of God. From the fall of Adam to the end of the world no man is pardoned but through Christ’s offering Himself to God as sacrifice for sin.
God has appointed that sinful man shall die once and after this, judgment. Nothing shall then make any alteration in status or condition for at death man’s final state is determined. Just as Christ died but once so man dies but once. Death will come to all. Immediately after death our destiny will be made known to us. This is not the formal act of judgment day – that day will not change this former day but then all deeds will be made known. (Christ will not die in the future to make atonement for all will be fixed.) Our appointment for death was because of sin. Death is a finality – a complete and final end to our life on earth, followed by judgment where we are held accountable. The decision at death is irrevocable. There is no second chance to prepare, to seek pardon, to repair evil caused – no second chance to ask forgiveness. When man passes through death he/she passes through forever into the eternal world where our destiny will be made known. There will be no further opportunity to embrace the Savior who was rejected here on earth. All is fixed in judgment.
There is a short story about a servant sent by his master to the market in Baghdad. In the marketplace he was jostled by death disguised as a woman and he felt death made a threatening gesture. The servant ran back to the master to ask for loan of a horse to escape to Samarra where he felt death couldn’t find him. The master then went to the marketplace where he approached death and asked why she made a threatening gesture; death replied she was only surprised to see the servant as she had an appointment with him that night in Samarra.