December 18, 2022
Evening Service

The writer of Hebrews is like a lawyer building a case from the ground up.  His audience that he is targeting and trying to convince that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah is the Jewish people.  In the early chapters he built the foundation that Jesus was fully man and fully God.  This makes Him above Moses, Abraham and all the prophets.  He then began to break down how Jesus, God’s Son, was the perfect High Priest as He walked the same road we are walking and experienced the same trials and temptations as we do.  He truly understands the struggles we have because He “walked in our shoes.”  Last week Sam did a marvelous job of explaining the writer’s comparison of Jesus with Melchizedek, who is a fascinating character in the scriptures that we know very little about.  Verses 20-28 really sum up the point that Jesus is the Perfect High Priest for now and forever so we will read it and then chapter 8 will build upon that.

Hebrews 7:20-28 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath (21) (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: "THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT RELENT, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK' "), (22)  by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.  (23)  Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.  (24)  But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.  (25)  Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.  (26)  For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; (27) who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.  (28)  For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

            The writer refers back to a passage is Psalms 110 that specifically names Melchiziedek and prophesies of One to come who will be like him (verse 21).  There have been many men who served as priests in the Temple, but all died and were replaced.  As Jesus takes the role of High Priest it will be forever creating an “unchangeable priesthood.”  Notice Jesus’ resume for this position; holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinner, and now higher than the heavens!”  Indeed, we would call Him the “perfect candidate” for this job!  Perfect is exactly what He is as the writer explains that the other priests had to bring a sin offering for himself as well as one for the people.  He would bring the blood of bulls, but Jesus “offered up Himself;” the Perfect Sacrifice done one time for all eternity.  All of this allows verse 25 to sing out in our mind; “therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Now chapter 8 will build on that foundation.

 

Hebrews 8:1-2 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, (2) a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.  

            We get a glimpse into God’s perfect sanctuary here with Jesus “seated at the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the heaven.”  He is there always making intercessions for us as His chosen people.  The Temple built here on earth was only a “type or shadow” of the true, perfect sanctuary built by God not man in the heavens.  The many imperfect sanctuaries served by many imperfect ministers is replaced with the Perfect Sanctuary ministered by the Perfect High Priest; again a fulfilling of the Law and God’s plan.  

 

Heb. 8:3-4 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore, it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.  (4)  For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;

            Under the old covenant, priests were chosen only from the tribe of Levi and Jesus descended from Judah making Him ineligible to serve under the old law.  These priests had to daily offer sacrifices for the sin of the people, but the offering He brought was made once and for all upon the cross of Calvary.

 

Heb. 8:5-6 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "SEE THAT YOU MAKE ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN."  (6)  But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

            During our studies of Deuteronomy and Leviticus, the details of the design of the tent tabernacle of God were exhaustingly extensive.  Here the writer tells us that it was because it was to be a “copy and shadow of the heavenly things.”  This does not necessarily mean there is literally a tabernacle in heaven, but the principle of everything in eternity has higher and spiritual reality in which it is perfect.  As we will see shortly, the New Testament covenant is better than the original coming through Abraham and later Moses because it is “established on better promises.”  That also is because Jesus now is not only our High Priest, but also the Mediator of this new covenant.  He stands as the bridge filling the gap between God and man.  Peter said it this way to the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:

 

Act 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

 

Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.

            The original covenant was set up to fail not because of the it (Romans 7:12 tells us that it was holy, just and good), but the trouble was with the people to whom it was given.  Man was given the task to live perfectly according to a set of rules and regulations that would create a righteousness within themselves to be able to bridge the gap between them and God by their works and actions (what they would do).  As we know, that is impossible.  In violating one part of the Law, you violated it all.  Can you imagine the pressure to live a lifetime without sin let alone one day!  The original covenant was designed to bring man to a point of admitting we need help, we can’t do this, we need a Savior.  Which is exactly what the second covenant of grace offers to “whosoever will believe.”  The writer now uses a prophesy from Jeremiah that foretold of the new covenant we are so blessed to live under.  Notice the many times here that the Lord says “I will.”

 

Hebrews 8:8-13 Because finding fault with them, He says: "BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH— (9) NOT ACCORDING TO THE COVENANT THAT I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS IN THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; BECAUSE THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DISREGARDED THEM, SAYS THE LORD.  (10)  FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS IN THEIR MIND AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.  (11)  NONE OF THEM SHALL TEACH HIS NEIGHBOR, AND NONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,' FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST OF THEM TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.  (12)  FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."  (13)  In that He says, "A NEW COVENANT," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

            The old covenant was based on what man must do, but the New Covenant is based on all that God will do.  The Law will be written in our minds and our hearts.  It will no longer be a covenant based on obedience of a set of rules, but one that is based on love and faith.  It will no longer be something we HAVE to do, but it will be something we WANT to do.  In the OT, man was told to stay his distance from God, but in the NT grace allows the intimate relationship of the Garden to return.  “I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”  The NT will also include universal knowledge of the Lord.  Everyone will know the Lord from the least to the greatest.  Best of all this New Covenant promises mercy and forgiveness for our sins.    The OT was inflexible and unbending as “every sin received a just reward” (Heb. 2:2).  It also promised atonement of sin, but not the removal of it.  The NT not only covers our sin, but through Jesus’ sacrifice our sins are paid for in full and God promises to “remember no more.”

 

 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

            This is the NT process by which we cleanse ourselves from our sin through confession and repentance.  We are cleansed from the inside out and forgiven instantly not by our own action, but through God’s Word.  He said it and so it will be.  Each one of us need to rejoice that we are not under the law, but under grace; not under the OT, but the NT.  We are allowed to know God and be known by Him without being perfect.  We are justified by our High Priest and Mediator who became sin for us and paid the debt we owed in full.  We are able to live free of condemnation and judgement as we simple follow our heart that belongs to God.  In that the OT had fault, mainly us, the NT is perfect because it is based on God saying “I will.”

 

Heavenly Father thank You for allowing us to live under this NT of grace and mercy and not under the unbending law.  May our hearts and minds be always ready to receive your Word and may we find delight in following You faithfully.