Hebrews 9:23-28

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23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. ~ Hebrews 9:23-28

We come to our final study in Hebrews 9 wherein the writer of Hebrews has been comparing the Old Covenant with the New. The New Covenant teaches us that the sacrifice of Christ needs not to be repeated. In fact, His last words were, "It is finished." The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ is never to be repeated because it was perfect. While the Old Covenant demanded the use of blood for purification, it could not accomplish what was needed most, a new heart. 

Christianity is not a mere set of rules to follow. Nor is it something we do to earn or maintain God's favor. Christianity is what God has done in and for the willing of heart. In sending His Son to earth, God fulfilled and sustained the truth, making it possible for the believer to know and love God. And, when we see His big heart for us through the lengths through which He went to save us, we will want to be pleasing to Him.

In v.23 of today's passage we read, "It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these."

The death of the Lord Jesus was a must. He had to die in order to purify all that had been tainted by sin. And, since the Old Testament sacrificial system was limited in what it could accomplish, God sent His Son not only to purify the system but also to substantiate the heavenly one. The Lord Jesus is infinitely superior to any animal. If it was necessary that the copy had to have sacrifices, how much more necessary for the real one. All the blood of the Old Covenant was nothing but a picture of the shed blood of Christ. And, it was only the death of the Lord Jesus Christ that satisfied the righteous demands of God on earth and in heaven.

In v.24 of today's passage we read, "For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence."

The Lord Jesus Christ did not go into an earthly Holy of Holies; He went into the very presence of God for us. When He went in, He took us with Him. In fact, the Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians that we have been raised with Christ and seated at the right hand of God. All of this because He died and we have trusted in His finished work on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin.

In v.25 of today's passage we read, "Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own."

There has never been the need for the Lord Jesus to repeat His sacrifice because He is and His sacrifice was perfect. His sacrifice is better because when He finished it, He entered into the presence of God and remained there seated at the right hand of God. Unlike the Old Testament priests, the Lord Jesus had no need "to offer Himself again and again," proving His sacrifice conquered our greatest enemy sin and death.

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself."

Since His sacrifice was propitious, the Lord Jesus need not die over and over and over. "But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself."

Christ's sacrifice was so totally effective, it was done once and that was it. When He died, it was the culmination of the ages which means the sacrificial system of the Old Testament is now fulfilled and no longer needed. His sacrifice was the last. The Messiah has satisfied life and truth and love and mercy so that we can have all of that and more. When the Lord Jesus put away sin, He died. And, He not only took care of the details, He took care of the principle of sin. So, when God looks at you and me, having trusted solely on the death of the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of our sin, He sees His Son. We are perfect in Christ.

In v.27-28 of today's passage we read, "27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

Due to sin, all men have to die, and our death is appointed. And immediately after death will come judgment. But, since Christ was judged, believers will not be judged. And, when He comes back a second time, He will judge those who will have not a willing heart to receive the free gift of forgiveness of sin from God. This is the very heart of Christianity: Christ died to bear our sins. He took on sin Himself on His own. He suffered for sins that we had done, so that we could have a personal relationship with God. 

Hebrews 9:15-22

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15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.  ~ Hebrews 9:15-22

Today, we return to our study of the book of Hebrews which is primarily about how the New Covenant fulfilled the Old Covenant which foretold of the coming of the Messiah. All through the Old Covenant, God pictured for us His Son as the coming Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. When the Lord Jesus Christ hung on that cross, the Father ratified or confirmed by authoritative consent the gift of salvation to sinful man.

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."

Christ became the believers "mediator" when He hung and died on the cross. It was there on Mount Moriah the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for man's sin. At that moment, He then opened our way to God. His death on that cross was the primary act of mediation that opened the possibility of us enjoying a personal relationship with our Creator and Friend!

The Old Testament priest could have never become our Savior-Priest because he was fallen and the veil was always there. He could never mediate between God and man fully. The Lord Jesus became the perfect Savior-Priest, bringing men to God through His perfect life and death. He removed the barrier of sin by paying the wages of sin which is death. 

In v.16-17 of today's passage we read, "16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living."

If there is a will, the guy who gives the will has got to be dead or the will isn’t applicable. As long as the guy is alive, we can’t collect the inheritance. God offered eternal inheritance through the will of His Son's death for all who believe. But we cannot receive the inheritance until the One who gave the legacy dies. This is the point of these two verses.

The Greek translated "will" is diathēkē, used throughout the New Testament of a covenant between two who are not equals. This means God makes the rules and we either receive the free gift or not. A will is not a bargain between two people, it is something made out by one person, and the other person either takes it or leaves it. God has promised an inheritance and that inheritance depends upon the death of the One who made it in order for it to be received. A will cannot operate until the One who made it dies; therefore, the Lord Jesus had to die to release the will of God to men.

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood."

The shedding of the blood of Christ ratified God's will that man may believe in His Son as our Savior. And the confirmation came from the resurrection of Christ from the dead. The Lord Jesus had to die to release the will of God. And, He had to be raised form the dead in order to make God's will operative. 

In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep."

Both the Old and New Covenants were put into effect by blood. The blood proved the death, thereby enforcing and enacting the will of the One who died. According to Leviticus 17:11, it was necessary for blood to be spilt and applied, because it proved death. It also was given for atonement. For without it, there could be no forgiveness for sins.

In v.21 of today's passage we read, "In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies."

The rites of the Old Covenant continually looked forward to their fulfillment in Christ Jesus. They were only types and shadows of what was to come in Him. They actually did nothing but anticipate His fulfillment of these things. 

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

Even the Abrahamic Covenant was sealed by blood. In Genesis 15:9-10, we read, "9 God said to Abram, 'Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.' 10 And he brought him all these, and cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half."

Long before God gave the Old Covenant to Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave Abraham a covenant. When God established His covenant with Abraham, He sacrificed animals. It was through the death of those innocent animals that God was saying to Abraham that His standard was blood or death for sin. This is why the Lord Jesus said, "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you." The shedding of the blood of the Jesus Christ made it possible for His atoning death to bring new life to the willing.

There is nothing else that can atone for sin but the blood of Christ. The only way to enter into God’s presence and into participation in Christ's New Covenant is by trusting solely in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our faith in God's promise that His shed blood on the cross was sufficient for the forgiveness of our sin is what grants us the status of sonship with God. The forgiveness of God was the costliest experience for the Lord Jesus. He gave all He had, and because He gave it all, we can rest assured that we no longer bear the responsibility of our sin.

In Revelation 4-5, we are given a glimpse into the original Tabernacle in heaven. There are many similarities there between the heavenly Tabernacle and that of the Old Testament. There is one difference though. There will be no more sacrifices in heaven and in eternity because the Lord Jesus died once and for all for the sin of man. He did that when He came to earth the first time as our Savior. Sin and death has been conquered by His death on the cross. 

Hebrews 9:11-14

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11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 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, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! ~ Hebrews 9:11-14

We return to Hebrews 9 where the writer of Hebrews has used the Old Testament Tabernacle to lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the point of the whole Bible, to usher us to the Lord Jesus because He is the fulfillment of all things Bible.

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation."

In Acts 7:48 we read, "The Most High does not live in houses made by human hands." Then in Acts 17:24 we read, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands." And here in Hebrews the Lord Jesus is pictured as One who has a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. God's tabernacle or temple is in heaven. 

In Ephesians 2:1-6 we read, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus."

When we trusted Christ to be our Savior, we were transferred from the control of this world's fallen way of thinking into God's way of thinking and living. We were placed in a process whereby we are being taught God's culture. It's a process. And, God is not in a hurry. And, right now, we, having believed that Christ's death and resurrection procured God's forgiveness for us, are positionally in Christ, seated at the right hand of God. We are not one moment without the presence of God, because we have the perfection of Christ applied to us, right now. 

Spiritually speaking we do not even live in this world, and now, we are alive to God and to His culture. Christ's death and resurrection granted us entrance into God's heaven. This is justification. Now that we are guaranteed heaven, God wants to get heaven into us, now. This is sanctification, the process whereby He is delivering us from this fallen world's way of thinking and living.

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "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, thus obtaining eternal redemption."

The Lord Jesus has taken us into the very presence of God through the shedding of His own blood. He accomplished this with His own sinless blood, not the blood of any animal. And, He entered once into the Holy of Holies to wipe our sin slate clean before God. And, He did this once and for eternity, never to be repeated again.

In v.13-14 of today's passage we read, "The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

As long as the Law of Moses was around, the people were reminded that they were sinful and they were failures. And that was good, because the good news of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is not good news if we do not know about the bad news. The Law had to crush us to the point of seeing our need for a Savior. The Law had to be fulfilled and removed as a means of judgment. So, Christ through His sacrifice, accomplished for us a complete work. We are no longer the recipients of God's wrath.

Christ not only made us acceptable before God, He also, is clearing our conscience free of guilt. The Levitical priests only addressed our outside but the Lord Jesus addresses our inside. In Christ, we are a new creation. Completely clean inside and out through Christ's righteousness. Our consciences are now being made free to think God's thoughts and walk in His ways.

Nothing so impedes our access to God and our walk with Him as a guilty conscience. We can not draw near to God boldly unless our hearts are cleansed. And, if we are to overcome this world's false way of thinking, we must accept the fact that the blood of Christ has completely satisfied God on our behalf. We can not improve on Christ's perfection which He has given to us. God welcomes us into His presence not on the basis of our Christian progress or our good behavior, but on the basis of the perfection of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Hebrews 9:6-10

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6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 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. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 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. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order. ~ Hebrews 9:6-10

Today, we return to Hebrews 9 where the writer of Hebrews is writing about the Tabernacle. It was a place that had three areas, the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year to make atonement for the sin of the people. Today, we learn about how the Tabernacle was designed of God to point us to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

In v.6-7 of today's passage we read, "6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 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."

Only the priests went into the Holy Place every day to trim the oil on the lampstand, to put the incense on the altar of incense. And, on every Sabbath day, the priest would go into the Holy Place to change the 12 loaves of bread out on the table of the Showbread.

The work of the Levitical priest was a never-ending work. Every day many sacrifices were made by the priests for the sins of the people who had knowingly sinned. And, all of this provided a perfect picture of the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ who does not cease lighting our way and feeding us through His Word. He also does not cease interceding on our behalf. His work is continual and never ceasing.  

Only the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies once per year. And, when he went in there, he entered with the blood of the sacrifice for the sins of the whole nation, including the priests. Nothing pictures Christ more than this event. On the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, a sacrifice was made and the blood of the sacrifice was applied to the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies for the sins the people, even those sins they yet didn't realize they had done. On the Day of Atonement the sacrifice was needed because sin severed the Jews relationship with God, and only forgiveness through sacrifice could put it back together.

After the High Priest performed the sacrifice, he removed his robes made just for the occasion. He then bathed himself again from top to bottom so that he was completely clean, and then he put on a pure white linen garment with no decoration on it at all. This garment was a symbol of holiness and purity. A perfect symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ who in His work to make atonement for sinful man laid aside His glory and humbled Himself to being crucified on the cross. The garments of the Lord Jesus are always white, indicating He has never lost His holiness.

In v.8-10 of todays passage we read, "8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 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. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order."

The Holy Spirit ever lives to glorify the Son of God. It is He who shows the impossibility of access to God without a perfect priest and a perfect sacrifice and a perfect covenant. And, by allowing the people to go no further than the Outer Court and allowing the priest to go no further than the Holy Place, the Holy Spirit reveals to us the Old Covenant was limited to meet the most important needs of sinful man. 

No Jew has ever gone to heaven because of the Judaistic system. Every Jew who has ever gone to heaven entered there  because the Lord Jesus died and conquered sin through His resurrection. According to Luke 16:19-31, prior to Christ’s resurrection, Hades was divided into two realms: a place of comfort where Lazarus was (Abraham’s bosom) and a place of torment where the rich man was (Hell). The place that Lazarus was comforted is called "paradise" in Luke 23:43. The place of torment is called “Gehenna” in Mark 9:45. Between paradise and hell, there was "a great chasm"  according to Luke 16:26. It wasn’t until the Lord Jesus died on the cross that He went to Sheol and gathered the believers and escorted them into God's presence in heaven. 

The Old Testament High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies or the presence of God, but, the priest could not enter into the Holy of Holies until the Lord Jesus had perfected the sacrifice that ripped open the veil in the Temple from top to bottom. That’s why the Bible says they remained in that place called Paradise, Sheol, or Hades. When the Lord Jesus died, He descended and led the captives out of captivity and brought them into God's presence in heaven. That was the first time any sinner has had full access to God, and it was provided through the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

The Tabernacle was never intended by God to be permanent. It had built-in lessons about its own impermanence. God made the Tabernacle to be a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who when the fullness of time had come was born unto man. In fact,  there was a spiritual expectation at the time of Christ's birth unlike any other time. The people of the earth were hungry for the Messiah to come. And so many were converting in different parts of the world in the first century, to Judaism. In fact, if you read your New Testament you know that the Centurion is spoken about favorably in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts. Many of them believed in the Lord Jesus who commended one particular centurion for having more faith than any Jewish person in the entire land. 

The Lord Jesus never said follow my teachings. No, though His teachings are important. He said follow me. He never said, my teachings are the way, the truth, and the life. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." He came as 100% God and 100% man to redeem those who were under the Law of Moses, that we might receive the adoption as sons. I trust you have invited Him to be your Lord and Savior. If you have not, let me encourage you to talk to Him. Tell Him that you know that your sin has separated you from Him. Ask Him to come into your life.

Hebrews 9:1-5

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1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. ~ Hebrews 9:1-5

Having established that the priesthood of Christ is better than the Old Testament Aaronic priesthood. And, having established that Christ's death on the cross made it possible for God to live in His followers, giving us a new heart with His truth written on our hearts, the writer of Hebrews turns our attention to the Old Testament Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was of most great importance to the Jew because that is where God dwelt among them.

In v.1-2 of today's text we read, "1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place."

The Old Testament Tabernacle was the place the Jews knew God's presence. First given to Israel after they left Egypt, the Tabernacle was erected in the middle of the moving city known as Israel. God gave to Moses precise measurements which had to be perfectly put together. And, every time the Jews moved to another place, the Tabernacle had to be taken down, and when they arrived at their new place, the Tabernacle had to be erected perfectly as before. 

With the Tabernacle, God gave Israel certain ceremonies. And, in order for the priests to carry out their priestly duties, there were certain pieces of furniture in the Tabernacle. Everything about the Tabernacle was given to point us the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Tabernacle was 150 feet long and it was 75 feet wide. And there was only one entrance, on the east side of it. The entrance was 30 feet wide, seven-and-a-half feet high, a perfect picture of the Lord Jesus who said in John 10:7, "I am the door for the sheep."  

In the Tabernacle, there were three separate and distinct parts: the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and, the Most Holy Place. The further one went into the Tabernacle, the more intimacy he would experience with God. This was a picture of our sanctification. 

In the Outer Court, there were two pieces of furniture which the writer of Hebrews does not mention because of the Jews obvious familiarity with it. From the east going into the Tabernacle, is first the brazen altar which stood 4 1/2 feet off the ground. The top was covered by a brass grate, and the coals were underneath the grate and the sacrifice was placed on the grate. The brazen altar was a perfect picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who was sacrificed for our sin.

Past the brazen alter, moving west, was the brass laver. Here, the priests washed their hands and their feet as they went about the bloody services of sacrifice. This was another picture of the Lord Jesus Christ whose blood washed away ALL our sins the moment we trusted in Him as our Savior. Past the brazen altar was the brass laver for the daily cleansing that keeps the believer in full fellowship with the Lord. Together, the brazen alter and the brass laver picture the work of Christ on our behalf on the cross.

In the Outer Court of the Tabernacle, everything was connected to our justification, for it was outside of God's presence that the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. When the priests entered the Holy Place, he would see the Menorah or the golden lampstand picturing Christ as the light of life who directs our paths. He is the One who through the Holy Spirit illumines our minds to understand spiritual truth. He is the One who guides us through this world of darkness.

The Holy Place measured at 15 feet by 15 feet by 30 feet. And, just beyond the Holy Place was the Most Holy Place which was a perfect cube, 15 feet by 15 feet by 15 feet. In the Holy Place, there were three pieces of furniture, and here the writer only mentions two of them. The first was the seven-lit golden lampstand, also known as the Menorah, with pure olive oil. This golden lamp stand was beaten out of solid gold. The lamp stand reveals the Lord Jesus as the One who directs us each day through His Word. 

To the right of the lamp stand was the table of showbread. Made of acacia wood, the lamp stand was overlaid with gold. It was three feet long, one-and-a-half feet wide and about two-and-a-quarter-feet high off the ground. And on it every Sabbath they laid 12 loaves, one for every tribe in Israel. The table of showbread reveals the Lord Jesus as the One who sustains us each day through His Word. 

In v.3-4 of today's text we read, "3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant."

Beyond the Holy Place, there was the Most Holy Place. In there was only one piece of furniture, the Ark of the Covenant which contained Aaron’s budded rod, manna, and the tables of the Law of Moses. Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place. The Ark of the Covenant was made of acacia wood. It too was overlaid with gold. And the lid on top of it was called the Mercy Seat. 

In Exodus 25:22, God said, "I’ll commune with you from above the mercy seat from between the cherubim." 

Under the Old Covenant, only the High Priest could go into the presence of God which was over the Mercy Seat. And the people never got any further than the Outer Court; they never even got into the Holy Place. When we met the Lord Jesus as our Savior, He ushered us into the very presence of God because He is our Mercy Seat.

According to Psalm 99, the Mercy Seat represented the throne of God’s judgment. Since, Christ is the believers Mercy Seat, it is only on the basis of the blood of Christ that God accept us into fellowship with Him. The Greek word for Mercy Seat is hilastērion which means propitiation. Propitiation means satisfying sacrifice. The Lord Jesus was the means by which God removed of penalty of our sin. The Mercy Seat points us to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ where the penalty for our sin, which is death, was paid in full.

Hebrews 8:6-13

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6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. 10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” 13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. ~ Hebrews 8:6-13

Today, we complete our study of Hebrews 8 wherein the Lord has been comparing the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. The Old Covenant, also known as the Law of Moses, was God's first covenant with Israel. There was nothing wrong with the Old Covenant; the fault was with the people who were sinful. Both covenants provide the truth, but, it is the New Covenant that provided the infrastructure for the truth to be applied to the heart, the soul, and the spirit of mankind.

In v.6-7 of today's passage we read, "6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another."

The man who is dead to God, because he still bears his sin, most often chooses to linger too long with the shadows when he can come to the reality of a personal relationship with God. The Old Covenant is the shadow of the New Covenant. And, since the sinfulness of the people weighed down the effects of the Old Covenant, God had to send His Son to measure up to the truth. He not only measured up to the truth, He also sustained it so that it could be applied to sinful man who could not solve his own sinful problem for himself.

The Jews under the Old Covenant thought God wanted them to keep these Ten Commandments as the only way they could please him. But what they did not understand, though, God knew they could not sustain the truth in their lives. He did not give it to them to be kept, for He knew they could not keep it. He gave it to them to show them their desperate need for the Savior. But with presumptuous confidence they tried to keep it and when they could not, they pretended to keep the Law and the result was they deceived themselves to the point of being hardened to the truth. This explains why most of the Jews missed their long-awaited Messiah.

In v.8-9 of today's passage we read, "8 But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. "

The Law of Moses was excellent for what it was meant to do: to point us to Christ. Paul wrote to the Galatians that the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. And so, to accomplish this, a New Covenant was needed, one that did more for the willing than what the Old Covenant did for them. Since the people were sinful, God had to do more for them than taking them by the hand and leading them out of Egypt. He had to address the unfaithfulness of the human heart.

The words found in Hebrews 8:8-13 is a quotation of Jeremiah 31:31-34. The night the Lord Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, He said, "This cup is the new covenant made in my blood." The Lord Jesus spoke of this as the New Covenant, or, the New Agreement from which the life of all who will ever know Him will be lived.

Though, long ago, the prophet Jeremiah had informed the Jews of this New and Permanent Covenant that was yet to come, they allowed the shadow of that which was to come to become ritualistic and their hearts were not involved. God and the sacrificial system had become old hat to them and they lacked a real heart relationship with God. So, God had to do something real radical: He had to place His Spirit in man preventing man from going after illusions which will never solve the real problem of sin.

In v.10-13 of today's passage we read, "10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” 13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear."

The Greek word translated "covenant" here is diathēkē which was reserved for the making of a will. The other word God could have used here for "covenant" is sunthēkē which describes an agreement made by two equals, like in a marriage. But, due to our wretchedness, God could not make equal covenants with man. God and man never enter agreements on equal terms. We can never bargain with God. We can never argue the terms of God’s covenant. God makes a covenant and we either accept it or reject it. Our relationship to God is based solely on God’s terms, never on our terms. He is the author and finisher of, not only the New Covenant, He is also the author and finisher of our faith. Our role is to bow our will, and then, hold on for the greatest ride of our lives.

God promised, "I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts." The problem in the human heart is not uncertainty as to what is right. The problem is sin in the human heart. And, as a result, the problem with the human heart is its inability to do what is required.

This is where the New Covenant comes in. The believer in Christ perseveres in the faith because the Holy Spirit dwells in our spirits. As a result, we discover God's laws are written by the Holy Spirit upon our hearts and our souls.

God says, "I will be their God, and they will be my people." 

There is within the human heart a desperate hunger for a hero. To this God promises to be our God. As a result of atoning for our sin through the cross, God made it possible for His perfection to abide within us via the Holy Spirit who teaches us the culture of God. He guides us and He teaches us the ways of God. This is God's answer to the universal sense of condemnation that everyone knows in our hearts because we are sinful. 

God says He will remember our sins no more. He also says all will know me from the least to the greatest. The word "know" is the Greek word "oida" which is intuitive knowledge. Due to the presence of the Holy Spirit, the recognition of the believer of God and His ways will be given to all who are "born again." Strategic was it that the writer of Hebrews did not use the Greek word "gnosko" which is the relational and more deeper word used of those who go deeper in fellowship with God. Oida makes it possible for gnosko to be enjoyed by the believer. In order to experience gnosko, we must be willing of heart for this to happen.

Hebrews 8:1-5

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1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. 3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” ~ Hebrews 8:1-5

Today, we transition into Hebrews 8 where the writer of Hebrews continues to highlight the High Priestly ministry of the Lord Jesus. Immediately after the first couple disobeyed God, they both realized they were guilty. Adam and Eve tried to cover their guilt and shame, but they chose a poor cover up. Manmade solutions for sin and guilt never work. Fig leaves of religious works never cover our guilt and never make us right before God.

According to Genesis 3:21, God chose skins to cover Adam and Eve. Throughout the Bible, garments are symbols of righteousness; either God's righteousness or man's self-made righteousness. The coats of skin with which the Lord clothed Adam and Eve represented a righteousness provided by Him in which they could stand in His holy presence. These coats of skin were a type of what God provided for us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The garments that God made for Adam and Eve foreshadowed the sacrifice and death of the Lord Jesus. 

In that very first animal sacrifice, we see the pattern for our salvation which has always been a means of God's grace. The animal was God's gift and not the work of man. The Lord provided the skins to cover Adam and Eve. They did absolutely nothing to satisfactorily cover themselves. The only sacrifice God has ever accepted measured up to His requirements, and the only sacrifice that makes us totally acceptable before God is the sacrifice of His Son. 

In the Old Testament, the animals were innocent substitutes. God could not obtain the skins of the substitute without putting it to death and shedding its blood. The Hebrew word for "garments" signifies a complete covering from head to toe. The same word is used for the high priestly robe, which covered the whole body of the priest. Adam's leaf covering was sufficient only to cover his loins. God's provision was sufficient to cover his whole body. All of this pictures for us the ultimate sacrifice made on our behalf by the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the fullness of time, God provided His own perfect sacrifice to cover our sin and provide us His righteousness. As believers in the Lord Jesus, we are clothed with His perfect righteousness. How tragic that we go around trusting in inadequate coverings for our sin, when only the perfect all sufficient sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ will do. 

In v.1-2 of today's text we read, "1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being."

When the Old Testament priest performed his duties in the Tabernacle or the Temple he never sat down. This was because there was no furniture in there. This was so in order to show that his work would never have been completed. When this text says the Lord Jesus "sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven," we conclude He did this to show forth the completeness of His work as THE HIGH PRIEST. His sacrifice was efficacious to wash away every sin that has and will ever be committed.

In v.3-4 of today's text we read, "3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law."

The Old Testament priests offered gifts and sacrifices to garner the forgiveness of God for the sins of the people. They had to offer sacrifices daily because the blood of bulls and goats did not wash away the peoples sins. Throughout the Old Testament millions of daily sacrifices were made. And, they were never enough to garner eternal forgiveness. The continuance of the blood at the alter of sacrifice underscores the utter evil nature of sin.

In v.5 of today's text we read, "They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

The word "copy" in v.5 means a hazy outline. The word "shadow" is a silhouette which has no independent existence. It has no existence at all. It exists only as proof of the fact that there’s a reality somewhere. When we see the shadow, we look for that which made the shadow. The Aaronic priesthood was always a copy and a shadow of the real which is in heaven. It never had an independent existence in and of itself. The whole Old Testament priesthood was a copy and a shadow of that which is in the eternal heaven.

And so, the Lord Jesus is better than the Old Testament priests because theirs was insufficient, and, the Lord Jesus has a superior sanctuary because it is eternal and not a copy. The Lord Jesus is seated, which no priest ever thought of doing, for His work was never done. When the Lord Jesus said "It is finished" while hanging on the cross, He used the Greek word, "tetelestai" which means "paid in full." We, as believers in Christ owe God nothing because the Lord Jesus has satisfied His standard. All of our obedience, now, is a thank you to God for His incredible gift.

Hebrews 7:23-28

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23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. Hebrews 7:23-28

Today, we come to the end of our study of Hebrews 7. In context the writer of Hebrews has established the fact that the Old Testament priesthood was insufficient in that it was of the Law of Moses and it had priests who were sinful and would eventually die. 

The doctrine of salvation is the main theme of all of the Bible. Through the Fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, humanity lost its purpose. We rejected God, and, we were therefore subject to God's wrath, which was expressed in God giving us what we wanted, alienation from him. Oh, we didn't know that it was going to be alienation, but that is exactly what it means to be dead in our sins. God's intention, though, is to save all of humanity, to restore us to relationship with Him and place us in our proper place in His creation. 

In v.23-24 of today's passage we read, "23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood."

From the very beginning, the Levitical priesthood was temporary due to its insufficiencies. But, the stage was set for the coming of the Savior-Priest. The Lord Jesus Christ is the God who became the Savior-Priest on the behalf of His creation. Yes, He died, but He had to in order to conquer sin. Then, He rose from the dead, never to die again. He will never have to be replaced. His priesthood is eternally efficacious. 

Due to the fact that His is an eternal priesthood, the Lord Jesus Christ is able to save forever, or completely, those of us who draw near to God through Him. He is able to do this because He always lives to make intercession for us. 

In v.25 of today's passage we read, "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."

The salvation the Lord Jesus came to provide the willing has an ongoing dimension to it. Through Christ we have been saved, but we are also being continually saved as we abandon this world's distorted understanding of life. This salvation is brought about by drawing near to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Quite simply, this is what changes us. People who draw near to God become like Him as He expresses Himself to us and through us. We resemble what we worship.

The word salvation has three parts: past, present, and future. There are three tenses to our salvation. The past tense has to do with our deliverance from the penalty of sin. The present tense has to do with our deliverance from the power of sin. And, the future tense has to do with our deliverance from the presence of sin. The past was procured at the cross, while the present is being accomplished at the throne as He intercedes for us. Then, the future will be realized by believers at the rapture and the second coming of the Lord Jesus.

The prayers of the Lord Jesus for us are not inconsequential. The Apostle Paul wrote of this in Romans 8:34 which reads, "Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."

God the Father answers the Lord Jesus' prayer by sending the Holy Spirit and prompting Him to move us toward God. According to Romans 8:15, the Holy Spirit causes us to feel our deep need for the Father and cry out, "Abba! Father!" 

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens."

The Lord Jesus is "exalted above the heavens" because he is "holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners." Unlike the Levitical priests, the Lord Jesus did not have to offer up any sacrifices for His own sins, because He didn't have any. His offer was not for His sins but solely for those who would believe that His death on the cross was what was needed to make us forgiven before God.

In v.27 of today's passage we read, "Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself."

The Lord Jesus is sinless, thus He did not have to offer a sacrifice for His own sin. He, also, does not need to repeat His sacrifice over and over because His sacrifice was perfect. Once is all it took.

In v.28 of today's passage we read, "For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever."

The Law of Moses granted a priesthood to men who were weak and couldn’t bring perfection. Their sacrifices were not adequate enough to procure forgiveness of sins for eternity. As a result, the Old Testament sacrifices could not bring man complete access to God. But God superseded that with the word of His oath when He declared the Lord Jesus as priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. 

In the Old Testament, the priest wore a breastplate upon which were twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Whenever the priest went into the presence of God, he carried with him on his chest all the tribes of Israel. He also wore, draped over his shoulders, an ephod with the twelve stones on them representing all the names of the twelve tribes, also. The priest bore the children of Israel to God on his heart and on his shoulders. Even though the Old Testament priests had a heart for the people, they did not have the strength to shoulder our burden of sin. Only the Lord Jesus Christ is perfect enough to do what is needed. And, He sits at the right hand of the Father with a heart to shoulder the sins of all mankind, forever.

Hebrews 7:18-22

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18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. 20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’” 22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. ~ Hebrews 7:18-22

We return today to Hebrews 7 where God has been proving to us that the Lord Jesus had to come to earth not only to be the sacrifice for all of man's sin, but He also had to come to be the High Priest on the behalf of all who would ever believe that He is the Messiah.

In v.18-19 of today's passage we read, "18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God."

In these verses the writer of Hebrews explains exactly why the Levitical priesthood was done away with and how, precisely, the Lord Jesus meets our need as the Savior. "The former regulation" is a reference to the Law of Moses which God gave Him on Mount Sinai in the desert. In that law the details for the priests were given. It was set aside because it was weak and useless. The law was weak because it appointed weak priests who died. Therefore, ultimately, it was useless to get the job that was needed done. Couple with that the complete inability of man to obey God perfectly, and we get at the same conclusion: the Law was weak and useless. This is why it is utterly senseless for us to think that we could ever earn the favor of God through our good behavior.

The need of sinful man is perfection but the Law of Moses made nothing perfect. The second part of v.19 describes what the Lord Jesus has done for us. He, as our great High Priest, ushered in "a better hope" through His death, burial, and resurrection. And, it is through this hope that we draw near to God. To "draw near" means our sin has been taken on and defeated by the Lord Jesus through His work on the cross and we have been given a personal relationship with God. 

In v.20-21 of today's passage we read, "20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: 'The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.'"

In the old covenant the priest never took an oath because the Law was given with a temporary purpose. It was always the ultimate goal of God to set man right again with Himself. Though the Law of Moses could only accentuate our sinfulness, the cross of the Lord Jesus made us acceptable into God's presence for eternity. Through the cross of the Lord Jesus, God met our need to be what He intended us to be. He met it by giving us the kind of High Priest we needed. In Christ the permanent program has become, therefore His ministry was confirmed with an oath made by God. This means God will never change His mind. 

The "it" in v.20 is the oath that God made to the Lord Jesus recorded in Psalm 110:4. No oath was ever involved in the ordination of the Levitical priesthood because it was a part of the Law of Moses. But, the Lord Jesus was given the oath that He is the forever priest. This means the oath is better than the Law and guarantees our salvation for eternity. Actually, the oath guaranteeing our salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. 

This is why God says in v.22, "Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant." The Law was unable to make anyone perfect enough to have a personal relationship with God. The Law points the finger of God's judgment at us because we can not be good enough to measure up to acceptability before Him. But, the Lord Jesus is the believer's guarantor. That word "guarantor" is the Greek word "enguos" which means "surety." The Lord Jesus Christ is the reason we have arrived in relationship to God. We lack nothing spiritually in Christ. Every believer in Christ is perfectly  thrilling to God because He poured out all of His wrath for our sin on His Son, even though God knows we will sin egregiously tomorrow.

With the Lord Jesus as our "guarantor" we do not have to obey God. That's right, we do not have to obey God. But, do you know what? Once we truly get to know His heart for us, we will want to obey Him because He is so good. And, by the way, obeying God does not improve our straight A status on His life chart for us. We can not add to what the Lord Jesus has earned on our behalf. And, now that we know Him through His Son, the key is learning to live out of our perfect status in Christ.

Hebrews 7:11-17

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11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. 13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 7:11-17

In Hebrews 7:1-10, the writer of Hebrews established the greatness of the priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He did this by observing Melchizedek, whose priesthood, as depicted in Genesis 14 and Psalm 110, prefigured that of Christ's.

In v.11-14 of today's passage, we learn of the imperfection of the inferior human priesthood. It was imperfect because the high priest himself was sinful. Then in v.15-17, we learn of the perfection of the superior and eternal priesthood of Christ. In these verses, the writer of Hebrews tells us what the Lord Jesus does for us as the "high priest according to the order of Melchizedek." 

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?"

The Lord Jesus didn't nullify the Old Testament priesthood, He fulfilled it. The issue of Judaism was the sinfulness of man, and, the fact that the blood of bulls and goats could not completely wash away man's sin. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest who fulfilled all of God's requirements as the Perfect High Priest. No mere man can go to God unless he be taken there by the Perfect One who stands between man and God. This is the argument of this entire section of Hebrews.

The word translated "perfection" implies fulfillment of purpose. God's purpose for humanity is to be in personal relationship with Him. This purpose could not be fully fulfilled by the Levitical priests of the Old Testament. The priests in Israel were from the tribe of Levi, and the high priests descended from Aaron, who was also a Levite. Although the Levitical priesthood was ordained by God in the law given by Moses, it was lacking due to sin. Therefore, there was a "need" for a different kind of priest from a different kind of order, one like the order of Melchizedek. God saw our need, and He met it by sending His Son who came as our eternal King-Priest.

In v.12-14 of today's passage we read, "12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. 13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests."

God never intended the old covenant with Israel to go on forever. He knew from eternity past that it would have to be replaced by a different priesthood. But, the Lord Jesus did not have the expected priestly lineage. No one from Judah had ever served as a priest, which means that if one does, and God ordains it, it must be an extraordinary case. And, the Lord Jesus Christ is an extraordinary case. Due to His divine nature, there is no one like Him. He changed the categories so that He could come and fulfill the need of mankind caused by the Fall. He came as the High Priest who would bear the sin of His own creation.

The verb in v.14 translated "descended" is better translated "arisen." The Lord Jesus rose up to meet our need. He saw our  desperate state and came to our aid. As our Eternal High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ rose up to meet our need. And, like Melchizedek's, the priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ transcends the sin of mankind. 

In v.15-17 of today's passage we read, "15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is declared: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'"

The Lord Jesus is qualified to save us to the uttermost because of the power of His "indestructible life." An indestructible life is better than a fleshly command, in that it is eternal and not bound by the human. The powerful, indestructible priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ was anticipated and attested by the Old Testament scriptures. When the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, the very power that raised Him from the dead made it possible for us to come into a personal and eternal relationship with God.  

And now, the Lord Jesus has set us on a new track, a track that is different than the tracks of this world. The world says we gain our lives by getting more, while the Lord Jesus says, "No, those tracks lead to death. You get your life back by giving it away and when you give it away you get it back." This is a life worth living, a life that is not tainted by the self and by this fallen world.

Hebrews 7:4-10

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4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor. ~ Hebrews 7:4-10

In Hebrews 7 the writer of Hebrews compares the priesthood of Melchizedek with that of the Levitical priesthood, and, he makes the point that Melchizedek's priesthood is superior. He then goes on to point out that the eternal priesthood of Melchizedek is likened to the priesthood of Christ. The writer of Hebrews spends so much time on this subject because in Acts 6:7 we read, "So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." 

It is obvious that in this book of Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews addressed questions that had been brought up by these priests who had come to faith in the Lord Jesus. His point was Christ's priesthood is the fulfillment of the Old Testament Levitical priesthood, and since this is the case, our lives should be ordered by the Lord Jesus Himself.

In v.4-5 of today's passage we read, "4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham."

Here, the writer of Hebrews reiterates the fact that Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek after Abraham had defeated the kings in the land of Canaan. Also, underscored in this text is the idea that the Levitical priests derived their authority by being in the lineage of Levi. Due to this, the Levitical priests could never acknowledge any greater help than the help that human priests offered. The help that was made available to the people through the Levitical priests was incomplete, limited and temporary because the priests were limited by their humanity at helping the people.  

Interestingly, Abraham acknowledged the supremacy of Melchizedek by paying tithes to him. Paying tithes was and is an act of worship, and only God is to be worshipped. That which we worship the most is that which defines us the most. Melchizedek provided a reminder to the people that someone greater than the Old Testament priest was soon coming. And, He would be the Messiah who had no beginning nor an end.

In v.6-7 of today's passage we read, "6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater."

As we mentioned before, everything we know about Melchizedek we discover in Genesis 14:18-20. And, what is clear is Melchizedek is greater than Levi and Abraham. He was greater than Levi because his priesthood was greater than the temporal and limited Old Testament priesthood. He was greater than Abraham because Abraham worshipped Him by giving to Him his tithes. Our worship of God does not make us perfect, but It reveals the perfection, in a certain way, of the One being worshipped. Worship is not an event, it is a lifestyle, it is a personal relationship with God. It is not the bi-product of our souls, although our souls may enter into worship. Biblical worship is the bi-product of our spirit, having been made alive to God and informed by the truth. The Lord Jesus told the woman at the well, "we worship in spirit and in truth."

In v.8-10 of today's passage we read, "8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor."

The priesthood of Melchizedek provided Abraham a picture of the coming Messiah, an eternal and royal priesthood, that would deliver eternal righteousness and peace. In Psalm 85:10 we read, "Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other." Melchizedek was a type of Christ delivering righteousness first, then peace. There is no peace with God unless He shares His righteousness with us. And, of course, this is what happened at the cross of the Lord Jesus.

When the righteousness of Christ was made available to us, God's righteousness became ours. The love and faithfulness of God came together at the cross delivering His righteousness and peace to all who are willing of heart enough to receive this incredible gift. 

After we trusted Christ as our Savior, immediately, God saw us enveloped in the righteousness of Christ. Every priest wanted to make a man righteous that he might be at peace with God, but the Old Testament priests could not do that due to their human limitations. As a type of Christ, Melchizedek’s very name meant righteousness, and his city was called peace, emphasizing that His was a kingdom and His was a priesthood of righteousness and peace. Christ came to give us His righteousness that we might be at peace with God. The assurance which flows out of this grand plan that goes back for centuries has found safe haven in the soul of the humble and willing believer in Christ.

Hebrews 7:1-3

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1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. ~ Hebrews 7:1-3

Today, we transition into Hebrews 7 where the writer of Hebrews continues his explanation of how the Lord Jesus' priesthood is greater than those of the Old Testament. This chapter is the main chapter in the epistle to the Hebrews, because it tackles the one question that concerned the Jews most, and that was the question of the priesthood. 

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means 'king of righteousness'; then also, 'king of Salem' means 'king of peace.'"

An Old Testament type is a picture of the person and work of Christ. For example, in the Old Testament we read about a brazen serpent being lifted up, and all who looked upon it were healed from their snake bites. And then we are told in John 3 that the serpent was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

In John 3:14-15 we read, "14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him."

Melchizedek, as you will remember, was an Old Testament type of Christ. He met Abraham in Genesis 14 and gave to him bread and wine which are the symbols used during the observance of the Lord's Supper. Abraham, in turn, gave tithes of everything he possessed to Melchizedek. The Old Testament tithe was always the mark of ownership. To pay a tenth is to indicate that God owns it all. In symbol, therefore, Abraham was saying to Melchizedek, "The One whom you depict has the right of ownership over everything in my life." 

One of the goals of the writer of this letter to the Hebrews was to prove that there’s a greater priest than any Hebrew Old Testament priest, one who doesn’t need to make atonement for His own sins. And the problem with the Jewish priesthood was that it was so inadequate. They had to do it over and over again. There was never any final satisfaction. Every time someone sinned, he had to make another sacrifice. The priest's work was never complete. 

So, the Holy Spirit, in the book of Hebrews, shows that what we need is a new and better priesthood, a new and better sacrifice, and points out that both of those are realized in the Lord Jesus Christ who Himself was a better sacrifice and a better priest. Melchizedek, the King-Priest of Salem, is foundational for understanding how Jesus occupies the dual offices of king and priest.

Four times in today's passage, we are told Melchizedek was king. Four times in two verses, it tells us this man was a king and a priest. This was totally foreign to the Levitical priests in Israel. There was never that combination. Israel’s priests were never king and priest. That was unknown in Israel. No priest was royal. But, this is the point! The Lord Jesus Christ is both priest and king so that He not only takes men to God, but He rules men for God. Here we have justification and sanctification.

In Zechariah 6:13 we read, "It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two."

So many years before the Lord Jesus came to earth, Zechariah clearly prophesied Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ would come as a priest who would sit on His throne, a royal priesthood.

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever."

There is no mention made of Melchizedek's ancestry in the Old Testament. That is strange given how often genealogies show up in the Old Testament. The absence of a genealogy for Melchizedek causes us to consider just who this one was. And, since the Lord Jesus often in the Old Testament reveals Himself ever so slightly, it makes sense that Melchizedek was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the very heart of Judaism was the priesthood. Man had to have a go between he and God. And, as pictured in the Old Testament priest, Melchizedek, the Lord Jesus is man's eternal high priest. 

Since, the Lord Jesus is eternal and He is our high priest, we are never out of His presence. And, as a result, having believed in Him as our Savior, we are never shut off from His resources. We are never separated from His wisdom, His peace, or His truth. This is what it means for the Lord Jesus to be in the order of Melchizedek. His priesthood is complete and satisfying.

All we know about Melchizedek comes out of three verses in Genesis 14. But the whole place that Melchizedek occupies in sacred history is one of the most remarkable proofs of inspiration and the unity of the Scripture as written by the divine Spirit. The whole concept of Melchizedek is an amazing insight into the fact that God wrote the Bible.

For example, in the book of Genesis, we have these three little verses about Melchizedek. A thousand years later, we find a Psalm with just a single verse about Melchizedek. And in that, God Himself swears to His Son that he will be a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. That’s Psalm 110:4.

Another thousand years passes by, and another verse becomes the seed of this wonderful exposition about Melchizedek. And you know you can see nothing less than the divine order of the mind of the Spirit, guiding Melchizedek and guiding Abraham with a view through all of these thousands of years to coming up to a perfect picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Melchizedek and Abraham had no idea what was going to happen 2,000 years at least after them. The psalmist had no idea, and yet God knew exactly what He was doing with the person of Melchizedek. All of this screams the very same God that wrote the book of Hebrews also wrote the book of Genesis.

Hebrews 6:16-20

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16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. ~ Hebrews 6:16-20

We come back today to our study of Hebrews 6 where the writer of Hebrews has established the argument that Christianity is a personal relationship with God accessed through the Lord Jesus Christ. This was necessary due to the fact that the recipients of this letter were being tempted to go back to their previous habits of religion. Christianity is not a religion since religion is man's attempt to reach up to God in an attempt to appease Him in some way. Christianity is God reaching down to helpless and hopeless man through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, offering forgiveness of sin and a personal relationship with Him to whosoever would believe. 

In v.16 of today's passage we read, "People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument."

Humans use oaths to substantiate our statements because our promises are not reliable enough to trust. This is part of the reason we need a Savior. The writer of Hebrews saw it necessary to write these words in light of the fact that he had just used Abraham as an illustration of God's truthfulness and faithfulness. He established that God can be trusted, especially since He promised by Himself, and God can not lie because He Himself is the very essence of the truth.

In v.17-18 of today's passage we read, "17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged."

The writer of Hebrews affirms that the messianic hope which He promised to Abraham included the heirs of the promise who are all of those down through the centuries who have believed in the God of the Bible. God made an oath through His Son, in order to provide a foundation for our trust in Him. He supported His promise with an oath to make His unchanging nature of no question. God’s use of an oath supplied evidence we could not doubt. Not only was it impossible for God to lie, but His ever truthful Word was supported in this case by His oath. These are the two unchangeables in this passage which encourage those who hold firmly to the hope set before us.

In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

These first century Christians had drifted along aimlessly in the quagmire of the definitions this world offers. They needed to understand and grasp the promises the Father had offered them through His Son. Once they were defined by God's definition of things, it was then they could experience the surety of hope. They, like so many down through the ages, found the hope they needed which acts as an "anchor" for their souls. All who have ever believed have this firm anchor of hope because the Lord Jesus was faithful to the call of God on His life to be the Lamb of God who takes away our sin. 

The writer of Hebrews draws our attention to our "souls" which are made up of our minds, wills, and emotions. The soul is different than the spirit for it is the spirit that is "born again" once a sinner has placed his trust in the finished work of the Lord Jesus. Our spirit is the arena of our justification, whereas our souls provide the arena of our sanctification. We get quite confused when we mix these two. It wasn't that these first century Jewish Christians were not in personal relationship with God, their problem was they had a soul problem. Their theology needed honing. They needed to be defined by God in their souls. And, of course, this is one of the biggest take aways from our study of this book.

The image suggested in v.18 by the words "we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us" is that of a fortified refuge. By use of a swift change in the figure used, the writer of Hebrews then presented a picture of a harbor where "the soul" may securely drop "anchor." It was the Lord Jesus Christ who came as the "forerunner" who has introduced us to God in that intimate place behind the curtain in the Temple. In the Old Testament, only the high priest could go into that most intimate place in the Temple. As our High Priest the Lord Jesus has changed that. When He died on the cross that massive sixty foot high veil in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. Yet again, God gives us a picture of His involvement in our salvation. The soul of the believer in Christ is anchored inside that veil. Once trained by God's truth, we will be adrift no more, we will be anchored to God's definitions of all things.

After our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ performed the perfect sacrifice, He entered into the heavenly Holy of Holies and sat down. He sat down because His job was finished. The veil was ripped from top to bottom and the Lord Jesus provided for all humble enough to believe a permanent way into the very presence of God. And now, nothing can change our disposition before God, even though we willfully sin. You see, we no longer define ourselves. We are now being defined by Him. I can say this because the moment we believed in the Lord Jesus, our past, present and future sins were forgiven and absorbed in the Lord's body at the cross.