The Book of Hebrews was written to Hebrew believers. The writer instructed and encouraged them concerning the faith. They are told that they had the best system of faith, and they should not even consider going back to Judaism.
The writer has shown that believers have a better priesthood and a better covenant. Jesus Christ is Priest after order of Melchisedec and has a "more excellent ministry." He is also the "mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises" (verse 6). Jesus is ministering in a better sanctuary, the "true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man" (Verse 2).
A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE FIRST AND THE NEW COVENANT
The First or Old Covenant. It was mediated by Moses (Exodus 19; John 1:17). It was conditional (Deuteronomy 28). It could NOT produce the necessary righteousness (Hebrews 7:19; Hebrews 8:8; 10:1-4). It was written on stones (Exodus 32:15). It was temporary.
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Exodus 19: 1In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the
land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2For they were
departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the
wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.3And Moses went up unto God,
and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the
house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4Ye have seen what I did unto the
Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 5Now
therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a
peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6And ye shall be
unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou
shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7And Moses came and called for the elders of
the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded
him. 8And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken
we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. 9And the
LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may
hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of
the people unto the LORD. 10And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people,
and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, 11And be
ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of
all the people upon mount Sinai. 12And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round
about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the
border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: 13There shall
not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast
or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the
mount.14And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the
people; and they washed their clothes. 15And he said unto the people, Be ready against
the third day: come not at your wives. 16And it came to pass on the third day in the
morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount,
and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp
trembled. 17And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God;
and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18And mount Sinai was altogether on
a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended
as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 19And when the voice
of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God
answered him by a voice. 20And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top
of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went
up. 21And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break
through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. 22And let the priests also,
which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon
them. 23And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai:
for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it. 24And the
LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron
with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the
LORD, lest he break forth upon them. 25So Moses went down unto the people, and
spake unto them.
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John 1:17: For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ.
Exodus 32:15: And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two
tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides;
on the one side and on the other were they written.
The New Covenant
It was mediated by Jesus Christ, Hebrews 8:6; 9:14, 15).
Hebrews 9:14, 15: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead
works to serve the living God? 15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new
testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were
under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance.
It is unconditional (Hebrews 8:8, 9). It CAN produce the necessary righteousness (Hebrews 8:11, 12; Hebrews 10:9-14). It is written on living hearts (Hebrews 8:10). The results of the New Covenant are eternal (Hebrews 8:12).
ALSO NOTE:
The First Covenant is past. The New Covenant is present and is for the future. Both Covenants are made with the whole house of Israel. It will be "after those days" (that is, when the present dispensation has passed and other circumstances have come in)— "the good things that are to
come" (Hebrews 9:11; 10:1). Its announced result is the removal of the transgressions and iniquities of Israel (Hebrews 8:12).
WHO ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF THE NEW COVENANT?
Before our Lord went to Calvary, He celebrated the Passover with His disciples in the Upper Room.
At the Supper, He instituted the "Lord's Supper." Taking the cup, He said, "This cup is the new
testament (covenant—Greek diatheke) in My blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22:20; Mark 14:22-24). The Apostle Paul quoted these words and applied them to the Church . The writer of Hebrews states that Jesus Christ is the "surety of a better testament (covenant)" (Hebrews 7:22), "the mediator of a
better covenant" (Hebrews 8:6), and "the mediator of the new covenant" (Hebrews 9:15; 12:24).
What, then, is the relationship between the New Covenant promised to Israel, but experienced today by the Church? Or, to state it another way: how can God promise these blessings to the Jews and then turn around and give them to the Church? Here are the ways that some try to solve the problem.
Some say that the Church is "spiritual Israel" and that the New Covenant promises therefore belong to
"Abraham's spiritual seed" today. The believers today are the "spiritual seed" of Abraham is 126
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clear from Galatians 3:13-19. But this is not the same as saying that the Church is "spiritual Israel."
The promise quotes in Hebrews 8:8 specifically names "the house of Israel . . . and the house of
Judah." Once we are permitted to make such plain words as Israel and Judah mean something else, then there is no end to how we might interpret the Bible.
Galatians 3:13-19: 13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made
a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14That
the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we
might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15Brethren, I speak after the
manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man
disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises
made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which
is Christ. 17And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in
Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that
it should make the promise of none effect. 18For if the inheritance be of the law, it
is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19Wherefore then
serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to
whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a
mediator.
Another view is that the New Covenant is with the nation of Israel only and has no present fulfillment or application to the Church. This view holds that it will be fulfilled only when the Jews are regathered and the Kingdom is established at our Lord's return to the earth in glory. But then we have the problem of explaining Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 12:24, and Luke 22:20. From these verses we learn the Jesus Christ is today the Mediator of the New Covenant.
Hebrews 9:15: And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by
means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first
testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Hebrews 12:24: And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of
sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Luke 22:20: Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament
in my blood, which is shed for you.
Yet another view is that there are two covenants in this chapter. One refers to the nation of Israel, and the other refers to the Church. But this raises more questions. If there are two New Covenants, then were there two First or Old Covenants? If so, what was the Old Covenant which God gave to the Church? If not, why were two New Covenants given to replace one Old Covenant? When was the Church ever under the Law?
A fourth view is that is only one New Covenant which will be fulfilled eschatologically with Israel but is participated in soteriologically by the Church today. Thus, there is a dual or a twofold application.
God did promise a New Covenant for His people Israel, but the blessings of the New Covenant are 127
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wrapped up in God's Son, Jesus Christ. He is the Mediator of the New Covenant. When Jesus began His ministry, He went to His own people Israel first (Matthew 15:24; John 1:11, 12). When He first sent our His disciples, He sent them only to the nation of Israel. Matthew 10:5, 6, "These twelve Jesus
sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of
the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." When Jesus commissioned the Church, He instructed them to begin in Jerusalem and go to the whole world (Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8).
Matthew 15:24 : But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of
the house of Israel.
John 1:11, 12: 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as
many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name:
Luke 24:46-48: 46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ
to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47And that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem. 48And ye are witnesses of these things.
Acts 1:8: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in
Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Peter's message at Pentecost was addressed only to Jews and Gentiles who were Jewish proselytes (Acts 2:14, 22, 36). In his second recorded message or sermon, Peter clearly stated the good news of the Gospel would go to the Jews first. (Acts 3:25-26). But the nation of Israel rejected the message and the messengers. While it is true that thousands of individuals trusted Christ and were saved, it is also true that most of the nation of Israel rejected the Word, and the religious leaders opposed the ministry of the Church. One result of their opposition was the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7). But what was God's response? The Gospel moved from Jerusalem and Judea into Samaria (Acts 8) and then to the Gentiles (Acts 10).
Acts 2:14, 22, 36: 14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and
said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known
unto you, and hearken to my words:… 22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus
of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and
signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:…
36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that
same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Acts 3:25, 26: 25Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God
made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds
of the earth be blessed. 26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent
him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
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Today, both Jews and Gentiles are in the body of Christ, the Church (Ephesians 2:11-22; Galatians 3:27-29). All who are "in Christ" share in the New Covenant which was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross. Today, the blessings of the New Covenant are applied to individuals. When Jesus comes in glory to redeem the nation of Israel, then the blessings of the New Covenant will be applied to Israel as a nation.
Ephesians 2:11-22: 11Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in
the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision
in the flesh made by hands; 12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and without God in the world: 13But now in Christ Jesus ye who
sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace,
who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new
man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body
by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17And came and preached peace to
you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18For through him we both
have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of
God; 20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner stone; 21In whom all the building fitly framed
together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded
together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Galatians 3:27-29: 27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put
on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
In order to have a better understanding, you should read all of Jeremiah 31, not merely Jeremiah 31:31-34.
Jeremiah 31: 1At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families
of Israel, and they shall be my people. 2Thus saith the LORD, The people which
were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to
cause him to rest. 3The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have
loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
4Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again
be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make
merry. 5Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall
plant, and shall eat them as common things. 6For there shall be a day, that the
watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto
the LORD our God. 7For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and
shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save
thy people, the remnant of Israel. 8Behold, I will bring them from the north country,
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and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame,
the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company
shall return thither. 9They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I
lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein
they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
10Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and
say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his
flock. 11For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of
him that was stronger than he. 12Therefore they shall come and sing in the height
of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for
wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall
be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. 13Then shall the
virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their
mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be
satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD. 15Thus saith the LORD; A voice was
heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children
refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. 16Thus saith the
LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall
be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
17And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again
to their own border. 18I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou
hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn
thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God. 19Surely after that
I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I
was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
20Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I
do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will
surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD. 21Set thee up waymarks, make thee
high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest:
turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities. 22How long wilt thou go
about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the
earth, A woman shall compass a man. 23Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of
Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof,
when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of
justice, and mountain of holiness. 24And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all
the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks. 25For I
have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul. 26Upon
this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me. 27Behold, the days
come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah
with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. 28And it shall come to pass, that
like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down,
and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith
the LORD. 29In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour
grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. 30But every one shall die for his own
iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
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31Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32Not according to the covenant that
I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out
of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband
unto them, saith the LORD: 33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their
inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my
people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them
unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will
remember their sin no more. 35Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a
light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night,
which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:
36If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel
also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. 37Thus saith the LORD; If
heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out
beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the
LORD. 38Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the
LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. 39And the measuring
line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about
to Goath. 40And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the
fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east,
shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more
for ever.
Believers today must avoid the bondage of the First Covenant and must avoid misapplying the New Covenant. We note conclusion of the Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15:5-29, and especially Vs7-14). In the Book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul addressed the matter of returning to the Law (1:6-9; 3:1-7, 11-14, 24, 25; 4:9-11; 5:1-4.)
Galatians 1:6-9: 6I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into
the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some
that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But though we, or an angel
from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached
unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man
preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Galatians 3:1-7, 11-14, 24, 25: 1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye
should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set
forth, crucified among you? 2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit
by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun
in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4Have ye suffered so many things
in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and
worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith? 6Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness. 7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the
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children of Abraham….11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God,
it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12And the law is not of faith: but, The
man that doeth them shall live in them. 13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of
the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth
on a tree: 14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus
Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith….24Wherefore
the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by
faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Galatians 4:9-11: 9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of
God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again
to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11I am afraid
of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Galatians 5:1-4: 1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us
free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2Behold, I Paul say unto
you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3For I testify again to
every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4Christ is
become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen
from grace.
CONCLUSION
We have a better priesthood and a better priest, Jesus Christ. He ministers in a better sanctuary, the true tabernacle, and is the Mediator of a better covenant with better promises. Jesus is the surety of a better covenant and gives the believer eternal salvation. The New Covenant is a blessing to every individual who believes and will be a blessing to the nation of Israel in the future.
Have you receive the salvation provided by Jesus through the New Covenant? If not, why not? If so, are you living in obedience to the Word of God and serving God through the Church of Jesus Christ?
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