Hebrews 8:1-2
The contrast in the priesthood continues and leads to the main point. All the contrasts and comparisons led up to this, the summation and purpose of the lesson. If these Hebrews could see the point the writer was making, they would understand his concern for their faith. The main point:
- We have a High Priest
- He is seated at the right hand of the throne of Majesty
- He is present in the heavens.
- He serves in the heavenly tabernacle
If they believed this to be true, it would affect their thinking, prayer, and worship. If they didn’t believe, then it was time to consider such an important fact. These Jews knew the priests as far as their responsibilities and actions pertaining to temple worship, whether it be true worship or just rote acts of religion.
The discovery of a High Priest in the heavenlies who served in the true Tabernacle revealed that the Levitical priests serving in the earthly Tabernacle were inferior. What they did in the earthly tabernacle was to point to Jesus. The Hebrews needed to reconcile this main point.
This throne is the highest of all thrones. It is above all nations, all tongues, all the heavens, and all the earth. Some in the world would say that the throne isn't over them because they don't believe it. It doesn't matter if men believe it. Unbelief doesn't make it any less real or any less powerful. Every knee will bow at that throne someday. All men will come to the knowledge of the holiness of God. Unfortunately, many will come too late.
This knowledge should move us to send the word to all nations and share it with our neighbors and family. Satan is working hard against the gospel, and Christians aren't always overcoming that resistance. The Bible is clear, many will be drawn away from the truth. Many will believe the lies of the world and the religious lies that lead people away from the Lord. The world is working hard to lure men and women away, drive them away with persecution, or teach them false religions by false teachers.
We need to stay close to the throne because at the right hand of this throne is the seat of power and authority. Jesus, our High Priest is sitting at the right hand of that throne. He is seated because His work is complete.
The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” (Psalm 110:1)
The Jews thought a lot of the Temple in Jerusalem. It was the sanctuary of God. There was nothing like it in the world. It was an incredible sight. Historians wrote of the amazing architecture. The sheer size of it was impressive even to the gentile. Even inside the temple were amazing and ornate furnishings. The priests of old served in this sanctuary. Yet their work there never accomplished or completed anything, especially anything eternal. Unlike the heavenly throne, there was no chair in the earthly temple. The work of these old covenant priests was never completed. The priests never sat down. The writer of Hebrews is saying this earthy sanctuary, as amazing as it appears, is nothing in comparison. That sanctuary was created by men. The work done in the earthly sanctuary was perfect in its purpose. That purpose was to point to the Great High Priest and the perfect sacrifice to come. Jesus, the Great High Priest, would minister in the real sanctuary created by God.
Speaking of the temple, Jesus said not one stone would be left on another. The Temple would be completely destroyed within a year of the time this book was written.
Hebrews 8:3
At that time, priests still offered gifts and sacrifices according to the law. The Temple had not yet been destroyed. These priests offered the sacrifice of unblemished animals in a temple made by men, a copy of the heavenly Tabernacle. In the minds of these Hebrews, a priest served in their temple, doing the prescribed works of the temple as outlined by Moses when the law was given to Him.
Jesus, as the priest in the order of Melchizedek, brought His offering to the heavenly Tabernacle. This was the authentic and original Temple. The Lord Jesus offered His perfect sacrifice there. He offered Himself spotless, unblemished, and perfect.
The writer is making the case that Jesus is the High Priest. Since the Hebrews couldn’t see Jesus with their eyes here on earth, ministering, they struggled to grasp that idea. They were relying on tradition and religion.
When Solomon built the first temple, it was a sight to see with its size and its amazing architecture. There was nothing like it in the world. Kings all over the earth came to see it. I believe part of the problem these Hebrew men faced was they wanted a priest they could see with their eyes and understand how he fits into their life here on this earth. And the writer is trying to show them Jesus, whose work is supernatural; it's beyond this world. His work as a priest is in the heavens. They thought their big temple was big thinking. They thought their big temple was the sanctuary of a big God. But they weren't thinking big enough. They needed to widen their view. What they had was good because it came from God, and many of them believed it was good enough. But “good” is the enemy of 'the best'.
Jesus is God the Son, serving God the Father in His plan, and that is for our good even when we don't recognize it. He is of another order, a higher order. He isn't good, or good enough. He is the best, the One and only plan for redemption and salvation.
Hebrews 8:4-6
When Moses was on the mountain, he was given an amazing, detailed set of instructions on how to build the Tabernacle. These instructions were for its building, furnishing, the clothing of the priests, and the prescribed methods of serving. All these instructions were a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. There is a heavenly tabernacle that this earthly tabernacle was a copy of.
The word “shadow” used in verse five is defined as shade caused by the interception of light, just like we would think of a shadow. If the light of God fell on the heavenly temple and its shadow was cast on the earth, this is what it would look like. It's a copy and a likeness, not coming close to the real thing.
The real temple is in heaven, and that's where we want our High Priest to serve. A priest serving on earth in the shadow of the real thing is nothing in comparison to the Great High Priest serving in the real temple in the heavens.
The better covenant was one of grace, not works. In the new and better covenant, Jesus did all the work on the cross, and all sin was paid for completely. It's a covenant that testifies to God's love for us, faithfulness, and mercy. There was nothing in this first covenant for these Hebrews to hold on to. They couldn't look to it for a remedy to sin. They couldn't find a personal relationship with the Lord.
The “better” of both better covenant’ and better promise are the same word. The repetition is an emphasis on the superiority of Christ.
Hebrews 8:7-12
The writer uses the promise of a new covenant to show that the old was obsolete, incomplete, and imperfect. This was by design. The Old Covenant prepared the way for a new covenant. The law displayed God’s perfect requirements, holiness, and righteousness. It showed mankind they needed a new covenant because they were incapable of keeping the old.
The fault was not in the law but in men's shortcomings in keeping it. The law did nothing to bring men to salvation. It brought men to the knowledge of their need, the knowledge that they needed a savior. The purpose of the law is to drive us to Jesus.
This writer quotes from Jeremiah 31. It's from a time of renewal in Israel's history. They had fallen away, and under Josiah, they once again found the law and turned toward the Lord and His covenant with the people. From the words of Jeremiah, we can see that mankind couldn't keep the covenant. As a nation, they were in this constant cycle of rebellion, repentance, and back again.
Hard as they have tried, men couldn't obey the law. They needed something better. We need something better. We need something that doesn't rely on our righteousness because if our relationship with God is based on how good we are, then none of us would be going to heaven. The Old Covenant depends on “If You will,” while the New Covenant relies on what Jesus did. In the new covenant, it's about the work of Jesus and not about our work. He did it all, and we got all the benefits.
In the New Covenant, we are transformed from the inside. God's law is written on the heart and mind of every man. That is our conscience. We know right from wrong. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. By the power of Jesus Christ, we have victory over that sin. We are no longer held in bondage to it or by it. God the Father will forgive our wickedness because He can. Part of God's Holy nature is His just nature. He is the just judge. And a just judge can't look the other way at lawbreakers. When Jesus paid for our sins, and we received that gift and trusted in it, abided by it, and turned from our sins, justice was served. Our sin was paid for. Now the just and holy God can forgive our wickedness. When we are found in Christ, our sin is as far as the East from the West. Sin was defeated on the cross. That is the foundation of the New Covenant.
Hebrews 8:13
With the announcement of a New Covenant, even back in Jeremiah's time, the Old Covenant was growing old and beginning to vanish. That was the plan from the beginning. When this letter was written, the temple was just a few months from being destroyed, and all temple service would cease.
God didn't try the Old Covenant and discover that it didn't work so He came up with a new one. Jesus is the plan of salvation and has been from the foundations of the earth. The Old Covenant revealed God's holiness to the world. The law codified God's holy requirements. It established that sin was unacceptable to God and that it must be dealt with. And dealing with sin is ugly.
When Jesus rose from the grave and later ascended to the right hand of the Father. It was done. The New Covenant was complete. All mankind has to do now is believe. Then from our belief, God does all the work.
Once again, these Hebrew Christians, in their suffering of this life, find no comfort in running back to old things. The old things have passed away. They stand in a new life in Christ. God wanted to grow them in holiness and righteousness in their circumstances. And He can do that no matter where you stand. He can do that for us no matter what's going on in our lives.
Every day, somewhere in the world, Christians are maimed and killed for their faith. And there are powerful stories and testimonies that we can barely relate to. The stories of the faith of these people are amazing. Do you know the testimony of these Christians who have been persecuted and suffered horribly for their faith? It's exactly what this writer is trying to teach these Hebrews. They knew they came out of a dark life, a life with no hope. They served in pagan temples and saw satanic influence and power from false religions. They came to Christ and found hope. Now, there is no running back. Run forward, run headlong to Jesus. That's what the writer is Hebrews is telling these folks. There is nothing to run back to. There is only Christ. Run to Jesus. Hold on tight, never let go, no matter what.
Do we have that thought? Remember the main point of all this discussion of the priests? Here's the contrast. The Old Testament priests were sinful men who performed the work outlined for them by the Lord. That work was sacrificing animals and the sprinkling of the blood on the altar. It was interceding between men and God. Priests lived, died and a new one took his place. They sacrificed and sacrificed, repeatedly killing animals, burning their flesh, and sprinkling their blood, and nothing changed. People kept sinning. The law demanded payment and they were unable to complete any payment. All they did, their entire ministry as a Levitical priest, was a picture of what was to come, of the work of a greater priest and the work He would do.
Jesus was, and is, The Great High Priest of another order. He is eternal and so his work has eternal consequences. Jesus interceded between God and man. He made Himself a sacrifice, presenting Himself to God the Father as payment for the sins of all men. That offer was made once, for all. It was received, and His work was completed as the payment was complete.
The ministry of works is dead. We are covered with the ministry of Grace. We have a High Priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of majesty in the heavens. Take that in, embrace that truth. That truth should excite each and every one of us. The contrast solidifies our position with the Lord. It brings a sharpness to our faith. Our walk is brisk, focused, and intense. Our mission is defined, and our commission to take it to the world lies right before us.
No matter what, even if we are persecuted, even if it costs us all we have, because our salvation is sure, and it's the only thing we keep after we are gone, our eternity is secure. There is no retreat or pulling back in timidity. There is only boldly standing in Jesus and walking on.
© 2011 Doug Ford, Updated and revised 2019, 2024
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