Hebrews Lesson #11

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
HEBREWS 8
LESSON #11
OUR BETTER COVENANT

MEMORY VERSE: HEB 8:12

READ HEB 8:1-6 THE HIGH PRIEST IN THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY

THE CHAPTER BEGINS WITH A REVIEW OF THE TWO GREAT MYSTERIES IN THE BOOK (1)

1. JESUS CHRIST, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST

HE IS BETTER THAN THE ANGELS (CHAPTER 1-2)
HE IS BETTER THAN MOSES, JOSHUA, AND AARON (CHAPTER 3-4)
HE IS OUR HIGH PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK (CHAPTER 5, 7)

2. JESUS CHRIST, SEATED IN THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY.

THIS CHAPTER BEGINS TO EXPLAIN THIS PART OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY NOW.

HE IS THE MEDIATOR OF A BETTER COVENANT.
HE IS THE PRIEST OF A BETTER TABERNACLE.
HE OFFERS A BETTER SACRIFICE.

OUR HIGH PRIEST IS ACTIVELY MINISTERING IN THE REAL HEAVENLY SANCTUARY. (2) (WE WILL TAKE A DETAILED LOOK AT THAT HEAVENLY SANCTUARY IN CHAPTER 9.)
OUR HIGH PRIEST IS OFFERING GIFTS AND SACRIFICES TO GOD.

HE OFFERED HIS BLOOD TO GOD ONCE, BUT IT REMAINS BEFORE GOD FOR OUR SINS. (3)

HE OFFERS OUR TITHES AND GIFTS TO GOD.

IF WE DON'T GIVE, HE HAS NOTHING TO OFFER TO GOD ON OUR BEHALF. IT IS NOT THAT WE BUY OUR WAY TO GOD BUT OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS ARE A TOKEN OF OUR LOVE FOR HIM.

IF JESUS CHRIST STILL LIVED ON EARTH, HE WOULD NOT BE A PRIEST SINCE HE WAS NOT FROM THE TRIBE OF LEVI. (4)

THE OLD TESTAMENT PRIESTS OFFERED TITHES GIVEN ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF MOSES. JESUS IS A BETTER HIGH PRIEST BRINGING BETTER GIFTS TO GOD BECAUSE WE GIVE THEM OUT OF LOVE, NOT OUT OF LAW.

WHAT DO THE WORDS, "COPY, SHADOW, AND PATTERN" MEAN? (5)

THE EARTHLY TABERNACLE WHERE THE JEWS WORSHIPPED IN THE WILDERNESS WAS A COPY OR SYMBOL OF THE REAL TABERNACLE IN HEAVEN. IT WAS TO BE A PICTURE ON EARTH OF THE PATHWAY OF ACCESS TO GOD.

WE HAVE DISCUSSED MANY TYPES AND PREFIGURES GIVEN IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS.ALL OF THEM SYMBOLS OF THE REAL HEAVENLY TRUTHS OF JESUS CHRIST AND OUR LIFE IN HIM. FOR EXAMPLE:

ISRAELITES WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE = THE CARNAL CHRISTIAN'S EXPERIENCE
ADAM = CHRIST
MOSES = CHRIST
EGYPT = WORLD
THE LAND OF CANAAN (THE PROMISED LAND) = THE "REST" OF GOD (FULL BLESSINGS)
CROSSING THE RED SEA = BEING BORN AGAIN
CROSSING THE JORDAN RIVER = BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
SABBATH = THE "REST" OF GOD (CEASING FROM SELF-WORKS)
AARON AS HIGH PRIEST = EARTHLY MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST AS HIGH PRIEST
MELCHIZEDEK = HEAVENLY MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST AS HIGH PRIEST
THERE ARE STILL MANY TYPES AND PREFIGURES TO COME. FOR EXAMPLE:

THE COVENANT
THE TABERNACLE
THE SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS

CHRIST'S BETTER MINISTRY AS THE MEDIATOR OF A BETTER COVENANT. (6)

"MEDIATOR" = SOMEONE IN THE MIDDLE WHO BRINGS 2 PARTIES TOGETHER.
WHAT IS A COVENANT?

THE GREEK WORD IS "DIATHEKI" = TO BIND

A LEGAL AGREEMENT BINDING 2 UNEQUAL PERSONS. AN INFERIOR MAY ACCEPT OR REJECT THE AGREEMENT BUT MAY NOT CHANGE IT.

TO UNDERSTAND HOW OUR COVENANT IS BETTER, WE NEED TO STUDY THE OLD COVENANT OF LAW AND SEE ITS FAULTS.

MOSAIC COVENANT(IN FORCE DURING THE AGE OF LAW)

EXO 19 – 31

GOD'S PROMISES	MAN'S RESPONSIBILITY
YOU WILL BE GOD'S SPECIAL PEOPLE	OBEDIENCE TO: COMMANDMENTS EXO 20:1-26 THE RIGHTEOUS WILL OF GOD JUDGMENTS EXO 21:1-24:11 GOVERNING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE ORDINANCES EXO 24:12-31:18 GOVERNING RELIGIOUS LIFE AND WORSHIP
PRIESTS	SERVICE
HOLY PEOPLE	NO AGREEMENTS WITH PAGAN PEOPLE
GUIDANCE	NO HEATHEN PERMITTED TO DWELL IN THE LAND
PROTECTION
PROVISION
HEALTH
FRUITFULNESS AND PROSPERITY
FAVOR WITH ENEMIES

THE SYMBOL OR SIGN OF THE COVENANT: TABLES OF STONE

(A PHYSICAL SIGN) AND THE SABBATH (A SPIRITUAL SIGN)

COVENANT DURATION: A CONDITIONAL COVENANT IN FORCE AS LONG AS ISRAEL WAS IN THE PROMISED LAND

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

THE OLD COVENANT WAS FOR A PEOPLE WHO WERE SPIRITUAL BABIES. IT WAS A COVENANT OF LAW TO TELL THEM WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WRONG. IT WAS TO BE A "TUTOR" OR "SCHOOL MASTER" TO TEACH THEM THE WAY. GAL 3:24. THE NEW COVENANT IS FOR A PEOPLE TREATED AS ADULT SONS. THERE WAS A PROPHECY THAT THE OLD COVENANT WOULD BE REPLACED. JER 31:33

WHAT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE OLD COVENANT?

THE OLD COVENANT HAD NO INHERENT FAULTS BECAUSE IT WAS

MADE BY GOD. THE FAILURE WAS IN MAN (8) WHO COULDN'T KEEP IT AND NEVER RECOGNIZED AND ADMITTED THAT FAILURE.

THE OLD COVENANT DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO KEEP THE PEOPLE FAITHFUL TO THE COVENANT.
THE OLD COVENANT DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE AWAY SIN BUT ONLY TO COVER IT WAITING FOR CHRIST.

READ HEB 8:7-13 THE NEW COVENANT
THE CONDITIONS OF THE NEW COVENANT (HEB 8:10-13).

NEW COVENANT(OPERATIONAL DURING THE AGE OF GRACE)

HEB 8:7-13

GOD'S PROMISES	MAN'S RESPONSIBILITIES
LAW IN THE MIND A MORE ACTIVE CONSCIENCE (SOUL)	NO CONDITIONS EXCEPT FAITH IS REQUIRED
LAW IN THE HEART AT THE NEW BIRTH EXPERIENCE, GOD BRINGS TO LIFE MAN'S (SPIRIT)
A RELATIONSHIP BASED ON PERSONAL REVELATION HE MAKES THE HOLY SPIRIT ACTIVE IN YOUR LIFE AND IN YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
ALL SHALL KNOW ME THE WAY TO GOD IS OPEN TO GOD WITHOUT A HUMAN PRIEST MEDIATING THE WAY
MERCY FOR OUR FAILURES
CLEANSING FROM SIN A TOTAL REMOVAL OF SIN AND NOT JUST A REMISSION FROM PUNISHMENT

A SYMBOL OR SIGN OF THE COVENANT: JESUS' BLOOD

COVENANT DURATION: AN UNCONDITIONAL COVENANT IN FORCE FOREVER

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE OLD COVENANT AND THE NEW COVENANT

OLD MOSAIC COVENANT	NEW COVENANT
OUTWARD FORMAL WORKS	INWARD AND SPIRITUAL
HUMAN PRIEST, THE INTERMEDIARY	JESUS CHRIST, THE INTERMEDIARY
A COVENANT OF LAW	A COVENANT OF GRACE
JUDGMENT UNDER THE LAW	GRACE AND FORGIVENESS
OBEDIENCE CAME FROM FEAR	OBEDIENCE COMES FROM A WILLING HEART
GOD SAID "IF YOU WILL...THEN I WILL..."	GOD SAYS "I WILL..."

THE NEW COVENANT IS ESTABLISHED ON BETTER PROMISES (6). WHAT ARE THE BETTER PROMISES?

PROMISES TO ABRAHAM	PROMISES TO MOSES	THE BETTER PROMISES TO US
SPIRITUAL: BLESSINGS TO ALL NATIONS WITH SALVATION BY FAITH TO THE CIRCUMCISED WHO KEPT THE COMMAND OF BLOOD SACRIFICE WHICH COVERED SIN.	SPIRITUAL: SALVATION THROUGH FAITH IN THE BLOOD SACRIFICE OF ANIMALS DONE BY THE PRIEST TO COVER SIN	SPIRITUAL: SALVATION THROUGH FAITH IN THE BLOOD SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST THAT WASHES AWAY ALL SIN
PHYSICAL: A HEALING OF SARAH’S WOMB SO AS TO PRODUCE A SON AND A NATION.	PHYSICAL: ALL THOSE WHO LOOKED AT THE SERPENT ON THE POLE WERE HEALED. NUM 21:4-9 JOH 3:14	PHYSICAL: NOT JUST HEALING WHEN ONE LOOKS AT THE ACTUAL CROSS OF CHRIST, BUT BY FAITH LOOKING AT JESUS IN PRAYER. JAM 5:13-15
MATERIAL: ALL THE LAND FROM THE EUPHRATES RIVER TO THE NILE RIVER.	MATERIAL: THE PROMISED LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY.	MATERIAL: NOT JUST MATERIAL BLESSING UPON HAVING ENTERED A PHYSICAL PIECE OF LAND AND STAYING WITHIN IT, BUT THE FULL BLESSINGS OF GOD WHEN WE ENTER INTO THE PROMISED "REST" OF GOD. HEB 4:1-11

THE REALITY OF THE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE:

SINCE WE LIVE UNDER THE NEW COVENANT THAT HAS POWER TO KEEP US FAITHFUL, WHY DO WE SEE SO MANY CHRISTIANS GO THE WAY OF THE ISRAELITES WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS WHO WERE UNDER THE OLD COVENANT?

HASN'T THE NEW COVENANT FAILED JUST AS THE OLD ONE DID IN SECURING CONTINUAL OBEDIENCE?

NO. THE OLD COVENANT HAD NO AVAILABLE POWER TO KEEP MAN ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW PATH. THE NEW COVENANT HAS THE POWER TO DO THAT.

THEN WHY DO WE SEE SO MANY CHRISTIANS FAIL?

THE NEW COVENANT DOES NOT VIOLATE MAN'S FREE WILL. IT IS ONLY WHERE THE HEART SEES AND TRUSTS BY FAITH WILL MAN CONTINUE IN OBEDIENCE.
PARDON FOR SIN, PURITY OF HEART, AND PRESENCE OF GOD ARE UNIQUELY JOINED.

SUMMARY NOTE:

NOTICE THE TWO NAMES FOR CHRIST IN THIS CHAPTER:

THE MINISTER OF THE SANCTUARY (2)
THE MEDIATOR OF A BETTER COVENANT (6)

HOMEWORK
HEBREWS 9:1-5

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF HEB 8:

WHAT IS YOUR FAILURE UNDER THE NEW COVENANT?
REVIEW CHAPTER 8 TO SEE THAT GOD HAS PLACED WITHIN YOU THE POWER TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE NEW COVENANT.
PRAY AND ASK FORGIVENESS FOR YOUR FAILURES. PRAY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO MANIFEST NEW STRENGTH BASED ON YOUR NEW FAITH IN HIM THAT HE IS ABLE.

PREPARATION FOR HEB 9:1-5

READ HEB 9:1-5

BACKGROUND: READ EXO 25-27
LIST THE AREAS AND PIECES OF FURNITURE IN THE TABERNACLE.
WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SYSTEM OF WORSHIP? (FOR EXAMPLE: WHAT IMPRESSION DO YOU GET OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD? HOW COMPLICATED DOES THE SYSTEM APPEAR?)
HOW DO YOU THINK THE OLD TABERNACLE IS A PICTURE OF HOW A SINFUL MAN CAN APPROACH A HOLY GOD?

MEMORY VERSE: 1JOHN 2:2