Devotional: The high priest of a New Covenant.(Hebrews 8:1-13)

 Praise be to God who gave us power over sin and delivered us from religious activities through His superior priesthood! Hallelujah!

Our scripture for today: Hebrews 8:1-13

Hebrews 8:1-4 KJV

[1] Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; [2] a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. [3] For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. [4] For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law...

These chapter is a continuation of what we learnt in Chapter 7 yesterday, verse 1, Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum... 

Hebrews 8:6 NLT

[6] But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

No earthly priest could take away sin the way Jesus did. Therefore Jesus’ ministry is far better than the ministry of the priesthood under the Law of Moses. Jesus has mediated for us a better covenant, a covenant of grace and not of works, guaranteed for us by a cosigner (Hebrews 7:22). It is a covenant marked by believing and receiving instead of by earning and deserving. Jesus is our Mediator for this greater covenant. Mediator means “one who stands in the middle between two people and brings them together.” 

Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant because he “brought the two parties together.” Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant, a better covenant, bringing us to God the Father. Jesus’ covenant is a better covenant, better than any of the previous covenants God made with men. The covenant of Jesus fulfills the other covenants described in the Bible.

It is in the nature of man to come up with things that are “new” but not needed. God isn’t like that. The fact that God established a New Covenant proves that there was something lacking in the Old Covenant. The Lord made it clear that this covenant would originate with God, and not with man.

The New Covenant definitely began with Israel but it was never intended to end with Israel (Matthew 15:24 and Acts 1:8). The New Covenant features transformation from within, not regulation through external law.

Have you been wondering? What's even this new covenant? 

Hebrews 8:10-12 NLT

[10] But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. [11] And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already. [12] And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

And that's it! Glory to God.

Some differences between the old covenant and the new covenant;

1. They were instituted at different times.

The Old covenant around 1446 B.C.

The New covenant around 33 A.D.

2. They were instituted at different places.

The Old covenant at Mount Sinai.

The New covenant at Mount Zion.

3. They have different mediators

Moses mediated the old covenant.

Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant.

4. They are different in their subject matter.

The Old covenant demanded a covenant of works.

The New covenant fulfills the covenant of works through the completed work of Jesus Christ.

5. They are different in what they actually accomplish.

The Old Covenant made nothing perfect.

The New Covenant can and will bring in the perfection of God’s people.

 6. They are different in their duration.

The Old Covenant was designed to prepare the way for the New Covenant and then pass away as a principle of God’s dealing with men.

The New Covenant was designed to last forever.

Conclusion:

Hebrews 8:13 GNT

[13] By speaking of a new covenant, God has made the first one old; and anything that becomes old and worn out will soon disappear. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 GNT

[17] Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. 

Prayers

Lord, help me to walk in the reality of the New covenant.

Help me to stay in alignment with the new covenant.

In Jesus' name.🙏🏾