John N N Ng’ang’a Meditation of November 11….Hebrews 8….difference between the old and new covenants
Day 1
Hebrews 8:1
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,
The Book of Hebrews is a book of comparisons. It is comparing the old covenant with the new covenant teaching. Right from chapter one, the bible says that Jesus is God's final spokesman compared with the many prophets that came before in Old Testament. Then the writer compares receiving messages from angels against receiving from Jesus, again showing how much superior Jesus is. He then compares the levitical priesthood, against Jesus as the high priest. Again, the difference is very, very big.
Then in chapter 8, he is still comparing the covenants, the old covenant and the new covenant. The scriptures portray the importance of Jesus being at the right hand of God under the new covenant. Verse 1 says in Hebrews 8 says,
The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such another high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the heavenly sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.
You see, under the new covenant, you are dealing with a priest who is not with us on earth. This observation is repeated many times, that Jesus who is our high priest is with God the Father. We read that in Hebrews chapter 1:3, then we read it in Hebrews chapter 1:13and is now repeated in Hebrews 8:1. It will also be repeated in Hebrews 10:12 and Hebrews 12:2. We need to understand that Christ our high priest is seated with God the Father . That is very important. This idea of Jesus seated with God is also in the book of acts 2:30-36,
30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’[a]36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
This is peter talking and in the book of Acts 7,
56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Here we see Stephen before he dies, seeing Jesus at the right hand of God. Paul has already talked about it in Ephesians 1:20-23.
20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Thus, under the new covenant, we know where our high priest is, he is with the father, and you are assured of his presence there. He is interceding for us, and therefore speaking on our behalf.
Day 2
Hebrews 8
2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.
Jesus is not just a priest, he is a minister of the holy place built by God not by man. isn’t that what he says in verse 2,
2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.
Yes he serves in that heavenly sanctuary. Jesus is not only God, not only a priest, he is actually a minister,who serves in the heavenly sanctuary, the true Tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.
Then vs 3 goes on to say
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.
Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So, it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. So, Jesus is God, but he is seen as a high priest, he is seen also as a minister. In other words, he is serving.
Of course you know Christ had to deal with the sins of people on the cross. So it is the same way he intercedes for us, and as we repent we are forgiven. I think what he is trying to say is that every high priest is appointed to offer sacrifices, and that’s what he is doing for us. The only difference is, whereas the other priests will ask you to bring a goat and put your hand on the goat so that your sins are transferred to the goat; now, he offered himself as the sacrifice. By faith, when we repent, sins are transferred to him and are this cleansed.
Day 3
Hebrews 8
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
We saw that he does not repeat the sacrifice as seen earlier in Hebrews 7:27.
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
Thus , he doesn’t qualify to offer sacrifices on earth,for there are those who are designed to do that. So he does not offer sacrifices here on earth. We no longer need to sacrifice on earth but in Judaism here on earth it's earthly priests who serve in the sanctuary.
Then verse 5 is saying,
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
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.”
In other words, whatever it is you have on earth, it is just a shadow, the real perfect one is where Christ is today. Moses went to the mountain, he was shown in a vision exactly what God wanted according to this writer. Therefore, there is a real one in heaven, then Moses made a similar one on earth. The one on earth is a pattern of the one in heaven.
Put it differently, what we have on earth is a shadow of the real one. Maybe that’s true of our church no wonder we have so many imperfections because we are not the real one. The fellowship of brethren is the one in heaven. The one we have on earth is simply a shadow of the true one.
If it is a shadow, it means it is inferior to the true one. Whatever you see today , it is inferior to the true one. You know, Christ is the one serving in that superior realm in heaven, and he is not involved in the inferior one, the earth one.
Day 4
Hebrews 8
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
But in fact, the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs, that is the earthly priest, as the covenant of which he is mediator, is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. So, Christ is serving in the superior realm, in the superior covenant. Therefore whatever we receive in Old Testament compared to what we receive from our apostles, pastors, and what we can receive direct from God, it is far much superior. Christ ministry is far much superior.
Yes, he is the mediator of a better covenant. In other words, where we are operating, the New Testament, the new covenant, is a much better covenant for us as human race compared with the Old Testament one . We can clearly say Moses was the mediator of the first covenant and Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. You know this covenant is better enabled because it has better promises. That is what Hebrews 8:6 is saying, since the new covenant is founded on better promises.
So, what are we saying? That there is a first covenant and a second covenant. But obviously for us to institute a new covenant , it means there was a problem with the old one. Isn’t that really verse 7 is saying,
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another
So, the whole idea of trying to obey the Old Testament covenant and follow it, would be terrible! Because it has been superseded by the new one, and the reason the new one has come is because there is a problem with the old one. How can we ignore the better one and insist on continuing to shed blood.?
That is the message of the Book of Galatians, how can we ignore what is on offer in the new covenant and try to operate under the old covenant? Obviously you know why the new covenant came. If you are building a new house, because you have a problem with your current one, and you decide to abandon it and you build a new one, surely, if somebody tries to tell you to move from the new one to go back to the old one, he is ignoring the fact that the new was expensive to build and there is a reason you built it. Something must be wrong with the first one. I think that is what verse 7 is trying to say.
no place would have been sought for another.
Day 5
Hebrews 8:8
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.
But God found fault with the people and in vs 8 said:
8 But God found fault with the people and said[b]:“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.
He goes on to say in verse 9,
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..
So, he is not a minister under the old terms, he is a minister under the new terms, and the Book of Jeremiah is the one being quoted here. Jeremiah 31:31-34, as proof that Jesus was going to come to a new covenant.
We are not suggesting that the Mosaic covenant was not good, it was good for its time, but the New Testament is even better. What’s wrong with a Mosaic Old Testament covenant? It was weak! It couldn’t bring man to a permanent fellowship with God, it is on and off. With the new covenant you get born again, and you fellowship with God on a continuous basis.
You need to understand the Old Testament covenant. The fault was with the people, they are the ones who did not implement it well. Fault is not with the convenant itself. Isn’t that what verses 8 and 9 is saying, when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, after they came from Egypt?
So really one of the reasons why the old covenant will not work is because they were unable to keep it. The reason why the New Testament worked, is because we are now dependent on the spirit of God who gives us the grace and the power to follow the new covenant.
Day 6
Hebrews 8
So, let’s be clear, the old covenant and the new covenant are not the same. The gospel under the new covenant is a fulfillment of the law, not a rejection of the law. But, we keep repeating that the gospel of the new covenant is superior to the one in the law, mosaic law.
How is it superior? Look at verse 10,
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
What is the promise of the new covenant ,I will put my laws in their minds, number one, and write them on their hearts, number two. I will be their God, and they will be my people, number three.
You can see what’s better about the new covenant. It is on the hearts, the Old Testament one was on tablets of stone, they read it! But this one the holy spirit comes into our hearts, and therefore you live with a conviction of what is right and wrong. that’s a very, very important difference.
So, the new covenant is in the heart and therefore internalized. It involves people already taught, and the second covenant helps us be more enlightened. Hear what verse 11 is saying,
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.
Day 7
Hebrews8
12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”[c13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
This new covenant involves people who are taught, they are therefore enlightened. that’s the difference between the first and the second covenant. I think the other very important thing to note is in verse 12 This new covenant,
12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”[c]
That’s the promise of the New Testament, as it is written in the book of Jeremiah. It offers complete forgiveness, no annual remembrance of sins necessary. For example, if you are talking about a sin of adultery which you have repented, you are forgiven. But the Old Testament covenant was a covenant that was wonderful yes, but it had limitations. Just look at verse 13,
13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
So, I think what the Book of Hebrews wants to emphasize, is that although the Old Testament is God’s word, you are not to follow it without the interpretation of the new, because we are operating under the new covenant.
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