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“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant” ( Hebrews 9:15 )

The church I grew up in concluded their weekly services by singing the hymn, ‘Jesus Paid it All’. The refrain goes like this,

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

There are incredible truth in these words. Even as a young child I understood that Jesus made things right. I knew that He had settled the score, made the account balanced and washed us clean by His blood.

In fact, the previous verses in Hebrews 9 declare that the previous way of forgiveness, the shedding of the blood of bulls and goats, only cleansed on the outside. In contrast, Jesus’ blood entirely cleansed the heart of mankind and was able to clear the conscience from the guilt of sin, once for all. The debt was completely and utterly wiped out by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The result was life, so that we could serve the living God ( Hebrews 9:14 ).

Because of this, Jesus is the mediator of a New Covenant. A mediator is the representative between two parties. A mediator negotiates for both parties until a resolution is reached. Jesus’ blood was the means to bring mankind and God together. Up until this time, mankind was held hostage under the accusation of death because of sin. At the right time, Jesus was born as a man, to die as a ransom for us. The cost was his blood, the result was redemption from all of the sins committed under the first covenant. If sins have been paid for, then there is no longer the threat of death.

Jesus’ cleansing blood is the reason and the means by which He is eternally the mediator of the New Covenant. In fact, Hebrews 12:24 tells us that Jesus’ blood speaks a better word for us than the blood of Abel. Abel was murdered by his brother Cain and his blood cried out to God from the ground ( Genesis 4 ). If Abel’s blood cried for restitution, then think how much more the blood of Christ speaks on our behalf before God. What it is saying is love, mercy, grace, favor, forgiveness and acceptance. What a marvelous thing!

Just as the words of the hymn declare, ‘Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow”, Jesus’ blood both washes us clean and guarantees the relationship we enjoy with the Father. Knowing that Christ is forever the mediator of the covenant of grace we enjoy, empowers us to live a life fully devoted to God, serving out of gratitude for all that He has done for us. Because Jesus Christ lives, we have received the fulfillment of the promise of an everlasting inheritance, He guarantees it!

“For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever” ( Hebrews 7:28 )

The entire book of Hebrews contrasts in one way or the other the vast differences between the Old Covenant and the New. Whether it is contrasting Jesus’ priesthood with the Levitical priesthood or the outcome of those priestly duties, the result is the same, the New Covenant is far superior in every way imaginable ( Hebrews 8:6 ).

The point of the entire book is to show us that the Covenant of the Law is inferior to the Covenant which Jesus ushered in and secures for us. In fact the writer goes to great lengths to describe that this Covenant is backed by an oath from God that it is eternal and permanent. Because of the oath, God will never revoke or change his mind concerning these promises ( Hebrews 6:16-18, Hebrews 7:18-22 ).

This particular verse is a prime example of this contrast. The law sets up men to intercede based on frailty and weakness, which is not very effective considering the job they are required to do. However, the New Covenant, based on the oath that Jesus is the one to make peace for us ( Romans 5:1 ), is very effective because Jesus is already perfect and sinless. In other words, he fulfilled the requirements of approaching God in perfection, so He is able to perfectly intercede on our behalf ( I Timothy 2:5 ). Not only is this so, but since He defeated death once for all His position is eternal since death no longer has claim over Him ( Romans 4:25, Romans 6:9 ). This give us both confidence and assurance of every promise made to us throughout the Scriptures because Jesus is the guarantee of everything written to us ( Hebrews 7:22 ).

When you really break it down, the Law is what strengthens sin in our lives showing our guilt and shame ( Romans 3:19-20, Galatians 3:10-11, Galatians 3:21 ). Then when you consider that those set up to make intercession are subject to the same weaknesses, we can see the need for a new system. “The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God” ( Hebrews 7:18-19 ).

The better hope is Jesus. He is the only one that can make us righteous and acceptable to God ( Romans 3:22, 4:5, 16, Romans 5:1, II Corinthians 5:21, Titus 3:5-7 ). He took our sin and gave us His righteousness ( II Corinthians 5:21 ) so that we can stand justified before God ( Romans 8:30 ). Since we now can stand in His presence we also know that we have boldness in approaching Him by faith ( Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 10:22 ). This is by far a more superior and advantageous covenant in every way imaginable.

This Covenant is backed by an oath, not the law, “Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant” ( Hebrews 7:22 ). And the oath is founded on better promises, “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises” ( Hebrews 8:6 ). This is why the contrast between the law and the oath is so great and is very important to us to understand because we are heirs of the New Covenant, founded and secured in Jesus Christ. “For the Law sets up men in their weakness [frail, sinful, dying human beings] as high priests, but the word of [God's] oath, which [was spoken later] after the institution of the Law, [chooses and appoints as priest One Whose appointment is complete and permanent], a Son Who has been made perfect forever” ( Hebrews 7:28 AMP).

“And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’” Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant” ( Hebrews 7:20-22 )

Several times throughout the gospels the voice of God was heard over Jesus. The first instance is when he was baptized by John. A voice came from heaven and said, “This is my Son, whom I love: with him I am well pleased” ( Matthew 3:17 ). Another notable event was on the mount of transfiguration. While Jesus was speaking with Moses and Elijah a bright cloud enveloped them and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” ( Matthews 17:5 ). Lastly right before Jesus death, while He was praying in the garden He said, “Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ( John 12:28 ). Everyone there had different reaction to the voice of God, some said it had thundered and others said an angel had spoken to him. However look at Jesus’ response “This voice was for your benefit, not mine” ( John 12:30 ).

Every time God spoke audibly to Jesus it was for our benefit. Jesus understood God’s nature completely because they are one and the same so the words were not said for Jesus’ sake ( John 1:1, Colossians 1:15, Colossians 1:19, Hebrews 1:1-2 ) However, He said these things about Jesus so we could have insight into this relationship between the two. Through it we see that God loved Jesus, God was pleased with Jesus and God’s name was glorified through Jesus. These are important truths to know.

In the same way, the oath made between God and Jesus that He would eternally be our High Priest was made solely for our benefit so we could understand that the covenant made on our behalf was lasting and eternal. In fact God wanted to make His intent very clear so He made us this promise and then confirmed it with an oath and hinged everything on his character, “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. ( Hebrews 6:17-18 ). Knowing this should give us boldness and courage to approach God on the basis of being reconciled through Jesus.

Because of this oath, through Christ we have full access to God. We have boldness to enter into the very presence of the Father to find grace and help in every circumstance of life ( Hebrews 4:16 ). This is why the Law was weak and useless ( Hebrews 7:18 ). It could not bring us into perfect fellowship with God the Father ( Hebrews 7:11 ), however Jesus did. And because God promised Him on oath that He was a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, He has become the guarantee of a better, stronger and more advantageous covenant ( Hebrews 7:22 ). God wants us to know this; which is why He made this oath to Jesus. This is something we should constantly remind ourselves so that we can live in a state of peace, being assured that we are acceptable to God solely on the basis of what Jesus did for us. This is an amazing truth, which is why John said, “This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” ( I John 3:19-20 ).

The oath made to Jesus was made solely for our benefit so that we would know and rest in the covenant that Jesus secures for us. Through Christ we have peace with God ( Romans 5:1 ) and confidence to approach Him through faith ( Hebrews 4:16 ). This is why the covenant of grace we have is far superior to the old covenant in every way imaginable and this new covenant is guaranteed eternally by the oath made on our behalf.

My husband and I were walking back to our car after a recent event. We had parked two miles away on a hilltop because of the large number of people in attendance. As we returned to our vehicle we came by a small creek which meandered through the countryside. But because of recent heavy rainfall, the creek was now a fast torrent of high water. Many people were in the same boat as we were, our car was on the other side and it was necessary to cross over.

Some brave souls tried to jump the creek falling short and into the water. Some tried to climb down water carved earth to walk through the water and up the other side. Some refused to attempt anything waiting for someone to pick them up. And some, like us looked for the bridge that was built across the creek to safely get us to the other side.

The book of Hebrews is like this. It is the bridge that believers must understand in order to safely navigate life. This bridge is the connection piece between the Old Testament and the New. These covenants are completely different and yet many Christians try approaching God on the basis of Old Testament Law instead of New Testament faith. Unless you understand the role of Jesus and the better and more perfect covenant He offers, you will be like those people who tried to jump across the creek and wound up wet and frustrated.

To understand the Old in relation to the New we must look at it in light of who Jesus is and what Jesus did. This is because Christ changed everything! His short time on this earth changed the course of history forever. His entrance into humanity was the pinnacle of the ages. He came to show us God in a living and breathing way. A way we had not previously understood. God's true and entire nature was made manifest in the person of Jesus Christ.

The entire Old Testament spoke of and looked forward to the time of Christ. It has always been about Him. The sacrificial system was a symbol of Jesus. Every instruction and ritual was a type and shadow of Christ. And the Law is what Christ would fulfill in our stead. It is the story of Jesus. And now that He has come we can appreciate it in a new and wonderful way.

This is why understanding Hebrews will change your perspective in so many ways. It will solve some of the big questions about God that Christians ask. It will reconcile the differences in the covenants and give you a clear and true picture of God. Over the next year, I will be writing verse by verse through this book in hopes to gain a deeper revelation of Jesus. I hope to convey the awesomeness of our faithful high priest and show Jesus as our eternal king, Lord and savior.

Here's a small taste of some of the topics we will cover:

• Jesus' role in the Godhead
• Jesus' role in salvation
• Jesus' superiority to angels
• Jesus' superiority to Moses and the Law
• Jesus' role as our High Priest before God
• The differences between the Old and New Covenants
• The superiority of the New Covenant
• Dwelling in a constant state of Sabbath Rest
• The sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice
• Total forgiveness
• Approaching God with a clear conscience
• Entering into the Holy of Holies
• How faith pleases God
• The changelessness of Christ
• Much, Much More!

Please join me as I start this journey! It will be a wonderful, life changing adventure. God bless you as you seek Him and the truth of Jesus Christ!