GOD’S CHANGE OF METHOD FOR SPEAKING TO PEOPLE
All the way through the old testament we can see how God tried different ways to speak to his people, mainly by prophets, but with the coming of Jesus it is clear that He had changed his method (v1, 2), now speaking to us by a Son. What more could the Father have done for us? Jesus is the heir of all things, He created the worlds, He perfectly reflected the glorious character of God (v3) and what’s more He now sustains all things by his powerful word. When He had dealt with the world’s sin problem he sat down in heaven at the Father’s right hand.
The letter to the Hebrews is probably a letter from Paul and it is a letter to Jewish Christians. Much of the book backs up his argument that Christians are now in a new, and much better, situation to the old testament Jews. God always had plans for his kingdom people but His involvement with the people of Israel in the old testament was important but only a step along the way, a shadow of what was to come.
Paul uses old testament verses to:
SHOW THE SUPERIORITY OF JESUS
TO ANGELS
Firstly, to show that the Son is superior to the angels (1 verse 4 onwards). These verses are from 2 Samuel, Deuteronomy but mainly the Psalms and we learn that Jesus has an eternal throne in a righteous and all-conquering kingdom (v8). It is encouraging to read in the final verse (14) that angels actually serve God by helping us. Paul is concerned that the Hebrew Christians do not drift away from this wonderful message (2v1) and I am sure he would say the same to us today.
I found it quite interesting to read here (2v2) (also Acts 7v53) that the angels were instrumental in bringing the law given to Moses. The law we know was important to Israel at the time for, whether you kept it or not, it could be life or death (v2); even more so, we should not neglect the better salvation that Jesus has brought. This salvation is for a “coming world” (v5) and Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels (v9), is now crowned with glory and honour in that “coming world”. God’s plan was to die for everyone (v9) and bring many children to glory (v10) and we can see what this means for us in verses 11 and 12. We are now children of the Father, brothers and sisters to Jesus himself! The reason Jesus came to share our flesh and blood was to (v14) destroy the one who has the power of death, the devil, and free us who feared death.
TO MOSES AND THE LAW
Secondly, to show that the Son is superior to Moses who had been given the law. Moses was faithful as a servant leader of God’s house (his kingdom people) (v5) whereas Jesus was the son of the house (v6). In one sense, Moses was a failure because God swore that the people, who were led by Moses out of Egypt into the 40 years in the wilderness and rebelled against God, would not enter His rest, the promised land (v11). That rest was not really found under Joshua, either, even though he entered the promised land (4v8). God was in his rest already for, on the 7th day of creation, God rested (v4). The same message is also true for us (v7), from the Psalms (95v7), that “today” we can enter God’s rest, heaven, if we don’t fall through disobedience (11).
At the end of chapter 4 are some wonderful verses explaining that the word of God, Jesus, is living and active (v12) and even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts are judged by Him. The good thing, though, is that Jesus passed through the heavens for us (v14) and as a kind of perfect priest, he is able to sympathise with our weaknesses (v15). We can be confident to approach His throne because it is one of grace and mercy (v16) when we need help.
TO THE PRIESTS
Thirdly, to show that Christ is a better priest than those in the old testament rituals. The old testament high priest was weak and sinful (Aaron was the first one) and was called by God to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the people (5v3). Jesus was also appointed by God (v5) but He would be a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek. He would become the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him (v9).
At the end of chapter 5 and the beginning of chapter 6 we are strongly encouraged to move on from basic teaching to become more mature in Christ. We need to be trained by practice to distinguish between good and evil (5v14). In this passage we are told how terrible it is to taste new life in the Spirit but, then, fall away (6v4). Paul just wanted them, through faith and patience, to inherit the promises made to Abraham (6v12) and made possible by what Jesus had done (v19,20).
TO EVEN ABRAHAM
Why is Melchizedek (Genesis 14v18), a mysterious character who met Abraham, likened to Jesus? (Look at 7v1-3).
The important point about Melchizedek is that he was more important than Abraham, the human father of all Jews. Look at his strange name which means “king of righteousness” and he was king of Salem which means “king of peace.” Abraham respected him enough to give him a tithe and Melchizedek felt anointed enough to bless Abraham. We are told nothing of the birth of Melchizedek or his death and, likewise, Jesus is a king for ever. Some of Abraham’s descendants were later appointed priests but this passage reminds us that there was someone more important than Abraham or his future line of Levitical priests. If the original priests had been successful in their endeavours, why did the Psalms talk about a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek? (v11) Jesus came from Judah, not the Levi bloodline of priests, but had something special, the power of an indestructible life (v16). The old priests have been replaced by an everlasting priest who is always there to save us if we come to God through Him (v25). He is a priest who always intercedes for us because he has been made perfect forever (7v28).
TO THE TEMPLE RITUALS
If Jesus is a priest for us forever, where does that leave the temple rituals?
This is the subject of chapter 8, 9 and the first part of 10.
The old tabernacle (8v5) set up by Moses, to God’s pattern, was a “sketch and shadow of the heavenly one” and Jesus ministers in the true tent that the Lord has set up (v2). It is important to understand that the new covenant offers so much more than the failed old covenant (v6). It is far better than the old, which did not work, and the new one had been promised very clearly in that wonderful passage of Jeremiah 31 (v31-35) and recalled here in chapter 8 verses 8 to 12. It would be a covenant written on our minds and hearts (v10), a covenant of mercy where God would remember our sins no more (v12). Clearly, the writer calls the old covenant “obsolete”, soon to disappear (v13), and to be honest it has gone now because even Jews do not try to keep the law as it was.
The tabernacle was a place for worship and a place of holiness where God’s presence dwelt (9v1). Under the law virtually everything was purified with blood for forgiveness of sins (v22) because the tent worship was a sketch of the heavenly things (v23). The heavenly things needed a better sacrifice, the blood of Jesus, and Jesus did not enter the sanctuary once a year like the high priest but he entered heaven, once and for all. This was “the end of the age” (v26), the end of the age of the old covenant. He bore the sins of many (v28) and next time He comes He will come to save those waiting for Him.
Again in 10v1 we see that the law was only a shadow of the good things to come, not the true form, and it could never make anyone perfect. It was actually “impossible” for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (v4). Psalm 40v6, referred to here, goes further to say that God was not really interested in animal sacrifices and offerings but only the body of Jesus Christ once for all (10v10). Through a single offering God perfected His people for all time (v14).
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US NOW?
We have confidence to approach God (v19-21) knowing that we have been purified by the blood of Jesus. God has been faithful to us so we should be faithful to him (v23), we should provoke one other to love and good deeds (24) and not neglect meeting together (v25). Again we have a warning against Christians wilfully persisting in sin because, in those circumstances, the sacrifice for sins no longer remains (v26). We are effectively spurning the Son of God, profaning the blood covenant and outraging the Spirit of grace (v29). Before the time of Jesus, Habakkuk received that amazing prophecy that “my righteous one will live by faith” (v38). Paul is encouraging the Hebrews to hold on in endurance to receive the promises for we either have faith or we shrink back (v38) and those with faith are saved but those who shrink back are lost (v39).
WHAT IS THIS FAITH THAT SEEMS ALL-IMPORTANT?
“Faith (11v1) is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” In other words faith is trusting in God even when things have not worked out yet. Chapter 11 is the classic Bible passage on faith. The writer explains how so many of the great old testament characters had faith and how it is impossible to please God without faith (v6). So what is it?
Firstly, we must believe that he exists and he wants us to come to him (v6). Faith is an active thing, as we trust in God’s promises, but we may never see those promises fulfilled in our lifetime (v13), look at Abraham. Faithful people are not too worried about being strangers or foreigners on the earth because they are looking for a better heavenly country (v13,16) and God welcomes people like that (v16). In faith we believe God’s promises, as Abraham did for Isaac, and trust His ability to keep them. By faith we see his blessings on our family and others. By faith Moses shared ill treatment with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin (v25) because his future hope was better than the treasures of Egypt (v26). Faith in God was more powerful than the fear of men. With faith in God, miracles happen like the parting of the Red sea and the fall of the walls of Jericho (v29, 30). Through faith God’s people won great victories, acted justly, shut the mouth of lions and saw their dead resurrected. Others were willing to trust in God even at times of great persecution. These old covenant people, it says, had faith but not a single one received the best promise of all (v39), being made perfect by Jesus.
RUN THE RACE
We are encouraged to lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely (12v1, 2) and run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. All these other faithful people pale into insignificance compared to the faithful Jesus who had so much joy in what he would achieve for us (v2). He endured the cross and is now seated at the right hand of God because He was the first to realise the promise to live in the Fathers presence but, now, so can we.
Look at verses 5 and 6 where there is an interesting link with Proverbs (3v11,12) “.. the Lord disciplines those whom He loves.” , talking about trials we go through (v7). Most human parents discipline their own children, sometimes right, sometimes wrongly, but our heavenly Father has our best interests at heart, a life of holiness and righteousness (v11). If you keep to right paths then your life will be better (v13) and any wounds from the wrong path will be healed.
HOW SHOULD WE LIVE?
At peace with others (v14), living in grace not bitterness (v15) and, not being like Esau, who focused on things that do not matter (v16). At the time when the law was given on Mount Sinai even Moses trembled with fear and so should we be careful to listen to what God tells us. What we have come to is not an angelic presence on a mountain but heaven itself (v22). We are receiving an unshakeable kingdom so we should receive it thankfully and worship him with thankful reverence and awe (v28) because he is a consuming fire (v29 and Deut 4v24).
Note for Jehovah’s witnesses that creation, as we know it, will be removed leaving only unshakeable things, the kingdom of God (26-28 and Haggai 2v6).
Getting our relationships right with mutual love (13v1), showing hospitality (v2), remembering those in prison (v3) and keeping marriage honoured (v4).
Keeping our lives free from the love of money (v5) and being content with what we have. We can have confidence that the Lord is our helper (v6 and Ps 118v6) and will never leave us or forsake us (Joshua 1v5).
In our church life, we should consider our leaders and the outcome of their life and imitate their faith (v7), keeping away from strange teaching for we need to be strengthened by grace not regulations (v9).
We have no lasting city (v14) and must be willing to suffer as Jesus did, continually praising him and confessing his name (v15). We should do good and share what we have (v16). Obeying our leaders to make their job a joyful one (v17).
We need to allow God to make us complete in everything good that we may do His will, working in our lives what is pleasing to Him (v21).
I find it useful to see the variety of old testament books referred to in Hebrews: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, 2 Samuel, many quotes from the Psalms, also Proverbs, the major prophets-Isaiah and Jeremiah and the minor prophets-Habakkuk and Haggai. The old testament points to the gospel of Jesus Christ all the way through.