Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.
I can remember being nineteen in Calculus at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College utterly lost without hope on my first day of class. Looking back now, I can see just how helpful my instructor was in guiding me around the many obstacles I faced as a student who struggled with math. Like any good instructor, his method of teaching such a difficult subject was simple:
- Create a foundation of fundamental ideas.
- Build the course topics based on that foundation.
- Bring the topics together into real-world utility.
In Hebrews 8, we reach a culmination of the idea of the “High Priest.” The foundation of this concept is laid out at the end of chapters 6-7. In Hebrews 6:19-20, we read about a “hope that enters the presence behind the veil.” In Hebrews 7, we read about the scriptural basis on which that “hope” is found coming from the Order of Melchizedek. In this chapter, the author brings together these ideas to show us the big picture - what Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross means for us.
In verses one and two, the author states Christ’s authority as a different sort of “high priest” than what early Christians were used to. Unlike the priests appointed from the Levitical Priesthood, Jesus’ ministry is in God’s heavenly tabernacle, not a manmade structure. Verse one even describes Jesus as being on the right side of the heavenly throne. As we move through the first section of chapter eight, we see a comparison between the earthly priest and the High Priest, Jesus. Where the Levitical Priesthood strived to copy and adhere to the laws laid out for them in Exodus by God through Moses, as mentioned in verse five, Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. Where the Levitical Priesthood offered gifts and sacrifices for themselves along with the Jewish people, Jesus made a one-time sacrifice bearing the sin of the entire world for eternity in exchange for a better covenant that has been made to us by God. That covenant is the promise that “whosoever believes in him shall have everlasting life,” and that Christ is our intercessor as mentioned in Romans 8:25.
So, what makes this covenant better than the first? As we know, sin equals death. Regardless of how we look at it, in order for our sins to be reconciled to God, blood must be shed. The old covenant required sacrifice after sacrifice in order to cleanse the nation of Israel of its sins. The old law served only the purpose of showing our need for a savior and our inevitable condemnation without one. Under the new covenant, Christ came “not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” What a beautiful picture we have of the God of love and life becoming death for our sakes. Of course, we can’t forget that Christ defeated death for our sakes as well and now is seated at the right hand of the Father. Because of the new covenant, the old has “been made obsolete,” meaning the fulfillment of the prophecy quoted in verses 8-13.
“I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people.”
Because of Jesus, as Christians, we are considered God’s people. As you go throughout your day, allow yourself to reflect on God’s unyielding faithfulness that we are able to experience as His people.
Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- Allow yourself to reflect on God’s unyielding faithfulness that we are able to experience as His people.
Family Devo: Hebrews 8
By: Carrie Hobson
When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.
Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset
Head
Chapter 8 is a must-read after all we learned in chapter 7. It brings everything we learned together. According to verse 1, we have such a High Priest who SAT down at the right hand of the throne of Majesty in heaven. I emphasized “sat” because the work of Jesus is done. Remember when he was crucified, he said, “It is finished”, and then he passed away? He was telling us that what he had promised was fulfilled. The Greek word, tetelestai, means “it is finished" which means “paid in full”. On the cross, Jesus paid our debt in full. Under the old law, priests never got to sit because their work was never done. They had to constantly make imperfect sacrifices or offer gifts for their sin. Under Jesus’ perfect priesthood, he offered a better and perfect sacrifice - His own life. Jesus mediated a better covenant. To quote Enduring Word’s Bible Commentary, “Jesus has mediated for us a better covenant, a covenant of grace and not works, guaranteed for us by a cosigner (Hebrews 7:22). It is a covenant marked by believing and receiving instead of earning and deserving.”
Heart
Imagine if you owed somebody a lot of money and someone paid it all for you without having to pay them back. How would that make you feel? I know I would be in awe if someone cared enough to do that for me. Now think about it on a larger scale. How does it make you feel to think about someone giving up their own LIFE so that you could live forever free of sin and terrible things? God’s love, grace, and mercy are SO evident in the sacrifice of his Son. I’m so thankful!
Hands
Parents- There’s a huge connection between Leviticus and Hebrews. If you’re like me, it’s easy to get bogged down in Leviticus. Take a minute to watch this video here (some content may not be appropriate for children) so that you can more easily understand the meaning of Leviticus and prepare for tomorrow’s reading. When you’re done, draw a simple picture of the tabernacle like the one in the video, so you can explain to your child what happens in each part. This will prepare them for tomorrow’s reading as well.
Prayer: God, thank You for sending Your Son to pay our debt in full! Amen.