Hebrews 7-8 | How and WHy the New Convenant

Intro

Hey y’all , hows it going? Ready for break? What are y’all gonna do? anybody doing anything cool?

Cool cool.

Okay so question for you, movie sequels are the usually pretty good?

sometimes, but usually no.

Like who has seen Grease? anyone seen Grease 2? I haven’t seen it, but how could it be good? it’s top 5 worst movies ever made.

What about Cars? how about Cars 2?

But they’re not all that made are they? What movie has a sequel that is better than the original?

Okay. Star War's Empire Strikes Back is probably better than A New Hope, debatable, Return of the Jedi is the best of the Original Trilogy.

End Game is better than Infinity War

Dark Knight is better than Batman Begins

Did you know that there have actually been two movie sequels to win Best Picture.

anyone know which two movies those are?

The Godfather Part II and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

Both of those, better than the original movie. Which for Godfather 2 is wild cause Godfather 1 also won best picture.

Anyways, tonight we are talking about covenants, old covenant v the new covenant.

Some of y’all have asked me, what is the new covenant. Or why don’t we keep the the Old Testament Law?

How do we have a new covenant? What is it, what was the old covenant?

So we are gonna look at that tonight, we have a lot of Scripture to cover tonight, and tonight is gonna be a little different.

I have two goals for tonight, first one, I want us see what the text has to say to us by what it was saying to the people it was written to. Second, I want to go through the process of what to do when you get to a weird passage of scripture. Chapter 7 if you have no context to what was going on, you might have just kinda skip over this and not really deal with it.

Chapter 8 doesn’t really make sense if you don’t have chapter 7 though. They all part of the same thought.

7 is the background for 8.

So if you have a bible go ahead and flip over to hebrews chapter 7, we are going to be in chapter 7 and chapter 8. I know it’s a ton of scripture but just stay with me.

So if you have a bible great, if you don’t throw a hand up and we will get you one. Charley, the bible man. will get one to you.

who need one?

okay cool.

Context

While you’re flipping over there let me give you some context.

Remember the whole book the theme is Jesus is greater, the Author is making the case that Jesus is the better way. Jesus is the foretold messiah and has brought a new life. Jesus is God, Jesus is greater.

And A guy that we have mentioned before is going to show up in this, the man Melchizedek plays a pretty big roll in this. So we are going to look at who he is. and make our way through this text so.

So Hebrews 7:1-3 let’s read this first part together and look at and figure out who Melchizedek is,

but before we do that, let’s pray for our time in the word

pray

Who is Melchizedek?

okay, let’s read this first part together.

Hebrews 7:1–3 ESV

1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

Okay cool, so what do we have here?

We have this man, Melchizedek, who is this guy?

So four things, 1) He is a king, the King of Salem. 2) Abraham gave him a tenth of everything after a battle. So Abraham recognized he was a King, that’s important. 3) He’s has no genealogy given in the scriptures. No beginning or End. 4) is a Priest forever.

but what does any of that mean?

So His name means King of Righteousness, in the Hebrew Mel is King, Sedek is righteousness. Which the Author translates for us in verse 2. So the king of Righteousness, another way to translate the hebrew is The King of the Righteous. The Righteosu what? The Righteous God. Since he is a priest.

He is also a king. What was he King of? He is the king of Salem, that is his title, The word Salem means peace. So if we Broke down his whole name and title, it would mean, The King of the Righteous, the King of Peace, Priest of the Most High God.

Great we have what his name means, but who is he? Why does Hebrews make such a big deal about him.

So to under stand that, we need to go all the way back to Genesis, and see where he is, so let’s look at this interaction, because this is the only place Melchizedek appears, a place in the Psalms talks about him, but this is the only place we see him interacting with anyone.

So flip over to Genesis 14:17-24 read this with me,

Genesis 14:17–24 ESV

17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

Okay, so this is it, this all we have from scripture about Melchizedek, it ain’t much, but it is important.

One of the things to remember about the bible is that everything is important, and nothing is in there just for fun, but all of it is telling a story, from start to finish, about God’s plan of redemption.

So why is this interaction important,

First off, where he is from is significant, Salem is at that time in the region of Canaan, which is the promised land. Salem is also another name for the city of Jerusalem. That makes Jerusalem a Canaanite city.

Yet there was a Priest of God there, sitting in Salem, soon to be Jerusalem.

So Melchizedek blesses Abraham by bringing Bread and Wine to Abraham, after Abraham wins this battle, then Abraham blesses Melchizedek by giving him a tenth of the spoils.

So to sum up Melchizedek, he was a priest of the of the most high God, in the city that would be come Jerusalem. A king worshiping Yaweh, in the Canaanite city of Salem, decades before The Hebrew people took over.

This is where Jesus gets his priest hood as the Great High Priest, not in the order of Levi, but in the order of Melchizedek, King of the Righteous God, King of Peace, High Priest in what would become Jerusalem. basically to say, God has always dwelt in Jerusalem, the plan was always to be in Jerusalem, the priesthood and final sacrifice would be made in Jerusalem. Melchizedek is a shadow of Christ, a blurry picture of the coming Christ.

How is He a shadow of Christ?

So how was he a shadow? Let’s look at the next chunk, read with me, Hebrews 7:11-22

Hebrews 7:11–22 ESV

11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 20 And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21 but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’ ” 22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

Okay, so how was he a shadow of Christ?

This chunk starts out by talking about the Levitical Priesthood. which is where all of the priests in Israel came from. If you were going to be a priest in Israel, you had to be from the tribe of Levi. There was a genealogical aspect to being a priest in Isreal

You know all of the future Kings of England are going to be from the line of Charles the III, all future kings of England, their great grandad has to be Charles the III.

Same thing with Priest in Israel, their great something grandad has to be Levi, they have to come form the tribe of Levi. One of the 12 tribes of Israel.

And it really saying that following the law couldn’t bring salvation, but really to show you that through works, salvation cannot be attained, only through faith in the blood can salvation come.

This makes you ask the question, how were people in the old testament saved? Through sacrifices? Through keeping the law? It wasn’t in keeping the law, it wasn’t merely through sacrifices, but through faith that God keeps his promises to save his people.

Yes they made sacrifices, but they weren’t perfect, they still need to trust that God was going to save them, and forgive them. They had to make sacrifices every year.

So Priest have to be from the tribe of Levi.

anyone know which tribe Jesus is descended from?

Judah. That ain’t Levi, so how is Melchizedek a shadow of the coming christ? Melchizedek was not of the tribe of Levi, but he was a priest of God, in Salem, soon to be Jerusalem. He had an indestructible life, the author says, looking at Genesis, it says Melchizedek has no beginning or end. They give no genealogy, of him, he just always was.

Christ always was and is, He died and was resurrected, Melchizedek is a shadow of Christ.

This is when the Author starts to talk about a new covenant.

Start to talk about how this new covenant allows us to draw near to God.

Look at verse 25, Hebrews 7:25

Hebrews 7:25 ESV

25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

This is how Christ is the great High priest in the order of Melchizedek.

He is continuing to live and make intersession for us on our behalf. For us.

What is the New Cov?

Now, we have to ask the question, what is the new covenant?

I think we mention it when we talk about the Law v following Christ.

So what is the New Covenant?

Well in order to understand it, we need to understand what the old covenant given to Abraham was?

So flip back to Genesis in chapter 15 Genesis 15:7-21 and then Gen. 17:7-9 this is going to tell us what is going on in the old covenant, where it came from. To understand the new, we need to understand the old.

Genesis 15:7–21 ESV

7 And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” 9 He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. 11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” 17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”

on down to Gen. 17:7-9

Genesis 17:7–9 ESV

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” 9 And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.

So first look at chapter 15, we see this weird scene where Abraham cuts these animals in half, then falls asleep and sees some fiery torch and pots go through.

Wild, but this is hugely symbolic, back int he day when you you entered in to a covenant, you would do this, you’d cut these animals in half, and one person walk through, usually the one joining the covenant is being offered to. basically, is your end of the deal wasn’t upheld this is what would happen to you. You would walk through the animal, signifying you know what your fate is. But God is the one who goes through, not Abraham.

Saying I am making the covenant and I will uphold it even when you fail

Then in chapter 17 it says, y’all shall keep my covenant.

guess what, that doesn’t happen. Through our the history of the hebrew people, God is the one rescuing and restoring Israel.

So that is the old covenant.

So now flip back to Hebrews 8:1-7 with what we know about the old cov. read this half with me.

Hebrews 8:1–7 ESV

1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

Alright, Stick with me,

In Christ coming, God has fulfilled the obligations of the old covenant. God walked through the torn up animals, Christ has gone to the cross. Christ went in our place, once and for all to fulfill the old covenant, and establish a new covenant, not just with the Hebrew people but with all people. The Gentiles are being grafted in to the family of God, through this sacrifice.

What is cool is way back when we first see Melchizedek, we see him offer Abraham Bread and Wine, and then we see God establish a covenant with him. The Priest in what would become Jerusalem brings the father of Hebrew nation, through his offspring salvation would come to all, bread and wine. and right after the covenant is established.

When Christ comes, he gives bread and wine, His body and Blood to His disciples, then goes and fulfills the covenant and establishes a new one. A thing I thought of when studying this, going through the names of Jesus the Old Testament gives us, one of them is the prince of Peace. Why is he the Prince? Because there was a King, Melchizedek, the shadow of Christ. King of Peace. Christ is the Great High Priest, the eternal high Priest, the one who is there interceding for us.

Look at this last half, Hebrews 8:8-13

Hebrews 8:8–13 ESV

8 For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

P2Christ

So what do we do with this. That is even the question the author asks here in chapter 8 verse 1

Heb. 8:1-3 He even answers this for us.

Hebrews 8:1–3 ESV

1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.

But what do we do with this?

First Remember that God is one who keeps His promises, God is the author and guaranteer of our salvation. We live under the new Covenant, we are able to draw close to God through the new covenant on the cross, the Hebrew people didn’t have that, but we do. We no longer live under the Law but under grace.

Second, God has a plan to redeem and restore all things. The plan from the beginning was to restore this world to what it was in the garden. We lost so much in the garden, but God is working a plan to redeem and restore everything to former Glory.

From the very beginning, there was someone worshipping God in Jerusalem. In an enemy area, God was working and making a way.

Third we have forgiveness of sin through the ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Christ fulfilled the law and covenant on the cross. Establishing a new covenant for the world, through Himself.

Sin requires sacrifice, Christ covered yours on the cross. You can have relationship with christ through his sacrifice on the cross.

So if you are a follower of Christ, rest in the fact that we do not have to work and continually work for our salvation, and that through drawing close to the throne we become more like christ, being shape in to his likeness. Rest in that. Rest in the assurance of your faith. rest that we have a High Priest who is eternal and is constantly praying on our behalf to the father.

If you aren’t a follower of christ, if you don’t know what you believe. know that Christ has a plan for your life, to redeem you and to let you join in his mission of redemption. To give you rest. If you have any questions about what it means to follow Jesus, come talk to me, talk to one of the adults, talk to the person you came with.

Come See Christ as Lord, Come se Christ as King.