1. A Better Covenant Hebrews 8:1-13
Hebrews – Lesson 8
A Better Covenant
Hebrews 8:1-13
Hebrews - Lesson 8

2. Review Jesus Better than Melchizedek
The Levitical Priesthood could not remove sin, and was therefore inferior and temporary
Another priesthood was required, which was permanent and perfect
Jesus’ unique qualifications provided a “clean break” from the Law
His sacrifice ONCE FOR ALL sealed the salvation of all who are His
He FOREVER intercedes in God’s presence for His children
Hebrews - Lesson 8

3. The Main Point … Read Hebrews 8:1-2
The author comes to the main point of what we discussed in last week’s lesson
We have such a High Priest
Perfect (by character)
Present (at God’s right hand)
Permanent
Sworn by God’s Oath
Hebrews - Lesson 8

4. The Service of Our High Priest
Jesus serves in the true tabernacle
Built by the Lord, not by man
The tabernacle built by man was temporary and was presided over by men who served temporarily
Though built according to the pattern
The true tabernacle was built by God and is presided over by His Son
Hebrews - Lesson 8

5. Service in the Sanctuary
Read Hebrews 8:3-6
What must those who are appointed as priests offer?
What sort of gifts and sacrifices did the earthly High Priests offer?
How often?
What did our High Priest offer?
Read Hebrews 7:27
Hebrews - Lesson 8

6. The Earthly Tabernacle
Where did the pattern for the Tabernacle come from?
Read Exodus 25:8-9, 40
Why was it important to follow God’s pattern?
What was God trying to accomplish?
Why didn’t following God’s pattern result in a perfect, permanent sanctuary?
Only a shadow of the real thing, but important that it reflect God’s intent
Hebrews - Lesson 8

7. Our Author vs. Plato Some Platonic thought inferred here by some
Alas, from my college days:
Plato imagined a man in a cave
A fire was burning outside
The man could see the reflection of the fire on the wall
He never saw the fire, but could see a reflection or shadow of it
Philo viewed the Exodus passage in this way
Probably not the intention of our author
Hebrews - Lesson 8

8. The Earthly Priesthood
Why would Jesus not be allowed to serve as a priest on earth?
Wrong tribe – Judah vs. Levi
Levites already appointed to serve
Think about this:
Jesus would have been seen as a layman
Historical point:
Verse 4: “for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law”
Possibly indicates that Temple service was still taking place, supporting a mid-60’s dating of the letter
Hebrews - Lesson 8

9. The Heavenly Priesthood
What qualifications does Jesus have to serve as our High Priest?
A Priest in the order of Melchizedek
Jesus’ priestly service can only be offered in the true sanctuary
Not on earth
Service rendered in the true sanctuary MUST be superior to that offered in an earthly sanctuary
Hebrews - Lesson 8

10. A Better Covenant Read Hebrews 8:7-12 What are the better promises?
The author wants to hold our attention
Why a new covenant?
What was wrong with the old one?
Read Jeremiah 7:21-26
Our author quotes from Jeremiah 31:31-34
Though he ignores that the oracle was delivered via Jeremiah and simply adds: “says the Lord”
Hebrews - Lesson 8

11. The Better Covenant Jeremiah speaks of the “new” covenant
Some translations render the phrase “new testament”, from whence comes the name
What are the attributes of the better covenant?
Implanting of God’s law in man’s heart (vs. 10)
A personal knowledge of God (vs. 11)
Forgiveness of sins (vs. 12)
These are the promises from verse 7
Hebrews - Lesson 8

12. God’s Law in Men’s Hearts
More than committing it to memory
Read Deut 6:4-9
This apparently didn’t work
The defect was not in the Law, but in man’s ability to keep it
Read Ezek 11:19-20
God will change men’s hearts to make it possible for His law to live there
A fuller and deeper relationship than before
Hebrews - Lesson 8

13. A Personal Knowledge of God
Read Judges 2:10-15
This passage sums up most of Israel’s history in the following thousand years
Israel constantly forgot God
God seeks a new relationship with his people, one where we know Him intimately
Though that is what He sought from the very beginning with Adam and Eve
Hebrews - Lesson 8

14. The Forgiveness of Sin Read Hebrews 10:1-4 Read Micah 7:18-20
The Law and its sacrifices could not remove sin
Read Micah 7:18-20
Micah speaks of God’s nature in wanting to forgive and pardon
Our God is full of mercy, compassion and forgiveness
Hebrews - Lesson 8

15. God’s Promises … Such are the promises of the New Covenant
“I will put My laws in their mind”
“They will all know Me”
“I will remember their sins no more”
“I will be their God and they will be My people”
Hebrews - Lesson 8

16. The New Supersedes the Old
Read Hebrews 8:13
Our author makes the point that the very mention of a new covenant renders the old obsolete, and with it:
The earthly priesthood
The earthly sanctuary
The earthly sacrifices
The age of the law and the prophets has passed; the age of the Son is here
Hebrews - Lesson 8

17. An Analogy … This will get me in trouble
When a MAN says he needs a new pair of shoes, he means:
The pair that he has is worn out and obsolete
The new pair will replace the old pair
The old pair will be discarded
The new pair will be better than the old
Hebrews - Lesson 8

18. Will Soon Disappear … Re-read Hebrews 8:13 Two schools of thought
The author is continuing his argument about the superiority of the New Covenant by saying that the Old Covenant is passing away
The author is writing prophetically about the destruction of the Temple and associated Covenant which - if we’ve dated the writing correctly - will take place in a few short years
Hebrews - Lesson 8

19. Next Week’s Lesson Questions? Lesson 9 – A Better Sanctuary
Hebrews 9:1-14
Questions?
Hebrews - Lesson 8
Hebrews - Lesson 8