Today’s passage: Hebrews 10:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

• The writer of Hebrews continues to show the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old.  But more than that, we read today that the New Covenant replaces the Old.
  • “He does away with the first in order to establish the second.” (Verse 9)
• The annual sacrifices were to produce a continual awareness of sin.  The annual sacrifices were designed to teach Israel that those methods were not fixing the root problem.  A better sacrifice was needed to bring about true change.
• The words of Psalm 40:6-8 are quoted.  God is not satisfied with animal sacrifices alone, He is worthy of change of heart and actions.  Christ would come and do God’s will to bring this about in His people.
  • This means Christ’s death paid for our sins, and it also guarantees our final sanctification.

Questions to consider:

1. With all of this tied together, what was God’s will in Christ’s suffering?  What all did it (And what all will it) accomplish?
2. How does this passage better help us to understand whether we are responsible to keep the Old Testament Law?  Is the Old Covenant still in effect?  Is God worthy of our pursuit of righteousness?  Which concepts and commands from the Law make sense to continue to keep today and which ones were clearly for that time and that nation? (For example: You are now allowed to eat bacon (Pork), but you should still love God and love your neighbor…why?)
3. How does God’s interest in the change in our hearts help us to think rightly about His “plans” for our lives?  We often think about events and physical results, what does God see and desire first?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 9:23-28

Helpful thoughts:

• The copies of the heavenly things were purified by “copies”.  The real purification needed to take place with a better sacrifice.
  • Jesus is the superior High Priest.
  • Jesus brings the superior Covenant.
  • Jesus is the superior sacrifice.
• Jesus does NOT make sacrifices repeatedly.  His blood is NOT continually poured out.  His one-time sacrifice was a once-and-for-all sacrifice!  When His blood was shed, the offering for atonement was given, it was finished forever.
• All who have been called will be fully and finally saved at Christ’s return.  We have reason for eternal hope!  Christ is coming!

Questions to consider:

1. Are there any second chances after death?  What does God’s Word say in verse 27?  When is the time to repent and put your faith in Jesus?
2. If a person is hoping in his/her own efforts to make it in the end, what are they missing?  On what basis should anyone look forward to Christ’s return?  What did Christ have to do for us to make us fit for the glorious presence of God in that day?
3. What does it mean to “eagerly wait” for Christ?  What are you looking forward to experiencing in that day?  How does THAT day change how you live THIS day?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 9:15-22

Helpful thoughts:

• There is a promised eternal inheritance to be given to all who are called (Verse 15).  See Acts 13:48.
• The New Covenant officially was inaugurated at the moment of Christ’s death (Verse 16-17).
• With the shedding of Christ’s blood, there is forgiveness of our sin!

Questions to consider:

1. Does our effort to live a better life “clean us up” before God?  What did Christ offer up for our cleansing?
2. How does the example given of the sprinkling of blood in the Old Testament set the stage for what Christ would later do for us?
3. What is the nature of the inheritance the called (Those who believe) will receive?  Is it an inheritance that can be spent? Lost? Misplaced?  How long will it last?  How can it best be enjoyed?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 9:11-14

Helpful thoughts:

• Jesus Christ is both our High Priest and our sacrificial lamb!
• The blood of bulls and goats purified the flesh for a time…the blood of Jesus purified our inner-man for all time!
• Works that are done for self are dead.  Works that are done in gratitude and thanksgiving from a purified conscience serve the living God.
  • Romans 12:1-2 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Questions to consider:

1. How was the New Covenant shown to be superior to the Old in today’s passage?  What has God accomplished for His people through Christ?
2. What reasons are we given in these verses to glorify Jesus Christ?  Why is it only right to praise Him and serve Him with our lives?
3. What is the basis of our salvation?  Why won’t our sins be counted against us? (Verse 12)

Today’s passage: Hebrews 9:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

• Today’s passage describes aspects of worship under the Old Covenant.
  • The “Most Holy Place” is also called the “Holy of Holies.”
• The “Holy” and “Most Holy” rooms in the tabernacle/temple and the restrictions for who could enter and what needed to be done for atonement all pointed forward to God’s plan for our redemption through Christ.
  • Without atonement there is separation between God and man.
  • Not just anyone could enter into the Most Holy Place to bring that blood atonement.
• Keeping all the commands and rituals in the temple could point people to the truth, but simply carrying out all the details was not sufficient in itself to change people’s hearts.
  • The Law revealed hearts, it didn’t change them.
  • The New Covenant brings change in the inner man, “perfecting the conscience.” (See 8:10-12)

Questions to consider:

1. In what ways did the sacrifices and temple worship point forward to Jesus’ sacrifice and priestly service on our behalf?  How does understanding the promises made and portrayed in the Old Testament give us a proper understanding of the promises kept in the New Testament?
2. What should we learn from the truth that simply obeying the commands (Keeping all the religious rules) was not enough to save?  From where does salvation come?
3. How does this understanding transform our motive for good works?  Being free from the self-interest of earning myself a spot in Heaven, why now do I do what is right?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 8:8-13

Helpful thoughts:

• This passage quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34.
• This New Covenant is unconditional (God is going to bring it about by His grace alone) and it is final (There will be no further need of ways to forgive sin).
• With the announcement of a New Covenant, the Old began to age and was now ready to pass away (Verse 13).  The Hebrew people needed to let it go.  God has made the Old obsolete, therefore trying to keep it alive is rejection of God.

Questions to consider:

1. Where was the fault found in the Old Covenant?  Who is “them” in verse 8?  Who would it have been if we had been commanded to keep all the commands of that covenant?
2. How does God’s promise of inner transformation (Verse 10) compare with passages like 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Ephesians 2:1-7?
3. In what ways do John 19:30 and Revelation 21:1-4 serve as bookends to the fulfilments of the New Covenant?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 8:1-7

Helpful thoughts:

• In keeping with the theme of the letter, the writer moves on to explain the superiority of the New Covenant.
• The “true tent” in verse 2 refers to God’s presence in Heaven.  The earthly tabernacle served as a picture (“A copy and a shadow of the heavenly things”).
• The Old Covenant law was not wrong, but it did not bring the people to complete sanctification.  The people failed to keep it.
  • More on the fault of the Old and the superiority of the New will be explained in the next passage.

Questions to consider:

1. In what way does today’s passage bring us back to the main message of the whole book of Hebrews?  What is this book about?  What were the first century Jews needing to understand in order to move forward and persevere in faith?
2. Why couldn’t Jesus have been a priest while on earth during His earthly ministry (Verse 4)?  To which tribe did He belong?
3. Why didn’t Jesus just become a priest and really try hard to get people to keep the Old Covenant instead of ushering in the New Covenant?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 7:23-28

Helpful thoughts:

• Jesus is a priest forever because He lives indestructibly (Verse 16).  The Levites could not serve indefinitely, they were prevented by death (Verse 23).
• When we were saved, our salvation was (And will remain forever) a salvation “to the uttermost.”
  • All our sin is paid for and forgiven…
  • …for all time.
• Verses 26-28 serve as the summary statement as to why Jesus is the superior priest.

Questions to consider:

1. Who is saved to the uttermost (Verse 25)?  How does this verse reinforce the idea of salvation not by works, but by grace through faith in Jesus?
2. What reasons can you find in this summary as to why Jesus is the superior priest?  What has Jesus done?  What is Jesus doing?  What will Jesus do forever?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 7:11-22

Helpful thoughts:

• Today, we see explanation as to why the Old Covenant Law was set aside with Jesus as our High Priest and the New Covenant that came with Him.
• The Messiah’s connection to the priesthood of Melchizedek was not a new idea.  It had been prophesied in Psalm 110:4 (Verse 17 and 20).
• Jesus serves forever as our priest for at least two reasons:
  • His own blood is a once and for all acceptable sacrifice.
  • His life is indestructible (Verse 16).  He will never die and will never need replacing.

Questions to consider:

1. In what ways do we see in today’s passage that Jesus’ priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood?
2. If someone asked you a question about why we don’t keep all the Old Testament laws anymore, how could this passage help you give them a good answer?
3. How does this mention of the priesthood in the order of Melchizedek in the Old Testament help us to better see God’s eternal plan for our redemption and Christ’s glory?  What did the Old Testament Law teach us (Galatians 3:24)?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 7:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

• After referencing Melchizedek a few times already in the letter, we now see the explanation for his inclusion in chapter 7.
• Melchizedek’s name means “King of Righteousness.”  Salem means “Peace.”
• Melchizedek surely had a father and mother.  He was surely born and died.  We are only told enough about him in Genesis 14 to point forward to the King and Priest who would come after him.
• Melchizedek was not a Jew, not a Levite, not a priest in Israel.  He came before all that was established, before the nation even existed.
  • In Abraham, all Israel gave a tithe through Melchizedek.  And through Melchizedek, Abraham and his descendants were blessed by God.

Questions to consider:

1. Before Christ came, and before Israel even existed, who was the intercessor between God and Israel through Abraham?  Who was their priest?
2. Why might the Jews have struggled to see how the priesthood of Melchizedek was superior to their own?  What would be the potential stumbling blocks in their understanding?
3. Why does this superiority matter (Verse 7)?  How did the sacrificial system of the Levitical priesthood fall short?  Were the priests without sin?  Were their sacrifices good for all time or did they need to come again? (More on this tomorrow…)