Hebrews 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

As we began the study of this book, in the second verse of the first chapter, we read:

Hebrews 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

God declared that we are living in the last days. Those words were written almost 2,000 years ago. The last days have been here for quite some time. One of the sad marks of these last days is:

II Thessalonians 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

God declared that there would be a falling away in the last days. The day of the man of sin is preceded by a falling away. Those who are truly born again, should be able to see that there is a great falling away taking place at this present time. God warns us against setting a date for the Lord’s return. God warns us of looking for signs that the man of sin will soon come. The Bible also tells us to be watching and awake.
I was speaking with a person about democracy recently. He insisted that we must go and vote during an election. He said that if a person does not vote, then he has no right to complain about the situation we are in. I did not think of this at that moment, but when the antichrist is revealed, will he be revealed by a vote of the people? According to God’s Word, he will be revealed when Jesus Christ comes in the air and removes all the born again Christians of the New Testament era, from this earth. The Bible says that when that event takes place, the antichrist will be revealed. God will reveal him. God will put him in place as world leader.
At this current time “leaders” are put in place through corruption. It is with money and other forms of corruption. Of course we know that God puts the people in place that He wants there. He chose Nebuchadnezzar to go and invade Judah and to kill people including Zedekiah’s sons. God decreed that Israel would spend 70 years in exile due to their rebellion against Him.
The Roman government of Jesus’ time on earth, was not a God-fearing government. The conditions of that time were such that Mary and Joseph could travel to their homeland and Jesus would be born in accordance with Bible prophecy. The apostles served during the same wicked governmental system. They could still go and preach the Gospel across that part of the world. The early Christians suffered persecution, but the Gospel spread and souls were saved and Godly churches were established.
God still wants people to be saved. He still gives us opportunity to go and preach the Gospel to all people. There have been countries that have been closed to the Gospel for a time. Some Muslim countries now greatly limit a true Gospel witness. It is still of great importance to Him that all people hear the Gospel. He is still not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. No one will have an excuse for their rejection of the truth. All people will know what the truth is and Who the Truth is.
In these last days it is important that we know Who we should be trusting. Who is the most important “person” we must know. Of course, Jesus Christ is more than just a person. He is the God/Man. God makes much of Him in the book of Hebrews. He wanted the saints of that time to be excited about knowing Him. This is not an excitement that is flippant or superficial. This is an excitement that is from the heart. God wanted them to be sure they followed Him, and trusted in Him. Since God’s Word is a timeless book, we know that God also wants saints today to be excited about Him and to serve Him faithfully.
In our text for today, we are again being shown the difference between Jesus Christ — the Great High Priest, and the high priests of the Old Testament era. Every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices. Every Old Testament high priest was chosen by God for one specific purpose. He was not chosen to get rich. He was not chosen to be a dictator. He was not chosen to be a king. He was chosen to offer gifts and sacrifices on his behalf and for the people.
Jesus Christ also needed to have somewhat to offer. What could Jesus offer?
In verse 4 God again reminded the recipients, that if Jesus were on the earth, He would not be a priest because the priests all came from the tribe of Levi. Jesus did not come from the tribe of Levi. He would not have qualified to be a priest according to Old Testament law.
In verse 5 we are reminded that the Old Testament priests served as a shadow of heavenly things. Moses was commanded to make sure that the Tabernacle was built exactly as God declared it to be. God gave very specific instructions regarding the Tabernacle and He did not want Moses to change anything in those instructions. God equipped men like Bezaleel with the knowledge and skill needed to make sure that things were made exactly as God wanted them.
In verse 6 we read that Jesus Christ obtained a more excellent ministry. His shed blood is of much greater significance than the blood of bulls and of goats. His shed blood takes away sin. The blood of bulls and goats could never do that.
Jesus Christ is also the mediator of a better covenant. God describes that better covenant further on in this chapter. By way of summary now, we know that better covenant includes the forgiveness of sin and eternal life. The Old Testament saints could not go to heaven when they died. Their souls went to paradise. They went to what Jesus referred to as Abraham’s bosom in Luke 16. They needed to rest there until Jesus opened the way for them to go to heaven. He needed to shed His blood and die before their souls could enter heaven. They will be resurrected one day as well.
Jesus Christ is better in that He is the only High Priest Who can deliver souls to heaven. His covenant is better because it was established upon better promises.
In verse 7 we are reminded that if the first covenant was faultless, there would be no need for a second covenant. The first covenant was given by God. It did not have any mistakes. It was limited in its power. God knew that covenant could not take away sin. He never intended that covenant to take away sin. The Godhead had a plan. They had a timeline for how things would be laid out. All saints were saints by placing their trust in the God Who cannot lie. The Old Testament saints did not see Jesus. They were given promises by holy men who spoke and wrote exactly what God wanted them to do. The saints trusted in what God said. For a few short years, Jews were able to see Jesus. Yet few of them trusted in Him as their Messiah. Since His ascension, no man has seen Jesus. Yes, there are those who claim to have seen Him. There have been movies like the “Passion” that have portrayed a Jesus, but not the Jesus of the Bible. Gullible people have been quite impressed with films and plays like that one. They prove they do not read their Bibles and they do not know the true God.
Keep in mind, we are living in the last days. The last days are marked by a falling away. We are witnessing that falling away before our very eyes. Yet few are seeing this as it truly is. It is a tragedy of unspeakable proportion.
Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest. He is the Mediator of a better covenant. Have you trusted in Him for your salvation? Are you following Him today? Do you know His peace in your heart? If not, what are you waiting for? There is no other Saviour coming. The next “great” man to come is the antichrist. He will woo the lost into following him. He will do lying signs and wonders. He will deceive many. Be careful who you allow to impress you. Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest. You need to know Him in order to have the peace of God in your heart. You need to know Him in order to be forgiven and saved.
Pastor Bartel