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Hebrews 8:1-6
“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore, it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. 4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’ 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”
Last week we looked at the New Covenant that we have in Jesus. He paid for the covenant in His own blood and secured eternal life for all who trust in Him, from the Old Testament saints that looked forward to the New Testament saints that look back at His sacrifice for us. This new chapter begins by stating that Jesus “is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” This refers to sitting at the right hand of God.
As we explored and learned last week, the Old Testament priests were not allowed to sit as they ministered in the Tabernacle or the Temple. This was because the work of covering man’s sins was never done until Jesus came. Now, Jesus is sitting in Heaven as the work has been completed. All that was required by God for the eternal salvation of all men from Adam was completed by Jesus on the cross in about 32 AD. Jesus did not go to Hell, as we often hear many false teachers saying. He did go to Paradise; he told the thief that He would meet him there. This is not Hell.
- The Sanctuary in Heaven, verse 2
When we read through the book of Exodus and then into Leviticus, we get this elaborate explanation of how the Israelites were to build the Tabernacle. This was a tent that served as a temporary place for God to meet with His people. Later in 2 Samuel, we find the building of the Temple by Solomon, and this place was very, very elaborate. There was gold everywhere, and no expense was spared to build this marvelous place. But we are told that the Tabernacle and later the Temple were just copies of a similar sanctuary in Heaven. This heavenly sanctuary was erected by God according to verse 2. We can also see other verses like Habakkuk 2:20:
“But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.”
Psalm 11:4, “The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.”
These are just a few verses about the Lord in His Temple. There are many more. This Tabernacle and the Temple were just pictures of the Temple in Heaven where God resides. Moses, we are told, was instructed to build it exactly the way that God told him; he was not to take any artistic license at all. Jesus is our High Priest in Heaven. He is the one who offered his own blood to blot out our sins and transgressions. In Acts 20:28, we are told this by Luke:
“Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.”
We have been purchased, redeemed, and restored into the right relationship with God by Jesus, who bought us with His own blood. His blood was and is powerful enough to wipe out our sins once and forever. He finished the work, and He sat down.
- Our Mediator, verse 6
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word mediator as ‘one that mediates between parties at variance.’ The two parties, in this case, are God, who is Holy and perfect, and mankind, you and I, who are imperfect and unholy. The ‘variance,’ the reason for the divide between God and man, is Sin, yours and mine. Jesus, our Mediator, is the one who settles and negotiates peace for us based on His finished work on the cross. The Bible offers us an example of a mediator in the person of Moses in Exodus 32: 10-12:
“Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation.’ But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God, saying, ‘O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people.”
God was going to kill all of the Israelite people and begin a new Israel with Moses. God was angry at their sin, their constant complaining, and rebellion. He had enough, and He was about to wipe them out. But Moses intercedes and asks God not to kill them based on God’s good character and how it would look to the nations around them. Jesus mediates based on His shed blood and finished work at Calvary for our eternal security. We will never lose it because Jesus’ blood is enough to cover all of our sins and blot them out. Our security is in Jesus, and there are several verses that promise this. See Micah 7:18-19:
“Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion? He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast out all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
See also Isaiah 43:25, “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”
Isaiah 38:17, “Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love, you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.”
There are many, many verses that remind us and comfort us in our current failures and sins that God has removed forever, yes, even the ones you have not committed yet, and you are secure in Jesus. The work is done, it is finished, and Jesus is our permanent Mediator.
God bless you,
Dr. Sean Gooding
Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church
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The post Hebrews Study: Jesus, Our Mediator :: By Sean Gooding appeared first on Rapture Ready.
Anonymous
MEDIATOR Philip Williams is an idea, a theme of NT soteriology ONLY Paul introduces ONLY Paul talks about ONLY Paul explains = only pauline authorship of Hebrews Brett Dobbs Brian Angela Doyle John Mushenhouse
Anonymous
Troy Day if it didn’t come from Jesus, it’s neither the gospel nor true.
Anonymous
Philip Williams strawman as usual – JESUSwrote it all so we dont argue Jesus here – but Jesus told PAULto write Hebrews is what we see in the theology and lingo of Hebrews
Anonymous
Troy Day I believe Jesus sent Paul to the Gentiles just as he sent Peter to the Hebrews.
Anonymous
Philip Williams as well as JESUS who told Paul to explain in the Hebrews in a letter what Peter already told them in person SEE there was no need for Peter to write them since he was already there BUT Paul far a way wrote them – AND Peter attested Paul wrote them some things hard to understand
Anonymous
Troy Day Peter was then in Rome, why he had to write them a letter.
Anonymous
Philip Williams Peter in Rome is only polish catholic novel 🙂 Next you will tell us how he holds the keys of heaven instead of your pope
Anonymous
Troy Day do you think that Peter wrote his letter from Iraq?
Anonymous
No doubt it was Paul.