Hebrews 8:1-13

We've been studying together on the Lord's Day, the book of Hebrews.

And this morning our text will be Hebrews chapter 8.

Hebrews 8 · chapter mention

! However, before you turn to Hebrews chapter 8,

Hebrews 8 · chapter mention

! I'm going to ask you to join me in Revelation chapter 4.

Revelation 4 · chapter mention

The book of Hebrews was written by an unknown pastor

to a group of beleaguered Hellenistic Jews, Greek-speaking Jews,

who most likely lived on the outskirts of Rome

and had suffered much for their faith.

The text lets us know that they had been beaten,

some had been imprisoned,

some had had their property taken

because they were followers of Jesus Christ.

And some of them who had professed faith in Jesus

had left the church already,

and some of them were being tempted to do the same.

So the author of Hebrews writes to them this very pastoral letter

encouraging them to hold firm,

to stay steady,

because Christ is the great anchor of the soul.

And I know we've been spending a lot of time

talking about Jesus' priesthood,

his Melchizedekian priesthood,

and I know that it's easy for us to get lost sometimes

in all that that means.

The author of Hebrews finds it extremely important.

He's spending this great labor

to be sure that they understand

the significance of Jesus' priesthood.

And he continues that into chapter 8.

And so I thought this morning,

as we're going to consider further,

that Jesus is not a priest from the Aaronic priesthood,

but is rather a priest after the order of Melchizedek.

This massive significance,

him being able to save to the uttermost

those who draw near to God through him,

since he always lives to make intercession for them,

chapter 7 and verse 25,

that we would have a grander view

of what that looks like.

So to help expand our minds

and ignite our hearts to the glory of heaven,

I thought it would be good for us this morning

to read John's account of his vision

of Jesus Christ ascending to his throne

as our eternal high priest.

This has served me well,

Revelation chapter 4 and 5 this week,

Revelation 4 · chapter mention

and I hope it will do the same for you.

So beginning in verse 1,

Revelation 4 and following.

After this I looked,

and behold, a door standing open in heaven,

and the first voice which I had heard

speaking to me like a trumpet said,

come up here,

and I will show you what must take place

after this.

At once I was in the Spirit,

and behold, a throne stood in heaven

with one seated on the throne.

And he who sat there

had the appearance of jasper and carnelian,

and around the throne was a rainbow

that had the appearance of an emerald.

Around the throne were 24 thrones,

and seated on the thrones were 24 elders,

clothed in white garments

with golden crowns on their heads.

From the throne came flashes of lightning

and rumblings and peals of thunder,

and before the throne were burning

seven torches of fire,

which are the seven spirits of God.

And before the throne there was,

as it were,

a sea of glass like crystal.

And around the throne,

on each side of the throne,

are four living creatures

full of eyes in front and behind.

The first living creature like a lion.

The second living creature like an ox.

The third living creature with the face of a man.

And the fourth living creature

like an eagle in flight.

And the four living creatures,

each of them with six wings,

are full of eyes all around and within,

and day and night,

they never cease to say,

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come.

And whenever the living creatures

give glory and honor and thanks to Him

who is seated on the throne,

who lives forever and ever,

the twenty-four elders fall down before Him

who is seated on the throne,

and worship Him who lives forever and ever.

They cast their crowns before the throne,

saying,

Worthy are You, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for You created all things,

and by Your will,

they existed and were created.

We're not going to unpack the significance

of all of that this morning,

but it is awesome.

Chapter 5.

Then I saw in the right hand of Him

who was seated on the throne

a scroll written within and on the back,

sealed with seven seals.

And I saw a mighty angel

proclaiming with a loud voice,

Who is worthy to open the scroll

and break its seals?

And no one in heaven or on earth

or under the earth

was able to open the scroll

or to look into it.

And I began to weep loudly

because no one was found worthy

to open the scroll

or to look into it.

And one of the elders said to me,

Weep no more.

Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah,

the Root of David,

has conquered

so that He can open the scroll

and its seven seals.

And between the throne

and the four living creatures

and among the elders

I saw a lamb standing

as though it had been slain

with seven horns

and with seven eyes

which are the seven spirits of God

sent out into all the earth.

And He went and took the scroll

from the right hand of Him

who was seated on the throne.

And when He had taken the scroll,

the four living creatures

and the twenty-four elders

fell down before the lamb,

each holding a harp

and golden bowls full of incense

which are the prayers of the saints.

And they sang a new song saying,

Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals.

For you were slain

and by your blood

you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language

and people and nation.

You have made them a kingdom

and priests to our God.

They shall reign on the earth.

Then I looked

and I heard around the throne

and the living creatures

and the elders

the voice of many angels

numbering myriads of myriads

and thousands of thousands

saying with a loud voice,

Worthy is the lamb

who was slain

to receive power

and wealth

and wisdom

and might

and honor

and glory

and blessing.

And I heard every creature

in heaven

and on earth

and under the earth

and in the sea

and all that is in them

saying,

To him who sits

on the throne

and the lamb

be blessing

and honor

and glory

and might

forever

and ever.

And the four living creatures

said,

Amen.

And the elders

fell down

and worshipped.

This

is our Christ.

And I think

he gets lost

so often

in our minds

with a

buddy Jesus

mentality.

He is our

high priest

who reigns

at the right hand

of the Father.

And none of us

have suffered

the way

these Hebrew believers

were suffering

or would suffer

for that matter.

So certainly

whatever we bring

to this room

this morning,

we can have

a great confidence,

an unshakable

hope

because we have

this

king

priest,

this

Melchizedekian

priest

who ministers

on our behalf.

I hope

that the book

of Hebrews

is not

getting boring

for you.

Our text

for today

is Hebrews

Hebrews 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

verses 1-13

which is the

entirety

of the chapter.

Please join

me there

with that

magnificent

scene

from Revelation

Revelation 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4

and 5.

Fixed in your

minds,

beloved,

let me remind

you that this

is God's

word to us

written for

his glory

and our

good.

So we would

all do well

to listen to it

in order to

believe its

promises

and obey

its commands.

chapter 8

and verse 1

and following.

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,

a minister

in the holy

places,

in the true

tent that the

Lord set up,

not man.

For every

high priest

is appointed

to offer

gifts and

sacrifices.

Thus it is

necessary for

this priest

also to have

something to

offer.

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.

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.

But that 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.

For if that

first covenant

had been

faultless,

there had

been no

occasion to

look for a

second.

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,

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.

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.

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.

For I will be

merciful toward

their iniquities,

and I will

remember their

sins no more.

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.

A very short

outline for our

text today,

two primary

points,

and we'll have

some sub

points which I'll

try to carefully

spell out for

you.

But simply

this,

the overarching

structure today,

it's number one,

the supremacy

of Jesus'

priesthood,

verses 1-9,

and secondly,

the supremacy

of the new

covenant,

verses 10-13.

The supremacy

of Jesus'

priesthood

and the supremacy

of the new

covenant.

So let's look

first at the

supremacy of

Jesus'

priesthood.

In the first

subset,

A, if you'd

like to call it

that,

Jesus'

supreme

session.

And you'll

see this in

verses 1-2.

Jesus'

supreme

session.

And that is a

word that

means His

reign.

Jesus Christ

currently is

reigning over

all things.

And it is so

important to

note in this

text,

verses 1-2,

that He is

seated.

He is seated

at the right

hand,

which is the

place of honor,

of the throne,

of the majesty

in heaven.

He is seated.

And this

posture speaks

to His

completed work,

the finality

of the work

that He has

accomplished.

In John

John 19 · chapter mention

chapter 19

and verse

30,

John records

for us,

when Jesus

had received

the sour

wine,

He said,

it is

finished.

And He

bowed His

head and

gave up

His

spirit.

The author

of Hebrews

makes this

point in

his introduction

to this

letter.

Hebrews

Hebrews 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1

and verse

3,

he says of

Jesus,

He is the

radiance of

the glory

of God

and the

exact imprint

of His

nature.

And He

upholds

the universe

by the

word of

His power.

After

making

purification

for sins,

He sat

down at

the right

hand of

the majesty

on high.

After

hanging on

that cross

for those

three brutal

hours where

the wrath

of God

for our

sin was

poured out

on Him,

after making

that purification

He declared,

it is

finished.

And He

sat down.

The temple

worship

of the

Jews'

day

was full

of sacrifice.

This gets

unpacked even

further as we

move into

chapter 9

of the

book of

Hebrews.

There was

constant

sacrifice

happening

in this

place.

For the

known sins

of Israel,

and there

was a

day once

a year

for all

of the

unknown

sins of

Israel

called

the

day

of

atonement.

Blood

flowed

constantly

from

this

place.

And in

all of

the

carefully

administered

instructions

for how

to erect

first the

tabernacle

and then

the temple,

every bit

of furniture

carefully

described,

there was

never once

a place

for sitting.

Priests

did not

sit.

Their shift

included

no rest.

When they

clocked in,

they made

sacrifice,

and they

continued to

make sacrifice

until they

clocked out

when someone

else took

over to

continue

making

sacrifice.

But Jesus

offered for

himself,

he offered

up himself,

excuse me,

once

for all.

A final

sacrifice,

right?

A perfect

sacrifice,

a completed

sacrifice.

So he

is seated,

magnificently

significant.

Maybe not

so much

to our

non-Jewish

minds.

This phrase

would have

just leapt

off the

page

at this

original

here.

But this

does not

mean

that he's

done

working.

That he

doesn't still

have ministry

to be

done.

It simply

means that

all that was

necessary to

accomplish it

has been

accomplished.

Verse 2

says that

Jesus is a

minister

in the

holy

places.

In the

true tent

that the

Lord set

up,

not

man.

And here

the author

of Hebrews

is referencing

the inner

part of

the tabernacle,

then the

temple.

That's why

he refers

to a

tent that

the Lord

set up

and not

man.

This place

that the

high priest

one day

of year,

this day

of atonement,

was allowed

to enter

into the

presence

of God.

This is

where Jesus

is.

In the

presence

of God.

And he

is ministering.

And he

is ministering

on our

behalf.

I think

it's an

astounding

thing

that our

eternal

Christ,

this priest

that lives

forever,

lives now

in service

to us.

And this

should be,

beloved,

massively

humbling.

It should

be incredibly

humbling.

It should

give us

no room

for boasting,

but rather

great humility.

What?

The one

who spoke

the world

into existence,

the world

was created

through Christ

and for

Christ,

he is

ministering

on our

behalf.

Hebrews 7

25,

we see

that Jesus

always lives

to do

what?

Make

intercession

for us.

He is

praying

now

on our

behalf.

The

finalized

work

is being

yet

actualized.

We still

live in

between

the times.

It is

all coming

to pass,

but all

that was

necessary

to accomplish

it

has

been

done.

All

that's

been

accomplished

is coming

to

pass.

This is

difficult

to wrap

your mind

around,

but if you

are in

Christ,

what a

space

for hope

because your

sanctification

is sure.

It's already

been accomplished.

Your final

salvation is

sure.

It's already

been

accomplished.

It is

finished.

You have

such reason

for hope

and confidence

because Jesus

is a

minister

in the

holy

places.

Now,

I want you

to turn

with me

again

to an

Old

Testament

reference

this time,

Daniel

Daniel 7 · chapter mention

chapter

7.

Turn

with me

there,

please.

Mark

Hebrews

Hebrews 8 · chapter mention

chapter

8.

We will

come

back

to it.

He reminds

you we're

talking about

Jesus'

supreme

session,

his

supreme

reign.

Daniel

Daniel 7:9

chapter 7

verses 9

and 10

and then

verses 13

and 14.

We have

recorded

these visions

that Daniel

saw.

Daniel

saw.

And there's

some astounding

stuff in

here.

Beginning

of verse 9

of Daniel

7.

As I

looked,

thrones

were placed.

Notice

there's more

than one

throne.

Thrones

were placed

and the

ancient

of days

took his

seat.

His

clothing

was white

as snow

and the

hair of

his head

like pure

wool.

His

throne

was fiery

flames.

Its

wheels

were burning

fire.

Notice

this is an

advancing.

It's a

moving

throne.

A

stream

of

fire

issued

and came

out

from

before

him.

A

thousand

thousand

served

him

and

ten

thousand

times

ten

thousand

stood

before

him.

The

court

sat

in

judgment

and

the

books

were

opened.

Some

of this

should

feel

familiar

to the

text we

read

previously

Revelation

Revelation 4 · chapter mention

chapter

4.

Verse

13

and

14.

I

saw

in the

night

visions

and

behold

with

the

clouds

of

heaven

there

came

one

like

a

son

of

man.

Now

I

want you

to

understand

that

in

Hebrew

this

was a

common

way

of

referencing

somebody

to

their

kind.

man.

So

what

Daniel

is saying

is

there

came

one

who

looked

like

a

human.

This

is what

he's

saying.

It's a

descriptor

in this

case.

But

this is

the

descriptor

that Jesus

picks up

as a

title

and he

calls

himself

this

more than

anything

else

in the

New

Testament.

He

calls

himself

son

of

man.

And

to his

listeners

and

if

you're

familiar

with

this

text

this

would

have

brought

up

all

kinds

of

imagery.

They

would

have

understood

clearly

who

Jesus

was

saying

that

he

was

from

here.

So

with

the

clouds

of

heaven

there

came

one

like

a

son

of

man

and

he

came

to

the

ancient

of

days

and

was

presented

before

him

and

to

him

was

given

dominion

and

glory

and

a

kingdom

that

all

peoples

nations

and

languages

should

serve

him.

His

dominion

is an

everlasting

dominion

which

shall

not

pass

away

and

his

kingdom

one

that

shall

not

be

destroyed.

So

again

here

Old

Testament

now

speaking

forward

to

Jesus'

session

right

thrones

were

placed

there's

a

second

throne

and

it

is

empty

in the

first

vision

but

in

the

second

vision

one

comes

he's

a

human

Jesus

says

that's

me

later

on

in

the

New

Testament

and

he

comes

and

he's

presented

and

he's

given

reign

he's

given

session

right

that

all

peoples

and

nations

and

languages

would

come

and

serve

him

sitting

on

this

throne

that

is

in

motion

and

his

kingdom

is

one

that

shall

not

be

destroyed

Jesus

surely

has

a

supreme

session

king

of

kings

and

lord

of

lords

sub

point

B

Jesus'

supreme

reality

I'm

chuckling

because I

normally

don't

outline

like

this

Jesus'

supreme

reality

verses

three

through

five

we

see

in

verse

three

every

high

priest

is

appointed

to

offer

gifts

and

sacrifices

thus

if you're

going to

be a

priest

is what

he's

saying

if you're

going to

be a

priest

it's

necessary

for

this

priest

Jesus

also

to have

something

to offer

and what

did he

offer

he

offered

up

himself

Hebrews

Hebrews 9:11

9

verse

11

and

12

but

when

Christ

appeared

as a

high

priest

of

the

good

things

that

have

come

then

through

the

greater

and

more

perfect

tent

not

made

with

hands

that

is

not

of

this

creation

he

entered

once

for

all

into

the

holy

places

not

by

means

of

the

blood

of

goats

and

calves

but

by

means

of

his

own

blood

thus

securing

!

himself

so

that

we

can

have

an

eternal

redemption

!

Verse 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

he's

driving

us

to

this

point

that

there's

a

new

covenant

right

that

things

are

now

different

referencing

the

old

covenant

verse

5

they

serve

those

priests

who were

appointed

in the

Aaronic

priesthood

a

copy

and

shadow

of the

heavenly

things

he's

talking

here

about

service

in

the

tabernacle

and

then

the

temple

for

when

Moses

was

about

to

erect

the

tent

the

tabernacle

he

was

instructed

by

God

saying

see

that

you

make

everything

according

to

pattern

that

was

shown

you

on

the

mountain

right

so

again

he's

given

very

careful

instruction

for

what

this

was

meant

to

look

like

the

tabernacle

and

then

the

temple

which

was

meant

to

point

us

to

greater

reality

and

this

point

is

made

at

the

beginning

of

verse

five

they

serve

a

copy

and

shadow

of the

heavenly

things

right

all of

the

mosaic

worship

was like

a dress

rehearsal

for

our

worship

now

and

the

worship

that

will

happen

in

heaven

in

fact

the

word

pattern

denotes

more

than

just

verbal

instruction

we

don't

know

this

factually

but

it

suggests

that

Moses

was

actually

shown

a

model

when

he

was

up

on

the

mountain

with

God

that

he

saw

what

it

was

supposed

to

look

like

as

he

was

to

go

down

the

mountain

!

and

build

this

tabernacle

the

place

where

God's

glory

would

dwell

so

Jesus

has

a

supreme

reality

right

he's

a

better

priest

we've

been

making

that

point

again

and

again

and

again

and

I

hope

you'll

see

its

significance

sub

point

C

Jesus

supreme

covenant

Jesus

supreme

covenant

verses

6

through

9

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

for

if

that

first

covenant

had

been

faultless

there

would

have

been

no

occasion

for

a

second

now

it's

interesting

to think

of

a

covenant

as

with

fault

which

is

the

case

that's

being

made

here

the

writer of

Hebrews

is

saying

that

covenant

had

fault

but

we have

to be

careful

at this

point

which

covenant

is he

referring

to

he's

referring

to

the

mosaic

covenant

the

promise

that was

made

on the

mountain

with

Moses

he's

not

referring

to

the

Abrahamic

covenant

right

we can

see

this

in

Exodus

Exodus 19:5

chapter

19

verse

5

and

6

God

says

to

Moses

now

therefore

if

you

will

indeed

obey

my

voice

and

keep

my

covenant

you

shall

be

my

treasured

possession

among

all

peoples

for

all

the

earth

is

mine

and

shall

be

to

me

a

kingdom

of

priests

and

a

holy

nation

these

are

the

words

that

you

shall

speak

to

the

people

of

Israel

so

he

makes

a

sure

promise

and

that

sure

promise

is

if

you

will

keep

my

commands

then

you

will

be

my

people

so

where's

the fault

in that

it's

with us