Hebrews 9: A Covenant Sealed by Blood

 

The Lord desires to make a covenant with us as human beings. In ancient times, a covenant was sealed with blood to signify that anyone who broke it would forfeit their life. As human sinners, we broke our covenant with the Lord. However, because God wants us to be close to Him, He provided a way of redemption even under the first covenant.

First, the high priest—who was himself a sinner—had to cleanse himself through blood sacrifices before entering the Holy of Holies to intercede for the people of Israel.

"He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption." — Hebrews 9:12

Hebrews 9 shows us that this earthly sanctuary was merely a shadow of the new covenant to come. Jesus offered His own blood and entered the true tabernacle in heaven, interceding on our behalf once and for all.

Hebrews 8: The New Covenant Has Come

This chapter quotes Jeremiah 31:33 to highlight this transition:

“For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Hebrews 8:10)

Under this new covenant, Jesus serves as our High Priest in the true sanctuary in heaven. By contrast, the high priest in the Jerusalem temple was merely a shadow of the heavenly reality. The old covenant was declared obsolete, as verse 13 explains:

When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is about to disappear. (Hebrews 8:13)

Historically, this shift unfolded rapidly. In 70 AD, the temple—the earthly shadow—was destroyed, the priestly lineage was lost, and the sacrificial system came to an end. It is no wonder the Letter to the Hebrews was preserved as sacred Scripture.

Hebrews 7: The Melchizedek Priesthood

 

The Jewish community in the first century had lingering doubts: Jesus brings pardon for our sins, but even so, is it still necessary to go to Jerusalem and offer sacrifices? Furthermore, Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, whereas priests were required to be descendants of Aaron. The key to resolving this question lies in Psalm 110:4:

4 The Lord has sworn

and will not change his mind:

“You are a priest forever,

in the order of Melchizedek.”

Psalm 110 is the most cited Old Testament passage in the New Testament. Jesus is revealed as the Messiah in Psalm 110; therefore, He is seated at the right hand of the Lord until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet (v. 1). In verse 4, Jesus is declared a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, meaning He is far greater than any high priest in first-century Jerusalem.

Because the Letter to the Hebrews was preserved and remains in our hands today, I believe the early Jewish community took this appeal to heart and stood firm in Jesus. He is our great High Priest—One who understands our weaknesses, intercedes for our sins, and treats us with deep compassion.

Hebrews 6: Jewish Christian Doubts Before the Fall of the Second Temple

 

Imagine a first-century community of Jewish believers. They were accustomed to going to the temple in Jerusalem for purification, relying on the High Priest to mediate on their behalf. Though they had received the gospel and believed in Jesus, they were now facing intense persecution.

Naturally, deep questions arose: How are our sins dealt with now? What is the role of the temple's High Priest if Jesus was truly the final sacrifice for our sins?

Hebrews 6 encourages this community to remain steadfast in Jesus. He is, in fact, our true High Priest. Rather than putting our hope in an earthly leader in Jerusalem, Christians are called to anchor their hope in Jesus—the High Priest who enters God’s presence and intercedes for us.

For this Jewish community living prior to AD 70, this text offered vital spiritual preparation. It prepared them for the impending destruction of the temple, an institution that had already fulfilled its purpose in God's plan.

Hebrews 5: Jesus Is Our High Priest

 

In the Old Testament, no one simply chose to become a high priest. It was a calling from the Lord given to Aaron and passed down to his descendants. Furthermore, the high priest knew he was a sinner who had to show compassion to other sinners when seeking the Lord’s forgiveness.

Jesus is our ultimate High Priest. As the Son of God, He was appointed to offer Himself to the Lord as a sacrifice for our sins. As we read in Hebrews 5:7–10:

"While he lived on earth, anticipating death, Jesus cried out in pain and wept in sorrow as he offered up priestly prayers to God. Because he honored God, God answered him. Though he was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do. Then, having arrived at the full stature of his maturity and having been announced by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him."

As I draw nearer to death, Jesus has compassion on me. If Jesus learned trusting-obedience through what He suffered, who am I to try to escape this suffering? My Priest is with now. He will be with me in death.

Hebrews 4: Today, rest in the Kingdom of the Lord

Psalm 95:7–11

$7$ ... Today, if only you would hear his voice,

$8$ “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,

as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,

$9$ where your ancestors tested me;

they tried me, though they had seen what I did.

$10$ For forty years I was angry with that generation;

I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,

and they have not known my ways.’

$11$ So I declared on oath in my anger,

‘They shall never enter my rest.’”

The author of Hebrews focuses on the word “Today.” of this Psalm. The Lord expected His people to enter His resting place (the Promised Land), just as He expects His people to enter His kingdom today. The Promised Land was a shadow of His kingdom. Faith and obedience were necessary to enter the Promised Land; likewise, faith and obedience are necessary to enter His kingdom today. Those who enter will find true rest and peace.

Hebrews 3: Jesus Is Greater Than Moses

Jesus is greater than Moses: Jesus is the Son over God's house, whereas Moses was a servant in it. This means that rebelling against Jesus carries even greater weight—and greater consequences—than rebelling against Moses.

Hebrews 3:6–11 (The Message)

"Now, if we can only keep a firm grip on this bold confidence, we’re the house! That’s why the Holy Spirit says,
Today, please listen;
don’t turn a deaf ear as in 'the bitter uprising,'
that time of wilderness testing!
Even though they watched me at work for forty years,
your ancestors refused to let me do it my way;
over and over they tried my patience.
And I was provoked, oh, so provoked!
I said, 'They’ll never keep their minds on God;
they refuse to walk down my road.'
Exasperated, I vowed,
'They’ll never get where they’re going,
never be able to sit down and rest.'"

Just as there were severe consequences for rebelling in the wilderness during Moses' time, there are even greater consequences for turning away from Jesus today.