August 6, 2020

For the next 13 days we will be spending time together walking through the book of Hebrews! Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who were undergoing persecution for their faith and considering running back to Judaism. The author of Hebrews takes an in-depth look at the practices and regulations of the Old Testament as articulated in the Torah and argues for how Jesus is both superior to each of them and supreme over all of them! The author also warns his audience of the grave danger facing them should they choose to now reject Jesus and return to their former way of life. These warnings can and should make us feel uncomfortable as we read through the book together; allow the Spirit to do what He wants to do in your heart through them! Overall, the message of Hebrews is that Jesus, the Son of God as well as our Savior and Messiah, is infinitely superior to anything or anyone else we could give our lives to, and He is worthy of all our devotion and worship. Jesus is greater!

In this chapter the author of Hebrews demonstrates the superiority of Jesus to anything and everything that came before Him based on the superiority of the New Covenant, which Jesus mediates, to the Old Covenant. The author states here that the earthly tabernacle (and, by extension, the whole Old Testament law) is merely a shadow and a copy of the heavenly things which they represent; Jesus is the greater fulfillment of it all!

Jesus is greater as our high priest because He is eternal and because He ministers in the actual, literal, direct presence of God in heaven rather than in the earthly Holy Place. The author says that the covenant Jesus mediates is better because it is enacted on better promises, and then he quotes from the book of Jeremiah to give us just a few of the promises that this New Covenant is enacted on:

  • The New Covenant will not be like the Old Covenant, which failed due to human sinfulness (v.9)
  • God will transform His people from the inside out by writing His law on their hearts and minds rather than on stone tablets (v.10)
  • All of God’s people will know Him intimately (v.11)
  • God will forgive His people’s sins finally and forever (v.12)

All of these promises have been fulfilled for us in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He truly is our great high priest, our greater worship, having made the Old obsolete and ushered in the New for His people! Everything which came before Jesus was meant to point us to Him, and He alone is worthy of all our devotion, love, and worship!

Hebrews 8

Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant

8 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,2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 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. 5 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.” 6 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. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

8 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,
9 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.
10 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.
11 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.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
    and I will remember their sins no more.”

13 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.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • How does the fulfillment of God’s New Covenant promises in Jesus move us to have confidence in Him? How can you respond to His faithfulness in acts worship today?

17 thoughts on “Daily Devotional-August 6”

  1. Dear Heavenly Father,
    We are so blessed that You sent Your son Jesus to seek and to save those who were lost. All of Your promises are fulfilled through Him. Now He sits on Your right hand and has made an atonement for our sins. “Oh how marvelous, oh how wonderful , is my Savior’s love for me! And what a joy Devine it is to worship You!! Please stay by my side forever, Lord Jesus , I pray. Amen.

  3. Father, thank you for another day. Praise your Holy Name. Thank you for you son, Jesus. Father, today, infill your people with your Holy Spirit. May we know you care. May we know you will take action to save us, to protect us, to provide for us, to heal us. Today, send us forth to be light in this dark world. Father, you sent you son to earth to seek and to save those who are lost. Now, not wasting a moment, let’s go forth together to find one more for Jesus. Be with us today and guide us. Amen

  7. Renew my mind and heart today, that your spirit would transform who I am, so that what I do reflects your character. Empower me to obey you, share my knowledge of you to others, and share the grace and mercy you have extended to me, so that they can know you.

    1. AMEN and HALLELUJAh!!! Lord help me to tell others about you. Enlighten me with your grace and glory for others to see. Lord get me out of my box and show others your love and glory. I ask this in Jesus Christ name Amen

  8. God of so many chances because He loves us, He gave us Jesus His son to save us, He gave us the Holy Spirit to be with us. We just need to believe and have a strong faith.

  9. Praise you Dear Lord for your provision by the sacrifice of your Son for us. Praise you for your mercy on us – your guidance – your love. We call upon this mercy and power to remove this virus from our land. We ask for your intervention to heal our land and our people. We lift up those in our body of Christ who are fighting the virus. Specifically we lift up Luis Saucedo and his wife Angela. He continues to fight over six weeks now this virus. Here our prayers Lord, heal his lungs, comfort Angela. To you all glory and honor.

    1. Father hear our prayers and heal all your children. You are merciful. Loving , gracious and kind. Forgive us Oh Lord and heal our land and your people inside out, we cry out to you dear Lord. In Jesus name Amen,!!!

  12. Praise be to God for His mercies endureth for ever. Jesus Christ our High Priest and mystery of the ages. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that reveals your faithfulness. Love and Redemption for those who love you and have believed your message of salvation. We pray that you help us to do the work we have been called to do. Strengthen us Oh Lord we pray. Protect us from the enemy as we go about telling of your salvation to all that are willing to hear.
    Open the minds of many dear Lord to understand the treasure of the gospel, that the y too might be saved. Jehova Nissi, in your Holy name we pray. AMEN

  13. Good afternoon Lord!
    After I read today’s devotional, I sat in my car in the parking garage before putting on my mask and gloves and walking into the Criminal Justice Center in downtown Houston, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. However, after having completed another day of my 42 years of being a criminal lawyer, first as a prosecutor and now as a defense attorney, I am glad to recognize you Jesus as the High Priest of a Better Covenant and as one who will be merciful toward my iniquities and who will remember my sins no more.

  14. Thank you that we have so great a high priest that we can go directly to the Father through Jesus. What a blessing that is!

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