We’re continuing our series on the End of the World in chronological order. We’re still in the thousand-year reign of Christ. We’re still talking about the New Covenant. The new covenant is practically synonymous with the Lord’s millennial kingdom.
We pointed out before that when the Lord establishes a covenant, He’ll usually say one or two “I will’s.” I will do this thing, and I will do that thing to you and your seed. But when you dig into the New Covenant, the Lord says well over 30 “I will’s.” It’s in those 30+ “I will’s” that we can get a sense of what to expect in the New Covenant. It’s also because of those 30+ “I will’s” that I’m inclined to think the new covenant will be established at His Second Coming, because that is when He will fulfill ALL His 30+ “I will’s.”
Of course, the New Covenant replaces the Mosaic covenant, but when you dig into the Lord’s many “I will’s”, you quickly realize the Lord isn’t just replacing the Mosaic covenant. He’s also fulfilling the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants as well.
So now we get to the book of Hebrews. This book was designed to help Jews at the time to understand why The Son of God came as the Son of Man, why He died on that cross, because that was always part of His design as to how He would take away their sins and how He would establish the New Covenant. During the Tribulation, the book of Hebrews will help new believing Jews to understand all these points and to prepare them for what’s to come in the New Covenant.
For us today, after we get saved, our foundational book is Romans. For a Jew who gets saved in the Tribulation, his foundational book is going to be Hebrews.
This is a transition book for believing Jews in anticipation of the New Covenant. This book explains to the Jews why Christ did what He did, and this book will help them to make that transition in their thinking from the old system to the new. This book will help them to recognize the weaknesses of the old compared to the perfection of Christ and His sacrifice, by which all life will be transformed in the kingdom.
Doug Dodd had a big article breaking down the book of Hebrews, and he said something I loved. “Hebrews is a sort of New Testament book of Leviticus. What Leviticus concealed in the Old Testament, the book of Hebrews reveals.” I love that. What Leviticus conceals, Hebrews reveals.
What did Leviticus conceal? We learn in Hebrews the law always was weak in the eyes of God. It was unable to stop people from sinning, or to free people from their bondage to sin, which is why the new covenant surpasses the old in every way.
This is why the word “better” is one of the key words of Hebrews, repeated a dozen times or so. What you may not have realized in Leviticus, you quickly learn in Hebrews – the Mosaic law was always from its inception designed to be temporary, whereas the New Covenant was always from its inception designed to be eternal. The good things of the Mosaic covenant are replaced with the better things of Christ. The shadows of the past system are replaced with the substance of Christ. The types found in the past are replaced with the reality of Christ. The incompleteness of the old covenant is replaced with the completeness of the new covenant. The conditional promises in the old system are replaced with the unconditional promises of the new – evidenced by the over 30 “I will’s” of God. Whereas the old covenant was the shadow, imperfect, and earthly-focused, the new covenant is the substance, perfect, and heavenly-focused, because the kingdom with the new covenant is now the heavenly realm come down to the Earth.
This is why Hebrews also emphasizes the heavenlies on seven different occasions:
1) Christ in the Heavenlies (1:3)
2) The Heavenly Calling (3:1)
3) The Heavenly Gift (6:4)
4) Heavenly Things (8:5)
5) Heavenly Country (11:16)
6) Heavenly Jerusalem (12:22)
7) Names are written in Heaven (12:23)
The kingdom with the new covenant is the heavenly realm brought to Earth.
So our article today is structured after the structure of Hebrews as it was broken down by J. Sidlow Baxter in his “Explore the Book.”
JESUS—THE NEW AND “BETTER” DELIVERER (i.-vii.).
The first seven chapters is the supremacy of Jesus in every way. Jesus the God-Man—better than angels (i., ii.). The new Apostle—better than Moses (iii.). The new Leader—better than David (iv. 1-13). The new Priest—better than Aaron (iv. 14-vii.).
CALVARY—THE NEW AND “BETTER” COVENANT (viii.-x. 18)
Calvary is what makes possible the promises of the new covenant. Because of Calvary, the new covenant has better promises (viii. 6-13). a better sanctuary (ix. 1-14), sealed by a better sacrifice (ix. 15-28), and it achieves far better results (x. 1-18).
FAITH—THE TRUE AND “BETTER” PRINCIPLE (x. 19-xiii.).
Then the book of Hebrews from halfway through chapter 10 to the end of the book, closes with this powerful emphasis on faith. Faith is the true response to these “better” things (x. 19-39). Faith has always been championed as such: examples of faith in chapter 11. Faith is to now endure, as they patiently look for His return in chapter 12:1-13. And faith is to express itself in their practical sanctity in chapters 12:14 – 13:21. Why does this book end with such a strong emphasis on faith? The point is that they are to embrace the change already brought about by Christ, abandon the law, and demonstrate a sanctified walk by being faithful to the Word as they endure the Tribulation and watch for Christ’s return.
Heb. 2 – Christ, The New & Better Deliverer
This section we’re about to read is just a sample from a broader section about how Jesus is the better deliverer, better than the angels (i., ii.), better than Moses (iii.), better than David (iv. 1-13), and better than Aaron (iv. 14-vii.). Chapter one and chapter two compares Christ to the angels. In chapter one, it’s a comparison that reveals His supremacy as the Son of God, which is Jesus as descended from the Father in His incarnation.
In chapter two, which we’re going to read, Christ is compared to the angels as the Son of Man, which is Jesus as descended from Adam in His incarnation. (When you read “Son of God,” that is Jesus as descended from the Father in His incarnation, and when you read “Son of Man,” that is Jesus as descended from Adam in His incarnation.)
Look at Heb 2:5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
This is the only verse in all these passages that might need a little explanation. The writer of Hebrews had spoken at length about angels in the first chapter. There’s this brief diversion in the first four verses of this chapter about neglecting so great a salvation. Then the writer returns to the subject of angels. For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. The writer is only making the point that angels will not be part of the ruling structure on the Earth in the kingdom. That’ll forever be the role of Israel. The angels will not be put in subjection to Israel. In fact, the angels will remain part of God’s heavenly structure, and we know that the Body of Christ will have administrative roles over the angels.
The bigger point to this verse and this whole section is a response to objections by Jews about Jesus. If He was the Messiah, why did He come as a man? Why was He poor, lowly, riding on a donkey into Jerusalem? Why was He made lower than the angels? And the writer is going to explain here the supremacy of Christ over the angels even in His state as a man because of what He accomplished, because, in His sacrifice for all our sins, He would, in fact, bring so great a salvation to all of us and deliver us from sin.
Heb. 2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour (aid or help) them that are tempted. Are these not unbelievably powerful verses?
I love how the word “that” really punctuates the big points here. 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man… 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil… 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Those are some pretty big “that’s”.
By the grace of God, He tasted death for every man, so that through His death He can deliver us from the consequence of sin and the bondage of sin, which made Him the most merciful and faithful high priest. Whereas priests in time past sacrificed animals, Christ sacrificed Himself. Why? To make reconciliation for the sins of the people. He was able through the sacrifice of Himself to remove that barrier of sin between Him and His people.
He came AS one of us to be identified WITH all of us so He can TAKE ON the consequence of our sins FOR all of us.
We also have a bit ofFirst Adam and Last Adam in this chapter. The first Adam was given dominion over God’s creation, but he could not put all things in subjection, like Satan and his angels. Thus, the Last Adam came as a man and did what man could never do – defeat sin, defeat death, and defeat Satan, too.
So Christ is being glorified here because of all He accomplished in His incarnation as a man. His glory, all that He was and is, all that joy set before Him, all that love, and all that grace of His Father compelled Him to take on our punishment for sin so that we could be delivered from sin in every conceivable way and forever be reconciled to God. This is to be the foundation by which Christ will establish His new covenant with Israel. This is the reason why He can say He will remember their sins no more. This is the framework to all the perfection of everything to come in the new covenant, which is already a cause for these Jewish believers to look forward to Christ’s return with great anticipation, because in that day, it’ll be a whole new universe. This is in part why Jesus in the flesh had to be lower than the angels, why even as a man Jesus still had supremacy over the angels, because of what He would accomplish, which the law could never accomplish, and that is our deliverance from sin, which is also what makes Him the better high priest.
Heb. 10 – Calvary, The New & Better Covenant
This chapter is just part of a larger section of Hebrews that starts in chapter eight and ends here with these passages in chapter 10. In chapter eight, we learn how the new covenant has better promises, which we covered last week. Chapter nine is about a better sanctuary, which represents a vastly improved religious system better than anything they had in the OT all of which has been sealed by the better sacrifice of Christ. So, here in chapter ten, this is about how all of those factors will produce far better results than the law ever could.
Look at Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. (The idea here is that God preferred obedience over sacrifices. The sacrifices was never a happy occasion for Him.) Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Heb 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
What we want to highlight in all these passages is how the new covenant will produce better results, which takes us back to Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. What did he mean by that? You know, Paul also made reference to the Lord taking away their sins in the New Covenant. Remember how he wrote in Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
What exactly did it mean that the Lord would take away their sins? Paul is highlighting a future action when the new covenant is established, with the Lord saying when I shall take away their sins. I think that is a deliverance from sin in every possible sense they can be delivered. They’ll be resurrected. This means they will have been delivered from the eternal consequence of sin. They didn’t simply escape eternal punishment for their sins. The Lord said often that He will remember their sins no more. He will never bring to remembrance their past sins again. In their resurrection, they will also be delivered from the presence of sin. People who go to the Lake of Fire are not given new bodies. They’re not entitled to anything new. But one of the blessings of being given eternal life and delivered from the consequence of sin is to also receive a new body freed from the presence of sin. Additionally, the resurrected saints in their new bodies filled with the Spirit will still have free will, and they will live for a thousand years in a world that has sin-cursed people who will do bad things and who will tempt them. Yet, these resurrected saints will never succumb to temptation, which is another aspect of their deliverance from sin. With the way that God designed the kingdom and life in their glorified bodies, they will never choose to sin… even though they still have their free will.
How is that possible?
There will be a million reasons to say no to sin, the top being that nothing could surpass the fulness of joy they feel every day being in the presence of the Lord. Combine that with them being in glorified bodies filled with the Spirit, the overwhelming peace, and all the loving unity of all the glorified saints. Plus, they’ll have memories of their past lives and the things they did, which they will disgust them. And all of this means they will never choose to sin in the kingdom, which is mind-blowing.
Here’s a question. If angels have free will, how come no more angels have sinned and become outcast after Satan’s rebellion? It was in the Olivet Discourse that we learned that the Lake of Fire has already been prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). So the theory goes that all the angels can already see the Lake of Fire. I totally think they can. And I think they can see Sheol and the place of torment. They can see the bottomless pit that awaits Satan and his angels. They can see Tartarus in Hell, where some of those angels are chained up because they created the Nephilim. Not to mention the fact that they remember the past. They remember what happened to Satan when he tried to take on God. Plus, for them, too, there is the joy of being righteous, the fulness of joy being in the presence of God, and all the loving unity of the entire heavenly host. All those factors have been pretty effective deterrents to keep those angels from entertaining any thoughts of rebellion.
I say all of this out because of the verses in Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Those are the last words of Isaiah, and they have always stuck with me. Freaky. And I think those verses mean that resurrected saints will be able to see the place of torment when they’re atop Mount Zion. Thus, many of the reasons why the resurrected saints won’t sin in the kingdom are similar to the reasons why no more angels have sinned after Satan’s fall. Both groups have free will. They’re both glorified, freed from sin, perfectly righteous, love the Lord. They both feel that fulness of joy being in His presence. They both love where they are and what they’re doing. They’re both fascinated by the entire kingdom. They’re all intimately close to God. And… they both have memories of the past, and they can both see the place of torment. I’d suggest all those factors, the way God designed the whole kingdom and life for the saints in their new bodies that will be why they will never choose to sin.
So we return to the thoughts where we started, the comparison between Hebrews 10:4 and Rom. 11:27. The writer of Hebrews said Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. The law could only expose and condemn sin. It could never help a person to stop sinning. It could never free a person from their bondage to sin in the flesh. And the law can never help anyone become justified. On the other hand, Paul referenced the New Covenant in Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. Because of Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary, He will take away the sins of true Israel at their resurrection. The sins are taken away in every conceivable sense. They’re delivered from the consequence of sin. They’re delivered from the presence of sin. And with the way God designed His kingdom and their lives in their new bodies, the saints, in their free wills, will never choose to sin again.
Because of their deliverance from sin, because of God’s incredible design of His kingdom, we have better results under the new covenant.
Look at Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereas the law never perfected anything, Christ perfected forever them that are set apart because of their faith. This is why Calvary is the foundation to a new and better covenant. Because of Calvary they have better promises (viii. 6-13), better sanctuary (ix. 1-14), better sacrifice (ix. 15-28), and better results (x. 1-18).
Heb. 10 – Faith, the True & Better Principle
We pointed out at the beginning of the article that the final three and a half chapters of Hebrews is all about faith, the true and better principle. Why is this the closing point to this book? In the last half of chapter 10, it’s how faith is the true response to these “better” promises (x. 19-39). In chapter 11, we have the great Faith Hall of Fame, the great champions of faith, with a myriad of examples (xi.). In the first half of chapter 12, the writer makes the point that faith is to now endure, as they patiently look for His return (xii. 1-13). Then from second half of chapter 12 to the end of the book, the theme is how their faith should express itself in a sanctified walk (xii. 14-xiii. 21). Why? Why are the Hebrews told all that?
I suspect the point is for the Little Flock and any Jew who got saved by accepting in the Tribulation, the point is that they are to now abandon the law and demonstrate a sanctified walk by merely being faithful to the Word of God. They are to align their earthly walk with their new covenant identity. They are to now focus on fidelity to all that Christ taught. They are to now be faithful to every word in their new foundational book of Hebrews. And they are to do all this while patiently enduring the Tribulation and watching for the return of Christ. You know, there’s no way in the Tribulation that any of the believing remnant could keep the law with all those judgments happening. And God never tells them to. What God tells them to do here at the end of Hebrews is that they abandon the law in this transitionary period before the Lord returns when He establishes the New Covenant. They are to now simply walk by faith in His Word. They are to follow the instructions of Christ and the Hebrew epistles until the Lord returns. That is all the Little Flock was called to do when the age of grace started, and that is all that will be expected of them in the Tribulation.
Notice carefully these verses. Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God… This is a colossal shift away from life as they had always known it. He’s saying they now have access into the holiest of holies through the blood of Jesus, and therefore, they should have boldness in the access they already have with God. They are already IN the new and living way. The new life they’re living now has already been consecrated by Christ. The new life has already been made sacred through the completeness of their sanctification by His blood. Christ is now the high priest over the house of God. That is their present-tense reality of their new lives. There’s no point in looking for mediation through the Levites. Christ has already settled their sin issue forever. He is now their high priest. So how are they supposed to live until Christ returns? By simple faith in His Word.
Look at Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
I love these verses. Who is this great cloud of witnesses? It’s every saint referenced in the Faith Hall of Fame in the previous chapter. It’s the people whose very lives can testify to the power of faith.
Notice how the writer makes a distinction here between weight and sin. He wrote, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us… We know what sin is. What is the weight? The weight was the burden of the law. They were to set that aside, as well.
Plus, they were to set aside all the anxiety that came with sinning. They felt anxiety for every sin they committed because that meant they’d come under God’s judgment unless they did a sacrifice. Now they were to get out from under that burden of the law. They were to set aside all that anxiety about sin. Now they have access into the holiest of holies. Now they have access to God through the blood of the lamb, and they were to see themselves as forever reconciled to God. They are to now move forward in faith with what God has told them in His Word, to set aside their fears and doubts, move forward in faith, put their sins behind them because Christ has already paid for their sins, and they are to now focus on running with patience the race that is set before them.
The Jews have a race, too?
The race set before them is the patient endurance of the Tribulation. At the end of that race, rewards await them for how well they faithfully obeyed the words of Christ. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. He’s the start and the finish. He is the one upon whom they have faith. He is the cause for them to have faith. And He is the finisher of their faith. He is the one who will put an end to their faith when He returns, and they spend eternity with Him. He is also the perfecter of their faith by chastening them and by being the greatest model of faith in His perfect obedience to the Father all the way to the cross.
Then we get these glorious passages, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. The suffering had an endgame in mind. The suffering would produce a new joy in Christ. Endurance of the suffering was to bring about the joy He knew would be the result, which for Christ, was not just so Israel could be freed from sin but for everything His victory would accomplish – His oneness with His children, the age of grace, of course, the kingdom to come, the new covenant – all of that! All that was the joy set before Him. That was worth the cost of enduring the worst suffering of any being in the history of mankind.
Conclusion
So what Leviticus concealed, Hebrews revealed. We learn in Hebrews the law was always weak in the eyes of God. It was plainly unable to stop people from sinning, or to take away their sins, which is why the new covenant surpasses the old in every conceivable way. Hebrews was written to help the Jews at the time to understand why the Son of God came as the Son of Man, why He died on that cross, because that was always part of His design as to how He would take away their sins and how He would establish the New Covenant in His kingdom. And now… they’re to abandon the old and walk with faith in anticipation of the new.
I have a quote here from Dwight Pentecost in his “Things to Come” book. I like it. He wrote, “The millennial age is designed by God to be the final test of fallen humanity under the most ideal circumstances, surrounded by every enablement to obey the rule of the king, from whom the outward sources of temptation have been removed, so that man may be found and proved to be a failure in even this last testing of fallen humanity.”
I would add a thought to this. The millennial age will also be the only time of testing for the resurrected kingdom saints. They will learn just how glorified and empowered they are living righteously in their resurrected bodies. They will be in a constant state of joy and perfect peace about everything because God is in a constant state of joy and perfect peace about everything. They will perfectly embody His righteousness, His love, His grace. They will encounter nations of sinners and unbelievers, but they will never buckle under pressure. They will be tempted, but they will never succumb. They will be hated, but they will never reciprocate. They will love perfectly even when they’re hated. They will have the power of God at their fingertips, even to break a nation of its willful disobedience, but they will have the restraint to exercise that power only when it is the righteous thing to do. And these saints will absolutely love all these challenges they’ll face with these Gentile nations in the kingdom. They will consistently rise to the occasion, never faltering, never doubting, never worried, always at peace, always humble as servants, always with sincere hearts, at perfect peace and loving unity with all the brethren, bonds that can never be broken no matter what an unbeliever says or does.
The results for them in the kingdom are the goals for us today.
SUPPLY OF GRACE 