Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 (Hebrews 6-10)
These chapters focus on the priesthood of Jesus Christ. A priest is the mediator between man and God. Jesus is referred to as the High Priest and likened to Melchizedek, who predated the Levitical priesthood and to whom Abraham gave a tenth of his bounty after defeating four kings to rescue his nephew Lot. Like Melchizedek, Jesus was not a Levite.
The writer of Hebrews logically and systematically shows Jesus as the complete and final priest. With His death and resurrection, there is full access to God’s mercy and grace. The Levites were temporary, Christ is eternal. The ancient Law is written on stone, Christ’s Law is engraved on the hearts of those whose belief becomes faith. Animal sacrifice only reminded the people they were sinners (10:3&4), while the blood of Jesus has the power to save us from our carnal crisis.
A ‘testament’ or covenant is a will, a bequeathment, to heirs, effective after the death of their maker. This is where we get the terms, New Testament and Old Testament. There is no further need for animal sacrifice (Old Testament) in an earthly Temple that lay in crumbles. Christ’s blood (New Testament) is sufficient and God is faithful to forgive those who place their trust in this Salvation.
Love,
Gretchen