Sabbath School Lesson for February 12-18, 2022
Overview of Lesson 8
Moving on to chapter 8 of Hebrews, we see many concepts of the new covenant explained.
- Why did they need a new covenant? (Sunday)
- How was the new covenant a renewal of the old one? (Monday)
- What makes Jesus a better Mediator? (Tuesday)
- What makes Jesus’ Sacrifice a better one? (Wednesday)
- How is obedience easier when the heart is engaged? (Thursday)
As a further attempt to draw the Hebrews back to Christ, Paul reminds them in chapter 8 of the covenant, with special emphasis on the part of Jesus as its Mediator.
Christians, who may have been drifting away from the faith, needed to hear the special role Jesus played as their High Priest to strengthen their ties to the Son of God. The covenant of God with His people was a vital part of the High Priest’s work, and this would have been the perfect topic to get their attention and uplift them spiritually.
Memory Text: “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.” Hebrews 8:6 ESV
The perfect obedience of God’s Son was the basis for claiming a better covenant ministry. The sinless Lamb of God, that the animal sacrifices foreshadowed, was the only means to cancel the death penalty of corrupted, undeserving humanity. Not one of the bulls, oxen, or lambs they offered would do it.
It was not just His death that saved us, however. His life of unfailing obedience was needed for our example, and as a covering for our faulty attempts to achieve righteousness. His holiness can become ours, when we become His followers.
Sunday: The Need of a New Covenant
Hebrews 7:11-19 is a passage that expresses a need for a new priesthood. This new priesthood would be like the one of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4)–one that would not come from the tribe of Levi. Melchizedek, being the king of Salem, was a figure of Jesus, who was from the tribe of Judah, the family line of King David. Jesus then would be both Priest and King, as Melchizedek was.
The life and death of Jesus established a change in the priesthood and the law, it says in Hebrews 7:12. This may be a bit confusing, because we know that the moral Ten Commandment Law is perfect and lasts forever. But we remember that the law, in and of itself, could not make them perfect. They had tried for generations to use the law to reach perfection, but were always disappointed.
What a change it was for them to discover that having God’s Son in their hearts was the only way to perfect their characters. Only as we take His Law into our hearts, and obey it through gratitude and love can we see how the Law’s function had changed for them. The Law hadn’t changed, but they had.
Jesus’ life and example of humble obedience was necessary for them to more fully understand what the types and symbols could only partially portray. Therefore, the Levitical ceremonies and symbols were suspended when the Messiah arrived, as evidenced by the tearing of the veil of the temple at the moment of Christ’s death on the cross (Matthew 27:50, 51).
The Ten Commandment Law is still our standard of righteousness, even though it doesn’t save us, as once thought and legalistically practiced. Only the blood of Jesus, our Mediator, can supply us with the desire and strength to be righteous and keep His Law. All our righteousness must come from Him. We need a correct understanding of the new covenant that makes this possible.
Bible Verses to Explore:
Hebrews 7:11-13 and Matthew 27:50, 51
- Why is a priest and a king both needed to provide us with salvation?
- How did the appearance of the Messiah change the priesthood and the law?
- How did the tearing of the veil in the temple illustrate that there would be a change in the temple services? Why were their animal sacrifices no longer needed?
- How was that event seen as an expression of God’s grief over losing His Son?
Hebrews 10:1-4
- How does this passage show us the need we have of a better covenant?
Monday: New and Renewed
One analogy to help us understand the covenant is to look at the business world. As companies change, so do their agreements or contracts of operation change. It becomes wise, even necessary, to renew contracts from time to time.
When the Messiah arrived, our contract, or covenant agreement with God, also needed to be renewed. Our Guarantor this time was the Son of God. He made promises during His earthly ministry that were better, only because He was better. They were the same promises of salvation, but hearing it from the incarnate God increased our faith in their fulfillment.
The renewed covenant mentioned in Hebrews 8:10-12, which came from Jeremiah 31:33, 34, was also spoken of by Moses in Deuteronomy 30:11-14. Many times God has repeated His plan to save us. It only happens when our hearts are open to His love and mercy, and when we respond with obedience which come from our own love and gratitude to Him.
Jesus showed us the way to love and obey. We love others here on earth, but we also love God, the Creator of our world. The Ten Commandment Law, coupled with the life of Christ, makes it easy to recognize what that love looks like.
Bible Verses to Explore:
Hebrews 7:22
- What made Jesus a better surety or guarantee of God’s covenant?
Hebrews 8:10-12, Deuteronomy 6:4-6, Jeremiah 31:31-34
- Why does love matter so much when we keep God’s Law?
Tuesday: The New Covenant Has a Better Mediator
It’s quite clear from Hebrews 8:1-6 that Jesus is a better Mediator of the covenant. The earthly priests could not accomplish the things that our heavenly High Priest can. His is an eternal ministry, that has no beginning or end. As Paul tells us, the earthly sanctuary service was but a shadow, a copy, of the one in heaven.
Our vision of the heavenly Kingdom is still cloudy, relying on prophetic visions. We can’t see yet what kind of sanctuary is actually there. But, we do have a much better idea of the principles and moral righteousness that exist in that Kingdom. Thanks to the sacrificial, humble life that Jesus modeled for us as He lived among men.
Moses’ face reflected the glory of God (Exodus 34:29). But Jesus IS the glory of God (Hebrews 1:3). Moses spoke to God face to face (Exodus 33:11). But Jesus WAS God speaking to us face to face (John 14:9).
Bible Verses to Explore:
Hebrews 8:1-6
- What elevated Jesus above earthly priests?
- How does Jesus’ position in heaven make His a better ministry?
Wednesday: The New Covenant Has Better Promises
As we’ve seen, the services and animal sacrifices offered by the Levitical priests were a “shadow” or “copy” of the sanctuary that exists in heaven. Their purpose was to point to the future ministry of the Messiah and His Sacrifice that makes our salvation possible.
The services established under Moses’ direction were also intended to draw them away from pagan worship practices. The sacrifice of animals was more humane and merciful than the sacrifice of humans. In addition, the symbols used in God’s worship had rich meanings that taught them about the plan of salvation and the God who provided it. The arrival of the Messiah, in just the manner predicted, brought those symbols to life.
Christ’s first coming increased the faith of many of God’s sincere followers, who had been waiting for the Messiah. His promises and rewards didn’t change, but the way they understood them was improved. They could see more clearly what God’s heavenly Kingdom must be like by observing the humble, obedient life of their Savior. The promises were better because they were easier to visualize and internalize after Jesus dwelt among them (John 1:14).
Bible Verses to Explore:
Hebrews 10:5-10, 9:12
- Why are animal sacrifices no longer needed (ch. 10:9)?
Psalm 51:16-19, 40:6-8
- What kind of sacrifice has God always wanted from us?
Thursday: The New Covenant Has Solved the Problem of the Heart
The new covenant was necessary because the Israelites had lost sight of the purpose of the law. Their legalistic attempts to obey it, without love or gratitude to God, had only separated them from their Maker, instead of drawing them closer to Him.
The purpose of the law was to show them how to live and how to love. Without love, the law was meaningless and only caused them to focus on themselves, becoming stubborn and merciless to others, hardening their hearts against the love of God.
Obedience that includes the heart results in holiness of character. The Messiah came with the new covenant that would give them a new heart capable of the kind of obedience the law demanded. He would write the law on their hearts, as it says in Jeremiah 31:33 and Ezekiel 36:26, 27.
Bible Verses to Explore:
Jeremiah 31:31-33
- How did they break His covenant?
Ezekiel 36:26, 27
- How do we get a new heart?
- What difference does the Holy Spirit make in how we keep the law?
Friday: Conclusion
Hebrews 9:14 mentions a kind of works that we don’t want to have. Works of righteousness that don’t include love for God’s Son are called “dead works”. They don’t accomplish anything when it comes to our salvation and eternal life. They are instead a hindrance that prevents us from growing a healthy relationship with God, ultimately resulting in death.
But there is a sure way to avoid self-righteousness and legalism. We must remember that Jesus is our Mediator. Our good works, when motivated by His love, are evidence that we are working with Him. He is a much better Mediator and High Priest, because He offers to change our hearts, making it possible to do good works that are not dead, but that lead to life, a much better life than anything found here on this fallen planet.
With God’s grace, as shown to us through the ministry of Jesus, we are given a better way to keep His law. The righteousness of Christ must be at the center of all we do or say. Anything else is self-righteousness and cannot be accepted by God, who has been called a God of love. We either love Him or we love ourselves.
We can stand on His promises that cannot fail…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DgpDt4f7vI May this hymn inspire you to stand on those promises, the ones of a better Mediator.
Next Week: Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice
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