In this edition of this series, we delve into the new Priestly Service we have obtained through Jesus Christ.  Just a basic taste of the riches we have in His sacrifice.

New Priestly Service
8:1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

Who have I in heaven but You? Our ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, has now been seated at the right hand of our Heavenly Father in heaven. This is not the earthly tabernacle that was destroyed in 70 AD, but one that will never be destroyed. The earthly tabernacle was a shadow of the one we have now.

3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.

Paul is clarifying, comparing the earthly high priest with what we have in Jesus. What did Jesus offer?

4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

God commanded Moses to follow His pattern, a copy/shadow of what is in heaven. Jesus came to earth to open the way to the actual tabernacle in heaven. Because Moses was obedient to all that the LORD instructed, we have a good idea of what it is. Although we need this background to understand what we have in Christ…

6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

He is now our Mediator, and we have a better covenant and better promises. Let’s see what this means.

A New Covenant
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—

So, the first covenant did not fit the bill, so a second covenant needed to be made. We are now in the days when we are heirs of this new covenant, along with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In this new era of God, it’s time to stand up as manifest sons and daughters of God and let His glory shine through us until it fills the whole earth.

We were blessed to have our four grown children together on Easter Sunday.  If you have read my book, I introduced them with their families in the introduction. I pray that you experience a deeper intimacy and appreciation of the rich blessings we have in Jesus, our Christ. Shalom dear ones!