- For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:18-19 – The writer of Hebrews was challenging some firmly established belief systems for the Jewish people here. He’s saying that Jesus’ priestly line is far greater than the priestly line they had used since the beginning of the law. He also says within our verse that the Law of Moses, the law they upheld as the standard of life for all those Jewish, made no one perfect. It is weak and useless in the ability to bring us the perfection needed for closeness with God. So what did the Father do? He established a better priestly line and a better covenant of hope for us so we could draw near to Him. While the law gave us a good picture of our sin problem, it couldn’t do anything to fix the problem. Think of the law as an x-ray of a broken bone, it helps us see an issue we couldn’t see before, but the x-ray doesn’t do anything to fix the broken bone. The law opened our eyes to our sin, but only Jesus could do anything to fix our sin problem. The law and the old priestly line then had its place, but both needed to be set aside because the new had come that could actually save us from our sin. While likely we today don’t need convincing that the Jewish law can’t save us, maybe we do need the reminder that our good actions towards God isn’t what save us. The addition of more good deeds isn’t what’s going to cure our sin problem, we need a subtraction of sin to do that and only Jesus can bring that subtraction. Praise the Lord we had a Jesus who can subtract our sin to zero and make us right with the Father. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3191
- (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19 – So much is being said here. We see how useless a life of doing all the right things to be perfect on your own is in God’s eyes. We also see that things took a huge shift when Jesus stepped in. It isn’t about the law anymore, its about a hope. Not a list of rules, but a complete expectation that we can rest in. One that says you don’t have to be good enough because Jesus is good enough. We see it’s impossible to draw near to God by our own goodness, but when we latch onto the hope that Jesus is good enough we find ourselves being drawn near to the God that we couldn’t get to by ourselves. It’s all about this hope in Jesus. Rest in knowing while your perfection isn’t ever enough, Jesus’ perfection is and He’s inviting you into it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
- This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. Hebrews 7:22 – Let’s talk about what the passage is saying. Remember this letter is being written to the Hebrews, the Jewish people who after Jesus came still didn’t accept Him as their Messiah. So the writer is trying to help them see that the Messiah they are waiting for has already came in Jesus. Up to now their covenant (a deep agreement they have with God) was centered around laws that could never perfect them. Now Jesus has come and has created a new covenant between God and people with Him at the center of it all. What the writer is saying is this new covenant where Jesus is the center and Jesus is the one who saves you is better than the old covenant. Where then do you fall into this story? Don’t fall prey yourself into thinking the covenant you have with God is centered around your obedience to God’s law. The reason we have relationships with God isn’t because of our obedience, but because of Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice. Remember today you’re not holding your relationship with God together, that’s Jesus’ job. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 570
- He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! Hebrews 7:3-4 – Imagine someone who you look up to in a certain area of life because of their greatness at it. Possibly a sport or talent or something else. You get the chance to talk with this great person and they point to someone else saying they are the example they are striving to be like because that person is far greater than they are. Wouldn’t we be in awe then of the one that our great person said was far greater than them? Here the writer of Hebrews does this to the extreme. He points to Abraham, the ultimate leader for the Hebrews, and says he paid tribute to one greater than himself, Melchizedek. Then says this Melchizedek is one that resembles something even greater than himself, Jesus, the Son of God. If all that was confusing, it just means Jesus is really, really, really great. Greater than the greatest, one that the greatest can only long to be like. So sure admire the greats of this world, but remember who is far greater than anyone else. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1603
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