My Daily Pause

The Old Testament was meant for the children of Israel. It was just a place holder that featured mere shadows of Christ, his life and the job he came to do. Now that he has come, died and risen, we are heirs to his covenant that improves on the one given to Israel.

Ten ways we have it better

Since the gospel was given to all, it can only follow that it was superior in every way to the old law. With Christ, we have a:

• better revelation (Hebrews 1:4) – In 7 Reasons Christ is King we examined his credentials as the Christ, the one the law and the prophets were looking for. It is through those qualifications that the revelation he brings us is better, and in fact the ultimate authority of all things spiritual.
• better expectation (Hebrews 6:9) – Those that know the gospel know how to please God and therefore are better people. Even the world expects more from us.
  

  Jesus brought us a better Covenant

• better priesthood (Hebrews 7:7-11, 20-28) – In 8 Reasons Christ was like Melchizedek we compared Christ to Melchizedek. Even he was of a better priesthood than the tribe of Levi. Melchizedek was without recorded beginning or end, his ancestry and descendants were not recorded, and even Abram paid tithes to him.
• better hope (Hebrews 7:19) – The did not motivate and inspire people to righteous living. The Spirit was not there as the Comforter. The Gospel gives us that and more – now we may draw near to God, in fact he commands it (James 4:8)
• better testament (or covenant ESV) and better promises (Hebrews 7:22, 8:6) – With all of the old laws and rituals being made on the shadows or types of things to come, under the new covenant we have them made on Christ and the spiritual.
• better sacrifice (Hebrews 9:23, 26) – The sacrifices under the old law did not cleanse sins, the bloodshed had to be repeated on a regular basis. Christ’s sacrifice and bloodshed was once and for all.
• better possessions (Hebrews 10:34 ASV) – We have the Holy Spirit. We have Christ confessing our name to the Father. We have redemption. We have a home in heaven.
• better country (Hebrews 11:16) – The Promised Land of the new covenant is with the father (John 14:2)
• better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35) – This could be talking about our spiritual resurrection being a vast improvement over any form of earthly prolonging of life. (Philippians 1:21)
• better things (Hebrews 11:40, 12:24) – A summary of the arguments in Hebrews

The Jews had to be reminded of these things as the book of Hebrews was written. The writer understood that  as Christianity progressed, we would be able to take these things for granted. So much so that collectively, we forget to talk about them and review them often enough.

Daily Bible reading for August 2

Song of Solomon 8:8-14
Judges 12
Jeremiah 27-28
Hebrews 11:1-12:2