Jesus is our high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and unlike mortal high priests, serves in the heavenly temple.
Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. Hebrews 8:1-2
OUR ETERNAL MEDIATOR
After His atoning death and resurrection, Jesus ascended into the heavens and is sitting at the right hand of God. He serves in the heavenly tabernacle as our High Priest.
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25
Jesus is our eternal mediator and the great high priest who has an unchangeable priesthood.
A FAR GREATER OFFERING
Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. Hebrews 8:3
The gifts and sacrifices of the earthly priests were the bodies and blood of ceremonially clean animals, grain and drink offerings. The Son of God presented a far greater offering of infinite worth – His own body and blood.
A COPY AND A SHADOW
If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” Hebrews 8:4-5
The Levitical priests served in an earthly sanctuary which was only a copy and shadow of the perfect heavenly tabernacle. When Moses met with the LORD on Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah (the rules and regulations of the Mosaic covenant), he also received specific instructions concerning the measurements and materials used in the construction of the tabernacle, its furnishings, the utensils used for sacrifice, and even the clothing of the Levites and the High Priest.
A SUPERIOR COVENANT AND MINISTRY
But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. Hebrews 8:6
Just as the New Covenant is far superior to the Old Covenant, so is Jesus’ ministry as high priest of the heavenly tabernacle far superior to that of those in the line of Levi who served at the earthly sanctuary.
The Mosaic Covenant was forged with an entire nation. The Mosaic Covenant is a conditional covenant made between God and the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-24). It either brought God's direct blessing for obedience or God's direct cursing for disobedience upon the nation of Israel. Part of the Mosaic Covenant was the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and the rest of the Law, which contained over 613 commands. The pattern of this covenant is very similar to other ancient covenants of that time because it is between a sovereign king (God) and his people or subjects (Israel). At the time of the covenant, God reminded the people of their obligation to be obedient to His law (Exodus 19:5), and the people agreed to the covenant when they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” (Exodus 19:8). This covenant would serve to set the nation of Israel apart from all other nations as God’s chosen people.
The New Covenant is an unconditional covenant involving God and His people. The key aspect of this covenant is the blessing of salvation. There is provision for the forgiveness of sin. The New Covenant will do the very thing that the Mosaic Covenant was unable to do. The Mosaic Covenant was able only to cover the sins of Israel, but the New Covenant takes them away.
THE ONLY ONE WHO KEPT THE LAW
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20
The Law of Moses revealed that all people are sinful and in need of a savior. The New Covenant is a covenant confirmed by the blood of the Savior which would pay the price of sin.
Unlike the Old Covenant (Mosaic Covenant), in the New Covenant God’s law is not written on tablets of stone but written upon hearts of flesh by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10
The reason Israel failed to keep the Law under the Mosaic Covenant was that the people lacked the power to comply with the righteous standards of God.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17
Only sinless Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) was able to keep the entire Mosaic Law perfectly.
As a Jewish believer in Yeshua (Jesus) as the Son of God and Messiah (Christ), I am sharing my understanding of the natural and spiritual fulfillments that are foreshadowed in the Festivals of Yehovah in a series of posts. For an overview of these teachings, use the link provided below:
FROM PASSOVER TO THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES – AN OVERVIEW OF THE SEVEN ANNUAL FESTIVALS
https://steemit.com/christianity/@lastdays/from-passover-to-the-feast-of-tabernacles-an-overview-of-the-seven-annual-festivals
