Hebrews (chps.7-10) talk about the reasons that the covenant with Jesus and his priesthood is superior to the covenant with the law and Aaron’s priesthood. The tabernacle set up in the wilderness by Moses was a shadow of the true tabernacle that is in heaven, the book of Hebrews says. The regulations for the earthly tabernacle in the wilderness were external and could not change the heart of the worshiper. The worshiper failed in their obedience to God under this covenant. This failure caused God to deny the people access to his rest. They died in the wilderness. It was their children who entered the promised land with Joshua, the Bible says.

The new covenant with Jesus clears the conscience and sets the worshiper free from sin. He did away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. There are realities under this second covenant with Jesus available to the worshiper that are superior to first covenant. The new covenant with Jesus requires the worshiper to be called. The worshiper is made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ. This sacrifice does not need to be performed over and over again. It was a once for all sacrifice at the end of the ages made by Christ. The first covenant is a system of religion. The second covenant with Jesus is a restoring of a relationship with God. It provides an eternal inheritance to the worshiper as a son of God.

The book of Galatians makes it clear that if the worshiper tries to mix the first covenant with the second covenant they will be required to keep the whole law for their righteousness with God. Hebrews states that God has now written the law in our minds and on our hearts in his second covenant with Jesus. We have an internal ability to discern good from evil. We have an internal ability to fight our sin and defeat it by God’s Holy Spirit. We have grace to help in the time of our need. We have access to the presence of God through Jesus, the mediator between God and man. What this means is that the worshiper who is under the second covenant with Jesus can obey and please God. We are not at the mercy of sin under the second covenant. We can make choices to obey God, take up our cross, and die with Christ. In fact, these choices are not optional for the worshiper under the second covenant. The Bible says we must make them. This is the measure of the second covenant with Jesus. Christianity is dying to ourselves and living for God. Leave behind the foundation teachings of Christ, the book of Hebrews says, and go on to maturity. For the sake of God and eternity…..are you willing? God will make it possible for you by his Holy Spirit. A truly magnificent gift.