Hebrews Chapter 8

Christ’s Priesthood in Heaven

            ¹ Here’s the point: we have the kind of high priest that sat down on the right hand of the majestic throne in heaven. ² He ministers in the sanctuary, the real tabernacle the LORD pitched, not man. ³ Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; so he needed to offer something too. ⁴ On earth, he wouldn’t be a priest at all since there are those who offer gifts according to the Law and serve a copy and shadow of heavenly things. ⁵ God warned Moses when he was getting ready to put up the tabernacle, “Be sure you make everything like the design I showed you on the mountain” [Ex 25:40]. ⁶ Christ received a ministry that’s as much better as the covenant he’s mediating is better, because God enacted it on better promises.

Heb 8:1-6

The Promise of a New Covenant

            ⁷ If the first covenant hadn’t had faults, God wouldn’t have planned to put a second covenant in place. He’s finding fault with the first ⁸ when he says,

                        “The time’s coming

                                    when I’ll make a new covenant

                                    with Israel and Judah.

⁹ It won’t be like the covenant I made with their ancestors

                                    when I brought them out of Egypt.

They didn’t continue on in my covenant,

and I wasn’t pleased with them.

¹⁰ This is the kind of covenant I’ll make with Israel later:

I’ll put my laws in their minds

                                    and write them on their hearts.

I’ll be their God,

and they’ll be my people.

¹¹ Nobody will be teaching his fellow citizen and friend,

‘Know the LORD.’

They’ll all know me from smallest to greatest,

¹² because I’ll have mercy on their sins;

                                    I won’t remember them anymore” [Jer 31:31-34].

¹³ When he said “new,” he made the first old. What’s getting old is about to pass away.

Heb 8:7-13