Chapter 7
-Chapter seven continues to make the point that Jesus Christ
is the High Priest superior to the Old Covenant. Jesus is a priest according to
the order of Melchizedek in the respect that He is wholly other from the
Levitical system being from the tribe of Judah (Hebrews 7:4-16). He like
Melchizedek, is the King of righteousness, King of Jerusalem, King of peace,
without father or mother or genealogy, has neither beginning of days nor end of
life, and He continues as a priest forever (Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 7:2-3, 17, 21).
The former system had weakness and became useless, for the Law made nothing
perfect; but on the other hand, Jesus provides a better hope by which we can
now draw near to God by the covering that He gives (Hebrews 7:18-19). This
makes Jesus the guarantor (a surety, a guarantee) of a better covenant since He
lives forever and makes intercession continually, saving to the uttermost
(Hebrews 7:22-25). He is indeed fitting since He is holy, innocent, unstained,
separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens, and He died once for all by
offering Himself up on the cross (Hebrews 7:26-27). He is the oath of God by
His Word made perfect forever, which came later in time to fulfill the Law (Matthew
5:17, Hebrews 7:28). *Application* Christ is our mediator between us, who have
sinned and come short of the glory of God, and the Holy-Righteous Father in
Heaven who is perfect and complete. Jesus’ atonement for our sins is completed
on the cross and His resurrection gives us the hope of new life in Him apart
from the requirements of an old and out dated religious system that we had no
hope of keeping. When viewed in this light, we can better understand Christ’s
love for us and realize fully what He meant when He said, “I am the way, the
truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).
He is our superior High Priest forever!
Verse to memorize-
Hebrews 7:22
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