I was taught in Bible College that the book of Hebrews is also known the book of the better. It is because the author of Hebrews presents the idea of ‘better’ 13 times:
1) Much better than the angels (1:4),
2) confident of better things in your case (6:9),
3) a better hope (7:19),
4) guarantee of a better covenant (7:22),
5) Mediator of a better covenant (8:6),
6) founded on better promises (8:6),
7) with better sacrifices (9:23),
8) better and lasting possessions (10:34),
9) Abel offered God a better sacrifice (11:4),
10) desire a better country (11:16),
11) better resurrection (11:35),
12) planned something better for us (11:40), and
13) speaks a better word (12:24).
From this quick survey, I gather that the author of Hebrews is trying to bring across to his readers a very simple and yet powerful message: whatever Jesus has done for us on the Cross is better than whatever we have tried to do in the past. When I read through today passage, I come across two ‘better’ verses in verses 19 and 22. The former informs me that there is a better hope for the future and a better covenant from the past because of who Jesus is and what He has done.
What does this imply to me? For me, the implication is simple but powerful. I am better today than yesterday, and my tomorrow will be better than today because of Christ. In other words, I have something positives to look forward to, because of Christ work on the Cross in the past.
Sometimes we don’t understand the implication of Jesus being the better High Priest, offering a better sacrifice and giving us a better hope. This means that the work of Christ is completed, once and for all, and there is no need for us to seek for another high priest, another sacrifice or another hope, because Christ is sufficient. And this means that we better recognize and remember our identity: we are the better children of God.
In the past, the children of God (as in Israelites) have to have their high priest to come into the sanctuary of God to make a sacrifice for their sins and ask for forgiveness. But now, we as the children of God have Jesus as our High Priest and Sacrifice, and all our sins have been forgiven since the day He died on the Cross. And today, we are better than the Israelites because we are forgiven children of God.
I am forgiven on the day I receive Jesus as my Savior, I am forgiven today, and I am forgiven tomorrow. Therefore, my tomorrow will be better. There is no need for me to keep asking for forgiveness, because forgiveness has been given to me. Though I still have to confess my sins, agreeing with God about what He thinks of me, and His willingness to forgive because I am His child. No matter what I have done can change my identity. I am a better child of God. All I need to do is to receive His forgiveness which has been given when He died on the Cross 2000 years ago.
Are you better?
HHS…
Abel…
No comments:
Post a Comment