In this insightful episode, we delve into Hebrews chapter 8, exploring the profound significance of Jesus as our high priest under a new and superior covenant. Join us as we listen to Alan J. Huth share his reflections and journal entries spanning over the decades, revealing personal insights and spiritual growth informed by scripture. Discover how the covenant is more excellent as it brings promises that the first failed to fulfill.
00:09:12 Triple I Doctrine and Encouragement to Read the Bible
00:12:07 Transformative Power of the Bible: A Story
SPEAKER 01 :
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Allen J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.
SPEAKER 02 :
Today brings us to Hebrews chapter 8. In chapter 7 we learn that Jesus was our high priest. Today we learn that he is a priest of a better covenant. Let’s listen in. The faith comes by our hearing’s reading of Hebrews 8.
SPEAKER 03 :
Hebrews 8. Now the point in what we are saying is this. We have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices, thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now, if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain. But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old, as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
SPEAKER 04 :
For he finds fault with them when he says, Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach each one his neighbor, and each one his brother, saying, Know the Lord. For they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.
SPEAKER 03 :
In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
SPEAKER 02 :
In 1993, at 38 years old, I read Hebrews chapter 8 through 9, verse 12. On that day I wrote in my personal Bible reading journal, Christ, the new covenant, better than the priests who worshipped and intervened on behalf of the Jews. Jesus is far better. He sacrificed his own blood and created the eternal covenant, no need for another. He opened the Holy of Holies to all believers, not just the high priest. Entry is through Jesus, who rent the curtain in two upon his death and resurrection. In 2005, at 50 years old, I read Hebrews chapter 8 and I wrote a new covenant because the old didn’t work. The daily sacrifice of animals did not forgive our sins completely, nor did it alter our behavior. We kept on sinning. Jesus dies once and forgiveness is complete, though we still keep on sinning. Praise God for a new covenant of grace. And referring to verse 9, I quoted, I took them by the hand. How personal God is. Take me by the hand, Lord. In 2013, at 58 years old, I read Hebrews chapters 8 and 9 on the same day, and I wrote concerning chapter 8, reasons for a new covenant, for they did not continue in my covenant, verse 9. New covenant, question mark? And then I referred to verses 10 through 11. He puts the laws into our minds. We know right from wrong and in our hearts, so all people know there is a God, even those who deny he exists. That ends my journal entry, so let’s take a look at Hebrews chapter 8. The first verse clarifies the discussions of chapter 7 and 8. It says, Now the point in what we are saying is this. We have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven. How awesome is that? Our high priest is seated at the throne of the majesty in heaven. Hallelujah Jesus! The chapter continues to make the point that Jesus’ covenant is better than Moses’ covenant. Let’s look at verse 6. But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. So we see here the old covenant from Moses was flawed. It could not save. Then the writer of Hebrews quotes Jeremiah chapter 31 verses 31 through 34. The Lord declares that a new covenant is coming. In this new covenant, the Lord declares, I will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people. For they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest. Verse 13 concludes the matter. In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. So here in chapter 8, the author reminds us that Jesus is high priest of a better covenant. We can see through eight chapters of Hebrews, the author is building a case that Jesus is superior to everything that is known to everyone else. He’s superior to angels. He’s superior to Moses. He’s superior to the priesthood. And now he’s superior to the old covenant. This Jesus, our high priest, one who sits at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven and continually intercedes for us. Again, we shout the hallelujah. So what’s our application from Hebrews chapter 8? As Christians, we still believe in angels. We believe in Moses. We believe in the Levitical priesthood. We believe in the old covenant. But we don’t depend on any of that for our salvation. We depend on this Jesus. the author and finisher of our faith. These eight chapters of Hebrews elevate him above everything else possible, everything else known to man. The book of Hebrews elevates Jesus as the one and only one who can offer us salvation. The author is making the case. Do you believe it? Let’s pray. Father, we thank you that Jesus offers us a better covenant. We thank you that he is the one that sits at your right hand on the heavenly throne. We thank you that you sent him to us as our high priest. That all can know you from the least to the greatest. Thank you for putting your law in our minds and in our hearts. Thank you for being our God. And thank you for allowing us to be your people. And most of all, thank you for remembering our iniquities no more. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the forgiveness of sin. Hallelujah, Jesus. Amen. Thank you for listening to AdBible. Though the Bible can be read at the speed I’m speaking in about 78 hours, surveys show we don’t read it. How many of you have ever read the Bible cover to cover? How many have tried and failed? I want to encourage you to try it again. I want to share with you what I call the Triple I Doctrine and some powerful reasons to stay in your Bible daily. I begin with a verse from 2 Peter 1.21. But holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. That’s how we got the Bible. The Holy Spirit moved holy men of God to write it, all of it. Because He did, we can now look at the Triple I Doctrine, the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God. But what do these terms mean? Inspired means God breathed. 2 Timothy 3.16 says, All scripture is given by inspiration of God. What does infallible mean? It means no potential or ability to err. Totally reliable. It cannot contradict itself. And Hebrews 6.18 says, It is impossible for God to lie. And the last one is inerrant. What does that mean? It means it’s technically correct. It’s free from falsehood and deceit. Wholly true. It’s doctrine. It’s history. It’s science. It’s geography. And Matthew 5.18 says, For assuredly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. And Revelation 22, 18 and 19 say, And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. So the Triple I Doctrine is reason enough to be in God’s Word each day. But in case you need more encouragement, here are three more thoughts. First, improve your spiritual maturity. According to Barna Research, of the seven dimensions in which Americans were asked to rate their faith maturity, Bible knowledge ranked dead last. So if you want to improve your spiritual maturity, stay in God’s Word daily. Number two is develop a dynamic relationship with God. Dr. Woodrow Kroll, former president of Back to the Bible, wrote a book called Taking Back the Good Book. He said, When people tire of reading the Bible, it’s because they read it for the wrong reasons or in the wrong way. They read the Bible to gain knowledge, store facts, or pick up a few principles to live by. When you see the Bible as a means to a dynamic relationship with God, you can’t get enough of it because you can’t get enough of Him. And the third thought is to be transformed. Don’t read the Bible to be informed. Read it to be transformed. And I’m going to share a fun little story with you about being transformed by the Word of God. It’s about an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early, sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old, worn-out Bible. His grandson, who wanted to be just like him, tried to imitate him in any way he could. One day the grandson asked, Papa, I try to read the Bible, just like you, but I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do? The grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, Take this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water. The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, You’ll have to move a little faster next time and send him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, I don’t want a bucket of water. I want a basket of water. You can do this. You’re just not trying hard enough. And he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather, the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, See, Papa, it’s useless. So you think it’s useless, the old man said. Look at the basket. The boy looked at the basket, and for the first time, he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was clean. Son, that’s what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, But when you read it, it will change you from the inside out. So read the Bible so you can improve your spiritual maturity, develop a dynamic relationship with God, and be transformed, not informed. The Bible came to us from the Holy Spirit, directed by holy men of God. The triple I doctrine reminds us it’s inspired, God-breathed, infallible, without error, and inerrant, technically correct, and wholly true. Read it to grow spiritually, develop a dynamic relationship with God, and be transformed.
