Jesus Is Better In Every Way

“Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So this one too had to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. The place where they serve is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, just as Moses was warned by God as Abrahanthe design shown to you on the mountain.” But now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises.” Hebrews 8:1-6 NET

The writer of Hebrews powerfully contends that Jesus surpasses the Levitical covenant bestowed upon Moses. The promises made to Abraham and his descendants extend far beyond mere lineage; they hold profound meaning and purpose. These promises pave the way for the restoration stemming from the Babel incident—a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative when the universal language was totally confused and disrupted, resulting in the scattering of the people into separate nations. This restoration reveals the very beginnings of God's redemptive plan for humanity

God's plan, unfolding through the ages, transcends our understanding and reveals His divine purpose. He was not merely establishing a nation for Himself; He was forging a profound relationship with Abraham, creating a holy priesthood destined to intimately know Him, to love Him, and to serve as His ambassadors to the scattered nations of Babel. This was the dawn of God’s first evangelistic campaign, led by an elderly, childless couple from Haran—a vibrant trade center of the ancient Mesopotamian Near East steeped in rich historical significance. Through this elderly couple, God would change the course of history, inviting all nations back into His fold.

The writer asserts, “We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up.” This raises an important question: Why does Jesus sit down instead of actively serving as a high priest in the temple? The answer is profound: Jesus is the temple itself. Scripture reveals this truth when it describes Jesus as the new temple, as highlighted in Revelation 21:22-24 (NET): “Now I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God—the All-Powerful—and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their grandeur into it.” This powerful imagery underscores the transformative nature of Jesus' presence and mission, illuminating the world in a way that transcends any earthly structure.

In my earlier discussions, I emphasized that the physical temple is a powerful "type and shadow" of the heavenly temple. Taking this concept further, it is essential to recognize that the physical temple is also a profound "type and shadow" of Jesus Himself. This signifies that every aspect of the physical temple—its rituals, structures, and purpose—symbolically represents and foreshadows Jesus and His redemptive mission.

When Moses received the blueprint for the temple on the mountain, he was witnessing the intricacies of Christ in a way that few have experienced. This revelation allowed Moses to behold details of Christ that had never before been revealed to mankind. Although skilled craftsmen meticulously constructed the temple according to God's divine design, an inherent distance remained between God and humanity. God dwells within the hearts of people, not in human-made structures, for no creation can contain the boundless nature of God.

Our passages today emphatically reveal that Jesus has established a ministry far superior to anything before it—one that transcends the ritual of daily animal sacrifices and instead centers on profound devotion to the will of the Father. The promises of Jesus eclipse those once given to Abraham. Through His sacrifice, we are offered the ultimate gift of forgiveness for our sins, but that’s not all; we are also promised physical healing. Our Messiah possesses the extraordinary power to heal our illnesses and restore us.

Moreover, we are embraced by a love that goes beyond human comprehension. Through Jesus, we experience the divine love of God, and this love elevates us to the status of Sons and Daughters of God within His Divine Council. We are not mere spectators; we take our rightful place as active members. Paul boldly asserts that we will even judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:3), underscoring the significant role we play in Christ's family, both in heaven and on earth. This is our calling and our tremendous privilege!

There is an important caveat: we must surrender to the purposes of Christ in our lives. As Paul wrote to the Galatians, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 KJV). The key point to understand here is whose faith we adopt; if I am dead in Christ (crucified with Him), then I have no faith of my own. The only source of life and vitality is the faith of Jesus, who was raised from the dead. Then it is His faith that becomes our animating force, empowering us to live.

As we delve deeper into this concept, we realize that with Christ residing within us, we become part of the temple, for Jesus is the temple. We become the sacred space where God resides. John expresses this joyful anticipation in the book of Revelation: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: ‘Look! The residence of God is among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will no longer exist, nor will there be mourning, crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist.’ And the one seated on the throne said: ‘Look! I am making all things new!’” (Revelation 21:3-5 NET)

Stephen Barnett