Musings on Hebrews 8 - New Covenant

Hebrews 8:

Main point: We have such a high priest who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty of the heavens. (v.1)

The right hand of the throne of the Majesty of the heavens is a LOT more intimate than even the holy of holies in the Temple! (v.2)

Vv 4 & 6 indicate that the New Covenant is different from the Old; it is better, with better promises.

The promises of the New Covenant:

àGod will put His laws into our minds, and write them on our hearts. 

àHe will be our God and we will be His people. 

àWe shall not need to teach people saying, “know the LORD” for all will know Him: from the least to the greatest. 

àHe will be merciful to our iniquities and He will remember our sins no more.

The New Covenant is not simply an improved Old Covenant:

It is new.  What does Hebrews 8 say about this?

Quotation of Jeremiah 31:31-34

There is talk in Jeremiah of returning the House of Israel from captivity to their land and rebuilding their nation. 

- Rebuilding does not mean improving.  What is the difference between NEW and IMPROVE?

- There is an emphasis that within the House of Israel, all will know God, from the least to the Greatest.  The emphasis is on the internalizing of relationship with God, rather than external Law – mind and heart Law – relational conscience.

- There is also a move towards individual capacity, rather than herding anonymity.  I.e. everyone shall be guilty of their own sin (Deut. 24:16; Jer. 31:30).

There is a "New" Covenant in the Old Testament; but apart from Jesus and the Holy Spirit, it didn’t work:

àOriginal Covenant (promised in OT, pre-salvific work of Christ & and pre-indwelling Holy Spirit)

à Old Covenant (rules, Levitical Law, sacrificial system: shadow and copy (typology-based)

à New Covenant (with salvific work of Christ & indwelling Holy Spirit):

The declaration to Moses is the Original Covenant (Exodus 19,20).  “Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the people, for all the earth is Mind; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:5,6).

Deuteronomy 5-6:9 also seems to be another crack at the Original Covenant.

The disobedience of Israel causes “plan B”, which we call the Old Covenant (could Exodus 20:19 be the first indication of the rejection of God’s offer in Exodus 19:6?)

The fact that Israel never truly engaged the internal relationship with God in a heart and mind obedience; the fact that Israel never truly engaged even the commands of Deut. 6:6-9, except in a superficial manner; the fact of the social injustice and ignoring of the Law, indicates that regardless of “chances” that Israel may have had, they failed at the Old Covenant as well as spurned the Original.

The New Covenant in Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit is the deepest element of God’s participation with us and is different from the New Covenant as presented to Moses (et al) because it is God who leads us; the Holy Spirit who dwell within us; Jesus who intercedes for us.  The New Covenant of the New Age of the Holy Spirit is God carrying us along.  Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful... 

The New Covenant of the New Age of the Holy Spirit, with Jesus as High Priest and Intercessor is according to the Heavenly concept.  Hebrews 8:4 says that if Jesus were on earth, He wouldn't be a High Priest - He is not an earthly priest - He is a heavenly Priest - He is not offering the Original Covenant to Moses; He is not offering the Old Covenant of Levitical Law - He is offering the New Covenant of Himself, as our heavenly High Priest and Intercessor; He is offering His Holy Spirit as our helper and guide; He is offering the full intention and plan of the Father in way that cannot get any more intimate as God with us: Immanuel!

One last thought: Jeremiah 31:31-34 takes Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and inverts it.  Internalises it.  Takes it deeper, from the physical to the internal.  From the temporal to the eternal.  With God in our hearts and minds, with Jesus as our Intercessor and heavenly High Priest, with the Holy Spirit as our helper and guide to God, we have a dynamic and intentional move with God.

Do we pursue this?  Do we draw near?  Do we seek a move with God that is deeper than requests and success?  Now.  Forever.  Here.  Eternity.  Life with Jesus, participation with God via the Holy Spirit is alive, real, palpable.  I want this.  I want to seek this first, above all things.

Matthew 6:33 says to seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all these things shall be added.  Jesus is a heavenly High Priest.  He is a Kingdom High Priest.  It is His righteousness that becomes our righteousness.  The Kingdom is active and more than a shadow.  Jesus, as High Priest of the Kingdom, sitting at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, invites us to let God in.  Invites us to be God's people.  Not in political agenda or conservative ideology; but in Kingdom dwelling and deep, spiritual, internal, eternal life with God in His Kingdom.

Dogpression

My dog, Havana, was spaid this week.  Tuesday.  She's a real jumping bean and doesn't appreciate wearing a cone and not being able to lick her stitches.  Yesterday (Thursday), my wife, Bee, and I went out looking for an alternative to the cone. 

We heard about a product (not sold in Canada of course!!!) called Bite Not. We called them in San Francisco and the lady was very rude to Bee.  I said to Bee, you think she was rude; she thinks it was just a normal business transaction. 

So we went to Shopper's Drug Mart and I purchased a neck brace - medium sized (shoulda got a small; but they didn't have any) and Havana now can look like a car-accident puppy instead of a lampshade.

On Tuesday, while she was at the Vet, getting all drugged up and cut up and stitched up, her brother Douglas (who was neutered back in January and didn't like it none too much) missed her.  His mother and I told him repeatedly that Havana was at the Vet and would be back later, he was SO sad.  He laid at the top of the stairs and stared down into the carpet.  He moaned and slouched and made it very clear to us that life sucks and is full of nothing but dispair.  He'd take some treats; but make it seem like they were the worst thing in the world.

As soon as Bee left with Havana in the morning, Doug started to sulk.  I could only imagine the questions he was asking in his little doggy-mind:  Where is Havana?  Why can't I be with her?  When will she be home?

If only he knew where she was, he wouldn't be so eager to be with her.  But he didn't know.  He had no idea; all he knew was that he was stuck at home and he was "missing out."

I understand that.  I get that exact same feeling: "missing out."  Bee gets it too.  It is only a superficial feeling since God has given us freedom in Christ and marital union.  But before we were married; before we were living in a way that experienced the freedom of Jesus, we both were overwhelmed and overcome by the feeling of "missing out."  It's a terrible feeling.  Akin to panic.

Psalm 37 gives us encouragement to not panic, nor to envy people.  You know how most parents will talk about the lessons they learn from their kids?  And Christian parents say they learn a lot about how God views us by how they view their kids?  Well, my wife and I can't have kids and our puppies are our kids (we'll foster in a few years, probably) and I sure seem to learn a lot about God from watching my puppies.

I've been learning to be patient with life, especially the unknowns.  I've been learning to wait for God (psalm 37:7).  I've also got this notion that waiting for God ISN'T waiting for God to give me what I want.  That's where the trust comes in.  That's the space where stuff comes up in me: worry, fear, what-ifs.  It is these things I submit to God, turn over to Him.  It is this struggle and difficulty that is the very essence of trusting God.

Trusting God is a lot like Douglas desperately hoping to be with Havana, desperately hoping that she'll come home.  Raising his head at every sound of a car.  Raising his voice at any noise outside.  Making deep eye contact with me when I'm saying her name and telling him where she is.  He wants to understand.

Douglas is not a dumb dog.  He's not emotionless.  He's sensitive.  He wants to please.  He wants to feel secure.  Trust isn't the lack of tension; it is the place to abide in the very thick of the tension.

Psalm 63:7 talks about singing for joy in the shadow of His wings.  It is this perspective I am thinking about singing for joy.  Not that every little thing works out; but that God is good and to be in His shadow is the place to be.

Job Hunting, Puppies and Jesus

Have you ever heard the expression "pound the pavement" when referring to looking for a job? I disliked that statement from the first time I heard it; but that was before the dawn of the Internet.

Now, I can job hunt all day long from the comfort of my own home office. I got tunes on (I'm such a sucker for 106.5 fm - my shame is now revealed...); I write a new cover letter to each job I find; I can tweak my resume for each job.

But after two days of applying to dozens of prospective places, I haven't heard back. So what do I do? Take the dogs for a walk. Douglas and Havana get enough attention from everyone on the street that I can momentarily forget my woes of being neglected by the vast amounts of employers who are supposed to be knocking on my e-mail account's door and buzzing my cell phone.

Yesterday morning I had enough potential to shoot for the stars; today I am walking the dogs, reviewing again the repeated prayer I've been dwelling on lately: "Lord, I trust You, help me trust You."

By Calling and vocation I am a co-pastor, for the past year I've been making tables and benches; now I've lost my co-pastor and table making partner to a telephone company (well, not lost; he's still with me on weekends) and I've got to find a job. Apparently I'm not making money making tables.

Douglas and Havana don't care. They're just happy to be outside, sniffing at poles, grass, dried up poops. Playing with each other in the park. Havanese crosses, they are beautiful dogs, full of life. They trust me. They know that I will lead them to fun; protect them from harm, keep them safe.

So, if I am loved even more by my Father in heaven, what should I care too? I don't have the
"prosperity" line that says everything is gonna be great; but I do have a High Priest in Jesus who wants nothing more than to mould me into something beautiful that will bring God glory. And part of the moulding process involves the unknown of job hunting.

Am I gonna be a janitor during the week or an office administrator? I don't know. Both would be fun. But I do love to write....