Sunday Night Bible Study! Hebrews 8

1. (Hebrews 8:1-2) A summary of points previously made regarding Jesus as our High Priest.

2. (Hebrews 8:3) Jesus’ priesthood had a sacrifice — and a better sacrifice.

3. (Hebrews 8:4-5) Jesus’ priesthood had a temple — and a better temple.

4. (Hebrews 8:6) The result: Jesus presides over a superior priesthood with a better covenant and better promises.

5. The superiority of the New Covenant.
1. (Hebrews 8:7) The fact that God mentions another covenant is proves that there is something lacking in the Old Covenant.

6. 2. (Hebrews 8:8-12) The New Covenant as it is presented in the Hebrew Scriptures (quoting from Jeremiah 31:31-34).

7. (Hebrews 8:13) The significance of a New Covenant.

Differences Between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant

1. They were instituted at different times.

The Old Covenant around 1446 B.C.
The New Covenant around 33 A.D.
2. They were instituted at different places.

The Old Covenant at Mount Sinai
The New Covenant at Mount Zion
3. They were spoken in different ways.

The Old Covenant was thundered with fear and dread at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:17-24)
Jesus Christ, God the Son, declared the New Covenant with love and grace
4. They have different mediators.

Moses mediated the Old Covenant
Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant
5. They are different in their subject matter.

The Old Covenant demanded a covenant of works
The New Covenant fulfills the covenant of works through the completed work of Jesus
6. They are different in how they were dedicated.

The Old Covenant was dedicated with the blood of animals sprinkled on the people (Exodus 24:5-8)
The New Covenant was dedicated with Jesus’ blood (signifying His sacrificial death) spiritually applied to His people
7. They are different in their priests.

The Old Covenant is represented by the priesthood of the Law of Moses and high priests descended from Aaron
The New Covenant has a priesthood of all believers and a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek
8. They are different in their sacrifices.

The Old Covenant demanded endless repetition of imperfect sacrifices
The New Covenant provides a once and for all, perfect sacrifice of the Son of God Himself
9. They are different in how and where they were written.

The Old Covenant was written by God on tablets of stone
The New Covenant is written by God on the hearts of His people
10. They are different in their goals.

The goal of the Old Covenant was to discover sin, to condemn it, and to set a “fence” around it
The goal of the New Covenant is to declare the love, grace, and mercy of God, and to give repentance, remission of sin, and eternal life
11. They are different in their practical effect on living.

The Old Covenant ends in bondage (through no fault of its own)
The New Covenant provides true liberty
12. They are different in their giving of the Holy Spirit.

Under the Old Covenant the Holy Spirit was given to certain people for certain specific duties
Under the New Covenant the Holy Spirit is poured out freely on all who will receive Him by faith
13. They are different in their idea of the Kingdom of God.

Under the Old Covenant, the Kingdom of God is mainly seen as the supreme rule of Israel over the nations
Under the New Covenant, the Kingdom of God is both a present spiritual reality and a coming literal fact
14. They are different in their substance.

The Old Covenant has vivid shadows
The New Covenant has the reality
15. They are different in the extent of their administration.

The Old Covenant was confined to the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob according to the flesh
The New Covenant is extended to all nations and races under heaven
16. They are different in what they actually accomplish.

The Old Covenant made nothing perfect
The New Covenant can and will bring in the perfection of God’s people
17. They are different in their duration.

The Old Covenant was designed to prepare the way for the New Covenant and then pass away as a principle of God’s dealing with men