In my last series on the meaning of Passover we discovered that the prophetic implications of that feast relate specifically to God’s group of overcomers called the manchild or the sons of God. We further learned that this group has been called to become the spiritual fulfillment of the tribe of Levi. Specifically, God has called and chosen them to become guardians of “the testimony.” “The testimony” itself speaks of “the seamless garment,” the totality, of God’s truth. This particular group of Christians has affirmed and made the following passage of Scripture a part of their lives:

¹¹ For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:

The question we must ask ourselves now is why is it possible for some people to succeed in becoming overcomers when almost the entire Levite tribe failed to do so and, in fact, became complicit in crucifying Jesus himself? The answer, I believe, is found in the difference between the New and the Old Covenants. The Book of Hebrews, I believe, reveals the differences between the Old and New Covenants better than any other book in Scripture.

Hebrews is a mysterious book which remains totally misunderstood by almost all of Christianity. I do not believe that Paul wrote it because it contains none of Paul’s typical signature statements.  I do not believe that John wrote it because it does not sound like John’s writing either.  The book never says it was written to “Hebrews” or to “Jews.” The book was written to Christians and it fulfilled two main purposes. First, Hebrews reveals how it is that the Christian faith arose out of the faith of Israel, which we call Judaism. Second, Hebrews exhorts Christians to walk in their new faith unto the salvation of their souls. The book does not at all deal with coming to initial faith in Jesus Christ as the savior of your spirit. It assumes you have done so. It deals entirely with the salvation of the soul instead. This is why Christians misunderstand it. Any time the book says that a person will be destroyed or suffer loss because of sin or lack of faith they immediately assume that the person in mind never believed in Jesus Christ. Thus they miss the entire purpose of this profound work.

The word “covenant” (διαθηκη diatheke dee-ath-ay’-kay) is used 33 times in ten books in the New Testament. Seventeen of these 33 uses occur in the book of Hebrews alone. The first use of the word in Hebrews occurs in chapter 7.

¹¹ Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. ¹³ For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.

¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.^[a] 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest ¹⁶ who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. ¹⁷ For He testifies:^[b]

¹⁸ For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, ¹⁹ for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand,there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

²⁰ And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath ²¹ (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:

²² by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.

²³ Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.²⁴ But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; ²⁷ who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. (Hebrews 7:11-28)

From this passage we learn one major thing about this new covenant of which the New Testament writers speak. It is a “better covenant.” It is better because the high priest of the New Covenant, Jesus Christ, has been perfected forever. He has no weaknesses, unlike the Levitical priests who came before him. For this reason he is able to “save to the uttermost” those who come to God through him. Remember that in the time of Moses God substituted the Levites for the firstborn. The Levites then became intercessors between the rest of the Israelites and God. All Israelites had to approach God through them, but they were weak by reason of their sinful flesh. They could not save Israel “to the uttermost.” Next, we will begin to discover what this means.