SOMETHING BETTER!

"God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."
(Hebrews 11:40).

Devotion 7 of 10

BETTER PROMISES

The New Covenant is enacted, or established, upon "better promises." "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" (Heb 8:6). The benefits of the covenant are here referred to as "better promises." They are the pillars of the covenant that support the conscience of the believer. They are divine commitments from a God Who "cannot lie." The Law made promises upon the basis of human achievement: "the man which doeth those things shall live by them" (Rom 10:5). This is not the basis of the New Covenant; it has "better promises." Hear the Word of the Lord. "And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God" (Ezek 11:19). "A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances" (Ezek 36:26-27). Who can fail to see the superiority of these promises!

Better Sacrifices

The Old Covenant was noted for its sacrifices. They were many and frequent, but they brought no eternal benefit to the people. "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these" (Heb 9:23).

The sacrifices are "better" because of the effects they generated. Actually, the single sacrifice of Christ is meant by "better sacrifices." The plural form is used because of the extent of that sacrifice, as well as the multitudinous benefits wrought by it. In laying down His life as a ransom for all, Jesus sacrificed His will, His life, and His position. He "learned obedience" (Heb 5:8), "was tempted in all points" (Heb 4:15), and "was heard in that He feared" (Heb 5:7). He submitted to be abandoned by God, ravaged by men, and struck cruelly by the devil. And what was the result of His sacrifice? So great that language and expression become impoverished when attempting to articulate the glories of it.

He "put away sin" by that sacrifice (Heb 9:26). He "destroyed" the devil by means of His death (Heb 2:14). Principalities and powers that long had enslaved the world were "spoiled" and plundered by His death on the cross (Col 2:15). The world was "reconciled" (2 Cor 5:18-20), and
"good news" was prepared for the poor. But that is not all! His sacrifice made it right for the good things of heaven to be enjoyed by those that receive the reconciliation. "The heavenly things" had not themselves become contaminated, but they had been placed beyond the reach of humanity because of sin. But Christ's sacrifice resolved that dilemma, bringing them within the grasp of faith. By His vicarious death, "heavenly things" were sanctified for our enjoyment and benefit. Truly, Christ offered a "better sacrifice"; "better" in quality; "better" in effectiveness; "better" in benefits!

PRAYER POINT: Father, through Jesus I praise Your name for the superior promises realized in Him. I thank You for His sacrifice that accomplished what You desired from the foundation of the world. Without shame, and with gratitude, I confess it supplies what I want also.

-- TOMORROW: A BETTER AND ENDURING SUBSTANCE --