Hebrews

Note the details in the first four verses of this chapter that call us to a recollection of the Old Testament and the artifacts of the old covenant. Verse eight is critical for our understanding of why these things bear explanation. Before the cross and the destruction of the temple (which Christ both prophesied to be destroyed and rebuilt [John 2:19]), the old covenant and the temple were the gateways to God, which required a lesser priest than Christ.
So perfect is the new covenant that access to God not only no longer requires an intermediary, but our clean appearance before the Father occurs in another way not previously available to us - see what the writer of Hebrews is saying by comparing verses 9 and 14. We may now come before God with a clean conscience. Consider vv.15-22 knowing this: Before Christ, the Israelites were saved by a covenant that held a future promise, yet unfulfilled, of a coming Messiah, whose blood would be shed to seal a new covenant. Their faith was correctly placed in the promise of future salvation and symbolized by a continual representative imperfect sacrifice, under the old covenant. By Christ's death, the provisions of the new covenant are now immutable forever (v.17).
Under the old covenant, the high priest would annually enter the veiled holy of holies in the Temple to make an atoning sacrifice for all of Israel. The people would wait with eager anticipation to know as he reappeared from behind the veil that the sacrifice had been accepted. Verse 28 gives us this same anticipatory picture of our High Priest. Jesus Christ will also reappear, but at His second coming, He will not come to deal with our sin, "without reference to sin" (v.28). Sin only needs to be dealt with once, and He did that on the cross.

The first six verses of this chapter revisit the theme of the insufficiency of the old sacrificial system in order to contrast it with the prophetically fulfilling (Ps. 40:6-8) replacement of the new covenant. Remember, the writer's audience here is a group that would be wavering in their response to the gospel, either by 1) struggling with commitment, 2) failing to respond to the truth they understood, or by 3) lack of belief. The admonition is to hold fast to the new access we have to God, which is so much greater than the old system. The old required a continual "offering time after time the same sacrifices, which (could) never take away sins" (v.11). The word for “new” in v.20 is not kainos as elsewhere in this Epistle, but prosphatos, which means originally “newly slain.” How much richer does this verse read now, when we know of His flesh as the veil through which we now have access to the Father? In v.22, pure water is not to be read as baptism, but as Paul used in Titus 3:5, "the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit," and Eph 5:26, "the washing of water with the word." It is not used anywhere else in the New Testament. In v.25, "the day" could be considered as referring to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, which would not yet have occurred (70AD) at the time of the writing of this letter (likely 64-69AD). This is less likely than the interpretation of the day referring to the coming of the Lord at His second coming. This will coincide with the end times, which are evidenced to be upon us by the signs even in this chapter. Do not overlook the warnings of a more terrifying judgment to be expected for those who willfully reject the gospel. Just as those who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy (v.28), how much more do you think God will exact His justice (v.31) against those who disregard the sacrifice of His Son (v.29)?

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” And God furthermore said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name from generation to generation. (Exodus 3:14-15).
Well known as the "faith" chapter of the Bible, it perfectly follows the writer's explanation of the new covenant as better than the old. In the first century, Judaism had become a twisted system of salvation by works. This was a corruption of what God had delivered to His people to represent the coming new covenant He would deliver through Christ, and He despised it. God has always redeemed man by faith, never by works. Following a brief definition of faith that connects the principle of the new covenant's superiority (from the previous chapters), is a list of Old Testament men and women who illustrate this faith. Having just heard these arguments regarding the covenant, the point is now that the matter of faith did not begin with the New Covenant, but that the way back to God has always and only been by faith.
As the writer continues his parade of faith heroes, he finally lists a group of six that are all rulers (v.32) in one way or another. But as he recounts their deeds, none are praised for their office. Rather, and exclusively for what they accomplished by faith. We are challenged by the concept of how those in the Old Testament may be saved by a Christ who had not yet arrived. Here we see that the point in all salvation is faith. Today we have something better (v39). They were not lesser believers. Their faith was of the highest order. Their salvation was based on what Christ would do. Ours is based on what Christ has done. They looked forward to a promise. We look to a fulfilled promise. Both are timeless, just as God is. Even when He appeared to Moses at the time when He delivered the Old Covenant, He revealed His timeless nature. When is God? "I AM" is His name Gen (3:15).

The witnesses referenced in v.1 are examples of faith from the previous chapter. It is in the context of their faith that the writer of Hebrews describes a race run without the encumbrances of sin. We are free of sin for one reason - the same objective we run toward and fix our eyes on in this race - Jesus. Even as we run (endure this temporary life), we should regard discipline as an aspect of God's love for us (vv.4-11). As the New Covenant in Christ is lifted up, the evidence of the Old Testament is shown for why Christ is necessary. With Esau, he sought God's blessings but found no place for repentance (v.17). With Abel, his sacrifice was righteous and acceptable because it was offered in faith, but it had no atoning power. Only Jesus' blood is sufficient to cleanse the sins of all men for all time. "And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross—through Him—whether things on earth or things in heaven." Colossians 1:20. We know that the Lord's return is imminent. As you read the closing verses of this chapter regarding God's Unshakable Kingdom, consider where you will store your valuables (maybe read Matthew 6:19-21).