Connecting Point: Out with the Old, In with the New

As spring approaches many individuals have an itch, it's time to start mucking through possessions. My friends and I helped another person in need of this kind of service, sifting through a lifetime of collections. Our community benefited from this as we set up an event to give back needed clothing items for free. I would venture to guess many readers have made some type of spring-cleaning plans.

Letting go of items can be challenging for some but this often is necessary. Letting go of unnecessary traditions or practices can also be perplexing. This is the precise case brought up in Hebrews chapter seven; Jewish custom and Levitical practices regarding the atonement for sin was the sticking point for those Hebrew Christians. Making such a shift in ideology and principle was life-altering, if one is to trust Jesus as Savior.

“If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’ The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God,” (Hebrews 7:11-19).

First, the Old Testament covenant was meant to be temporary. Judaism still follows the old covenant to the “letter of the law” to this day. All of the prophecies of the Messiah are ignored which appear all over the Old Testament. How ironic, to have prophecies fulfilled by Jesus by the droves and miss out completely on God’s promises. David wrote, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek,’” (Psalm 110:4). Here’s the point; the priesthood changed with Jesus.

Second, ancestry priesthood ties are no match for Christ's “power of indestructible life.” Christians celebrate Easter for this very reason; Jesus conquered death and hell through his resurrection. Jesus in receiving priesthood forever changed the old system, talk about shattering glass ceilings.

Third, the Old Testament Law made nothing perfect. There are voices out there that will get highly offended by this truth presented in Hebrews, but one thing is clear, the Law of Moses became obsolete with Christ’s death and resurrection. I’m not saying the Old Covenant was useless; it served its purpose for a time. There is value in the (Old) Law but in its self-there was no cure for sin, only Jesus (New) became and still is the cure for our sin problem.