You all are stuck with me and one of the things that I would like to do because Greg has a nasty, nasty habit of getting my mind thinking about things and one of the things is he talked about a couple of weeks ago when we had our Easter message was Jesus Christ who is going to tear down the physical temple and do what in three days? Build the temple back up. And that's one of the things that here at Dayspring we look at as one of the foundational ways that we understand our Bibles. because what was Jesus doing? What was Jesus doing when He was talking to the, actually to the Pharisees, to those who were talking with Him? What was He doing? Well, I mean, He was purging the physical temple, but He was doing what is called equivocating. He was exchanging a definition for the temple with a definition for the temple. And what was he doing in the meantime? Totally transforming what the meaning was. And those are some of the things that we have to be very, very in tune with when we read the Word of God, particularly when we look at the Old Testament. When we look at the Old Testament, well, let's go back. When we look at the New Testament, we want to read the New Testament as logically and as saying exactly what the words are saying as we possibly can. Correct? When the Apostle Paul says, or when the Apostle John says, love one another, what are we looking for? We're looking for a love for one another. All right? Now, at the same time, we need to implement the metaphors and so on. We sang about the woman at the well. All right? What did Jesus do at the well? He says, you want water? I have water. and there he has that replacement. Well, what happened was that I then got to thinking that that is exactly what we are in need of doing. One of the things here at Dayspring we do is we hold to a thing called New Covenant Theology. That is a way that we look at the whole of the Scripture. All right, for example, when Jesus, in fact, every Sunday morning, what do we do? We take the Passover meal that Jesus was doing, and what did Jesus do at the Passover meal? He says this bread, guess what? What did it used to mean? It was a symbol. What was the bread of the Passover used to be for? Oh, come on, Dayspringers. No, it was the bread of haste. We couldn't let it rise and so what did we have to do? We just had to slap it on the hot bricks and cook it and slap it away and so we had unleavened bread and that became the bread of the Passover. And then there was the cup of the Passover which represented The wine represented what? The blood that was posted on the door, lentils. What did Jesus do? The bread is still the bread except now it represents something different now than it has for the last two thousand years. No longer is the blood over the lentil that caused us to have an exodus. What does that now mean? It is Christ, our Passover, and he says this is the cup of what? It's not the cup of deliverance, it's the cup of the new covenant. And so what we see is that we have a relationship with God. By the way, that's what covenant really is. In the passage that we look at today, we're going to find that covenant often or sometimes means our last will and testament, but more often than not, the whole concept is the relationship And what took place when Jesus Christ came was that our relationship with God changed. And that's what I'd like to look at today. We're going to look at a passage, so if you'll open your Bibles to the the letter to the Hebrews, you look at the Bible at the letter of the Hebrews, I'm trying desperately not to have to read six chapters so you can get the flow of things, because that's almost essential to be able to do. But what I want to do, just give us a little bit of context here, is that I want to look at the whole book of Hebrews, which has what as its function? Why was the letter of Hebrews written? Ben, do you remember why? All right, it was written to young Christians who were tempted after a while, they were starting to undergo some persecutions, and they were tempted to go back into Judaism. They were tempted to go back into the old covenant, and the writer of the book of Hebrews came in and said, listen, this is not right. There has been a movement of redemptive history, and to go back and do all of those old things absolutely does not make sense. Because Jesus Christ, and then over and over and over throughout the book of Hebrews, you remember what word we see over and over? Better, better covenant, better promises, better, better, better. And that's one of the things that we are able to see. And so then after he says what's taken place, look over in verse, excuse me, in chapter eight, all right? Let's just start at the beginning of chapter eight. It says, now the main point that I've been getting at is this, that we have such a high priest. that he has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary, in the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, not man." Now let me take just a brief moment there. What's he saying? He says Jesus is a high priest. alright? He is a high priest in, now, he uses the phrase temple, or tabernacle, but we could just as easily substitute the word temple there, because that was in Jesus' day what they had. You know, they didn't have the tent anymore. But now, Jesus is the high priest. But where is this temple? Well, Jesus has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the majesty where? In the heavens. And so the temple we have now is not going to be a physical temple made with hands. then in verse three he continues on for every high priest is appointed both to offer gifts and sacrifices but it is necessary that the high priest also have something to offer if he were uh... if he that would be christ is on the earth he would not be a priest at all by the way why wouldn't he be a priest at all wrong tribe okay he's not the tribe of the israel what tribe was jesus of the tribe of Judah, but yet what does the writer of Hebrews say? He is our great high priest. And so something has changed. This whole tribes thing has changed so that Jesus now is the high priest. Anyway, if he had been on the earth, he would not be able to be a priest at all since those who offer gifts according to the law. But those guys serve a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things. Now what's a copy and a shadow? Yeah, a type, all right. It is a version of. Now, what did God tell Moses? Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect a tabernacle. See, he says, that you make all the things according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain. Why? Because it needed to reflect something. What did it need to reflect? The real temple, which is not on the earth, but it is in the heavens. Verse 6, it says, But now he, who is the he, Jesus again, has obtained a more excellent ministry, by which he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which is acted on better promises. For if the first covenant had been faultless, there would not have been an occasion to seek for a second. So what's he talking about? What's the writer of Hebrews talking about here? More, this is more than just the tabernacle. This is more than just the high priest. This is relating to what? This is relating to the entire covenantal relationship between God and His people. That's what the covenant has always been through, even from the very, very beginning. It is the relationship. You always have a covenant. That's how theologically they're able to say, well, the only time we don't have a covenant is from Adam to Noah, all right, but yet all of the elements of the covenant are there. You know, you have the people, you have the, you know, you have the sacrifice that seals the covenant, but it's just simply not called. Is the Noahic version a covenant? a relationship that Noah as the re-creationist then starts, all right, and that covenant continues till when? When's the next covenant made? All right, with Abraham, and Abraham is made with a covenant. Galatians tells us it's made with Abraham and who else? And his seed, who is Christ. So there we see in the Abrahamic covenant, all right, a covenant that is made with Abraham all right, for a physical generation and the real seed who is Jesus Christ. And then we rock along in the hymn Moses. Is there a covenant made with Moses? In fact, that's the one that Hebrews is going to be talking about with all of the things that go along. Well, what is this covenant? Well, in verse 6 we see that Jesus Christ is the mediator of the covenant which is exacted on better promises. Better covenant, better promises. In other words, guys who are thinking about going back and reestablishing Judaism, guess what? you're going to an inferior or actually a previous relationship. And then he goes into promises that were made. He says in verse 7, if the first covenant had been faultless, there would be no occasion for the second. All right? And then he quotes into what passage? Are you familiar with this? All right? Where is he talking about the new covenant in the Old Testament? It's prophesied in the book of Jeremiah. At this point, where's Jeremiah in the scope of things? Where's Jeremiah? right at the end of the kingdom period, just before they go into exile, correct? We've been through David, we've been through Solomon, we've been through the division of Israel and Judah. All at the end of that, Nebuchadnezzar is getting ready to conquer Jerusalem. What's he going to do with Jerusalem? He is going to level it. What's he going to do with the beautiful Solomonic temple? He is going to wipe it out. All right. And what is Jeremiah prophesying? There is going to be a new covenant. Now, the writer of Hebrews says, who is going to be the mediator of that now better covenant? It's going to be Jesus, the better covenant. What about the promises? it's going to be better promises under Jesus than there were under Moses. Were there promises under Moses? Under Abraham? Were there promises under Noah? Absolutely. But now we have promises that are, according to the writer of Hebrews, better. And then he talks about these things. The days are coming, says the Lord, that I will effect a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant they made with their fathers on the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, for they did not continue in my covenant. What does that mean? They violated my covenant, and here's a very interesting thing, and what does it say? And I did not care for them. That's the old covenant. That relationship, that rebellion that we saw in Old Covenant Israel and Judah, God says, I did not care for them, but this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days. And then he comes in and says, here are the characteristics that we're going to find in this covenantal relationship. Again, this is being foretold by Jeremiah before, remember Jeremiah is a contemporary of Daniel, who is actually already in exile when Jeremiah is talking about these things. What is God going to do in this covenant? I will put my laws in their minds. I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God. They shall be my people." Is that different from before? Was the nation of Israel the people of God before? Yes, they were. But this new covenant is going to be a better relationship. And the writer of the book of Hebrews is going to quote Jeremiah and says, and this is how it's going to be better. How is it going to be better? Because their law is not going to be written on the tablets of stone. Where is it going to be written? It's going to be written on their hearts. All right? You're not going to have to teach the fellow citizens and everyone his brother saying, know the Lord. Why? They shall, who shall know it? Some of them will even know me. Is that what it says? What does the text say? Whoever's in this covenant, they shall all know me. And then it says, which ones? No, surely the smart ones. The rich ones, no. From the very least of them to the very greatest of them. And so whatever this new covenant is that's going to be affected, who is it going to be affected? Every single person who is in this covenant will have the law written on their hearts. What else will we have? They shall know me from the least and I will be merciful to their iniquities and what? Now how can Jesus be the mediator of a covenant and guarantee that every member of their covenant will have their sins remembered no more? Because of the nature of Jesus Christ. Because of what he did on the cross. Because the blood that he spilled. Now, just after this, alright, it says, when they have set a new covenant, he made the first. Now what does that mean? Obsolete. It is no longer in effect. Wait a minute. How can it be no longer in effect? I thought it was forever and ever. When Jesus came and instituted the new covenant, that old covenant, well, what does the text say, brothers and sisters? It is obsolete and whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. Now this is what Greg brought out the other day. When did it, when did that old covenant disappear? Well it started, it became obsolete when Jesus died on the cross because you notice the way the text says it is becoming obsolete and ready to disappear when Well, when that temple got destroyed in 70 AD, at that point it, what? What disappeared? Temple disappeared? The sacrifices disappeared? What else? You can't track your genealogy anymore? Alright, all the records are gone? What else? All of those things are now of what effect? They are no effect and the only covenant between God and His people is which covenant? The New Covenant. What does the text say? Obsolete. Disappeared. And then what the writer of the book of Hebrews does is he goes in and says, just in case you have not got this, brothers and sisters, let me go into the details And then I'm not going to go with all of this, but it talks about the sanctuary, it talks about the tabernacle, it talks about the veil of the tabernacle, it talks about the altar of incense, it talks about the tables of the covenant. Now wait a minute, tables of what covenant? What were the tables of the covenant, brothers and sisters? The Ten Commandments. And what happened to them? They were wiped out with all of the rest of the covenant. Now, verse 6, when these things had thus been prepared, the priests were continually entering the outer tabernacle, performing the divine worship, but into the second one only the high priest enters. Now remember, the whole book of Hebrews is about Jesus as what? the high priest, the one who is able to go in. All right? And he says, and the high priest can't go in without taking a blood he offers himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. However, verse 8, what was the Holy Spirit signifying? The Holy Spirit was signifying that the way into the holy place had not yet been disclosed. Why not? In other words, that temple with its outer sanctuary and its veil and its inner sanctuary, what's the Holy Spirit indicating? You don't understand yet. All right? When that whole temple was in effect, do we understand? I mean, when the author of Hebrews was writing, does he understand now? Yeah, the Holy Spirit had indicated. While the outer tabernacle was standing, which is, my New American Standard says, a symbol literal word there is parabolae. You know what English word we get from parabolae? The parable, all right? It is a story. What is this story that has one meaning? What's the symbol? It's the outer tabernacle still standing. That has a meaning and what is it? It's a meaning for the time present, according to which gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot make the worshipper perfect, since they relate only to food and drink and washings and regulations and the bodies implosed, until when? Until the time of Reformation. Now the Holy Spirit is indicating when is that time of Reformation? When Jesus Christ comes. And then, in verse 11, all right, what does it say? The time of reformation, but when Jesus appeared as the high priest of the good things to come, he entered not through the physical temple, what did he enter through? The greater and more perfect tabernacle. Physical, on earth, made with hands? No, not made with hands, that is to say, not even of this creation, not through the blood of goats and calves, but through what? His own blood that he entered into the holy place every year. Every year he enters into the holy place, just like the old covenant. Once. Once and for all. And if you continue reading, we're not gonna be able to this evening, you continue reading for chapter nine and all the way through chapter 10, guess what we're gonna see over and over and over again? Once for all, once for all, once for all. That what Jesus Christ has done is it. And that's what the whole issue is, and that's what they're saying. All right. He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained what? Wayne, do you? Oh, sorry, you closed your Bible. Having obtained what? Look at the end of verse 12. What does your text say? Better get to an ESV so I can follow there. Eternal redemption. Temporary redemption? Redemption until the next sacrifice? What did Jesus Christ do? His blood gave redemption and eternal nature. Verse 13, if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of the heifer sprinkled those who were defiled, they sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, and here in verse 14 and 15 is where I want to focus the rest of our time. How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without blemish to God, wait a minute, how Did the offering of Jesus get to God? What does your text say? Through the Spirit? What is that speaking about? How many do you count? Father to God, Son, the blood of Jesus through the Holy Spirit of God. through the eternal Spirit of God, he offered himself without blemish to God, how much more will he cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" This is where I want to focus. Verse 15, for this reason then, Jesus Christ, He is what? The mediator of a new covenant. Now back in verse 6, it didn't say a new covenant, what did it say? A better covenant. A new covenant, a better covenant, what did Jeremiah call it? Behold, I am going to create a new covenant which is not like the covenant that I made with Moses. It is a new covenant in order that, since a death has taken place, for the redemption of transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Jesus is the mediator of what? of a new covenant. Now, what is a mediator? Alright, it is someone who is a go-between, if you will. Alright, what does that mean, Wayne? Is a go-between? An advocate? Someone who does what? Is able to have that relationship with God. Now, who is the covenant made with? Who is the covenant made with? Well, I don't know. It says the house of Israel and Judah, but what are the characteristics of all these Israelites and Judahites? Judahites? What is their characteristic? Is that what it says? And they shall all be rebellious, for they shall not know. Is that what it says? Who are they made with? those who shall know Me." What about their sins? Every member of the New Covenant has their sins forgiven by what? By the blood of Jesus Christ. By the blood of the Mediator. And that is the real essence of what the author of Hebrews is talking to these believers. He's talking to these believers. And so we have Jesus Christ as the mediator. Now, my good Presbyterian brethren, they have a covenantal relationship with God. I know Greg knows. How many of you know what the Presbyterian or Reformed concept of the covenant relationship with God is? Well, the answer is it's just like the Jewish covenantal relationship with God. It is for a physical people who have both believers and unbelievers. Now, for the most part, if you're an adult in the Presbyterian concept, the covenant of grace that they have hypothesized is made with believers, but it is made with believers and then their physical descendants. Now, we've seen that in the Scriptures with believers and their physical descendants? Well, we saw it in the Old Covenant, but the New Covenant says what about the Old? It is no longer in vogue. Who are the only ones who are going to be in this New Covenant? Believers in Jesus Christ. Jews? Absolutely. Believing Jews? Anyone else? Well, hold on to that question because verse 15 is actually going to answer that for us. All right? Verse 15 is going to answer it for us. Anyway, we have read through Hebrews 8 in which we have seen this relationship with God through Jesus Christ. All right? It is promised to the house of Israel and house of Judah. It is fulfilled in My people. Well, who are my people? Have you ever heard the Old Testament reference to my people? Who is it talking about? The elect of God, correct? Well, the elect of God in the Old Testament have been, I'll use the term replaced, that's usually used as a pejorative term, but who are the new covenant people? The elect of God. And so the elect of God have been replaced by the elect of God. Correct? The temple of God has been replaced by what? The temple of God. Okay? Now, I need to skip down there. This is actually the third point, but I think it's an important thing to point out at this point. What does verse 15 say that Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant to whom? Those who are called. Where have we heard that phrase before? Alright, the ones who are called of God. Now who's been called of God? All believers in Jesus Christ. So what is this verse 15 telling us about the New Covenant? First of all, the actual text of the new covenant says that they shall all know me. I will remember their sins no more. Verse 15 of chapter 9 says they are the called and they will receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Who are these guys that this covenant is made with? Those who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. All right? How many unbelievers, brothers and sisters, do you see there? No, not one. And that is exactly the point. That is why we are where we are. We can't be nice, good, reformed people and say that God has a special plan for unbelievers. God does have a plan for unbelievers, brothers and sisters, but it is not good. All right? There are and will be no unbelievers in the kingdom of God. That's what the judgment is all about. When Jesus Christ comes again, it will be for salvation. He actually addresses that in this Hebrews text here on in chapter 10. and the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, when Jesus comes again, it won't be to pay for the penalty for sins, that's already done. It will be for salvation of those who are the called according to God. What does the Apostle Paul say about these guys? What does called mean? All right. All things happen, Romans chapter eight, for the good of them that are the called of God, all right, according to God's purpose. Now what's the difference between what the Apostle Paul is saying and what the writer of the book of Hebrews is saying in chapter 9? There is no difference. But wait a minute, what's taken place here? If Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant and those who are called may receive eternal life, let's go back to chapter 8, who does it say this is? The new covenant is made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. What is that saying, brothers and sisters? That's saying that there has been a transition for a period of time under the old covenant. The house of Israel and Judah were of what nature? They were physical ethnic Jews. Correct? How do I know when I'm a Jew? I look at my parents and if I'm a Jew. Every once in a while we'll let some Gentiles in, correct? But one of the interesting things that's happening in the book of Hebrews Very quickly, hold your finger there and go all the way back. All right, all the way back to chapter seven. Chapter seven is talking about Jesus being the high priest. But it is called that Jesus being a high priest according to a particular order. What is the order that Jesus is the high priest of in Hebrews chapter seven? The order of Melchizedek. Now who was Melchizedek? Was he a Jew or a Gentile? He was a Gentile. And the writer of the book of Hebrews goes to great pains to say, Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek. Abraham, the father of all believers, gave a tithe to the Gentile. And Jesus is the high priest according to whom? a Gentile guy! Who are the called, brothers and sisters? Well, do we see anywhere else in the New Testament that Gentiles and Jews are all together in one group? Ever? Alright, yeah, Paul talks about the Israel of God. He also, in the book of Galatians, talks about the children of Abraham being whom? Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers are the children of Abraham. The promises of Abraham are to all believers. Jesus is the mediator of the covenant that has whom, brothers and sisters, as its constituents? All believers. The called of God. And that's one of the most important things that we can remember. That's why over and over again, what does Paul say in the book of Ephesians? He's saying, by grace are you saved through what? Through your genealogy, right? No, you're not saved through your genealogy ever. What are you saved by? By grace through faith, and that not of yourself. It's the gift of God. And you know what an interesting thing is? Don't go to Ephesians 2. The very next thing he talks about is how that wall, which divided the Jews from the Gentiles, in Jesus Christ, what has happened to that wall? It is gone. It is broken down. There is, this is very important, no more ethnicity that has anything to do with Jesus Christ. Everything has to do with what? Are you a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ? But wait a minute. The new covenant, according to Jeremiah, was made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. That's why that little phrase in the middle of it, alright, it says they didn't continue in my covenant and what happened? I no longer cared for them. And so as an institution, now does God save Jews? Will God save Jews until the very, very, very last minute of until Jesus comes again? Will he be saving Jews? Will he be saving Gentiles? Yes, he will be saving all of his called people, Jews and Gentiles. He is even, Wayne, going to be saving Texas Aggies. Now I don't know about longhorns. He will be saving all people, men from which tongue and tribe and nation? Every single one. No longer do we have a covenant which isolates based on ethnicity. What do we have a covenant based on? relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is the essence. And it goes on and on, brothers and sisters. It goes on for the rest of chapter 9. One verse let me just bring to you because he continues with this whole aspect. Everything in the Old Covenant is a type. Look at verse 24. Jesus did not enter a holy place made with hands a mere antitype, antitupas, literally that's what that word is, a copy of the true temple or tabernacle or holy place. Where is it? Verse 24 of chapter 9, in heaven itself. And Jesus now appears in the presence of God for us. Where does he do his high priestly duties? In the temple, right? in the presence of God. That's where the temple is. All right? And that's the day, that's what we're going to be able to see, the true temple. All right. Otherwise, those who, let's see, excuse me. All right. And again, the last two verses, as much as it appointed for men once to die and after this the judgment, so Jesus Christ also, having offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear When? Verse 28, what does it say? When shall He appear? A second time not to bear sins. Why is He not going to come to bear sins? Been there, done that. Alright, it is finished. But, He is going to appear a second time for what purpose? For those who eagerly await Him. Salvation. That's the purpose of Jesus Christ coming a second time. And then he continues on, on and on and on, just continuing. If the first had been this, in order to establish the second, and so on. And I will let you continue to read. We're out of time today, or this evening. All right? But what are we talking about? Look down in chapter 10. for by verse 14, for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. When were you sanctified, brothers and sisters? On the cross. On the cross. Alright? Now, does that mean, oh, I'm perfect, therefore whatever I do must be pretty good. No. What sanctification are we talking about here? We're talking about the sanctification that is the ultimate sanctification, the positional sanctification in which we stand before God when we, here in just a few minutes, come before Him in prayer. How do we come before God? As absolutely perfect, sanctified saints. But when I walk out of here today, I've still got some work to do. And that's exactly what the writer of the book of Hebrews says. Alright? For this offering has perfected for all time those who are sanctified, and the Holy Spirit bears witness to us after this saying, this is the covenant that I will make with them in those days. I will put my laws on their hearts. Now why do you, if you're sanctified, if you're perfect, why do you need laws on your hearts? Because positionally we are sanctified, but as I live my day-to-day life, what do I need written on my heart? I need God's law written on my heart. Am I forgiven? My lawless deeds and sins will be remembered no more. And he continues on, but one of the things that I want you to notice here in chapter 10, there are sins and lawless deeds, verse 17, I'll remember no more, where there is forgiveness, there is no longer an offering, and since therefore, brethren, we have, what does your text say there in verse 19? Confidence. To enter what? to enter a temple that is somewhere here on earth made with hands? To enter where? The holy place by the blood of Jesus by the new and living way which He inaugurated from us and here is the reference through the veil. What was the veil for? To separate. And what did Jesus do at His crucifixion? That veil is gone. The physical made-with-hands temple was just a picture, but now, who is the veil? See, that's one of the amazing things. Every single one, in fact, you go through all of these pictures and metaphors, guess who corresponds to every single element, every cup, every sacrifice, every labor, every altar, every room, corresponds to who? To the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why here at Dayspring, we ask one question. When you're interpreting the scripture, what's the question? What do you say about Jesus? What does this Old Testament or New Testament, what does this say about Jesus? All right? Yes, historical things happen. They are interesting things that took place. But what is the bottom line about every single word in this word? If it's not about Jesus, it's secondary. If it's not about Jesus, it's secondary. And that's what he says, since we have a great high priest over the house of God, and what does the author do? Let us draw near. He makes the application to you and me. If you're in the new covenant, what's your job? draw near with a sincere heart in the full assurance of faith. Having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, having our bodies washed with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering that he who promised is faithful." Who is the one who has promised? Jesus, God himself has promised. We are in a covenant with better promises. Promises that absolutely we can take to the bank. And then of all things he tells us to consider one another, how we should stimulate one another to good deeds. So what does he do? The writer of the book of Hedrews says, guys, this is not just about some theology lesson that you want to argue with someone who disagrees with your theology. What's this about? It's about you considering one another. I absolutely love, because that's a verb, all right? Literally, it says, we want you to be stimulated to one another each other, to do one anothering. That's our job, is to be reaching out to others. How can we do that? How does it say we can do that? Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. You can continue on reading through all of that because what the writer of the book of Hebrews does is he goes back into all of those Old Testament things, which are parables. They are symbols. And what is the purpose of those symbols? To point to Jesus. To point to the Lord Jesus Christ in all things, in all ways. If it's not pointing to Jesus, If it's not pointing to Jesus, we need to just simply say, that's very nice. That's all well and good. Show me Jesus. It was one of the greatest things I did. I was such a smart, arrogant seminary student. And I went into the Old Testament, and I took about in Zechariah 3. was talking about Joshua, the great high priest. And I said, this is all about me, clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. And I heard a wise professor, that's what the whole picture is, took off the filthy garments, put on the clean garments. I said, what a great picture of what's happening to me. And I had a wise professor come to me and say, well, that's all well and good, and that's nice there, Sonny. But what does this text say about Joshua. About Jesus. All right. Yahshua. What does this say about Jesus? Do you get some ancillary effect? Absolutely we do. But it's not about me. It's not about the eternal inheritance. Am I going to have an eternal inheritance? Absolutely I am. What should be my attitude? Okay. Inheritance, shmeritance, what am I interested in? Show me Jesus. Let people see Jesus in my life because he is the mediator of the new covenant. Let's pray. Our Father, we thank you that your mercy is so great. Father, I thank you that your grace is free. Thank You that You have called us, that You have reached out to us. You enable us to see You. Father, I pray that You would help us to be focused on Jesus Christ. Help us to see Him in every page of the Scriptures. Help us, dear Lord God, to honor You and glorify You. We pray now that you would be with us in our time, that you would hear our prayers, that you would hear us as we pour out our hearts unto you. Bless us now in your holy name we pray, amen.