This Gospel message is brought to you by the Reformed Witness Hour, a ministry of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America, a Reformed denomination that strives to be faithful to the Word of God and the historic confessions of the Reformed faith, also known as Calvinism. In love for our great God, we proclaim the Christian faith and life that is founded on God's sovereign particular grace. As God's Word is expounded, we pray that these messages are a blessing to you. My friends, today we read from Hebrews chapter 12 verses 22 through 24. But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and unto an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." We have been treating the covenant of grace first from the Old Testament and in this month from the New Testament. We define the covenant of grace as that relationship of fellowship that God establishes with his elect people in Jesus Christ. We have said that it is one covenant but in different manifestations. Therefore we read of Jesus in Hebrews 8 verse 6 that he is the mediator of a better covenant. And here in Hebrews 12 verse 24 that he is the mediator of a new covenant. What does that mean? How is the covenant of grace revealed and unfolded in the New Testament. In what way is it better or new? The author of Hebrews is making a sharp comparison and contrast, a contrast between the types and the shadows of the Old Testament and the reality now in Jesus Christ. You see, there were Jewish Christians some because of persecution by the Judaizers, others because they felt that they were now missing something having come to Christ. They want to go back to the Old Testament laws. They missed the temple worship, the priests with their fine clothing, the annual feast involved with sacrifices and fellowship sacrifices. The author of Hebrews is urging these Christians not to return to the Old Testament laws and types. They have something far greater in our Lord Jesus. In our text, compared and contrasted, was God's coming to Mount Sinai and the people's coming to Mount Zion. At Mount Sinai, the people could not approach the mountain and later on the people could never go into the Holy of Holies in the temple. But now in the New Testament we read that we may draw nigh boldly. The author of Hebrews says ye are come to Jerusalem. He's talking there about heaven, life with God and life with all of his saints and angels. The earlier comparison were made between Moses, the mediator in the Old Testament, and Jesus, the mediator. There was a comparison in Hebrews between the line of Aaron, which has a beginning and an end, and Jesus Christ, who is from the line of Melchizedek, meaning there is nothing written about a beginning or an end. There is a comparison between the Old Testament priests having to make endless sacrifices that were never done. They could never sit down over against Jesus Christ. One sacrifice once for all so that He gave Himself and He sat down. There's a comparison between the sprinkled blood of the Old Testament sacrifices and the poured out blood of Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 12 verse 22 through 24, therefore the author of Hebrews is pointing out the greatness, the reality of which all the Old Testament could only faintly picture. And the author of Hebrews is telling these Christians, don't go back to the pictures. You have the reality in Christ. Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. What does that mean, the mediator? There is a contrast between what was obtained in the Old Testament and now what is obtained in the New Testament in Christ. Moses as a mediator was a middle person between Israel and God. He was chosen by the people. Exodus 20 verse 19, the people said unto Moses, speak thou with us, and we will hear. But let not God speak with us, lest we die." God appointed Moses to declare His mind to His people. God says to Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. You shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall you make unto you gods of gold. Make an altar of earth, and thou shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen. In all places where I record my name, I will come unto you, and I will bless thee. Moses alone must go up the mountain of Sinai, He was given the law. Oh, there were laws upon laws upon laws. Read them all. Even while yet receiving the law from God, Israel down below, near the mountain, makes a golden calf. Three thousand of them were slain at the hands of the Levites. And Moses goes back up the mountain, and he says, He hath sinned a great sin, and now I go up unto the Lord. Peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. Moses even offers himself for the people. He says to God, Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin, and if not, blot me, I pray thee out of thy book which thou hast written. God revealed His glory to Moses and to Moses alone. We read in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 2 that unto Moses all the people were baptized. But you see, Moses was only a man and at that a fallen descendant of Adam. Yes, he delivered God's law to the people It was written on tablets of stone, but Moses was unable to write it on their hearts. Moses was unable to bring the perfect obedience necessary for them. Moses was unable to save even by offering himself because he could never be a perfect sacrifice. Over against Moses, a mediator of the old covenant, Jesus Christ is our mediator. In other words, Moses was pointing forward, a type is always imperfect, pointing forward to the perfect reality, the antitype. Jesus Christ is truly one of us, that is, He was man, but He is also God. Chosen by God to be the head of His people, He alone can save by His blood. In the Old Testament, the blood of the animal was sprinkled, sprinkled upon the altar, sprinkled upon the vessels of the temple, sprinkled upon the priest himself and even the people. But it could not wash away even one sin. It could not remove the curse of the law. In fact, All those animals that were killed over and over and over and over again only testified to the people of their sin. Jesus' blood is better. And that's why in Hebrews 8 verse 6 it's called a better covenant. It's called the new covenant. So compared was Mount Sinai where the people could not go up to God and Mount Sinai which was the palace of a king, where the temple was. In the Old Testament, it was laws that came. In the New Testament, it is the gospel that comes, the good news of Jesus Christ. And notice our text speaks of the blood of Jesus. His personal name is used. It means Jehovah Saves. Moses was a mediator. He did bring the people out of Egypt and brings them into Canaan, but Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant. He takes us out of our death in sin, and He gives us new life, making us citizens of heaven. The boys and girls sing a song, What can wash away my sin? nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Compared is not only Moses and Jesus as mediators, but also compared is then the blood of the Old Testament that was sprinkled and the blood of Jesus Christ that was poured out. The blood of the Old Testament sacrifices speak, just as the blood of Jesus speaks. The author of Hebrews says that the blood of Jesus sprinkled on the cross speaketh better things. Better things than what? And it's compared then to the blood of Abel that was shed by his brother Cain. Better speech. Let's come. Let's come to that blood. Do you, my friend, have an interest in the blood of Jesus? Sadly, today, many churches do not want to hear anything about blood theology. For them, Jesus is merely a good man or a good example for us to follow. So compared is the blood of Abel and Jesus Christ. That sounds strange, doesn't it? Humanly speaking, how can they be compared? The blood of Abel really represents all of the blood sprinkling in the Old Testament. When the lambs or the oxen were slain, the blood was sprinkled on the horns of the altar, on the incense, on the people themselves signifying the need for purification. It was all outward. It was a picture. We read in Hebrews 10 verse 1, those sacrifices offered year by year continually could not make the comers perfect. But when the blood of Jesus Christ was poured out on Calvary, The author of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 10, verse 10, we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Chapter 10, verse 14, for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Hebrews 10, verse 22, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." So how was the blood of Abel similar to that of Jesus Christ? Well, first of all, it was blood shed by their own brethren. Abel was killed by his brother Cain. Jesus Christ was put to death by his fellow Jews, by the Romans, You and I are the cause of his death. It was for us he died. Second of all, the blood of Abel and of our Lord Jesus was innocent blood. It doesn't mean that Abel never sinned, but while he testified to Cain of his sin, Cain slew him. Our Lord Jesus never sinned. Pilate, the world's judge, said over and over and over again in the judgment, I find no fault in this man. He is innocent. The Jewish leaders, in fact, had to bring in false witnesses in order to try to convict Jesus. Innocent. Thirdly, the blood of Abel and of Christ Jesus is similar in this respect. both speak. We read in Genesis 4 verse 10, God says to Cain, the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. Genesis 4 verse 11, the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. So the figure is given of blood crying out, crying out He gives witness. So the blood of Jesus Christ cries out, not from the ground like Abel's, but from heaven. For Christ, our High Priest, having brought himself as a perfect sacrifice, has entered heaven itself. This was pictured in the Old Testament by the High Priest who once a year could enter into the Holy of Holies with the blood of atonement to sprinkle the Ark of the Covenant, Jesus Christ has entered into heaven. Both blood of Abel and of Christ speak, but what they say is worlds apart. The voice of Abel's blood from the ground pierces God's ears and it cries out for vengeance Vengeance on the criminal. It cries out for justice. And God hears that speech and he curses Cain. What a terrible speech of Abel's blood. What about the blood of Jesus? The innocent one despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He was put to death at the hands of men. The blood of Jesus speaks better things. It cries out before God's throne. And what does it cry? Forgive! Forgive them! Forgive them! Didn't Jesus pray on the cross? Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Oh, the blood of Jesus Christ that has entered into heaven cries out, I have made satisfaction for the sins of my people. I was cast out from thy presence. I took their crimes and their sins and I have paid for them. Forgive them, Father. Through the sprinkled blood of Jesus, all the benefits of Christ are applied to all of God's people. There is forgiveness of their sins. They are made righteous and the righteousness is imputed unto them and eternal life is earned. As we read in Hebrews 2 verse 9, Jesus who suffered death is now crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Hebrews 10 verse 10, Jesus coming to die according to God's will, by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 7 verse 25, Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, seeing he even liveth to make an intercession for them. That is why Jesus is called the mediator of a better or a new covenant. At Mount Sinai, the people dare not to come to hear God's speech. But we read that in Hebrews 4 verse 16, we may come boldly to the throne of grace. Or again, Hebrews 10 verse 19, we have boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. So let's go back to Hebrews 12, verse 22 and following. But ye are coming to Mount Zion, the city of the living God. In the old covenant, it was a mountain in the wilderness, later on replaced with a temple and a throne in a land of milk and honey. Ah, but far better is the new covenant, where we go into heaven, where we find that city that Abraham sought, The city that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. What a severe warning there is then in Hebrews 12 verse 25. It says, See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. Christ's blood cries out for vengeance on those who do not believe on him. Those who trample his blood underfoot. O our God is a consuming fire. You and I, we read in Hebrews 11, are surrounded by a host of witnesses, all those saints in the Old Testament who believed God's promise, who through the blood of animals looked for the One who would shed His blood for them once for all. Christ's blood cries out in mercy. Forgive them. Father, I have paid for their sins, paid in full, justice satisfied. Give to my people peace. I have reconciled them by my blood. O Father, embrace them. How much better is this speech of Jesus' blood than the blood of the Old Testament sacrifices. And God answers this speech as Cain was cursed by the cry of Abel's blood. So God answers the cry of the blood of his precious son. We are forgiven and we are given everything that Jesus' blood earned. We experience forgiveness and we experience God's grace and favor and love. So we come boldly. Heaven's door is open. We have intimate fellowship with God through the blood of Jesus Christ by His Spirit. Let us pray. Father in heaven, we thank Thee that heaven is open to us and that Jesus' blood cries out for all who believe on Him Forgive them, Father. I paid for their sins. What a Savior we have! What wonderful life we have through Him! Amen. The Gospel message you have just heard was sponsored by the Protestant Reformed Churches through its radio program, the Reformed Witness Hour. We hope that you have been edified and encouraged by this message. If you would like more information about the Reformed faith, or the Protestant Reformed Churches, feel free to visit our website at reformedwitnesshour.org or email us at mail at reformedwitnesshour.org