The New Covenant and the Heavenly Jerusalem

Hebrews 7–10 speaks much about Jesus Christ as our High Priest based on His offering Himself on the cross. “Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God” (9:14). As a result “He is the Mediator of a new covenant” (9:15). And, “By so much Jesus has also become the surety of a better covenant” (7:22).

The new covenant, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the church are one. In order to understand this we must see the link between Galatians and Hebrews. Galatians deals with Judaism, warning the believers not to backslide into Judaism but to stay in grace. Hebrews charges us not to drift into the old covenant but to remain in the new covenant. Chapters 7 through 10 of Hebrews are on the better covenant, the new covenant. Hebrews 8 indicates that the old covenant is over and that the new covenant has come in to replace it. Then in Hebrews 12 Paul tells us that we have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, and to the church (vv. 22-23).*

The new covenant and the heavenly Jerusalem are great steps forward from the old covenant and the earthly Jerusalem.

Hebrews 12 assures us “you have come forward to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…and to the church of the firstborn” and to other positive things of the New Testament.

Let us “hold fast” to these things as we are exhorted in Hebrews 3:6, 14 and 4:14. This will keep us in the experience of the heavenly Jerusalem and the new covenant. We have the inward reality of this city and this covenant and it will be openly manifested in the coming age and eternally in New Jerusalem the heavenly city on earth.

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com.

Posted by Don on December 21, 2022

The New Covenant and the Heavenly Jerusalem