As
Paul comes to the close of the Epistle, he seems to write as one who is running
out of paper, or running out of time, as a man so excited about his subject
that he cannot speak of it adequately. In Hebrews 12:22, he tells us that we
have come to
Then, we come to verses 24 and 25.
Here are some more of those better things that are ours in this gospel age.
― “And (ye are come) to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused
him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from
him that speaketh from heaven.”
We
have come by faith “to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant.”—The Lord
Jesus Christ, to whom we look, to whom we come, is the Mediator of the New
Covenant. This new covenant is called new, only because it is always new, and
because it is newly revealed in Christ. The new covenant is an everlasting, eternal
covenant. We read about it in Jeremiah 31:3, 31-34, 32:37-42, and in Ephesians
1:3-7.
The covenant of grace, we are told in Hebrews 8:6, is
“a better covenant.” The covenant of works was conditional. The covenant
of grace is absolute and unconditional. The old covenant was a covenant of law
and works. The covenant of grace is all grace. The Mosaic covenant was broken
and made void. The covenant of grace is established in Christ, and cannot be
broken or nullified. That covenant revealed at Sinai was dark, shadowy, and
fearful. The covenant of grace is light, clear, and delightful.
This new covenant of righteousness and grace was and
is established upon better promises than that old covenant of works and law.
All the promises of that covenant were made to fickle men and conditioned upon
their obedience. All the promises of this covenant were made to the God-man,
our Mediator, upon condition of his obedience for us! And in him, all the
promises of God are “yea, and amen.” This new covenant of grace, and all
the blessings and benefits of it, comes to us through the merits of Christ’s
better sacrifice (Heb. 10:1-10).
The
Mediator of this covenant of grace is “Jesus,” our Savior, the Son of
God, the Christ. A mediator is a go-between, a daysman, a representative for
two parties, an advocate, and a reconciler. There is only one Mediator between
God and men, and that Mediator is Jesus, who came to save his people from their
sins as God’s appointed and accepted covenant Surety! No wonder David sang as
he did about this covenant on his dying bed (2 Sam. 23:1-5).
We
have come by faith “to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the
blood of sprinkling.” The blood of Christ is called “the blood of
sprinkling.” I am sure there is more in this than I have yet grasped; but
what I do know about it is as thrilling as it is precious. —His blood is the
blood of the true Paschal Lamb. He is Christ our Passover, the Lamb of God, who
is sacrificed for us! His blood has been sprinkled on the mercy-seat. Like the
blood of that first paschal lamb, his blood has been sprinkled upon the door of
our hearts and consciences, declaring that judgment is
passed, convincing us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. As God said by
the blood of that paschal lamb of old, while Israel was yet in Egypt, the land
of cursed darkness, death, and judgment, so he says to us, by the blood of his
dear Son, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you!”
This “blood
of sprinkling speaketh better things than that of Abel.” The blood of
Christ speaks, ever speaks, and speaks better things than the blood of Abel.
― Abel’s blood cried for justice and vengeance. Christ’s blood cries for
justice and mercy! ― Abel’s blood spoke for punishment. Christ’s blood
speaks for pardon. ― Abel’s blood spoke against his brother. Christ’s
blood speaks for his brethren. ― Abel’s blood demanded death. Christ’s
blood demands life! ― Abel’s blood cried from the ground to God. Christ’s
blood speaks in heaven before God. ― Abel’s blood cried out against Cain
in his conscience. Christ’s blood speaks for us in our consciences. ―
Abel’s blood continues to speak; and Christ’s blood continues to speak (1 John
1:7-2:2).
“See
that ye refuse not him that speaketh.” ― What
a tender word of mercy, grace, compassion and hope this is! ―
“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh!” What an awful word of
warning! —”For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much
more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.”
Read Proverbs 1:23-33.
Don Fortner