This study of Hebrews has been so sweet. I'm finding things here that I've never grasped or understood. God is teaching me basic truths about Himself in beautiful new ways. The study has revolved around the main subject of Hebrews: Why did Jesus come and die? Its all about God's reasoning for sending Jesus and why it had to happen. Today I read Hebrews 9:15-22 which basically says that Jesus had to come because someone's blood had to be shed in order for the new covenant to take effect. The writer compares the covenant to a will. Hebrews 9:16-18: "In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody had died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. That is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood." The first covenant was put into effect with the blood of goats and calves, but the new covenant was put into effect by Jesus' blood. We could look at it this way: Jesus is the true recipient of all of God's favor. He's the one that it belonged to, but He said that when he died he wanted all of us to be given all of God's favor. Basically, we are the recipient of the most desired prize of Jesus' will. We got the entire estate. We were the favorites on the will. Without His death, he would still be the only one who lives in God's favor.
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