How or why did Jesus give us a new and better covenant?

By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas

Hebrews 10:19–22 is one of the richest covenant-transition texts in the New Testament because the writer has just finished proving that Christ’s one sacrifice ended the old sacrificial system, and now he tells us what that means for the believer’s relationship with God: we now have access to come before the very throne room of God as you will learn.

Let’s go through it line by line, phrase by phrase in KJV depth.

Hebrews 10:19-25

“Having therefore, brethren…”

“Having therefore”

The word therefore means:

because everything I just told you is true.

What did he just tell us in verses Hebrews 10:1-18?

• animal sacrifices could never remove sin,

• priests stood daily offering the same sacrifices,

• but Jesus offered one sacrifice forever, His body,

• and God says, “their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”

So now Paul/the writer of book of Hebrews says:

Since Christ has truly dealt with sin on our behalf by the blood sacrifice when Jesus died on the cross— THEREFORE something has changed for us.

This is not a random encouragement.

It is the conclusion of the entire argument. This is now a factual statement that every person who has received forgiveness from their sins by the atoning blood sacrifice that Jesus did when He took upon himself the sins of the entire world, is now in the family of God through adoption. Paul uses the word:

“brethren”

He is speaking to believers — spiritual family — those who are in covenant through Christ.

“boldness to enter into the holiest…”

Under the Old Covenant this would have sounded shocking. Why shocking?

The holiest = the Holy of Holies = the innermost chamber of the tabernacle/temple where the manifest presence of God was symbolized.

Leviticus 16:2 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.”

The “mercy seat” mentioned in the old testament was behind the “vail” and no one was allowed to cross the vail into the most holy place called the holy of hollies except for:

Only the high priest could enter there under these conditions.

Only once a year.

And never casually or they would die if they did

He entered trembling and must offer the sacrificial blood for a covering of sin.

If he entered wrongly, death was expected.

But now the writer says:

believers have boldness to enter there.

This means:

We are no longer standing outside God’s presence.

Religion stands outside.

Son-ship enters in. Only the “family” of God could enter boldly and cross the vail.

Boldness here does not mean arrogance.

It means entering in with:

liberty, confidence, unhindered access, freedom of approach.

You can come before God without the terror of rejection from God because you have made peace with God because you placed your faith in the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ your high priest!

“by the blood of Jesus”

Notice carefully:

He does not say by prayer or rituals.
He does not say by your good works.
He does not say by church attendance.
He does not say by your personal holiness first.

He says:

by the blood of Jesus.

Meaning:

our access is not built on our perfection,
but on Christ’s finished sacrifice that Jesus did when He died on the cross and said “It is finished”.

John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

The blood speaks:

• debt of all my sins are paid for by Jesus,

• the guilt and stain that sin caused is not covered like in the old testament, but removed,

• A “new and better” covenant has been established.

• the punishment from God that sin causes is now satisfied and heavenly justice served with a pardon in the courts of heaven,

The blood is our legal right to stand before God.

Without blood = distance.

With the shed blood of Jesus = access and entrance into the heavenly holy of hollies where God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christi is ruling and reigning their entire creation. God the father as judge over the world, and Jesus as our advocate. Oh, and by the way no action or thought of man is hid from God.

This is why Satan attacks believers with guilt and condemnation so much —
because if he can make you feel disqualified, you will stand outside of what Jesus Christ already opened and so Satan will keep you thinking that you do not deserve to enter the presence of God, which then makes you keep trying to please God by your own righteousness or works that you may do to try and please God to obtain mercy from God.

The real truth is that there is nothing anyone can do while living in their mortal body to please God because it was Jesus who opened heavens door and removed the vail that kept man from all access in approaching God.

Romans 8:8 “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

The vail was the “wall of separation” between God and man.

Only Jesus was able to break down that wall of separation by what He did on the cross paying the debt we all owned because of our sins. Yes, sin has a debt that must be paid, Jesus paid it on the cross. If Jesus never would have paid our debt for sin, then we all would simply die in our sins and never have any access to God even after death. The debt was paid by Jesus!

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

This was that separated man from God was removed and abolished by Jesus.

Ephesians 2:12-18

“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

Hebrews 10:20

“By a new and living way…”

Not the old dead way of rituals that were required under the old testament law was abolished.

Not the Levitical way.

Not repeated sacrifices.

Not ceremonial washings.

This is:

a NEW way.

The Greek carries the sense of newly inaugurated, freshly opened. Christ opened something that had not existed in this direct form before.

Also:

a LIVING way.

Why living?

Because this way is not built on sacrifice of dead animals and their blood that only would cover sin for one year.

It is built on a risen Savior Jesus.

The pathway to God is alive because Jesus is alive.

He is not merely showing the road.

He IS the road.

“which he hath consecrated for us”

Consecrated = inaugurated, dedicated, opened officially.

This means:

Jesus personally established this access.

No man could open heaven.

No priest could open heaven.

No law could open heaven.

Christ Himself cut the ribbon, so to speak, and said:

this way is now open for My people, my family!

“through the veil…”

This is temple language again.

In the tabernacle there was a huge veil separating man from the Holy of Holies.

That veil said:

STOP.
You cannot come further.
Separation remains.

It was a divine “no entry” sign because sin still stood between God and man and the debt was not fully paid under the old covenant.

“that is to say, his flesh”

This is profound.

The writer now tells us what the veil symbolized:

Christ’s flesh.

Meaning:

Jesus’ body became the barrier He would pass through in suffering and death to open heavens and give access to God to whosoever will believe on Jesus!

When His flesh was torn on the cross at Calvary,
the temple veil was torn too. It was God the father who confirmed this when Jesus died on the cross.

Matthew 27:50-51 – (At the death of Jesus)

“Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”

That was heaven’s announcement:

the separation is over.

His wounded body became our doorway.

The torn flesh of Christ removed the closed veil between humanity and God.

So the cross was not merely forgiveness.

The cross was access to the very throne room of God the Father so we may obtain mercy and forgiveness!

Hebrews 10:21

“And having an high priest over the house of God”

Not only do we have an open door—

we also have Someone representing us inside, JESUS.

Jesus is not only the perfect sacrifice.

Jesus is also High Priest.

Meaning:

• He presented His own blood,

• He ministers continually,

• He intercedes,

• He maintains our right standing before God.

Old Testament priest:

• temporary,

• sinful,

• mortal.

Jesus:

• eternal,

• sinless,

• always before the Father.

The “house of God” here means God’s dwelling/family/kingdom of redeemed people who have placed their faith in God through Jesus.

Christ presides over that whole house, the temple of God in heaven.

So the believer is not entering alone.

He enters under priestly covering.

This is why prayer in Jesus’ name matters.

You are approaching God the father under heavenly representation of Jesus.

Hebrews 10:22

Now the writer shifts from doctrine to invitation.

Because all this is true, he says:

“Let us draw near…”

This is the practical command. When you pray you are “drawing near the throne”, they are not empty words, those prayers you make in Jesus name ascend into heaven and enter the very throne room of God. They are:

Not:

• they are not simply to admire the doctrine,

• or that study of the doctrines about Christ,

• or to talk about the doctrine only—

But:

DRAW NEAR.

Meaning:

to come close.

Come into fellowship.

Come into communion.

Come into prayer.

Come into intimacy.

Many believers know Christ died for them but still live emotionally far from God because they have not realized that they can access God in prayer and be literally touched by His loving yet powerful presence because of what Jesus our high priest did on the cross!

Hebrews says:

Come in.

The door is not for observation.
The door is for your entrance.
The heaves are opened. Yes, Open Heavens!
God is waiting for you to come so he can show you his entire kingdom!

God has things prepared for you that you may not even be aware of yet because you might be thinking that God is not approachable to you. God wants you to come.

Here is God’s phone number…

Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

If every believer could understand this, they would literally taste and see that the LORD is good!

“with a true heart”

Meaning:

with sincerity,
with honesty,
with no pretending.

God is not asking for anyone’s polished religious performance.

He is asking for genuineness.

A true and pure heart says:

“Lord here I am exactly as I am, but I come through Christ.”

No masks.

No hypocrisy.

No divided motives.

Now look at what Jesus said:

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

Most people think that this is when they die and go to heaven that they will see God, but reveals himself to us by His Holy Spirit and so we do not have to wait any longer because the blood sacrifice of Jesus has opened heaven to whosoever will come, Jesus is standing at the door in heaven saying “come” so what are you waiting for? Can you hear his voice?

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

The LORD wants you to know and experience his presence and kingdom right now!

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

God wills that you come boldly before the throne room of grace!

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Ephesians 3:12 “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

“in full assurance of faith”

Not half faith. Not as if God were afar off

Not “I hope God tolerates or accepts me.”

Not “maybe He hears me if I am good enough.”

Full assurance means:

settled inward confidence that Christ’s work is enough.

Faith here is not confidence in self.

It is confidence in Christ’s sufficiency.

You approach believing because:

• the blood of Jesus worked to connect me with God,

• the door is truly open,

• the Father receives you.

This destroys slave mentality. God never sees any of his children as slaves, he sees you as his child. You are accepted by God and nothing can change that fact.

Ephesians 1:3-6

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

“having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience”

This is inward cleansing.

In the Old Testament blood was sprinkled ceremonially.

Now Christ’s blood sprinkles the inner man.

What is an evil conscience?

Not merely a conscience that knows right and wrong.

It means:

• guilty conscience,

• condemned conscience,

• sin-haunted conscience,

• conscience burdened by unresolved shame.

The blood cleanses the place where accusation lives.

This is critical:

many people are forgiven judicially,
but still live mentally contaminated by guilt and shame.

Hebrews says the blood is meant to reach the conscience too.

Meaning:

you are not meant to keep relating to God as a criminal who escaped sentencing.

You are meant to relate as one cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

It is truly amazing what the Lord did and does for us when we can see it in light of scripture!

“and our bodies washed with pure water.”

This has a twofold meaning scholars often note:

1. imagery of priestly washing before ministry,

2. outward consecration/sign of cleansing, often linked with baptismal washing and sanctified life.

In simple terms:

God is saying:

this cleansing is not only inward sentiment —
your whole life is now set apart.

Heart cleansed.
Conscience cleansed.
Outer walk cleansed.

The whole person comes before God to be made whole and persevered like a bride waiting for her bridegroom!

1 Thessalonians 5:23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We are kept blameless and cleansed by the blood of Jesus!

The Grand Meaning of Hebrews 10:19–22

This section is saying:

Because Jesus fully removed sin,
tore the veil through His suffering,
opened a brand new living access to God,
and now stands as our eternal High Priest,
believers should stop standing far off
and come boldly into intimate fellowship with God.

This is one of the New Testament’s strongest declarations that:

Christianity is not merely forgiveness from a distance —
it is entrance into divine nearness.

In one sentence:

The blood gave you permission, the torn flesh gave you entrance, Jesus our High Priest gives you covering, and faith brings you in the perfect peace of God.

Not by what you did or could do, but through the blood sacrifice of Jesus paying for it all.

the next verses show what believers are supposed to do now that the veil is open.
The writer moves from access to responsibility.

We just saw:

• Christ opened the holiest,

• Christ is our High Priest,

• therefore draw near.

Now Hebrews gives us three major “Let us…” commands that define New Covenant life.

We continue line by line in the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:23

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering…”

This is command number two.

First was:

Let us draw near.

Now:

Let us hold fast.

“hold fast”

Means:

• grip firmly,

• do not release,

• cling tightly.

This tells us something:

The Christian confession will be tested.

There will be:

• persecution,

• unanswered questions,

• suffering,

• delay,

• temptation,

• spiritual weariness.

And in those moments people loosen their grip.

Hebrews says:

Do not let go of what you have confessed and believed. In all things possess your soul in all patience.

Luke 21:19 “In your patience possess ye your souls.”

“the profession of our faith”

Profession = confession = public declaration.

This is:

what we say we believe about Christ.

It includes:

• Jesus is Lord,

• Jesus is sufficient,

• Jesus is our mediator,

• Jesus is our righteousness,

• Jesus is our high priest,

• Jesus is our hope.

The Hebrews receiving this letter were under pressure to go backward into Judaism, temple rituals, and visible religion because following Christ was costly.

So the writer says:

Don’t retreat to old systems because the pressure got heavy.

This applies now too.

Many people start by faith but when life becomes painful at times they begin trusting:

• feelings,

• human systems,

• worldly securities,

• old bondage patterns.

Hebrews says:

stay anchored in Christ.

“without wavering”

This means:

without bending,
without leaning away,
without tilting under pressure.

A ship anchored in storm still gets hit by waves, but it does not drift.

God is not saying you will never feel storm.

He is saying:

do not drift from the confession because in the storm Jesus is in the boat with you and God will make a way even in storms, only trust in Him!

Isaiah 43:16 “Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;”

“(for he is faithful that promised;)”

This is the reason we can hold fast:

not because we are naturally strong in our own strength—

but because God is faithful.

Our grip survives because His promise does not fail.

What did He promise?

• forgiveness,

• access,

• eternal life,

• sustaining grace,

• completion of redemption.

So faith does not stand on changing emotion.

Faith stands on the unchanging character of God, his faithfulness toward us.

You may shake.

God does not.

Hebrews 10:24

“And let us consider one another…”

Now command number three.

Notice Christianity is not isolated private spirituality.

The writer moves from:

• your relationship with God,
  to

• your relationship with fellow believers.

“consider” means:

study carefully,
observe thoughtfully,
pay attention intentionally.

This means:

believers are supposed to acknowledge each other.

Not ignore each other.

Not live detached.

Not be self-contained islands.

The church is meant to be spiritually aware of one another’s spiritual condition.

Who is discouraged?
Who is weak?
Who is drifting?
Who needs strengthening?

This is covenant in community.

“to provoke unto love and to good works:”

This is beautiful.

Usually provoke means irritate.

Here it means:

stir up,
incite,
stimulate,
awaken.

Believers should influence believers toward two things:

1. love

Meaning:

• deeper charity,

• deeper compassion,

• deeper patience,

• deeper Christlike affection.

2. good works

Meaning:

visible expressions of transformed faith.

Not works to earn salvation—

but works that flow naturally from salvation.

The church should be a place where being around other believers makes you want to live more holy – (meaning set apart), more loving, more useful, more helpful.

Instead many assemblies that become places of comparison or coldness.

Hebrews says true fellowship should create spiritual ignition.

Hebrews 10:25

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…”

This is direct.

Do not abandon gathering with believers.

The word forsaking means:

deserting,
leaving behind,
neglecting.

Why is this inserted here?

Because isolated believers become vulnerable believers.

When people drift from fellowship:

• faith cools,

• accountability weakens,

• deception increases,

• discouragement deepens.

The enemy loves private disengagement.

Why?

Because lone sheep are easiest to wound.

This verse is often quoted merely as “go to church.”

It means more than attendance.

It means:

do not separate yourself from the spiritual body.

Corporate worship, fellowship, exhortation, prayer, mutual strengthening — these matter deeply.

“as the manner of some is;”

Even in the first century some had already developed the habit of withdrawal.

So this problem is ancient:

“I can do Christianity by myself.”

Hebrews quietly says:

No, that is spiritually dangerous.

“but exhorting one another:”

Exhorting means:

encouraging,
urging,
warning,
strengthening,
calling upward.

Believers are to actively speak life into one another.

Sometimes faith survives because another saint reminded you of truth when your own mind was collapsing.

Christianity was never designed to be silent coexistence.

It is meant to be active strengthening.

“and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

“The day” = the Day of the Lord / Christ’s return / final consummation of all things.

Meaning:

as history moves toward climax,
you need fellowship and exhortation more, not less.

Why?

Because the closer the end comes:

• deception increases,

• pressure increases,

• apostasy increases,

• coldness increases.

Therefore believers must become more intentional in gathering and strengthening.

This is extremely relevant now.

Now comes the sobering shift…

• draw near,

• hold fast,

• consider one another,

• do not forsake assembly—

the writer now gives one of the most feared warning passages in Hebrews.

Because he is about to explain the danger of people who stand near all this truth…yet reject it.

This begins in verse 26:

“For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth…”

This verse is often misunderstood and has terrified many sincere Christians.

But in context it means something very specific and very serious. The context of “sinning willfully” has to do with what we’ve just learned, it is the blood of Jesus alone that cleanses us of sin, we can draw near to God now because Jesus removed the wall of separation from God the father, we should provoke the love of the father and encourage fellow family members (believers) to good works, and the fullest context verse 25, “not to neglect your assembly” but become part of the family of God by having fellowship with one another with the focus being Jesus Christ. Sadly many do not do or understand these truths. I pray you do!