Letter to the Hebrews Volume 65

 The Absolute Necessity for a New Priesthood Part 4

Hebrews 7:18-19 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. KJV

Again we find the writer of Hebrews simply with this next verse giving us another reference to the reality that the coming of the Messiah our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ and the Prophecy by King David of His eternal Priesthood in Psalms 110:4 and that the old Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic law which went hand and hand together must be now abnegated, annulled, and abolished forever in order to make way for the new and perfect way of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the accopaning Grace of God that comes with the Gospel, therefore, we read these next words from the writer of Hebrews, "For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof." (Hebrews 7:18) (KJV). The English word 'disannulling' is translated by the Greek word athetēsis meaning cancellation (literally or figuratively): - disannulling, put away. The English word 'weakness' is translated by the Greek word asthenēs meaning strengthless (in various applications, literally, or figuratively and morally): - more feeble, impotent, sick, without strength. The English word 'unprofitableness' is translated by the Greek word anōpheles which means useless or (neuter) inutility, that is, the quality of having no practical use. In other words, the Levitical priesthood and the Law were both void of power to make any person free from the guilt of their sin or to cleanse the sinners conscience. It was only given by God to lead the people to the Antitype meaning a person or thing represented or foreshadowed by a type or symbol; especially a figure in the Old Testament having a counterpart in the New Testament, that is, to the One (Jesus Christ the Messiah) who by His Blood could cleanse the conscience and free every sinner who comes to Him from the guilt and stain of their past tresspasses and sins and could renew the sinners mind giving him or her a new nature (John 3:5 & 2 Peter 1:4) and a desire to please Him not from fear of punishment exclusively, but more for love of the One/Jesus (John 14:15) who looked upon us in our wrechted, wrong, and worthless sinful state and still loved us so much that He stepped in at Calvary died in our place or in our stead for all our guilty rotten sin committed against Him, as it is written by the Apostle Paul with these words, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8) (KJV). Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 7:18, "There is a total abrogation, of the former law, relative to the Levitical priesthood. It had no energy; it communicated none; it had no Spirit to minister; it required perfect obedience, but furnished no assistance to those who were under it. No man was benefited by the mere observance of its precepts: it pardoned no sin, changed no heart, reformed no life; it found men dead in trespasses and sins, and it consigned them to eternal death. It was therefore weak in itself, and unprofitable to men."

Next the writer of Hebrews goes further to declare that the observance of the Mosaic law and the following of the Levitical priesthood made no one in the Hebrew Nation able to be in close relationship with God, for it only made them feel even more the distance that their sin placed them from God. However, through the Messiah (Christ) the Hebrew Nation and every Gentile now has an opportunity to come into a real and true relationship and fellowship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written with these words, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5) (KJV). So, we find these words written by the writer of Hebrews detailing the unprofitable nature of the Mosaic law and the Levitical priesthood, "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God." (Hebrews 7:19) (KJV). Even the Moral Law of God (the Ten Commandments) by themselves had no power inherent within them to give sinners a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17), the Moral Law was not given through Moses to make sinners better, but the Moral Law was given to be a mirror to show every sinner their filthiness before a Holy and Righteous God, as Paul declared concerning the law with these words, "Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression." (Romans 4:15) (KJV). The Mosaic Law nor the Moral Law did nothing to enable sinners to 'draw nigh' to God. This little English phrase 'draw nigh' is translated by the Greek word eggizō which means to make near, that is, (reflexively) approach: - approach, be at hand, come (draw) near, be (come, draw) nigh. However, now we see that 'in Christ' we have a 'better' 'hope' and the English word 'better' is translated by the Greek word kreittōn which means stronger, that is, (figuratively) better, that is, nobler: - best, better. The English word 'hope' is translated by the Greek word elpis which means confident expectation. So, the conclusion then is that the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic law were not capable of cleansing the sinners guilty conscience nor giving a new nature, nor bringing the sinner close to God. The Moral Law of God (the Ten Commandments) were likewise not able to do those things as well, but Jesus Christ is the fulfillment, that is, He is the consummation of the whole Levitical priesthood dispensation and all of the Mosaic Law found in Genesis through Deuteronomy and the entire Moral Law having kept the Ten Commandments perfectly never sinning once in word, thought, or deed, therefore, He (Christ) and having a personal relationship with Him through the new birth (John 3:5-7) is the only way any sinner (no matter who you are, famous or unknown; King or Queen; President or Dictator) can be exceptable to God the Father, for when God the Father looks at me Clifford DeWayne Tate, Sr. He does not see my filthiness, but He sees my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His perfection or perfectness, this is what it means to be saved by grace (Ephesians 2:1-10). Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 7:19, "The priesthood of Christ carries in it, and brings along with it, a better hope; it shows us the true foundation of all the hope we have towards God for pardon and salvation; it more clearly discovers the great objects of our hope; and so it tends to work in us a more strong and lively hope of acceptance with God. By this hope we are encouraged to draw nigh unto God, to enter into a covenant-union with Him, to live a life of converse and communion with Him. We may now draw near with a true heart, and with the full assurance of faith, having our minds sprinkled from an evil conscience. The former priesthood rather kept men at a distance, and under a spirit of bondage."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…