God loves new things. His mercies are new (Lamentations 3:22-23). His people are new (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15), and He made a new name (Isaiah 62:2). God appreciates new things, and included in His list of new things is His new covenant. Jeremiah penned, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31). The reason God brought about such a new system was not because He failed, but because people did (Hebrews 8:7-8). The book of Hebrews is a book about “BETTER.” The Hebrews writer’s thesis is about the New Testament’s superiority to the Old Testament. From a study of Hebrews, why is the Gospel so special?
Because it has a better mediator (Hebrews 1-2; 8:6; 9:15). Moses was the go-between between God and Israel, being the spokesman for God so that the people could know God’s Law. Moses was faithful, but Jesus, “was counted worthy of more glory than Moses” (Hebrews 3:3). God spoke, “in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” but, “Hath in these last days spoke unto by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom he also made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express imagine of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3). The Gospel is better than the Law of Moses because its Mediator:
Is all-powerful (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2; Acts 10:36; Ephesians 1:20-23). Jesus is “heir of all things” while Moses was just a instrument in God’s plan.
Is the Creator of the world (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17). Moses led people through the Red Sea, but Jesus built it.
Is God (John 1:1-5; 10:30; Titus 2:13). While Moses’ face shined with God’s light, Jesus is the brightness of His glory. Barnes says the word means “reflected splendor.” Not only that, but Jesus is an exact engraving of His Father.
Is the sustainer of the world. Moses inhabited the world, but Jesus is the cause for its existence (Colossians 1:15-17).
Is the ultimate sacrifice (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:19-20). Moses had to have sacrifices offered for himself, but Jesus offered Himself.
Is still alive (Acts 2:27-33; 7:56; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:14; 8:1). Moses died (Deuteronomy 34:5), but Jesus is “alive for evermore” (Revelation 1:18).
Why is the Gospel so special? Because of Jesus!
Because it has a better sacrificial system (Hebrews 7:27; 9:23, 25, 28; 10:1-4). The blood shed during the Old Testament was in abundance, but Jesus shed His blood once. Instead of standing to offer sacrifices (Hebrews 10:11), Jesus “sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Instead of offering daily, physical sacrifices, the Gospel requires living ones (Romans 12:1). Instead of multiple offerings of blood that could not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4), Jesus’ blood was offered once; to cleanse continually (1 John 1:7). While no man could be saved under that Old system alone, all men can be saved under the New one (Titus 2:11; Hebrews 9:15). Sins under the New system are forgotten (Hebrews 10:17); not remembered every year (Hebrews 10:3). Truly, the Gospel is special.
Because it is the final Will and Testament of God (Hebrews 1:2). The Old Testament always looked ahead to something greater (Galatians 3:23-25), but the Gospel does no such thing. There is no better book, law, or system to look forward to because the better thing is already here. Paul spoke of the completed Word (1 Corinthians 13:10), Peter noted that we have everything we need in the inspired message (2 Peter 1:3), and Jude wrote, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). While the Old Law passed away (Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 8:13), the New Law will never cease to exist, for it was Peter who penned, “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:25). We can appreciate the specialness of the Gospel because it is the only thing that is going to save us today (Romans 1:16; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).