Take Away the Old to Establish the New

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From: Eddie Chumney
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Take Away the Old to Establish the New

HEBREWS 8: TAKING AWAY THE OLD TO ESTABLISH THE NEW

by Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int'l

Dear Mishpochah (family):

This week I got two letters about Hebrew 8. In this week's teaching article, I want to make comment and answer the questions in these two letters. The two letters are as follows:

Rena Monholland said:

I have searched all your archives and can not find anything about Hebrews 8. I have read three of your books that my daughter bought me and I loved them. I am very new at Hebrew roots study, am non-Jewish and have no one that I know of in this area to go to for help. I do not understand what it means by the statement a better covenant and the first is made obsolete and growing old. I know you are busy so maybe you could just send me a site where I can get more understanding of Hebrews 8.

Thank you and be blessed.

Rena

The other letter was a reply to the teaching article sent last week on "Understanding the Moral and Sacrificial Law"

Robert Glenn writes:

Bro. Chumney,

I agree with most of what you are saying, but I cannot agree with the sacrificial or the offering of animals, doesn't this go against the new covenant?

Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Why would God re institute this in the millennium when the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin? Hebrews 10:4 Also why would God allow it when he has no pleasure in them? ...

In Christ,

Bro. Robert

REPLY BY EDDIE CHUMNEY

Mishpachah (family):

In sharing various teaching articles on Torah and Grace, I have shared with you the mindset of Christianity in interpreting the New Testament as compared to the Old Testament. This mindset involves the following:

#1) We SAY that we BELIEVE the ENTIRE Bible from Genesis to Revelation but in our theology when presented with BELIEVING and FOLLOWING what is written in the part of the Bible prior to Matthew is that we BELIEVE that it DOESN'T PERTAIN to us. In other words, in the way that we seek to LIVE according to the BIBLE, we BELIEVE that the WORD of YHVH is NOT ETERNAL and that the OT has "passed away" (even though we SAY that we believe that it IS eternal).

In other words, we DON'T THINK through what we believe. We have been TRAINED to BELIEVE a certain way. We have been TRAINED to believe:

#1) The Word of YHVH is ETERNAL from Genesis to Revelation
#2) The OT has vanished away with the NT

Either it is ETERNAL or it has VANISHED away.

You can't have it both ways! Which do you believe?

This is like believing that:

MESSIAH died on the tree to KEEP the moral laws.

MESSIAH died on the tree to DO AWAY with the sacrificial laws

In other words, we TEACH that Messiah died on the tree to KEEP the TORAH and He died on the tree to DO AWAY with the TORAH.

You can't have it both ways! Which do you believe?

#2) Christian dispensationalism (OT is law and the NT is grace) is based upon the perception / acceptance that:

The OT contradicts what is written in the NT.

The OT says that believers in YHVH celebrate the Biblical Sabbath (7th day) and the annual Festivals like Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles etc

but NT believers in YHVH through Yeshua celebrate Sunday, Christmas and Easter. We explain the "contradiction" by calling it "progressive revelation".

When you present what is written in the Torah and the Prophets to a believer in Messiah they will say, 'Yea but it says in Acts 10 or it says in Acts 15 or Paul said in Galations etc"

Yea BUT means that there is a CONTRADICTION.

So, we have a problem because we have a PERCEPTION that the the Bible or rather YHVH contradicts Himself in His written Word. We are trained to believe that we are to follow YHVH but then we are told that YHVH contradicts Himself. So our problem is what part of what YHVH says are we to believe? We seek to solve our perceived problem by saying that whatever is written closer to the book of Revelation in the NT carries more weight than any book that appears prior to it.

In other words, we try to resolve the problem by saying that the NT carries more weight than the OT.

But, it wouldn't sound good if Christians leaders told the people in a straightforward way that the Bible contradicts itself because that would "confuse" the sheep. So, we have named this perceived contradiction as "progressive revelation". The SHEEP seem to like and accept the term "progressive revelation". It sounds better than the OT contradicts the NT.

MORE PROBLEMS OF CONTRADICTION

We not only accept that the OT contradicts the NT but we accept that what Messiah DID (kept the weekly Sabbath and the annual Festivals) and TAUGHT His disciples (to DO the same) CONTRADICTS with what Paul said.

In other words, we believe that the NT contradicts itself.

So, we have a problem. Do we believe the teachings of the Messiah (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) or do we believe the teachings of Paul (the Epistles) ?

We resolve this perceived contradiction by believing that the writings of Paul (Galatians) carries more weight than the teachings of the Messiah. Why? Because it is closer to the book of Revelation.

But, we don't explain it this way because this would "confuse" the sheep. So, we tell the sheep that we accept Galatians over the teachings of the Messiah because Galatians is "progressive revelation". The SHEEP seem to like and accept the term "progressive revelation". It sounds better than we believe that teachings of Paul rather than the teachings of the Messiah.

Notice how the thought process of Robert Glenn is based upon a perception that the OT contradicts the NT who says:

He said that:

'The offering of animals" CONTRACTS (goes against) the New Covenant'

Then he quotes His verse: (Hebrews 8:13).

How does Robert resolve the contradiction that He sees in the Bible? He resolves it by accepting that the words of the NT carries more weight than the OT.

IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE BIBLE OR WITH US?

Does the Bible contradict itself? Man doesn't like to admit that he is the problem so he blames YHVH and His written Word.

So we have a choice to accept one of the following:

#1) YHVH contradicts Himself in the Bible

#2) The problem is with MAN'S UNDERSTANDING of what He reads

I would like to submit to you the problem is with MAN'S UNDERSTANDING of what he reads.

Let's address what Robert Glenn said:

Bro. Chumney,

I agree with most of what you are saying, but I cannot agree with the sacrificial or the offering of animals, doesn't this go against the new covenant?

Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Why would God re institute this in the millennium when the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin? Hebrews 10:4 Also why would God allow it when he has no pleasure in them? ...

In Christ,
Bro. Robert

In other words, what Robert is saying is that:

YHVH said that He would re-institute the animal sacrifices in the Messianic Era. But, Robert reasons that YHVH is WRONG in doing this because YHVH said in Hebrews 10:4 that He doesn't like the animal sacrifices.

So, Robert reasons that He BELIEVES what YHVH said in Hebrews 10:4 because YHVH didn't know what He was talking about when He said that the animal sacrifices are to be instituted in the Messianic Era.

WHY DOES ROBERT THINK THAT YHVH IS CONFUSED?

Why does Robert think that YHVH is confused by telling us that He is going to have animal sacrifices in the Messianic Era when He said in Hebrews 10:4 that He doesn't like animal sacrifices ??

ANSWER: YHVH ISN'T CONFUSED. The problem is that Robert (and most of Christianity) doesn't understand Torah.

WILL THERE BE ANIMAL SACRIFICES IN THE MESSIANIC ERA?

The answer is yes. Ezekiel 45 and Ezekiel 46 says that there will be.

KJV Ezekiel 43:7 And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever ...

KJV Ezekiel 43:10 Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.

PASSOVER / UNLEAVENED BREAD WILL BE CELEBRATED DURING THE MESSIANIC ERA

KJV Ezekiel 45:21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

KJV Ezekiel 45:22 And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a SIN OFFERING.

KJV Ezekiel 45:23 And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a BURNT OFFERING to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a SIN OFFERING.

KJV Ezekiel 45:24 And he shall prepare a MEAT OFFERING of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.

TABERNACLES WILL BE CELEBRATED DURING THE MESSIANIC ERA

KJV Ezekiel 45:25 In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the SIN OFFERING, according to the BURNT OFFERING, and according to the MEAT OFFERING, and according to the oil.

SABBATH AND NEW MOON WILL BE CELEBRATED DURING THE MESSIANIC ERA

KJV Ezekiel 46:1 Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

KJV Ezekiel 46:2 And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his BURNT OFFERING and his PEACE OFFERINGS, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.

So during the Messianic Era, there will be:

BURNT OFFERINGS
SIN OFFERINGS
PEACE OFFERINGS
MEAT OFFERINGS

but WHY?

Robert Glenn asks:

Why would God re institute this in the millennium when the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin? Hebrews 10:4 Also why would God allow it when he has no pleasure in them? ...

In Christ,
Bro. Robert

The answer is given in Ezekiel 43:10-12

KJV Ezekiel 43:10 Thou son of man, SHEW the HOUSE (TEMPLE) to the HOUSE of ISRAEL (the people of YHVH), that they may be ASHAMED of their INIQUITIES: and let them MEASURE the PATTERN.

KJV Ezekiel 43:11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.

KJV Ezekiel 43:12 This is the TORAH of the HOUSE; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

We are told in these passages that the Temple is given as a PATTERN to TEACH US of our INIQUITIES.

It is the TORAH of the house of Israel to TEACH THIS PATTERN.

The GOAL of teaching the PATTERN of the TEMPLE to teach us of our INIQUITY is to bring us to the MESSIAH.

KJV Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The PATTERN of the TEMPLE is to TEACH the people of the Messianic Era that they are SINNERS and NEED the MESSIAH.

KJV Ezekiel 43:10 Thou son of man, SHEW the HOUSE (TEMPLE) to the HOUSE of ISRAEL (the people of YHVH), that they may be ASHAMED of their INIQUITIES: and let them MEASURE the PATTERN.

KJV Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end <5056> of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

5056 telos {tel'-os} from a primary tello (to set out for a definite point or goal);

MESSIAH is the GOAL of the TORAH (and the Temple pattern)

DOES THE ANIMAL SACRIFICES DURING THE MESSIANIC ERA CONTRADICT HEBREWS 8:13 ????

Robert Glenn writes:

Robert's question IMPLIES that the sacrifices during the Messianic Era contradicts Hebrews 8:13 that YHVH "took away the old" (meaning the Temple sacrificial system) EXCEPT we say that YHVH kept the "moral laws" (killing, stealing etc).

WHY DOES ROBERT THINK THAT YHVH IS CONFUSED?

Why does Robert think that YHVH is confused because He is going to institute animal sacrifices in the Temple during the Messianic Era but tells us in Hebrews 8:13 that YHVH did away with the "old" when YHVH established the new ??

ANSWER: YHVH ISN'T CONFUSED. The problem is that Robert (and most of Christianity) doesn't understand Torah.

DID YHVH DO AWAY WITH THE TORAH OR IS THE PROBLEM OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE?

We have two choices to believe:

#1) YHVH did away with the Torah with the establishment of the New Covenant

#2) The problem is with our understanding of the Bible

Traditional Christianity places the problem with YHVH for giving the Torah so He had Messiah to die on the tree to do away with the Torah.

However, the problem is NOT with YHVH. The problem is with our UNDERSTANDING of the Bible because we DON'T KNOW TORAH.

WHAT DID YHVH REMOVE WHEN HE REPLACED THE NEW WITH THE OLD ???

The answer is found in Hebrews 8:7

KJV Hebrews 8:8 For finding FAULT with THEM, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Traditional Christianity teaches that YHVH found fault with the COVENANT at MOUNT SINAI and "replaced it" with the NEW COVENANT where we don't have to follow Torah because we are not "under law but under grace".

But, YHVH DIDN'T find fault with the TORAH (because He would have to find fault with Himself who GAVE the Torah). YHVH found fault with THEM !!!!!!

What is THEM that YHVH found fault with?

YHVH FINDS FAULT WITH THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE

KJV Hebrews 8:8 For finding FAULT with THEM, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

YHVH found fault with the HEARTS of the people.

KJV Ezekiel 36:26 A NEW HEART also will I give you, and a NEW SPIRIT will I PUT WITHIN YOU: and I will TAKE AWAY the STONY HEART out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Notice that YHVH DIDN'T do away with the TORAH, He did away with the STONY HEART and REPLACED it with a HEART OF FLESH.

What does traditional Christianity say?

Traditional Christianity when reading and interpreting Hebrews 8 say that YHVH did away with the Torah and replaced it with the New Covenant.

YHVH when speaking about the New Covenant said that He would take away the STONY HEARTS of His people.

THE NEW COVENANT IS TORAH BASED

KJV Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Notice that that HOLY SPIRIT was given for the purpose of giving the people of YHVH the desire to KEEP the Torah.

KJV Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be THE COVENANT that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put MY TORAH in their INWARD PARTS, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Traditional Christianity says that YHVH gave the New Covenant so that we don't have to follow the Torah anymore because we are "not under law but under grace".

YHVH says in Jeremiah 31:33 and Ezekiel 36:26-27 that the New Covenant is the TORAH written upon our hearts.

ARE YOU LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Traditional Christianity says that the Holy Spirit leads and guides me to understand that I am not to follow Torah. Traditional Christianity teaches me that to follow Torah is "bondage".

YHVH says that He gave the Holy Spirit to give us the desire to KEEP His Torah.

KJV Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, and cause you to WALK in my STATUTES, and ye shall KEEP my JUDGMENTS, and DO THEM.

BEING LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT = FAITH IN MESSIAH AND KEEPING TORAH

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF TAKE AWAY THE OLD TO ESTABLISH THE NEW?

So, if YHVH found FAULT with THEM (the HEARTS of the people) and gave the NEW COVENANT and the HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US to give us a desire to KEEP the Torah then what did YHVH take away?

KJV Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

For those of you who have a King James Bible or other version that shows in Hebrews 8:13 that the word "covenant" is in ITALICS.

ITALICS means that the word is NOT found in the Greek text. It was added by the translators.

So, what Hebrews 8:13 really says is:

KJV Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A NEW, he hath made the FIRST OLD. Now that which decayeth and waxeth OLD is ready to VANISH AWAY.

What is the NEW?

KJV Ezekiel 36:26 A NEW HEART also will I give you ...

NEW = NEW HEART and NEW SPIRIT that will want to KEEP TORAH

What is the OLD?

KJV Ezekiel 36:26 A NEW HEART also will I give you ... I will TAKE AWAY the STONY HEART

WHAT IS A STONY HEART?

KJV Zechariah 7:11 But they REFUSED to HEARKEN, and PULLED AWAY the SHOULDER, and STOPPED their EARS, that they should NOT HEAR.

KJV Zechariah 7:12 Yea, they made their HEARTS as an adamant STONE ...

OLD = STONY HEART that will NOT follow Torah

SO HOW IS HEBREWS 8:13 LINKED WITH HEBREWS 8:7-12 ???

KJV Hebrews 8:8 For finding FAULT with THEM, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

KJV Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A new, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

If we knew that YHVH found fault with the HEARTS of the people and know what the prophets wrote about the New Covenant well enough to know that the prophets wrote that the New Covenant was prophesied to replace a stony heart (won't follow Torah) with a heart of flesh (does want to follow Torah) then we can link Hebrews 8:8 ...

KJV Hebrews 8:8 For finding FAULT with THEM ...

with

KJV Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A NEW, he hath made the FIRST OLD ...

FIRST that is OLD = STONY HEART (won't follow Torah)

NEW = Heart of flesh (sins forgiven in Messiah and keeps Torah)

WHAT IS THE OLD THAT IS VANISHING AWAY?

The "old" that is vanishing away is the STONY HEART who REBELS against wanting to have faith in Messiah but doesn't want to follow Torah.

When HIS SPIRIT is WITHIN YOU and TEACHES YOU the "heart of flesh" will REPENT of believing in Messiah and NOT wanting to follow Torah with believing in Messiah AND wanting to KEEP TORAH.

As we YIELD to the TEACHING of the HOLY SPIRIT then the "old man" or the "old stony heart" vanishes away and the NEW HEART is established in the heart of the believer in Messiah.

KJV Romans 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

INWARD MAN = NEW HEART which wants to FOLLOW TORAH.

DELIGHT IN TORAH = INWARD MAN = NEW HEART

The New Covenant Holy Spirit filled believer in Messiah will DELIGHT in the TORAH of YHVH.

DOES HEBREW 8 CONTRADICT THE TORAH AND PROPHETS?

Traditional Christianity teaches that Hebrews 8 contradicts the OT so we need to believe the "progressive revelation" of the NT (that we don't follow Torah) over what is written in the OT.

However, if we understand what is written in the Torah and Prophets, we find that Hebrews 8 is CONSISTENT with what is written in the Torah and the Prophets.

In other words, the Torah and Prophets help me to understand why I believe in Yeshua as Messiah and express my faith in Him by folloiwng Torah.

KJV Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

KJV John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

THE COMMANDMENTS IN JOHN 14:15 = TORAH

Exodus 20:6 = John 14:15

KJV Exodus 20:6 And shewing MERCY unto thousands of them that LOVE ME, and KEEP my COMMANDMENTS.

KJV John 14:15 If ye LOVE me, KEEP my COMMANDMENTS.

So, the words of the Messiah is CONSISTENT with what is written in the Torah.

Because:

TORAH linked to PROPHETS linked to NEW TESTAMENT

This is why I believe the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

I pray that this teaching on Hebrews 8 has been a blessing to you.

May YHVH continue to bless you in your studies.

Eddie Chumney

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