Better Things
When I went to bed last night, after hearing the weather report, I expected to wake up to a lot of snow cover and unpassable roads. However, when I awakened, I noticed that not so much snow had fallen, and the roads looked fairly clear. The situation was better than I was led to believe it might be.
To say something is better is to say it exceeds one’s expectations or excels in quality, worth, and value compared to what is thought good.
Psalm 63:3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.
The Psalmist here declares that God’s lovingkindness is better than natural life. In other words, the life he is living and the desire to keep going and to flourish is not on par with God’s lovingkindness.
When informed that something better is coming, hope can be generated in the heart. The expectation of the better lends itself to hope.
There is then the matter of something better already being in place but not realized. It can be present but not detected as yet.
Hebrews 12:24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Here, believers are told they have come to better things, and various contrasts are offered to demonstrate why it is better. One such thing that is better is the New Covenant. It is better than the Old one. But here, Christ’s blood is compared to Abel’s.
What is the difference we are meant to see and understand? As told in Genesis, you may recall how Cain killed his brother Abel. But did you pay attention to what God said to Cain?
Genesis 4:10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
Abel’s blood was crying out to God from the ground. It was crying out, “Avenge me and give me justice!”
On the contrary, Jesus’ blood cries out, “Forgive and wipe clean the sin!”
This dramatic contrast in these two types of blood is why the blood of Christ speaks better things than the blood of Abel.
Because Jesus shed His blood for us so that those who believe in Him can have their sins past, present, and future removed completely and they can be washed clean, makes His blood superior and speak better things! Today, I leave you with one more better things statement from Scripture.
Hebrews 6:9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.
I hope you are becoming more and more aware of just how much better of a covenant you have been brought to in Christ, how much better the promises are in Him, and how much better the hope you can cling to because of Him. Be encouraged in Him today and always.
