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A Verse for When… You Need Something Better

I studied Hebrews with some sweet girlfriends over the summer. We gathered around the firepit once a week and talked about this book that our study called a “hinge” between the Old and New Testaments. Two weeks into the study, we came across a verse that literally resonated in my mind for the rest of the summer. Actually, it wasn’t a verse, it was just three simple but profoundly powerful words—“a better hope.”

Here’s the phrase in context:

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. -Hebrews 7:18-19

Hebrews 7 is talking about priesthood. Before Jesus became the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice for us, the priests did the important work of offering regular sacrifices for the people on behalf of their sins. Animal sacrifices happened constantly and functioned as a necessary way of making the people right before God after they’d sinned. The blood of the animal served as a symbolic cleanser from sins.

Of course, this was a losing battle. Why? Because people are imperfect. They were back then, and they still are today. Later in Hebrews, the author mentions making sacrifices that are “repeated endlessly year after year” (Hebrews 10:1). And then Hebrews 10:11 clarifies even further that those endlessly repeated sacrifices could not actually solve the sin problem. It says, “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” Ugh, what a life, which must have felt like running and running and running on a treadmill—but never getting anywhere. 

Thankfully, Jesus’ perfect, complete sacrifice changed everything. The sacrifice of His perfect blood paid the price for our sins once and for all. We can try as hard as possible to act right, follow God’s commandments, apologize appropriately when necessary, etc., but our human striving is honestly nothing but tiresome and demoralizing. It’s actually impossible for us to live in flawless alignment with the laws of the Lord. In Old Testament times, that simple fact required those constant sacrifices. Try as they might to live right, the people could not meet any perfect standard, so they were stuck having to constantly offer sacrifices to make things right—over and over and over again. 

Jesus changed all of that. As the notes in my WordGo Bible study said, “Life under the law requires absolutely perfect obedience to God’s commands. That life is hopeless! In Jesus, ‘a better hope is introduced, by this we draw near to God’ (Hebrews 7:19).” 

A better hope! Doesn’t that sound like something you want to grab onto? Here’s The Message translation’s version of those same verses:

The former way of doing things, a system of commandments that never worked out the way it was supposed to, was set aside; the law brought nothing to maturity. Another way—Jesus!—a way that does work, that brings us right into the presence of God, is put in its place. -Hebrews 7:18-19

Jesus is a better hope. No matter what you do, what you say, what you plan, what you try, what you strive for… Jesus is better. You will fall short, guaranteed. But Jesus is a better hope. Isn’t that just the most encouraging thing you’ve heard in awhile?! Wow, after studying this passage, I just couldn’t get those three words out of my mind, and I hope they get stuck in your heart and mind, too. 

  • Does one of your family or friend relationships feel hopeless? Jesus is a better hope. 
  • Are you frustrated with yourself for giving into a certain temptation? Jesus is a better hope.
  • Do you feel like you just can’t get ahead in your career, no matter how hard you try? Jesus is a better hope. 
  • Does it seem like no matter how carefully you strive to live by God’s standards, you just keep messing up? Jesus is a better hope. 
  • Are you struggling to break free from an addition? Jesus is a better hope. 
  • Do you feel guilty for falling into the same sinful patterns over and over? Jesus is a better hope. 

No matter what kind of hopeless you’re feeling, when Jesus came to earth and gave His very blood as the perfect and final sacrifice needed, you gained access to the hope that He offers. And I bet you can guess what I’m about to say next… Yes, that hope is better than any shallow, fleeting hope the world tries to provide. It is a better hope. It is perfect, eternal and complete. Although it won’t necessarily make your day-to-day life perfect, it will fill you with an unshakeable peace, joy, confidence, stability, assurance … and hope. (A better hope.)