The main emphasis of the book of Hebrews is the High Priestly ministry of Jesus.
The words priest/priests appear a combined 34 times in the epistle, which is more than any other New Testament book, even more than any of the gospels which speak often of the priests who opposed Jesus.

Hebrews is very much the New Testament counterpart to the Old Testament book of Leviticus, where priest & priests are mentioned a whopping 155 times combined.

Though the main emphasis Hebrews is Jesus’s priesthood, there are other themes that are woven throughout the epistle, and often these themes lead back to an emphasis on Jesus’s High Priestly ministry. One such theme is the new creation. At the outset of the book of Hebrews, we find that Jesus, the Son of God, is also the creator of all things.

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands. ~ Hebrews 1:10.

Not only is Jesus the creator of the physical cosmos as Hebrews 1:10 states, but he is also the one who has brought about new creation through his death and resurrection. The new creation is forever tied to Jesus’s priesthood because he has a Priesthood that will never end.

In Hebrews 3:1, Jesus is said to be the Apostle and the High Priest of our profession. In 12:2 he is the author and finisher of our faith. The words apostle and author are related to the truth of the new creation.

In chapter 2 the author of Hebrews mentions “the world to come, whereof we speak.”

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. ~ Hebrews 2:1-5

The word spoken by angels is a reference to the dispensation of the Law and the prophets, in which the angels were the mediators between God and man. Paul speaks of this mediation in his letter to the Galatians. 

Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.  ~ Galatians 3:19

Christ is the promised seed mentioned by Paul in Galatians, and he is the mediator through whom God has now spoken to us, and whose mediations will continue forever in the world to come.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds… ~ Hebrews 1:1-2

Notice the reference to Jesus as being the heir of all things. That is new creation language. Jesus is both the one by whom God made the worlds and he is the heir of all things in the new creation. Consider the following from the book of Romans:

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

God’s new creation in Christ has begun, and it has begun with us who believe the gospel. Our salvation from sin and becoming new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) is the first fruits of the new creation of the world to come. In chapter 6, the author of Hebrews mentions those who have tasted of the powers of the world to come.

We don’t fully grasp now what is in store for us who believe, but we can indeed taste it!

Consider the apostle John’s take on this: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. ~ 1 John 3:1-3

In Colossians Paul brings together Jesus’s glory in the cosmos creation, with Jesus’s redemptive work which brings about the new creation.

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. ~ Colossians 1:12-20 

In the forward of her book, Being God’s Image (authored by Carmen Joy Imes), J.Richard Middleton points out that the Bible affirms that this world we live in is good (though fallen), and that God intended to reclaim the world through the death and resurrection of Christ, to bring about a new creation- not just for believers (2 Corinthians 5:17), but for the entirety of heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1).

With this in mind let us consider Paul’s words in Romans 8 after he says were are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.) ~ Romans 8:19-25 TNLT

In Ephesians, Paul says that we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. ~ See Ephesians 1:13-14

Notice that Paul refers to the Holy Spirit as the earnest of our inheritance (remember what we have read about inheritance so far). The word earnest comes from the Greek word, arrabón, and its usage is that of earnest-money, a large part of the payment, given in advance as a security that the whole will be paid afterwards.

I like that definition, but the one that really got me from another Greek source, was an engagement ring! Have you ever thought of the Holy Spirit as an engagement ring from Jesus as the promise of the eternal marriage we will have with him? Go ahead and say it with me, “GLORY!!!!!!”

Being sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise in Ephesians, and being led of the Holy Spirit of God in Romans, are both said in view of the coming of God’s new world (i.e., the new creation) in which God is glorified, and righteousness will forever rule! And this theme is woven throughout the book of Hebrews, thus are to persevere in faith, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus in the presence of God is our hope of a glorious future, for we are his house (his household, his family forever) if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. ~ Hebrews 3:6

New creation has begun, and we have received the Holy Spirit who gives us a foretaste of the glory that is to be revealed in us when Christ returns.

Whereas in the creation of the physical cosmos, man (who was the crown of God’s creation) was created in God’s image on the 6th day, in redemption, Jesus, who is the exact image of God’s glory is the beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14). This does not mean that Jesus is created, but rather, new creation begins with him. The heavens and the earth is his creation, and the redemption of it is his as well, and thus there will be a new heavens and new earth even as we are now new creatures in Christ, and Christ in us is the foretaste of future glory for all God’s creation.