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Hebrews 8:7-13
God’s word is true, Just, and infallible. 2 Timothy 3:16 states (ESV), “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” John 3:16-17 (NKJV) states, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” We also learn in Matthew 5:17-18 (NIV) as Jesus states, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
The author of Hebrews confirms for us in Hebrews 8:7 that the first covenant (the Law which was given to Moses) was not faultless, creating the need to seek a better way. Because of the fault of the old covenant, which was brought about to show man sin and his inability to overcome sin by his own merit, God promised through the prophet Jeremiah the coming of a new covenant in which God would write His law in the people’s hearts and put it in their minds (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Jesus states in John 4:23-24 (NKJV), “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The author of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 8:13, “In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
This is a promise that the old covenant of the Law was insufficient.
This is a promise of the new covenant being better than the old covenant.
This is a promise that true worship and true righteousness is found in one’s heart – in Christ.
To see a need for a better way, man/humanity must first realize that his/her way is insufficient in reaching the goal of life in God’s eyes. The Law was given to show man/humanity that we are not perfect – we cannot keep the Law in its entirety. The problem arose when man realized this, and instead of coming to repentance in humility to God, man began claiming a self-righteousness by deeming oneself better than another. This is, as King Solomon would say, “in vain,” for we all can find something about ourselves that is “better” than someone else, and someone else can always find something about themselves that is “better” than us; but the truth is that we all have fault – we all have sin in our lives that we cannot rid ourselves of. This is why Jesus said that we must lose our lives to save our lives in Him (Matthew 10:39). We must give up our earthly desires (life) to find a better life in freedom from the sinful desires of one’s heart though the forgiven life that is only found in Christ Jesus. The prophets spoke of a better way in which God would put His law in our minds and write His law on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).
Abraham believed in God and it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), and God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5). It is through believing in God that we become descendants of Abraham – through faith in God in which we receive His blessing (Genesis 22:18). Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation for all of humanity – for all who will believe in Him (John 1:12-13, 3:16-17).
Dear LORD,
You have taken the time to show us of Your great love for us and our need for You – our need for Jesus in our lives – in our hearts and in our minds to receive Your blessing and salvation from sin. Please allow us to see this need for Jesus and invite Him into our minds and hearts to cleanse us from sin and begin a new life in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.