Is There A New & Better Covenant?

Text: Hebrews 8

Introduction

Illustration — Notice some of these pictures. As clear as these pictures are, are they the real thing? Do they look as good as the real thing?

(Show a pic of a replica of the OT Temple) Read off some details about the materials used. As beautiful as the Temple was, it was only a picture of what the heavenly Temple looks like. The Priesthood and covenant of Christ was also superior to that of the earthly priestly work in light of the covenant given by Moses.

This Jewish Christian audience is learning from the writer of Hebrews that it was always God’s intention to bring about a new covenant that would be based on a once-for-all atoning work that would finalize in the Heavenly Temple.

So, the fact that they are inching their way back to the “shadow” and moving further away from the “real” (Jesus’ vicarious work and position in the heavenly Temple) is to bring nothing good into their life.

So, what we have is an audience who needs to understand that what the writer is teaching is not at all a “new doctrine.” This superior High Priest and covenant had been foretold in the Old Testament and would accomplish what the old covenant was unable to do.

VERSES 1-5

(v1) The writer now moves them to consider the sum of what he has unpacked for them regarding the priesthood of Melchisedec.

This echos back to: 1:3; 1:13 and will be rehearsed again in 10:12 & 12:2.

Jesus has completed the work; providing that once-and-for-all needed sacrifice.

Jesus is now seated on the right hand of God. (fulfilling Psalm 110:1 “1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” ) This also points to what is yet to be accomplished and given over to the Son.

(v2) We see that Jesus’ duties as our heavenly high priest are not only superior, but they are executed in a far more superior heavenly sanctuary.

The writer points out a huge distinction in efforts to prove the superiority of Jesus’ sanctuary He is serving in.

Jesus’ tabernacle was built by himself and not by man (that is a distinction we can apply in different way to help us discern what is most valuable in this life).

When you study God’s blueprint for the tabernalce and esecially the Temple, you notice that God gives not tolerance for varience in qualty of material, size, and layout.

Q — What could God have been communicating about the overall structure of the heavenly taberncale?

Exodus 25:40 “40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.”

(v3) The writer points out that it makes sense that Jesus’ High Priestly work would not be on earth due to a preistly line has already been appointed by God to carry the temporary sacrificail work out.

There was a vertical distinction / temporal vs eternal distinction.

VERSES 6-13

(v6) At this point, the writer is picking up the already established unity of the “priesthood” and the “covenant.”

Hebrews 7:12 “12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”

Hebrews 7:18 “18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.”

Romans 9:4 “4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;”

(v7) LET ME BE CLEAR…he is NOT saying that the “law” is bad.

Romans 7:12 “12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.”

There was a “problem” when the law was given to humanity.

Q — What was the problem?

(v8-13)

There is a much larger conversation to have about this, but that will come later. However, I want to establish what is largely being discussed and what is NOT:

Some scholar tend to “read in” to the text something that is not there!!!

It is not my understanding of the plain text of scripture that this “new covenant” is made with the “church” and Israel is cast off to the side.

What is the larger point of discussion here?

The superiority of Jesus to the old system (priesthood, sacrifices, covenant, tabernacle).

All the old died with Jesus died and the new covenant was established when Jesus rose again.

In other words, the contract is “signed” but not fully performed at that time.

Jesus would enter a new covenant with Israel in order to replace the old.

Even though the “Old” was done away with, the Jews continued in their religious system.

History tells us that God permitted the destruction of their temple in A.D. 70.

That moment in history gives us a picture of what the writer meant by the “old order” “ready to vanish away.”

A BRIEF STUDY OF SOME OF THE “NEW COVENANT” PASSAGES

Jeremiah 31:31–34 “31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant With the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand To bring them out of the land of Egypt; Which my covenant they brake, Although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 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 law in their inward parts, And write it in their hearts; And will be their God, And they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For they shall all know me, From the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: For I will forgive their iniquity, And I will remember their sin no more.”

Jeremiah 32:37–40 “37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.”

Jeremiah 50:4 “4 In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together, Going and weeping: they shall go, And seek the Lord their God.”

Isaiah 55:3 “3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, Even the sure mercies of David.”

Isaiah 61:8 “8 For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; And I will direct their work in truth, And I will make an everlasting covenant with them.”

Speaks to a national revival following the regathering to the land God gave them.

Ezekiel 37:21–28 “21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.”

Also speaks of a national regathering.

References a “Davidic” king (most likely Jesus Christ) in fulfillment of 2Samuel 7.

So, if we let the text speak for itself, does it tell us that the Church has replaced Israel and God is fulfilling His New Covenant through them? NO!

If you choose to “allegorize” the text, you can could make these things be fulfilled either in the first century of today.

Romans 11:26–27 “26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

Even though the New Covenant was made with Israel, the blood atonement that it took to ratify the New Covenant is the very same blood that has provided eternal salvation to all who will believe and make them heirs of the inheritance of Jesus Christ.

If the Jews had of accepted Jesus’ kingdom during His first coming, Jesus would not have turned to build His church. However, as Paul describes in Romans 9, Israel rejected their King, killed him making salvation available to all, and will later “graft” them back into the vine (Romans 10-11) when he returns.

Conclusion

Newer or older is NOT always better! Many of church have divided over that concept. The main question we need to ask ourselves is this, “Would God be desiring to bless the newer method or continue to bless the existing method?”

You and I today do not need to make the same mistake these believing Jews were making; not seeking to see if what they were doing was in harmony with God’s plan.

They had come to the crossroads of the “old” and the “new.”