Hebrews 8 - Christ, Better than the Old Covenant

LINK: Hebrews 8

BACKGROUND

Jesus Christ is God's superior High Priest who also ministers based on a better covenant (Hebrews 8), in a better sanctuary (Hebrews 9), and because of a better sacrifice (Hebrews 10).

The writer starts this chapter by making "summary arguments" to prove that Jesus is a superior High Priest. He refers back to Hebrews 7 for this. Jesus, as High priest, offered Himself as the better sacrifice, one time and forever (9:24-28). Jesus is in heaven in the "true tabernacle" since the one on earth was only a copy and shadow (Exodus 25:40; Hebrews 8:5; 9:11, 24; Revelation 6:9-11; 8:3-5; 11:19; 21:22). He has a more "excellent ministry" and is a mediator of a "better covenant." 

The Old Covenant was inadequate because it did not deal permanently with sin, but the New Covenant takes care of that because Christ's blood shed on the cross makes a full provision for the forgiveness of sin. The writer quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34, and this is what I wrote in the BACKGROUND for that chapter:

The most important part of this whole chapter is the promise of a New Covenant (31:33) in which God would put His Law within them and write it on their hearts. The Old Covenant was the Mosaic Covenant from Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. God had announced a series of punishments that would occur if they transgressed it (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28), and the final judgment would be the deportation to Babylon in 586 B.C. God's New Covenant would be an internalization of His Law, giving them the inner ability to obey. This would result from God giving them the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 36:24-32; Joel 2:28-32). The Holy Spirit did not universally indwell all believers in the Old Testament times. So, this was a new concept.

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption 

As part of the New Covenant, God would forgive Israel's wickedness and remember their sins no more. A holy God could not "overlook" sin. So, sin's penalty would be paid for by a Substitute (Isaiah 53:4-6): JESUS! 

In the Upper Room, Christ proclaimed that the New Covenant was to begin through the shedding of His blood (Matthew 26:27-28); Luke 22:20). Their sins (and ours too) would be "overlooked" because Jesus would pay the penalty required of man for His sin and avert the wrath of a holy God. 

As believers today, we enjoy the spiritual blessing of the New Covenant through the forgiveness of our sins and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual and physical blessings will be realized by Israel on a future day when they acknowledge their sin and turn to the Substitute for forgiveness (Zechariah 12:10-13:1). 

REFLECTION

Here is a comparison chart of the Old and New Covenant adapted from The Life Application Bible. It is excellent. Reflect on it and marvel at God's great love for YOU!  Here it is for download too: Old and New Covenant Contrasted

The Old Covenant under Moses	The New Covenant in Christ	Application
Gifts and sacrifices by those guilty of sin	Self-sacrifice by guiltless Christ	Christ died for you
Focused on a physical where one goes to worship	Focused on the reign of Christ in the hearts of believers	God is directly involved in building your life
A shadow	A reality	Not temporal but eternal
Limited promises	Limitless promises	We can trust God’s Promises to us
Failed agreement By people	Faithful agreement By Christ	Christ has kept the agreement where people could not
External standards and rules	Internal standards – a new heart	God see both actions and motives – we are accountable to God, not rules
Limited access to God	Unlimited access to God	God is personally available
Based on fear	Based on love and forgiveness	Forgiveness keeps our failures from destroying the agreement
Legal cleansing	Personal cleansing	God’s cleansing is complete
Continual sacrifice	Conclusive sacrifice	Christ’s sacrifice was perfect and final
Obey the rules	Serve the living God	Relationship, not regulations
Forgiveness earned	Forgiveness freely given	We have true and complete forgiveness
Repeated yearly	Completed by Christ’s death	Christ’s death can be applied to your sin
Human effort	God’s grace	Initiated by God’s love for you
Available to some	Available to all	Available to you

adapted from The Life Application Bible, p. 2231

APPLICATION

Meditate on the blessings of the New Covenant found in 8:10-12 and thank God for them! Here are more verses on God's law being written on human hearts: Psalm 37:31, 40:8; Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 2:15, 7:22; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 10:16.

PRAYER

Thank You, Jesus, for the shedding of Your blood for the forgiveness of my sin. Lord, thank You for the indwelling Holy Spirit who continues to lead me and works through me to bear the fruit of righteousness as I yield. Thank You for writing Your Law upon my heart.  Amen.