Hebrews 8

Additional Reading: Exodus 24:3-8; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 26:26f

Introduction

With this chapter we reach the crown of the epistle to the Hebrews. The central fact and doctrine up to now has been the person of Christ, our great High Priest –His greatness, superiority and finality, ever living to intercede. Now we come to His work. From who He is to what He came to do.

Having died, risen again, ascended, now our exalted Lord enjoys the very glory of God, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens (Hebrews 8:1). He is in the real temple, sanctuary of God in heaven, of which the Temple at Jerusalem was only a pale copy. As priest, He is praying for us on the grounds of His sacrifice on Calvary. Securing our access to God.

He is the mediator of the New Covenant, The mediator of a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6), dispensing the blessings of the New Covenant, bringing men into a covenant relationship and giving them all the blessings of this new promise.

So to our subject – the Covenant. This key truth is stated 277 times in the Old Testament, and 33 times in the New Testament, of which 17 are in Hebrews. (Sometimes the word “Testament” is used in place of “Covenant”, but we do well to remember that the Old and New “Testaments” would be better described as the Old and New “Covenants”.) We remember this key truth at the Lord’s Supper, with the words “This is my blood of the new covenant”.

A covenant is a compact, an agreement, a bargain, e.g. marriage, an international treaty, where solemn agreement and promises are made. Covenants between men are sometimes sealed with gifts, handshake, kiss, or common meal, and are made on the grounds of being equal partners. Covenants between God and man, e.g. with Noah, Abraham, with the nation of Israel at Sinai (Exodus 24), are not based on being equal partners. The initiative is always with God. He imposes the conditions, He gives Himself to the people, and they promise obedience. These covenants were sealed with sacrificial blood, and were the foundation for the teaching on the new covenant. The tragedy was that while God kept His side of the marriage vows, Israel was faithless, Israel broke the covenant by spiritual adultery.

Jeremiah spoke of a new covenant. Detailed teaching about the fulfilment of Jeremiah’s prophecy is contained here in Hebrews 8. It was new in quality because it was eternal. It was new in scope because it embraces potentially all men. Going to look at 4 items in the new covenant, and see the relationship of Jesus Christ to it.

Law to be written on hearts and minds

I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts (Hebrews 8:10). Previously the Law was written on two tablets of stone. They were on the outside, imposed from without. Now they are in the heart – will, mind, affections – in the centre of the personality. Kept, not out of fear or for reward, not because of the whip or the prize, but out of love for the Lord and the desire to please Him. Kept out of choice, not compulsion, not out of duty but out of inclination. In love, with goodness and desire to please the beloved.

This is the result of a divine miracle. No other religion can speak like this, “I will put… I will write…”. John speaks of “new birth”, Paul speaks of being “new creatures”, and in 2 Peter this miracle is described as being “partakers of divine nature”. This is the power in the new covenant, which was not in the old covenant. Love for God, His word, His people, His will. We are not perfect, we still have evil nature within, but our attitude to holiness, God and sin has all changed. This is at the very foundation of Christian life. Our conduct is no longer under the control of the lower nature, but is directed by the Spirit.

There is power in the Gospel, which is not in the laws of a nation, not in principles of morality, not in the dictates of conscience, nor in the precepts of other religions. The Gospel gives us what is required of us. C.f. Augustine said, “Give what thou commendest, commend what thou wilt.” The religion of men is a burden, full of prohibitions and restrictions, requiring play-acting, hypocrisy, because it demands things from men that they don’t feel inclined to do. But the Christian Gospel changes our hearts so that we want to do what God’s law requires. New birth is within, the law is not being imposed from out there.

He is our God, we are His people

I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people (Hebrews 8:10). Parallel this with the marriage relationship. God gives Himself to His people, and vice versa; the husband gives himself to the wife, and vice versa. He belongs to His people in a way that He does not belong to others; the husband belongs to his wife in a way that he does not belong to any other woman. He is not just the “Only God”, but He is more personal, He is “My God”, and “Our God”. We are heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ. This relationship is the secret of the satisfaction, quiet rest and joy which is the Christian’s.

His resources, guidance and power are guaranteed to His people, light in dark places, a path in perplexities, satisfaction of our longings, rest in anxieties. In return we give ourselves back to Him. Our faith corresponds to His faithfulness, our dependence corresponds to His sufficiency, our weak clinging corresponds to His strong grasp, our obedience corresponds to His commanding. Our relationship with God is no longer an outward profession or nominal adherence. It is a vital personal union. “I am His, He is mine”. Awareness of this alters everything.

“Heaven above is softer blue,

Earth around is sweeter green…

Since I know, as now I know,

I am His and He is mine”

All shall know God

Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest (Hebrews 8:11). In Old Testament days there was direct communication between God and a chosen few – the spiritual aristocracy of the nation – who in turn taught the nation. Now all this is swept away. Every believer has access to and communication with God. Not just a theoretical or theological knowledge, but a personal heart knowledge. The Christian knows, loves, and delights in giving self to the Lord. Not just dogmas taught by others, but personal acquaintance, friendly communion with Him. He has tasted and seen that the Lord is good. Do we have this? Or is our knowledge dependent on the teaching and experiences of others?

This privilege is for all, regardless of rank, age or ability. It brings the new covenant to every man’s door. Have respect for the conscience of others. Test all things. Do not take things as true merely because the man in the pulpit says so. We can help one another, but not to tyrannize over one another.

Sins are forgiven, and forgotten

I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more (Hebrews 8:12). Foundation blessing from which all else flows. He deals with our fundamental need. The true evil of humanity is not sorrow, but sin. Sin is the gravest fact of man’s condition, affecting the whole nature, disturbing all relationships with God. God is prepared to forget sin, to treat it as nonexistent. Same picture as casting sins into the depth of sea (Micah 7:19).

Flow of Father’s heart to erring child. Outward consequences of forgiven sin may still have to be reaped in body and mind. But the most serious consequence, i.e. eternal punishment, is removed. Forgiveness is fundamental to everything else. All other blessings hang on this. It is the first rung on the ladder. Peace with God. Guarantees all else that follows. Based on the one true atonement of which the Old Testament sacrifices under the old covenant were but shadows. Therefore we can have complete assurance.

The relationship of Christ to the New Covenant

He is the “Mediator” (Hebrews 8:6), mediths. The one through whom God makes blessings of the new covenant over to us. In Jeremiah there is no mention of sacrifice, but the silence is filled in by the New Covenant – Christ’s perfect sacrifice on Calvary. The Mediator stands in between, to bring two parties together. Reconciliation comes through Him. He effects the forgiveness of sins. Therefore we know God, His people, His law in our hearts. My blood…. Shed for many for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28) – without the shedding of blood, there was no remission of sins. His was the final and perfect offering for sins. Divine justice was satisfied.

He is our “Surety” (Hebrews 7:22), egguos. This is the term for something which gave security and was a guarantee, e.g. guarantees a man’s overdraft at the bank. Surety that the money will be paid. The person who goes bail for a prisoner guarantees that the prisoner will appear at trial. Guarantees payment and undertaking will be honoured. How do we know these blessings will be ours? Jesus Christ is the guarantee, pledge and assurance. He is the Son of God, there can be no higher guarantee.

His Cross and His resurrection are our assurance. Visibly set forth at the Table – where we are invited to eat and drink – as a symbol of our appropriation of the new covenant. Visible covenant pledges – like a wedding ring is visible token of the covenant made. We also have as our assurance the promises in His word, and the witness of His Holy Spirit in our lives.