Hebrews 8:7-13
Introduction:
1. The writer now gives three critical reasons the New Covenant replaced the old.
2. Quoting Jeremiah 31:31-34, he reminded his Jewish readers that their hopes were rooted in the New Covenant, not the one to which they were looking back.
Discussion:
I. Internal Transformation (8:7-10).
A. The law could highlight sin but not resolve it (Romans 3:20; 7:7; 8:3; Galatians 3:19).
B. The New Covenant transforms the heart (Romans 6:1-7; 8:1-4; 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Ephesians 4:20-24; Jeremiah 32:39; Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26).
C. And renews the relationship (Romans 5:1-2; 6:16-18; Ephesians 2:11-22).
II. True Knowledge of God (8:11)
A. In the old law, one could be and not be part of God’s covenant people (Romans 2:28-29; 9:6-7).
B. In the New Covenant, knowing God is prerequisite to enter and remain (Isaiah 11:9; John 6:44-45; 17:1-3; Romans 10:17; Ephesians 4:20-24).
III. Complete Forgiveness of Sin (8:12-13)
A. Later, he will prove the covenant they looked back to only reminded them of sins (10:1-4, 11).
B. The inability of Moses’ Law to remove sin is repeated, but the New Covenant does what the law could never do (Acts 13:38-39; Romans 3:20; 8:3-4; 2 Corinthians 3:6-9; Galatians 2:16, 21; 3:10, 21-22; Hebrews 7:18-19; 9:9-10, 15; James 2:10).
Conclusion:
1. Line-by-line, layer-after-layer, the Hebrews writer reinforces the folly of walking away from Jesus for the obsolete covenant through Moses.
2. If returning to a covenant that had glory (2 Corinthians 3:7-11) is foolish, how much more so turning from Christ to some system of belief that never was glorious?
3. We have the greatest covenant and promises known to man, so let us hold fast!