Hebrews 8:8-13 (NMB NT) For in rebuking the people, he says: Behold, the days will come (says the Lord) when I will make a new testament with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the testament that I made with their fathers at the time when I took them by the hands to lead them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my testament, and I regarded them not, says the Lord.
10 For this is the testament that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach everyone his neighbour and everyone his brother, saying, Know the Lord! For they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful over their unrighteousness, and over their sins and their iniquities.
13 In that he says a new testament, he has abrogated the old. Now that which is abolished and grown old, is ready to vanish away.
V8 “For in rebuking the people, he says: Behold, the days will come (says the Lord) when I will make a new testament with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…” The problem with the Old Covenant was the requirement for works. Our works cannot satisfy the righteous laws of God. His standard of righteousness is perfection through obeying the Law. Because of this, God sent His Son to satisfy the righteous laws of God and be the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. The New Covenant provides for paying the penalty for people’s sins, cleanse the conscience, and put His laws into their newly regenerated heart–the soul. The quotes are from Jeremiah 31:31-34. The Old Covenant is the covenant given at Mt Sinai and agreed to by Israel (Exodus 24:3 and Exodus 24:7). The New Covenant was revealed in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
V9 “…not like the testament that I made with their fathers at the time when I took them by the hands to lead them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my testament, and I regarded them not, says the Lord.” The people could not obey God’s laws in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds perfectly to God’s satisfaction. If eating a piece of fruit (Adam in Genesis 3:11), brought God’s curse on the universe, then any one sin (James 2:10) that I commit damages me and disqualifies me from eternal life and fellowship with God. That is the situation of one who has not believed in Jesus. If one has believed, then our sins are forgiven. God wants us to be blameless (Philippians 2:15 and 2 Peter 3:14.
V10 “For this is the testament that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” The covenant is with the “house of Israel,” which is the descendants of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham. After regeneration, God then places His laws (the Law of Christ because the Mosaic Law fades away into nothingness) in people’s hearts. Jesus, the High Priest of the Order of Melchizedek, mediated the New Covenant, which can be only entered by our faith. The Holy Spirit initiates salvation (John 16:8 and 2 Thessalonians 2;13-14), because we cannot seek God on our own (Romans 3:10). The New Covenant applies to Gentiles because we are grafted into the natural olive tree that is Israel. See Romans 11 (whole chapter).
V11 “And they shall not teach everyone his neighbour and everyone his brother, saying, Know the Lord! For they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest of them. “ Salvation is initiated by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). He frees the will from its bondage to sin and darkness to understand our sins and God’s wrath. When we hear the Savior of the World-Jesus, we have a choice. We can believe (John 3:14-18 or not believe. Faith in God for salvation is God’s requirement to be saved (Romans 4:1-5).
V12. “For I will be merciful over their unrighteousness, and over their sins and their iniquities.” Mercy is receiving something not deserved. Believing/faith is not a work (Romans 4:1-5). God is not required to offer mercy but because of His great love, He offers mercy to those who believe.
C13 “In that he says a new testament, he has abrogated the old. Now that which is abolished and grown old, is ready to vanish away.” This is New Covenant, so the Old, of necessity, is superseded and abolished. “Is ready to vanish away” refers to the fading of the Old Covenant, for now God honors the New. There is no need for the Old Covenant anymore.
A quote:
(Holman Commentary) “Jeremiah had announced the demise of the old covenant six hundred years earlier, but its death took time. When these words in Hebrews were written, the Jerusalem Temple was likely still standing. Day after day its priests offered sacrifices, but it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Heb. 10:4).
“The old covenant came, served the purpose of informing sinners of their need, grew old, and has died. It was viewed as already obsolete. The old covenant had done its job. It had pointed to, prepared the way for, and was now giving way to the new covenant. The new covenant offered such superior benefits to needy sinners that the old gave way to it.
“The new covenant promised inward power, an intimate knowledge of God, and forgiveness of sin. Nothing in the past could equal the provisions of this new covenant. We who live today as believers can rejoice in God’s lavish provisions for our spiritual needs.”