The New Covenant

Heb 8:7-13

The quotation of Jer. 31:31-34, the longest OT quotation in the NT, plays a vital role in the book’s discourse on Christ’s superior high-priestly offering (8:3-10:18), laying the groundwork for the climax of the book’s christological exposition.

Beale & Carson, Commentary on the NT use of the OT, 970

“Covenant”

pact, pledge, alliance, agreement, promise – ְּב��ִר�ית

Wording – to “cut a covenant” (cf. Gen 15)• Visual demonstration incurring sobriety for the

significance of the agreement reached & sealed• Meant to ensure fulfillment of agreement, by

consenting (generally mutually) to the death of the one who breaks covenant

Covenants

(Adamic)

Gen 1-2

Hos 6:7

Noahic

Gen 9

Abrahamic

Gen 12Gen 13Gen 15Gen 17Gen 22

Mosaic

Exo 19-24

Deut 26-28

Davidic

2 Sam 7

New

Jer 31:33-34

Ezek 36:23-36

Conditional:

Obedience to one command

Provision & protection

enjoying God’s presence in

Paradise

Unconditional:

(w/o God’s immediate presence)

Provision:Seasonal stability

Protection:No more

universal flood

Unconditional:

(Circumcision)

Great Name Great Nation

A Seed A Land

A Blessing

Conditional:

Exclusive devotion and

absolute obedience to

YHWH

Provision & protection

enjoying God’s presence in

Canaan

Unconditional:

Great NameEternal Rest

Eternal HouseEternal Throne

Eternal Kingdom

Unconditional:

ForgivenessRegeneration

Holy SpiritRestoration

Provision & protection

enjoying God’s unlimitedpresence

Creation Fall Redemption Consummation

4000 BC? 4000 BC – 2300 BC 2300 BC – 2000 BC 2000 BC – 1500 BC 1500 BC – 33 AD 33 AD – ?? 1000 yrs + Eternity!

Genesis Rest of OT(& Gospels)

Pentateuch (Revelation Signals Redemption)

Law [Mosaic Cov.]Davidic Covenant

Promise Abrahamic Covenant

Human Gov’t Noahic Covenant

Conscience

Innocence Individuals Family Clan Nation

Mosaic Covenant

Initiated in Exo 24:3-8, & confirmed with blood

• The people themselves are sprinkled with “the blood of the covenant”

Covenant Renewals• Exo 34:10 (Moses – 1st generation, after golden calf)• Deut 29:1(Moses – 2nd generation, after wild. wand.)• Josh 24 (Joshua – 2nd generation, after initial conq.)• 1 Sam 12 (Samuel – upon the institution of the king)• 2 Chron 29-31 (Hezekiah – roughly 725 BC)• 2 Kgs 22-23 (Josiah – roughly 625 BC)• Neh 8-9 (upon returning to the land after captivity)

Creation Fall Redemption Consummation

4000 BC? 4000 BC – 2300 BC 2300 BC – 2000 BC 2000 BC – 1500 BC 1500 BC – 33 AD 33 AD – ?? 1000 yrs + Eternity!

Genesis Rest of OT(& Gospels)

Pentateuch (Revelation Signals Redemption) Grace New Covenant

Law [Mosaic Cov.]Davidic Covenant

Promise Abrahamic Covenant

Human Gov’t Noahic Covenant

Conscience

Innocence Individuals Family Clan Nation World

Covenant Renewals• Exo 34:10 (Moses – 1st generation)• Deut 29:1(Moses – 2nd generation)• Josh 24 (Joshua – 2nd generation)• 1 Sam 12 (Samuel – institution of king)• 2 Chron 29-31 (Hezekiah – 725 BC)• 2 Kgs 22-23 (Josiah – 625 BC)– Jeremiah – Also, Ezek 34, 36-37 & Isa 40-55– Jeremiah’s New Covenant most familiar b/c directly

quoted twice in Hebrews (8:9-13 / 10:15-18)

“New” Covenant

Creation Fall Redemption Consummation

4000 BC? 4000 BC – 2300 BC 2300 BC – 2000 BC 2000 BC – 1500 BC 1500 BC – 33 AD 33 AD – ?? 1000 yrs + Eternity!

Genesis Rest of OT(& Gospels)

New Testament Kingdom

Pentateuch (Revelation Signals Redemption) Grace New Covenant

Law [Mosaic Cov.]Davidic Covenant

Promise Abrahamic Covenant

Human Gov’t Noahic Covenant

Conscience

Innocence Individuals Family Clan Nation World Cosmos

Creation Fall Redemption Consummation

4000 BC? 4000 BC – 2300 BC 2300 BC – 2000 BC 2000 BC – 1500 BC 1500 BC – 33 AD 33 AD – ?? 1000 yrs + Eternity!

Genesis Rest of OT(& Gospels)

New Testament Kingdom

Pentateuch (Revelation Signals Redemption) Grace New Covenant

Law [Mosaic Cov.]Davidic Covenant

Promise Abrahamic Covenant

Human Gov’t Noahic Covenant

Conscience

Innocence Individuals Family Clan Nation World Cosmos

Jesus

So, where does the “New” Covenant fit?

Height of Conflict:

Jesus, the MessiahPerfect cov’t leadership rejected

– Crucifixion

Conflict Intensifies:

God enters into covenant w/ His people ([Noah], Abraham, Moses, Levi [Phinehas], David)

God establishes leadership for His people (Prophets, Priests, Judges, Kings)

Rejection of covenant by ldrship – Exile/Restoration (New Covenant promised)

Conflict Builds:

Personal Degradation – Cain, LamechUniversal Judgment – Flood, Babel

Resolution Begins:

The Church (New Covenant initiated)

– God’s heavenly people on earth

Conflict Unravels:

The Millennium – Messiah reigns(New Covenant realized / Curse removed)

– God on earth w/ His people

Convergence of Abr., David., & New Cov’ts

Driving Conflict:

God’s Glory in Salvation through

Judgment

(James Hamilton)

Setting:

God’s Glory in Creation of

Heavens & Earth

Occasioning Event:

Fall – Man rejects God’s righteous rule and violates God’s Glory

Creation cursed

Conflict Resolved:

God’s Glory in Judgment – Heavens & Earth destroyed

Outcome:

– God’s Glory in Re-Creation of New Heavens/New Earth

– God’s right. rule established over New Cov’t Community in New Creation

Text: Bible Reversal:

Jesus, the MessiahPerfect cov’t leadership confirmed

– Resurrection

Creation Fall Redemption Consummation

Creation Fall Redemption Consummation

Jesus Christ

Heb 8:8-12"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new

covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took

them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."

Different word than used in LXX in Jer 31 – “to bring to

completion/fulfillment”

12

34

Eschatological significance – used 3 times in Jer 31 context

What was wrong with the Old Cov’t?

• With it, God found “fault” – v. 8– possessing defect – blameworthy– cf. 7:19 – “the Law made nothing perfect”

• In establishing a “new” covenant, God made the first one “obsolete” – v. 13– to make old/antiquated– outmoded, outdated– useless

Without the Temple, there was no altar, no Holy of Holies. There could therefore be no sacrifices and no ministering priesthood. And without a priesthood and its sacrifices, there could be no Old Covenant. It was finished. . . The destruction of the Temple completed the closing of the Old Covenant – by removing the place of sacrifice that no longer served a purpose. The age of the Mosaic law and the Levitical priests was over. The age of the Son was come forever.

– MacArthur

But isn’t the New Cov’t for Israel?

• Convergence of all the covenants– Adamic– Noahic– Abrahamic– Mosaic– Davidic

(Adamic)

Gen 1-2

Hos 6:7

Noahic

Gen 9

Abrahamic

Gen 12Gen 13Gen 15Gen 17Gen 22

Mosaic

Exo 19-24

Deut 26-28

Davidic

2 Sam 7

New

Jer 31:33-34

Ezek 36:23-36

Conditional:

Provision & protection

enjoying God’s presence on

Earth

Unconditional:

Earthly stability & blessing

Unconditional:

A Seed

A Blessing

To become a blessing . . . to all nations

Conditional:

Exclusive devotion and

absolute obedience to

YHWH

Unconditional:

Eternal RestEternal HouseEternal Throne

Eternal Kingdom

Unconditional:

ForgivenessRegeneration

Holy SpiritRestoration

Provision & protection

enjoying God’s unlimitedpresence

NT Uses of “New Covenant”

• Luk 22:20• 1 Cor 11:25

• 2 Cor 3:6

• Heb 8:8• Heb 9:15• Heb 12:24

Last Supper

Jesus as Mediator

Us as participants!

The Connection of the Covenant & the Blood

• Heb 9:12 – purchases an eternal redemption• Heb 9:14 – provides an internal regeneration• Heb 10:19-20 – opens a “new & living way”• Heb 10:29 – “the blood of the covenant” is what is

“spurned” when the new covenant is rejected• Heb 12:24 – “speaks” to one who is accepted• Heb 13:12 – shed “outside the camp” for those within• Heb 13:20 – “the blood of the eternal covenant” (!)

The New Covenant . . .

Replacing all that comes before . . .It anticipates all that is yet to come.

And it’s ours . . .today!

(And forever!)