A New Covenant (Part A)

I will never leave you nor forsake you. In other words, God is saying, I know you want more.

The flesh always wants more, just a little bit more. But the Spirit says, I'm content with you, Lord. This pictured in the Levitical order of priesthood. They got no land allotment.

All the other tribes that were received a land allotment, tribal land allotment, or they had a little land to live for themselves, but it wasn't tribal. God was supposed to be sufficient. He was their inheritance.

And that is an attitude that we as a royal priesthood are also supposed to share. Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Cross Reference Radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. But for now, let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Hebrews chapter 8 as he begins a new message called A New Covenant. We are continuing our verse by verse through the letter to the Hebrews.

We are in the 8th chapter. And if you have your Bibles, please turn to Hebrews chapter 8. We will begin reading at verse 7. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second, because finding fault with them, he says, Behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them, says Yahweh. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh, I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts.

I will be their God and they shall be my people. None of them shall teach his neighbor and none his brother, saying, No, Yahweh, for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their lawless deeds, I will remember no more. In that, he says, a new covenant, he has made the first obsolete, now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. In preparing it, it was quite a challenge to bring out of this scripture so much information, especially if you're not very knowledgeable, again, of the Old Testament and what is going on here in the New. And as has been my custom each Sunday session in Hebrews, to give you a very brief background, the writer is writing to Christians who are Jewish, and they are being lured back into Judaism, or at the very least trying to mingle the two. Judaism with Christianity, both fatal, both are spiritually fatal.

To try to blend anything else with Christianity is an affront to God, and to go away from Christianity, to become an apostate. So the writer is, of course, calling to them, reaching out, encouraging them. Now one of the temptations we may fall into in knowing this is that, well, that was for the Jews.

So the Hebrew letter is really not for me, it's for Hebrews. And that is not at all the case, because while their struggle was with an obsolete vanishing religion, ours is with the world, with lust, with false religions, with sex, with false ideas, with all sorts of things that are against God. And so we do very well to pay attention, because this is a template on how to deal with these things in our own lives and in the lives of others around us, whoever would listen and whoever God would allow us to minister to.

A brief review of this 8th chapter. In verse 1 he says, this is the main point, and of course that was the superiority of Christ. He started in chapter 7, well he really started at the very beginning of this Hebrew letter, but he worked it through chapter 7, the order of Melchizedek, and he says the main point is Christ.

He's superior to everything and everyone. He then went on to show that Christ is our high priest in heaven, not ministering before the throne, but on the throne as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the minister of the sanctuary on behalf of sinners, us. He spoke of the gifts and the sacrifices, the admission and the submission. That's what the gifts and sacrifices are. When you bring a gift to the house of God, you are admitting that God is worthy, that you are a sinner, and you're submitting to him when the gifts and the sacrifices are brought to him. The high priest would handle those things for the Jewish people, but Jesus Christ handles those things for all people who come to him. He spoke of the pattern shown to Moses on earth, the template for the temple that would be first erected in the wilderness, that portable tabernacle, and then finally, of course, built by Solomon.

Well, not finally, but eventually built by Solomon. And that statement to the people was that God owns worship, and he owns it on behalf of people who are not worthy to come to him, but are allowed because he is love, he is kind, he is forgiving. And as we in the New Testament have further information about the character of God in Christ, as Paul bellowed out, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is what gives us a robust approach to our faith.

Yeah, we go through miserable times and sufferings and low times, but we also have the high ones and the victories. We have so much in Christ, and those of you who have been with Jesus for decades, you look back and you say, Amen. And those of you who are just starting out, you plan to give it all you have, that's the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. And then in verse six of this eighth chapter, it gets to yet another profound point that as Christians, not going back to Judaism, that's how he was approaching it to them, and we can make that application today and say, as believers of Jesus Christ, not going anywhere else, we have a more excellent ministry. We have a better covenant built on better promises because it's a better God who has designed this very thing. Now, not better to the Hebrews, they had Yahweh, it was the same God who had developed the faith for them. But for those coming out of the world today, our God is better than any concept of any other God.

And so that is what is going on, the background here. In verse seven now, we'll begin our verse by verse analysis, remembering that this is not just an exercise of going through the Bible. This is not a treatment of the Scripture as literature, this is something that is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul, the spirit that joins in the marrow, and is a discerner.

It sorts it out, it knows right from wrong, and it tells you to your face, to my face, and we who love the Lord love that he does it that way. And so verse seven, for if that first commandment had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Now remember, they're sitting down in the assembly like we are today. The women on one side, the men on the other side were likely following that Jewish pattern in the synagogue, but not necessarily.

And there they are sitting, and the reader has received this letter, and he's reading it to the congregation. Now he's up to what we call Hebrews 8-7, but to them it was just one continuous presentation of a man of God to the people of God. And he says for that first covenant, each one of the Jews would have known what that meant, we might need some explanation. Now the old covenant, or the Old Testament, built on the Mosaic law, everything, that is the hinge pin to all that happens in the Old Testament. From Genesis 1 leads up to that moment, and then following Deuteronomy goes out through that moment, it is one package.

It is the mind of God, the righteousness of God, the people of God, the presence of God in all of those things, and more. But it was still incomplete. It was not false.

He's not saying that the old covenant was false. He was saying it was inadequate, and God planned it that way. It was not by mistake. It was perhaps a better way. It was not fully developed.

We can understand that. Therefore, when it was put next to that which is fully developed, it was inferior. And that which is fully developed, the New Testament, is superior. That is his argument to them. But this law, it was a revelation from God of his holiness. How else would they have known? Everyone else guessed about God.

They mixed him. You know, they put the head of a jackal on a human's body and bow down to that. Or shall carve out some other grotesque representation of deity and call that God and be very serious about it. Man has to be told who God is. There's no other way for him to know. He's not going to stumble into, oh, okay, that's salvation. Oh, okay, that's Jesus Christ.

It's not going to ever happen that way. It is by revelation, not speculation. And so this holiness of God for the instruction and righteousness that they would need. But yet it still lacked the ability to save the sinner. It could only cover their sins and not remove them. And they know that.

They knew that. They called the atonement the kophar, the covering of sin. John the Baptist would say, later say, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin.

He does more than cover it. Psalm 119 verse 7, the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. There's nothing wrong with God's word. There was nothing false in it.

Paul in the New Testament writes, he says, we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully. But it is good. It's just not enough. If it were enough, there would be no need for a bleeding, suffering, dying, crucified savior. But there is.

And there was. And so the commandments that are found in the Old Testament, they express the righteousness of God. To a people that otherwise would not have known his righteousness and how to perform it in their own lives towards others. The judgments.

They were given concerning Israel's social life. We would, well the New Testament has condensed it. Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you. Be blameless before God. It's very simple.

It's simplified in that sense. Then there were the ordinances. The religious life. How to approach God. How to carry out one's religion. And it made the people conscious of the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man something that still must take place. It offered more righteousness in this life than everything else around it. The worshipers of Molech and Baal and whatever gods that were out there were shown to be false and inferior and demonic by this law of the Lord. It also, the law of God, served to save his people from spiritually perishing and perishing as a people, an ethnic people.

It kept them distinct enough and Satan never, he was relentless in trying to destroy this. To destroy the people of God so they would be assimilated into other peoples as were the Amalekites and the Edomites and other peoples of the land. The Philistines gone and their word, God used it to preserve a people by whom he would bring Messiah. In fact, he used them as a platform for Messiah to come. All perfectly choreographed by God. Whether the people knew it or not.

Whether they liked it or not. God was moving forward. He says here in verse seven, then no place would have been sought for a second. Okay, so if the first covenant was fine, there'd be no need for a second covenant. But where does he get this idea that there's a second one to begin with? From one of their own prophets.

And not only one. Jeremiah, he's going to take from verse eight all the way to verse twelve, he is going to quote nothing. Literally, he's just going to quote Jeremiah the prophet. He's going to minister to his people and appeal to them as I'm doing, as any pastor, as any minister of the word does when we use scripture. It means everything to us. We take the scripture away, you're left with nothing.

Absolutely nothing. And so he says, then no place would have been sought for a second if the first one was right. And still it did not solve sin, the Old Testament. Verse eight, he says because finding fault with them, he says, behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh.

That's the Old Testament covenant name believed to be pronounced that way of God to his people. When I make a covenant with them, with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. So again, God pointing to one of his prophets through one of his writers at this point. That the Mosaic system was again, not false, but limited. And the fault, where he says because finding fault with them, that would be the people, not the law. The law of God again is perfect, converting the soul, turning one to righteousness, but really not going far enough. It says here in verse eight, he says, now he's going to start quoting Jeremiah. Behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh, when I will make a new covenant. And again, to verse 12, he's going to give direct quotation to Jeremiah 31, verses 31 through 34. Now Isaiah may have been the one that God used to ignite this in the heart and ministry of Jeremiah, who was living through so much junk. I mean, the people of God were throwing so much persecution and idolatry at him, and vicious and his own family at one point wanted to kill him. And yet he continued steadfastly in his ministry. Isaiah, who came before Jeremiah by about a hundred years, he wrote, For I, Yahweh, love justice, and he still does.

I hate robbery for burnt offerings. I will direct their work in truth, and will make with them an everlasting covenant. Well, wait a minute, Isaiah, there's already the Mosaic covenant.

The Mosaic, that which was given to Moses who gave it to the people. And when Moses gave it to the people, the people said, yes, we received this, we are into this, we submit to this, and that bound them to the covenant. And so Isaiah points it out that there's a new one coming. And also, as is so typical of Scripture, really no one verse says it all. God takes the Scripture and he makes a statement, and then he spreads it out in other places of the Scripture to develop it. For example, Ezekiel, who talks so much about the millennial reign of Christ, all of that is built on the new covenant.

But you might miss it if you rush through it. Well, let's review briefly the I wills of Jeremiah's prophecy, which are all quoted here in Hebrews. Verse 8 of Hebrews quoting Jeremiah, I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah. In verse 10, I will make with the house of Israel after those days. In verse 10 again, I will put my laws in their mind, write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be my people. I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, verse 12, and their sins and their lawless deeds. I will remember no more. I will, I will, I will, I will.

Six of them. Whenever there's that form of repetition in Scripture, it is the Holy Spirit insisting on his point. And we catch that point. God will. It's a promise. A promise is no better than the person that makes it. You don't get any better than God.

God has made it. And that's why when we suffer and we trust by faith, it's because we know whom we're trusting in. Whether he removes the suffering or not, we will be the king's man and that's that. He came and he suffered and died for us, the innocent for the guilty. Suffering is a part of our faith. The cross, the sign of the cross is an emblem of suffering and shame. And yet how many Christians wear a cross and are ashamed to tell people that they stand for Christ? Be careful. You can get very good at that.

So good that when the pastor brings it up, you tune them out. Because you know that you do not want that door to open up because it will convict you. And that conviction will make you uncomfortable and you will either have to face it or turn your back to it. And so may we not be ashamed ever of Christ and our confession of who he is and why we believe in him. Well, along with this section in Jeremiah, earlier in his prophecies, Jeremiah the prophet spoke about the Ark of the Covenant. And to the Jew, the Ark of the Covenant, that was a chest that at one point had the rod of Aaron and the pot of manna and the word of God written by the hand of God. That chest represented all the law, all the covenant, all the Old Testament to them. So when they were saying to Jeremiah, the Ark of the Covenant, the Ark of the Covenant, they were saying, we are people of the law.

And they were not. They were lying to the prophet and that's why he was dispatched to them. But that covenant has to do with sin, with God, with the new covenant, the cleansing of sin. And the promise that God is making about this new covenant is that it will reach their heart, the disposition of their heart, their attitude in life.

It will be inclined to worship and to be just towards others, his Spirit dwelling in them, enabling them to walk in obedience. This has not happened yet. Jeremiah said the new covenant is coming and it is going to bring your heart in line with God. You look at Israel and you say that's not happened.

That is not the case. And of course the new covenant will be a final covenant as far as human history goes. Now, this is all paralleled in the New Testament so that we don't say, well, he was talking to Jews about their covenant. That's true, but that's not all of it. These are paralleled, as I just said, the I wills of God and also a covenant.

We'll have to break it down and get it in pieces. First, we'll take the I wills in the new covenant so that none of us think, again, that we as Christians are somehow blocked out of the blessings that go to Israel. Israel as a nation gets their blessings but believers in Christ get theirs.

It is not a competition. Matthew 4, the first I will of choice. Matthew and Revelation, the book of Revelation, have the great watershed of the I wills. Matthew 4 19, and he said to them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

It's the work of Christ. When you do evangelistic work in Christ's name, according to Christ's word, you are doing so because he made you a fisher of men. Matthew 10 32, therefore, whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven.

And then there's this stark contrast. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven. And then John 6 37, all that the Father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out.

You never have to worry about Christ giving you the boot, the proverbial boot. He will hold you. He will keep you. He will love you and invite you and me too.

It's useless if I'm preaching to you and not to me. In John chapter 14 verse 18, I will not, you catch that first I will, I will not leave you orphans. And the second in that same verse, I will come to you. In John 14 21, he who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me.

And he who loves me will be loved by my Father and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Hebrews 13 five, let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have for he himself says, I will never leave you nor forsake you. In other words, God is saying, I know you want more.

The flesh always wants more, just a little bit more. But the Spirit says, I'm content with you, Lord. This pictured in the Levitical order of priesthood. They got no land allotment. All the other tribes that were received a land allotment, tribal land allotment.

Oh, they got a little land to live for themselves, but it wasn't tribal. God was supposed to be sufficient. He was their inheritance. And that is an attitude that we as a royal priesthood are also supposed to share. And then Revelation, speaking again to one of the seven churches, to him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne. What an invitation. Now, we won't be all bunched up on the throne.

That's not the picture. But that authority, that majesty, the kingdom, we will be every bit a part of it. And then Revelation 21 seven, again, we are discussing the I wills of the New Testament in contrast to the I wills of the Old Testament. They both belong to us to some degree.

Sometimes not. When it comes to, for example, Israel's land allotment in the millennial kingdom, that's not for the church. We'll have New Jerusalem. But anyway, here, he who overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son. Family. More than just saved. More than just in heaven.

Family with God. And he continues here in verse eight, with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Now, again, he's talking to Jews. I've just made an application to the New Testament church from what he is saying to the Jews. And so now we're back to the Jews. The New Covenant, it was, again, a limited revelation.

Why? Why is the church not in this, I will make a new covenant with you? Because the church wasn't in any of their thoughts.

None of them. The Jews struggled with the concept of the New Testament church. Why do you think Paul took so many beatings from Jewish people, his own people? Because they could not make the transition.

Why? They stopped listening to their scriptures and they started listening to their rabbis. And rabbinical Judaism killed them. And the scripture was right there.

Not all of them. Many of the Jews listened to the scripture. And that's why Philip found Nathanael and said, we found the Messiah, the one whom the scriptures talks about. You've been listening to Cross Reference Radio, the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast, today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to crossreferenceradio.com. That's crossreferenceradio.com. We'd also like to encourage you to subscribe to the Cross Reference Radio podcast. Subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick. You can subscribe at crossreferenceradio.com or simply search for Cross Reference Radio in your favorite podcast app. Tune in next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on Cross Reference Radio.