Hebrews 8-- Better Promises

Scripture: Hebrews 8

Near the end of Hebrews 7, a bold declaration was made: "Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant."

The author of Hebrews is bolder than I. (Admittedly, that's not saying much.) I don't think I'd feel comfortable ever saying that one major act of God was 'better' than another. Then again, I'm also not penning any Scripture.

But the author has shis reasons for this assessment and gives them in chapter 8. Why is the new covenant better than the old? The short answer is, it's based on better promises.

What's interesting is that the end goal of both covenants is the same-- God in relationship with His people, who love and obey Him. But a key difference between the two is the level of responsibility placed on the people. (Thanks to Dr. Mark Futato for the insight that follows.)

Notice the similarity and difference in language between the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; a summary of the entire Old Covenant) and the promise of the New Covenant given through Jeremiah that's quoted here in Hebrews 8:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deut. 6:4-9, emphasis mine)

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel    after that time,” declares the Lord.“I will put my law in their minds    and [I will] write it on their hearts." (Jer. 31:33a, emphasis mine)

In each covenant, the ideal is genuine, loving obedience to God from the heart. In the Old Covenant, people were commanded to get God's words on their hearts. If they did, God promised to bless them. In the New Covenant, God promises to put His words on our hearts. 

Those are better promises.