Setting – explaining the New Covenant
Content – I like how NLT intros this chapter (v.1 NLT) “Here is the main point: Our High Priest sat down in the place of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand.” This point being that Jesus is our high priest now for us with God. Verse 2 (NLT), “There he ministers in the sacred tent, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.” Jesus’ place of ministry is a permanent place of worship. The place of worship here (v. 5a NLT) “is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven.” Jesus, under the new covenant, (v. 6 NLT) “is the one who guarantees for us a better covenant with God, based on better promises.” Because (v. 7 NLT) “the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it.” But (v. 8 NLT) “God himself found fault with the old one when he said: “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah”” The new (v. 9 NLT) “covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt” The new covenant will be different, (v. 10 NLT) “the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Furthermore, (v. 11-12 NLT) “they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, `You should know the Lord.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me. And I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins.” What happens with the old covenant? Verse 13 (NLT), “When God speaks of a new covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and ready to be put aside”
Application – We live under the new covenant. So this means God’s law needs to be in our minds and written in our hearts. How do we have the law in our minds and hearts? Part of this is governed by the Holy Spirit, and our contribution is act of filling our minds and hearts with His law (Ps. 119:11 NASB) “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” And (Matt 2:5 NASB) “It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'” And Romans 2:14-15 (NASB) “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them”
Our lives need to reflect God’s law. In the first law we saw how to follow God, the commandments were written down on tablets or paper. Now we are to see God’s law in our lives. How do our lives reflect God’s law? Do others know what God’s law is like when they review our life? How do we keep the law reflecting in our lives? We need to be in God’s word (Bible) in order to daily refresh and renew the law in our mind and hearts.
Content – I like how NLT intros this chapter (v.1 NLT) “Here is the main point: Our High Priest sat down in the place of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand.” This point being that Jesus is our high priest now for us with God. Verse 2 (NLT), “There he ministers in the sacred tent, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.” Jesus’ place of ministry is a permanent place of worship. The place of worship here (v. 5a NLT) “is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven.” Jesus, under the new covenant, (v. 6 NLT) “is the one who guarantees for us a better covenant with God, based on better promises.” Because (v. 7 NLT) “the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it.” But (v. 8 NLT) “God himself found fault with the old one when he said: “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah”” The new (v. 9 NLT) “covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt” The new covenant will be different, (v. 10 NLT) “the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Furthermore, (v. 11-12 NLT) “they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, `You should know the Lord.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me. And I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins.” What happens with the old covenant? Verse 13 (NLT), “When God speaks of a new covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and ready to be put aside”
Application – We live under the new covenant. So this means God’s law needs to be in our minds and written in our hearts. How do we have the law in our minds and hearts? Part of this is governed by the Holy Spirit, and our contribution is act of filling our minds and hearts with His law (Ps. 119:11 NASB) “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” And (Matt 2:5 NASB) “It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'” And Romans 2:14-15 (NASB) “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them”
Our lives need to reflect God’s law. In the first law we saw how to follow God, the commandments were written down on tablets or paper. Now we are to see God’s law in our lives. How do our lives reflect God’s law? Do others know what God’s law is like when they review our life? How do we keep the law reflecting in our lives? We need to be in God’s word (Bible) in order to daily refresh and renew the law in our mind and hearts.
Comments
He once wrote his laws to them, now he will write his laws in them and give understanding to know and to believe his law.
He does this is several ways...
1. He will give them memories to retain them
2. He will give them hearts to love them and consciences to recognize them.
3. He will give them courage to profess them and power to put them in practice.
Their souls shall be a table and transcript of the law of God. This is the foundation of the covenant.
The results or fruit is our walk with him shall be done wisely, sincerely, readily, easily, resolutely, constantly, and comfortably.
Well, that's the aim anyway...lol