Hebrews 8:7-9 God’s infinite nature to forgive and bless

Hebrews 8:7-9

Background

The first covenant is incapable of turning humanity towards God so that they may be blessed. Therefore, God in His abundant grace crafted a second and better covenant in order to transform the hearts of men. Today’s passage teaches us about God’s infinite nature to forgive and bless. And in order to make the world a better place, men must make right their relationship with God.

Observation

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says,

“Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will effect a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah

If there is no flaw in the first covenant in enabling the people to obtain Abraham’s blessing (for if that first covenant had been faultless), then there is no cause to seek a second better covenant. The first covenant is given to Israel at the wilderness of Sinai on the third month after they had gone out of Egypt. God made a covenant with Israel saying,

Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Exodus 19:5-6

There are two portions to the first covenant. The first portion concerns the posture of men’s hearts and their relationship with God: if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant. The second portion speaks of God’s ordination of the people as His children: then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples. God was faithful in fulfilling His part of the covenant by providing for them and protecting them from their enemies. However, the people did not want God in their lives apart from His provisions and protection.

9 Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, and I did not care for them, says the Lord.

God, not wanting to give up on humanity made a new covenant which exacted the highest cost from God – the life of His Son. This new covenant was crafted to remove the men’s rebellious nature so that they may begin to know God as Lord and walk in His ways.

The new covenant is not like the covenant which God made with their fathers… The problem inherent in the first covenant is that it could not bring the people to acknowledge God as their Lord. Even after God had called them His children and had provided for them, they were unable to continue in their relationship with Him: For they did not continue in My covenant. For forty years, God had been faithfully fulfilling His part of the covenant despite their continual rebellion. Therefore, God resorted to letting the first generation of Israelites die in the wilderness: I did not care for them, says the Lord. The issue lies not in people’s inability to obey the Law perfectly, but in their unwillingness or inability to repent and acknowledge God as Lord. Therefore, in the new covenant, God will remove their hardened hearts by the Spirit and reconcile them to Himself.

Truth

The way to change our world is to first change our hearts by making right our relationship with God. In order for God to change our world, He must first change our hearts. Many people want God to solve their problems, but are unwilling to deal with the deep-seated issues in their lives. They come to God petitioning Him to heal, to help advance their career and to provide for them. But after they have gotten what they wanted, they would not continue in their relationship with God. Therefore, God’s favor and blessings could not endure. And when other problems come, they again bring their petition before God seeking for His hand of provision.

Imagine a world without familial conflicts, poverty or sickness and where there is enduring peace and prosperity. Although it seems too good to be true, this is what God has envisaged for you. The way to change the world around us is not to put in more work hours, or to pray harder and hope for the best, but to first change our hearts by letting go of self-rule and letting God lead. In the new covenant, we learn to surrender our will to God by letting Him lead one day at a time. By seeking His instructions daily, and by depending on the Holy Spirit, everyday will be one day closer to our breakthrough. Because God has full knowledge of the future, He is able to position us at the right place, and at the right time.

God is actively looking for new ways to bring men to a place of blessing. I know of people who keep regretting and thinking how life could have been if they had not made that mistake. They supposed by their miscalculation, they have forever missed out on the perfect will that God has envisaged for them. Our God is the God of second and third chances. He forgives and sets up new opportunities and routes towards accomplishing our calling. Therefore, we need not regret but learn from past mistakes. Most importantly, we must learn to trust God fully and obey His leading one day at a time. God’s decision to make a new covenant with Israel proved His patience and determination to turn humanity back from destruction. He was not unyielding, but willing to recognize the fact that the first covenant is unable to transform humanity. Nevertheless, we must not test the goodness and patience of God like Israel did. For forty years, they tested God’s patience continually by their wickedness taking for granted His provision and protection over them. Consequently, the Israelites failed to enter the land of abundance and perished in the desert.

God’s grace is not static; it is dynamic and it grows according to God’s infinite nature to give. As believers continue in the new covenantal relationship with God, we will experience more and more of God’s grace: more resources, more favor and more spiritual gifts. If God did not cut the Israelites off at the first covenant despite their incessant disobedience, but made a second and better covenant for them, how much more will God bless those who are faithful to Him? Jesus said to His faithful servants, “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance” Matthew 25:29. Paul says,

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” 2 Corinthians 9:8.

As we serve God faithfully by apportioning our resources through our tithes and offerings, God will channel more resources into our account. As we learn to put God’s concerns above our personal agenda, God will anoint us with greater authority to lead and become a blessing. And He will cause us grow in divine favor and prosper in all our endeavors.

Application

Are you prone to regret and despair over past mistakes? Perhaps, you should put the past behind and seek to understand God’s new direction for you. One should not ponder over the past except to glean the lessons of wisdom. As you learn from past mistakes, God reveals a new way of blessing for you.

Dear Lord, I thank you for the covenant of blessing and salvation for me. Transform my heart to love and to walk in the truth so that I may be a blessing to my community. Cause me to experience more of your grace daily. Increase my ability to understand and see things from your perspective. Increase my spiritual gifts so that I can minister in a supernatural way. Increase my financial resources and preserve my heart so that I can be a blessing to the poor. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.