Covenants 4 - The New Covenant

Continuing my study of Covenant - I think its time to look at the new covenant that Jesus established. The prophetic message concerning a new covenant is first found in Jeremiah 31:31-33 NIV:

[31] “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. [32] It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, ” declares the Lord. [33] “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 write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."

Clearly God has a different plan for the new Covenant, and it is supposed to be better and will involve internalization in the people He covenants Himself to.

The second time we see the term New Covenant is when Jesus speaks the words at the Last Supper, as recorded in Luke's account - Luke 22:19-20 NIV
[19] "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” [20] In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

If we go back to the significance of blood, there is life in the blood (Lev 17:11), and there is no forgiveness of sins without blood (Heb 9:22). We see both of these facts echoed in Jesus word. The first is seen in John 6:53-54 NIV: "Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. [54] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."

The second - forgiveness of sins is seen in Matthew 26:27-28 NIV: "Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. [28] This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

So part of the agreement, the covenant, that God offers us is that we can receive forgiveness of all our sins and eternal life. This is significantly better than the old Covenants we have already looked at from the Old Testament. The author of the letter to the Hebrews covers this extensively in chapters 8-10, and is writing to the people who were under the old covenant. Two verses from Chapter 8, are significant - verse 7 & 13.

Hebrews 8:7 NIV: "For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another."

Hebrews 8:13 NIV: "By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear."

When the author says the old covenant was made obsolete, the Greek word he used is defined as the following: 1. to make ancient or old a. to become old, to be worn out b. of things worn out by time and use 2. to declare a thing to be old and so about to be abrogated ( to abolish by authoritative action : annul). He is basically arguing to the Hebrew people that this new covenant has replaced the old, which will soon be abolished, so if they want to continue to be people covenanted with God, they need to step into this new covenant, established by Jesus. The new covenant was better and was based on better promises (Heb 8:6) and was already fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus. He gave His blood for all, the only thing now required is faith and belief in Jesus.

Hebrews 10:19-25 NIV: "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, [25] not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another---and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Finally , the most surprising thing about the new covenant is that all were invited, gentiles and Jews alike. This was a significant departure from the earlier covenants. They did cover people that were not Jewish, but lived among the Jews, but they did not apply, nor were they offered to the rest of the nations. The New Covenant is available to all who believe. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans - Romans 3:21-26 NIV:

[21] "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood---to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--- [26] he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."

So, "let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and the full a assurance that faith brings" (Heb 10:22) Let us enter fully into this New Covenant, receiving the blessings of God, available in Jesus - the forgiveness of all our sins and eternal life. Let us embrace this Covenant with love and obedience to the One who set us free.