Hebrews 8:7-9 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he said, Behold, the days come, said the Lord, 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 continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, said the Lord.
‘First covenant had been faultless.’ The law of Moses was faulty and had to be done away so that the perfect covenant might come into force.
There are fifteen things that the Law could not do: Justify (Acts 13:38-39; Gal. 2:16); Free from sin and death (Rom. 8:2); Free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1-4); Redeem (Rom. 3:24-31; Gal. 3:13-14); Give inheritance (Rom. 4:13-14); Bring righteousness (Rom. 8:4); Impart Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:2); Perform miracles (Gal. 3:5); Free from the curse (Gal. 3:10-14); Impart faith (Gal. 3:12); Impart grace (Gal. 5:4); Make perfect (Heb. 7:19); Control sin in man (Rom. 7:7-23; 8:2); Keep man from sin (Rom. 7:7-23; 8:7); Enable a man to obey (Heb. 7:18).
‘Second’ – The second or the new covenant was necessary because the first or the old covenant did not provide salvation and eternal life.
‘Finding fault with them’ -This could refer to finding fault with the Jews and not with the covenant, as Jeremiah 31:31-34 complains that they broke the covenant; but Hebrews 8:7 is clear that the covenant itself was faulty.
‘Behold, the days come, said the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.’ This is the 19th Old Testament prophecy in Hebrews (8:8-12; Jer. 31:31-34).
‘And with the house of Judah’ – With both houses of Israel – all the descendants of the 13 tribes.
‘Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers.’ The new covenant is far different from the old covenant in nature and contents.
‘Covenant’ [Greek: diatheke] is translated as “covenant” 18 times (Luke 1:72; Acts 3:25; 7:8; Rom. 9:4; 11:27; Gal. 3:15, 17; 4:24; Eph. 2:12; Heb. 8:6-10; 9:4; 10:16, 29; 12:24; 13:20) and “testament” 12 times (Matt. 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1Cor. 11:25; 2Cor. 3:6, 14; Heb. 7:22; 9:15-20; Rev. 11:19).
Living the Word 