“But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises” Hebrews 8:6.
God unconditionally and independently chose Abraham and initiated a covenant relationship him and his descendants. They were God’s special people and an instrument to reveal God’s love and grace to the rest of humanity. This covenant required obedience to the Commandments which were written on tablets of stones and carried from place to place and could be left anywhere at any time. Unfortunately, the chosen people were prone to wander, plagued by a spirit of forgetfulness, and were frequently punished for their disobedience and rebellion.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God promised a new covenant. In the new covenant God said: ‘I will put my law in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’ Jer. 31:33b. The implication is that they would have God’s requirements and expectations with them every second of the day. God “contracted to a span” (CW) and became a human named Jesus; Jesus taught and demonstrated the love of God, suffered and died to successfully institute the new covenant.
Hebrews 8:6 tells us that “the covenant of which Jesus is the mediator is superior to the old one since the new covenant is established on better promises”. It was superior in that it was not limited to the people of Judah and Israel but included everyone because God loves everyone and became a human being to redeem everyone, not just some persons.
It came with wonderful promises such as: “Whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:15; “…apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5; “I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” John 14:3; “…nothing can ever separate us from God’s love” Rom. 8:38; “There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain” Rev. 21:4; and those who love and serve Jesus will live forever.
Also, this new covenant provides for an intimate relationship with God like the relationship between vine and branches. This requires the full surrender of oneself to God; the full embrace of God’s will and God’s way; the declaration that: “I am no longer my own but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, exalted for you, or brought low for you”.
We must seek to become so closely connected to God that we share God’s life, and the beauty of Jesus can be seen in us, and then “every day with Jesus will be sweeter than the day before”, and daily we grow to love Jesus more and more until at last we are lost in God, our true and everlasting home.
Thought:
Be so closely connected to God that God is manifested in and through us.
Prayer Focus:
Pray to be drawn nearer and nearer to God as we live during 2021.
Rev’d Everald L. Galbraith J.P.
Connexional Bishop