Hebrews 8:8-12

Hebrews 8:8-12

[8] For  finding fault  with them,  he saith,  Behold,  the days  come,  saith  the Lord,  when  I will make  a new  covenant  with  the house  of Israel  and  with  the house  [9] Not  according to  the covenant  that  I made with  their  fathers  in  the day  when I took  them  to lead  them  out of  the land  of Egypt;  because  they  continued  not  in  covenant,  and I  them  not,  saith  the Lord.  [10] For  this  is the covenant  that  I will make  with the house  of Israel  after  those  days,  saith  the Lord;  I will put  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts:  and  to  them  a God,  and  they  to  a people:  [11] And  teach  every man  his  and  every man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the Lord:  for  all  shall know  from  the least  to  the greatest.  [12] For  merciful  to their  unrighteousness,  and  their  sins  and  their  more. 

What does Hebrews 8:8-12 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

God gave the promise of a new covenant because the people of Israel had failed Him. He also did so because the Old Mosaic Covenant did not have the power to enable them to remain faithful to God. The New Covenant has the power whereby God"s people may remain faithful, namely, the presence of God living within the believer (i.e, the Holy Spirit). This is one way in which it differs from the Old Covenant ( Hebrews 8:9). [1]
God promised that the New Covenant would enable the Israelites to do four things. They would know and desire to do God"s will ( Hebrews 8:10 b), enjoy a privileged, unique relationship with God ( Hebrews 8:10 c), know God directly ( Hebrews 8:11), and experience permanent forgiveness of their sins ( Hebrews 8:12). These are the "better [2] promises" the writer referred to earlier ( Hebrews 8:6).
". . . new covenant promises are not yet fully realized. The promises in Jeremiah ,, Isaiah , and Ezekiel describe a people who have the law written in their hearts, who walk in the way of the Lord, fully under the control of the Holy Spirit. These same promises look to a people who are raised from the dead [3], enjoying the blessings of an eternal inheritance with God dwelling with them and in them forever." [4]