Hebrews 8:13 –
When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.
This chapter has a lot of teeth in it for such a short one. Verse 5 details how the system on earth was to model the system in Heaven. Verse 11 tells us that we all already know God. This is one to think about, how many atheists want prayers when the chips are down? But the last verse says a bunch to me. As you know I am not one to dismiss the Law and believe there is much of it we should abide to and follow.
The Laws of tithing and savings teach us fiscal discipline and the tithe goes to support the church and ministries. The food laws are just healthy and allow our bodies to be ready for doing God’s intended work. The “legal system” is actually the model for our legal system today. Laws of love are necessary, as well as some of the family laws. But the sacrificial system is over with the death of Jesus and the temple system is over since Jesus has given us direct access to God.
Now Jesus took the Law and made it harder! Every point he talked about the rules he set the standard much higher than before, as with tithing where all should be given. Now He is not saying give it all away, unless it has a hold on you to the point of controlling your relationship with God. So is this “new” covenant more difficult than the old one? Or since we now have direct access to God the standard is higher? Or is much of the Law merely suggestions to live a better life and the “new covenant reveals that? I think the Law provides the “lines on the road” we need to follow to keep from chaos and the Holy Spirit helps us maintain that path.