JC Blog

“In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood” (Hebrews 9:16-18)

Obtaining a family inheritance only comes after the death of the family member and after the will is read. The will provides the guideline for how the inheritance is to be dispersed. The will’s originator is the one who dictates this by creating a last will and testament so that their wishes are known and honored. This is a legal binding contract and it is never put into effect before the death of the individual, although it exists in legal form before death. The same is true of the both the Old and New Covenants. They were put into effect after death, and always with blood.

This is an amazing truth about the Covenant we enjoy through Jesus. His death put the will of God into effect and made it legally binding and in operation. It is important for us to know what this Last Will includes so that we will understand what we have inherited through Jesus. To do this we must look at what Jesus said His mission, or God’s will for His life was. Luke describes this perfectly. “The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17-20).

Jesus came to preach the gospel, free the prisoners, restore sight, release the oppressed and announce the Lord’s favor to mankind. This was God’s will concerning the life of Jesus. He came to bring us into fellowship with the Father through the gospel. The good news is that our sins are forgiven and paid for through Jesus, and that we have been redeemed and purchase back by His blood.

He has freed the prisoners. Jesus’ blood paid for the debt that sin held against us. He died as a ransom for us so that we wouldn’t (Mark 10:45, Hebrews 9:15). We have been rescued from bondage.

He restores the sight of the blind. This happens in a spiritual sense as well as in the physical, because we now can see and understand the Father by looking at Jesus (John 1:18, II Corinthians 4:6, Colossians 1:15;19, Hebrews 1:1-3). The fullness of God dwelt in Jesus and He has shown us an exact representation of God the Father.

He has released the oppressed. No longer are we subjected to the whims of the sinful nature, but we have been freed from it and given a new, born again spirit, fashioned after Jesus’ in righteousness and holiness (Romans 6:6, Ephesians 4:23).

He was sent to announce the favor of the Lord. This was the message of the angels at Jesus’ birth, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14). God was in the world, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer holding man accountable for his sins. Jesus’ entire life was a proclamation of this amazing truth!

Just as Jesus declared in the synagogue that this Scripture had been fulfilled at their hearing, Jesus’ death completed and put into effect the will of God. Eugene H. Petersen said it best in the Message version, “Like a will that takes effect when someone dies, the new covenant was put into action at Jesus' death. His death marked the transition from the old plan to the new one, canceling the old obligations and accompanying sins, and summoning the heirs to receive the eternal inheritance that was promised them. He brought together God and his people in this new way” (Hebrews 9:16-17 Message). Jesus’ death made God’s will and testament valid and in operation. He guarantees it with the precious blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, so that we who hope in God have received the inheritance eternally promised to us.

“By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear” ( Hebrews 8:13 )

Right now we have a whole generation of children growing up that are not familiar with some of the things we grew up with. Take a VCR for instance, most have seen one but in all likelihood have never used one. A record player would be another good example; enough advances have been made in this area that most children probably have never ever heard of one. In fact today’s generation of kids do not know what the world is like without video games, computers, iPads and smartphones. The point is that advances in technology have made obsolete items of those that were once commonplace in our homes and lives.

The same is true with the Covenants. The intent of the New Covenant was to completely replace the first because it was aging and obsolete. After all, God found fault and set about to establish the new one based on better promises ( Hebrews 8:6-7 ). We are not to live under a hybrid of the two Covenants mixing both Law and grace. We solely live in the Covenant God instituted through Jesus Christ because the Old Covenant is out of use and annulled and ready to be dispensed with altogether.

God went to great lengths to bring about this New Covenant so that it would be completely different than the first. To start with, He set up Jesus as our new High Priest, who was not from the earthly priestly line ( Hebrews 7:14 ). This in in itself would nullify the first agreement. Secondly, He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell on the inside of believers so that the laws and precepts of God are a part of their new creation ( Hebrews 8:10 ). Next, the Holy Spirit reveals God to people so that we can be fully acquainted in all His ways ( Hebrews 8:11 ). And lastly, our sins are completely wiped out, forgiven and forgotten ( Hebrews 8:12 ). These things are vastly different than what the Israelites experienced under the Covenant of Law. This is why we should fully embrace our Covenant by understanding and living it.

The New Covenant is so superior that it is meant to fully replace the first. Just like in the example of the record player and VCR, advancements in our Covenant make the first one obsolete and showing its age. It was retired a long time ago and is useless in comparison to the agreement we have through Jesus Christ.

This is an exciting and amazing truth! We are truly blessed to be a part of this wonderful covenant of grace based on better promises and guaranteed through Jesus Christ. God saved the best for last. The first is ready to disappear but our covenant will be a lasting and eternal memorial to our wonderful and faithful God.

“For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord” ( Hebrews 8:7-9 )

I’ve struggled in the past while reading these verses because what stands out to me is the last statement saying, “they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord” (vs. 9). The Amplified puts it this way, “for they did not abide in My agreement with them, and so I withdrew My favor and disregarded them, says the Lord” (vs. 9 AMP). These statements seem so foreign to the God I know. It is hard to imagine Him ever saying these things. Setting out to reconcile this idea in my heart has brought wonderful revelation of what this passage is truly saying.

The key lies in the idea that the first covenant was flawed because of mankind’s inability to keep it, not because of God. This is why he found fault with the first covenant and brought about a new one. The first covenant was based on blessings and curses ( Deuteronomy 28 ). It was not like the covenant that God made Abraham and it is certainly not like the covenant that God made with us through Jesus. It was behavioral based. If they kept the commandments they received the blessings listed in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy. If they disobeyed the commandments they received the curses listed. It was all spelled out, the Israelites were well aware of the terms when they agreed to it ( Exodus 24:3 ).

Of course mankind, being one hundred percent flesh at that time, couldn’t live up to it’s rigorous guidelines. In fact the Israelites are the ones who turned away from their part of the agreement first. This released God from His part, although He always remained faithful to it. This passage in Hebrews is a quote from Jeremiah 31, with a slight difference near the end, “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers 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” ( Jeremiah 31:31-32 ).

The relationship that Israel and God had, was akin to the marital relationship. The covenant agreement was a marriage agreement. Israel continually prostituted themselves with other gods even though the Lord was a husband to them. This led the Lord to give them a certificate of divorce ( Jeremiah 3:8 ). This did not annul God’s relationship with them, it merely made an allotment for Him to usher in a new covenant to include those outside the nation of Israel. Even though He divorced them, he told them to return. so He could establish a New Covenant with them still declaring himself as their husband. “Return, faithless people,” declares the LORD, “for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding” ( Jeremiah 3:14-15 ).

He did in fact give us this Shepherd, who is the radiance of God’s glory and exact representation of his being ( Hebrews 1:3 ). Jesus brought with him an understanding and revelation of God that was previously unknown ( John 1:14, II Corinthians 4:6, Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 1:1-3 ). In the first covenant, it was the Israelites themselves who caused all their suffering. God wanted to protect us from that because we could never live in the weakness of the flesh, which is why he sent Jesus to usher in a new covenant and give us the Holy Spirit so we could be born again not fashioned after the flesh but after the Spirit of God himself ( II Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:24 ).

The entire point is this; the first covenant had not been without defect. The weakness of the covenant was the people themselves. It wasn’t that God just disregarded them withdrawing His favor on a whim. God found fault with the people because their behavior showed how they choose everything else before God. The people broke the covenant agreement, not God. He is stressing in verse 9 that the New Covenant He ushered in will not be like the previous covenant. In other words, it will not be left to mankind to keep it, the covenant will entirely be dependent on God himself to bring it to pass, to ratify it and to uphold it for all eternity. Mankind can freely enter into it, but our behavior does not affect the terms or the outcome. This is why God found fault with the first in order to usher the second. Then He based the entire thing on His character and His ability to keep it. This is an amazing truth!

“But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises” ( Hebrews 8:6 )

Jesus is the mediator or guarantor of the Covenant of grace. This covenant is far superior in every way imaginable to the Covenant of Law. This is because it is founded on better promises and backed by an oath between God and Jesus that it will be lasting and eternal ( Hebrews 7:21 ). In fact, King David himself looked forward to this covenant and congratulated the recipients, pronouncing a blessing on them “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.” ( Psalms 32:1-2, Romans 4:6-8 ).

The better promises on which  this covenant is founded rest solely in the Lord Jesus. It is superior because of this, and unlike the first, it is not based on cause and effect. In other words, God is not limited in his interaction with us based on something we do or do not do. In fact, chapter 8 defines the differences of the New Covenant. First He put his laws in our hearts and minds so that we can be familiar and intimate with His ways and precepts ( Hebrews 8:10 ). Secondly, He makes us His people, declaring that He will be our God ( Hebrews 8:10 ). Third, He reveals himself to us so that we do not need someone to tell us about God, we can experience Him for ourselves ( Hebrews 8:11 ). Lastly He has forgiven our sins and goes a step further declaring that he will also forget them entirely ( Hebrews 8:12 ). We have these amazing things as New Covenant believers, which is why our covenant is far superior than the previous one. This is what David saw and why he pronounced a blessing on us ( Psalms 32:1-2, Romans 4:6-8 ).

To highlight our wonderful covenant it is important to understand that the Old Covenant of Law was based on blessings and curses. Deuteronomy 28 lists both. The chapter starts out with these words spoken by the Lord, “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God” ( Deuteronomy 28:1-2 ). He then gives the list of blessing that were theirs by obeying Him. However it was conditional, “The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways” ( Deuteronomy 28:9 ).

In the same way, curses would befall the people when they were disobedient. “However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you” ( Deuteronomy 28:15 ). The list of the curses is immense and disastrous. This is why the New Covenant is so wonderful, because He placed His laws and precepts inside us and gave us the Holy Spirit to teach us to follow and obey ( I John 2:20, 27 ). This was not the case under the law of the Old Testament, they were subjected to the whims of the flesh. The Law strengthened sin against them arousing the desire for disobedience and the curses it brought ( Romans 7:10 , I Corinthians 15:56 ).

In the New Covenant, Jesus became a curse for us so we could have all of the blessings described in Deuteronomy 28 with none of the curses, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit” ( Galatians 3:13-14 ). You can see how our Covenant is superior in every way. We receive all of the blessings and none of the curses. all because Jesus became the curse for us to redeems us from the Law.

In the same way our mediator is also far superior. Jesus is the Mediator of this Covenant just as Moses was the mediator of the Covenant of the Law. However Jesus has acquired a better ministry because he resides over it as a son not a servant. “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast” ( Hebrews 3:5-6 ). Not only do we have a better and more advantageous Covenant based on nobler and higher promises, but we have a Mediator that is far superior in both title and position than that which was previously given. This is why the Old Testament Patriarchs looked forward to the time we enjoy because God has done a work through Jesus Christ that is unparalleled to anything they experienced. This is why God enacted the New Covenant making the first one obsolete ( Hebrews 8:13 ) so that we could be the people of God enjoying all of the blessings He bestows on us.

“For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever” ( Hebrews 7:28 )

The entire book of Hebrews contrasts in one way or the other the vast differences between the Old Covenant and the New. Whether it is contrasting Jesus’ priesthood with the Levitical priesthood or the outcome of those priestly duties, the result is the same, the New Covenant is far superior in every way imaginable ( Hebrews 8:6 ).

The point of the entire book is to show us that the Covenant of the Law is inferior to the Covenant which Jesus ushered in and secures for us. In fact the writer goes to great lengths to describe that this Covenant is backed by an oath from God that it is eternal and permanent. Because of the oath, God will never revoke or change his mind concerning these promises ( Hebrews 6:16-18, Hebrews 7:18-22 ).

This particular verse is a prime example of this contrast. The law sets up men to intercede based on frailty and weakness, which is not very effective considering the job they are required to do. However, the New Covenant, based on the oath that Jesus is the one to make peace for us ( Romans 5:1 ), is very effective because Jesus is already perfect and sinless. In other words, he fulfilled the requirements of approaching God in perfection, so He is able to perfectly intercede on our behalf ( I Timothy 2:5 ). Not only is this so, but since He defeated death once for all His position is eternal since death no longer has claim over Him ( Romans 4:25, Romans 6:9 ). This give us both confidence and assurance of every promise made to us throughout the Scriptures because Jesus is the guarantee of everything written to us ( Hebrews 7:22 ).

When you really break it down, the Law is what strengthens sin in our lives showing our guilt and shame ( Romans 3:19-20, Galatians 3:10-11, Galatians 3:21 ). Then when you consider that those set up to make intercession are subject to the same weaknesses, we can see the need for a new system. “The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God” ( Hebrews 7:18-19 ).

The better hope is Jesus. He is the only one that can make us righteous and acceptable to God ( Romans 3:22, 4:5, 16, Romans 5:1, II Corinthians 5:21, Titus 3:5-7 ). He took our sin and gave us His righteousness ( II Corinthians 5:21 ) so that we can stand justified before God ( Romans 8:30 ). Since we now can stand in His presence we also know that we have boldness in approaching Him by faith ( Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 10:22 ). This is by far a more superior and advantageous covenant in every way imaginable.

This Covenant is backed by an oath, not the law, “Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant” ( Hebrews 7:22 ). And the oath is founded on better promises, “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises” ( Hebrews 8:6 ). This is why the contrast between the law and the oath is so great and is very important to us to understand because we are heirs of the New Covenant, founded and secured in Jesus Christ. “For the Law sets up men in their weakness [frail, sinful, dying human beings] as high priests, but the word of [God's] oath, which [was spoken later] after the institution of the Law, [chooses and appoints as priest One Whose appointment is complete and permanent], a Son Who has been made perfect forever” ( Hebrews 7:28 AMP).

“And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’” Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant” ( Hebrews 7:20-22 )

Several times throughout the gospels the voice of God was heard over Jesus. The first instance is when he was baptized by John. A voice came from heaven and said, “This is my Son, whom I love: with him I am well pleased” ( Matthew 3:17 ). Another notable event was on the mount of transfiguration. While Jesus was speaking with Moses and Elijah a bright cloud enveloped them and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” ( Matthews 17:5 ). Lastly right before Jesus death, while He was praying in the garden He said, “Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ( John 12:28 ). Everyone there had different reaction to the voice of God, some said it had thundered and others said an angel had spoken to him. However look at Jesus’ response “This voice was for your benefit, not mine” ( John 12:30 ).

Every time God spoke audibly to Jesus it was for our benefit. Jesus understood God’s nature completely because they are one and the same so the words were not said for Jesus’ sake ( John 1:1, Colossians 1:15, Colossians 1:19, Hebrews 1:1-2 ) However, He said these things about Jesus so we could have insight into this relationship between the two. Through it we see that God loved Jesus, God was pleased with Jesus and God’s name was glorified through Jesus. These are important truths to know.

In the same way, the oath made between God and Jesus that He would eternally be our High Priest was made solely for our benefit so we could understand that the covenant made on our behalf was lasting and eternal. In fact God wanted to make His intent very clear so He made us this promise and then confirmed it with an oath and hinged everything on his character, “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. ( Hebrews 6:17-18 ). Knowing this should give us boldness and courage to approach God on the basis of being reconciled through Jesus.

Because of this oath, through Christ we have full access to God. We have boldness to enter into the very presence of the Father to find grace and help in every circumstance of life ( Hebrews 4:16 ). This is why the Law was weak and useless ( Hebrews 7:18 ). It could not bring us into perfect fellowship with God the Father ( Hebrews 7:11 ), however Jesus did. And because God promised Him on oath that He was a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, He has become the guarantee of a better, stronger and more advantageous covenant ( Hebrews 7:22 ). God wants us to know this; which is why He made this oath to Jesus. This is something we should constantly remind ourselves so that we can live in a state of peace, being assured that we are acceptable to God solely on the basis of what Jesus did for us. This is an amazing truth, which is why John said, “This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” ( I John 3:19-20 ).

The oath made to Jesus was made solely for our benefit so that we would know and rest in the covenant that Jesus secures for us. Through Christ we have peace with God ( Romans 5:1 ) and confidence to approach Him through faith ( Hebrews 4:16 ). This is why the covenant of grace we have is far superior to the old covenant in every way imaginable and this new covenant is guaranteed eternally by the oath made on our behalf.

“Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything” ( Hebrews 3:3-4 ) 

When the Law was given, it was given to the people by Moses. He acted as a mediator between God and man. He was God's steward overseeing the administration of the written code. Moses was truly a faithful servant over God's house leading the Israelites by example. But Jesus is worthy of greater honor than Moses because He is not a servant entrusted with overseeing the covenant, Jesus is the covenant. Everything that the Law and the prophets foretold was about Jesus. He is the spoken Word of God and He was always the plan for redemption.

Covenants Are God’s Way of Protecting Us

God has always made covenants with His people. If you look back through the scriptures you will see several accounts of these promises. The amazing thing is, these covenants were initiated by God and based solely on His word. In other words, mankind's behavior did not nullify the pledge God made to them. Take Abraham for example. God came to him and told him, that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and He would give him a great span of land as his inheritance. He asked nothing in return from Abraham. Then God ratified this covenant with a heifer, a goat, a ram, a dove and a young pigeon ( Genesis 15 ). The only thing required on Abraham’s part was believing God. The scripture records, "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness." ( Genesis 15:6 ). Faith placed in the Lord and what He did was the only requirement.

The important thing to understand is that God is the one who initiates the covenant. He makes the promise, ratifies it and then stands behind it never changing His mind. The New Covenant, which Jesus ushered in is in the same fashion as the covenant made with Abraham. It is not based on anything we can do, it is based on what God did. Ratification of this promise was made by Jesus' blood. Now Jesus is the guarantor of this covenant, since He lives, this promise offered to us can never be broken or revoked and God will not change His mind about it. Even though the world gets increasingly worse, with more evil and sin, God will never renege on this covenant of grace offered to us through Jesus.

Because of this, Jesus is truly worthy of far greater honor than Moses. Paul said in II Corinthians, “Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!” ( II Corinthians 3:7-11 ). This is a comparison between the Law, written in stone and the administration of the Spirit written on our hearts through the covenant of grace. It is far superior and worthy of more honor than anything the Law did or could ever do.

John 1 tells us, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” ( John 1;16-18 ). The Law was meant to accuse us and show us our guilt before God ( Romans 5:20, II Corinthians 3:6, Galatians 3:24-25 ) but the grace and truth that Jesus offers us shows us the love and forgiving nature of God. This message is incredible and since the bearer of this amazing news lives, seated at the right hand of the Father, we know that this promise is eternal. So in every sense of the word, Jesus is worthy of incredible honor and glory and He is the guarantor of our covenant of grace, initiated and offered by God, rarified and secured by Jesus forever. The only requirement is believing and accepting it. Then we too like Abraham are credited with righteousness.

Tomorrow we look at Hebrews 3:5-6; Moses Testified about Christ

Since righteousness comes by faith alone, it leads us to ask the question, why circumcision? Paul did not keep us guessing at the answer. Circumcision was the sign of the what had taken place within the heart, therefore the physical evidence of being circumcised was a token of that change. It was a seal signifying the covenant.

Today we have a perfect example of this. During a marriage ceremony the couple exchanges wedding rings as a token of their love and devotion to each other. The rings signify that both parties are entering into a lasting covenant before God. Does wearing a wedding ring mean you are married? No, the commitment to each other and vows you took, means you are married. The ring however, is a physical identification that the person has entered into the marriage covenant. It is a symbol both, of what has taken place and it serves as a reminder of the promise made.

Circumcision is also a symbol of what takes place within the heart. Abraham was justified by faith because he believed God. Because of it, God credited Abraham with righteousness. Circumcision was the sign of the covenant between Abraham and God. It was a physical token of what took place privately.

The good news for us today is, that because Abraham had been credited with righteousness before he was circumcised, righteousness is also credited to all who believe. The scriptures say that "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." ( Romans 4:3 ). So if we have the same faith that our father Abraham had, we too are justified by it. Today, I am so glad that God remembers the details. I rejoice, that by Abrahams example, we can know for sure that we are righteous before God by faith in the blood of Jesus.

We have a lot to praise God for. Did you know that if you were born outside of the Jewish nation, up until Jesus, you were outside of God's covenant? We were lost and hopeless without God in this world ( Ephesians 2:13-14 ). But because of God's great love, mercy and faithfulness Christ became a servant to the Jewish nation in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs. The promise was Jesus, the hope of Israel and author of salvation. Now we who were once far away and excluded from the promise have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Through faith we are included in a better and more perfect covenant.

Many scriptures are fulfilled when we celebrate and praise God for this mercy and grace not originally covenanted to us. Once we were outsiders, but God confirmed and ratified the words spoken throughout the scriptures when he sent Jesus to earth. Not only for the Jewish nation, but for the sins of the entire world so that anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame ( I John 2:2, Romans 10:11 ). The Old Testament prophesied that the Gentile nation would praise God and rejoice in His redemptive work. Paul brings those passages to the forefront so that we will know this was always part of the plan.

We can celebrate and praise God continually for what he has done. He has included us in the promise of Christ and has offered us the same privileges that the Jewish nation has always enjoyed. We are no longer foreigners to His promises, but through faith we have become heirs and considered as sons and daughters of God ( Romans 8:17 ). Ephesians tells us that Jesus "came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit ( Ephesians 2:17-18 ). What a marvelous truth to know and understand. We have been accepted by God as He extends love and mercy toward us based on His covenant with us.

Today, I am so thankful for inclusion in the promises of God. I am so grateful that God sent Jesus to offer me a more perfect covenant of grace based not on what I do, but on what Jesus did. I join with all those who went before me praising God for his loving-kindness toward me. May you also join with the saints of God praising Jesus for what he has done, amen!