JC Blog

As the year comes to a close I am overwhelmed by the love and support I get from both my readers and financial supporters. The comments and gifts I receive, encourage me greatly as well as remind me that the Lord is surrounding me by faithful friends in order to complete both my mission and vision in life.

As you may know, part of my mission is to provide Biblical explanation to readers who come from all over the world. My mission is to share the gospel because it is the power of God. The Internet gives me a great platform to do this. And I relish the fact that this can be provided free of charge. Your partnerships have enabled me to do this. For that I am truly grateful.

I wanted to take a minute to publicly thank each of you who have invested in this ministry. The seeds that you are sowing are helping to bring the Word of God to His people who are searching. As Jesus promised, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” ( Luke 6:38 ).

Below are recent comments that I’ve received through this website. By partnering with JCBlog.net you also share in these comments. I wish I could bless you with all the correspondence, questions and comments I get, because they are truly a blessing to me. Your support has made this possible.

Thank You So Very Much!
In Christ, Juli Camarin

Recent Comments from Readers:

“Love it Juli! I love waking up to your blog! So blessed by the gift the Lord has given you. So thankful we can have life and bear good fruit because of His son” ~ Cindy

“BRAVO! What a great message of hope, keep up the inspirational writing.” ~ Bryan

“Juli ever heard of Andrew Wommack, Smith Wigglesworth, Kenneth Hagin n Copeland, Bill Johnson, Munroe, u r playin in their league. Ur revelation is both cutting edge n breathtaking beyond. I treasure n value ur articles with alarming fidelity. God increase u exponentially” ~ Kaylo

“Wow!! Thank you Julie, you are articulating the revelation Holy Spirit gave me proof that ours is not a God of confusion” ~ Gail

“A loud Amen and Hallelujah!!!” ~ Ruth

“Thank you so much for your article - I have been confused about this for many years, and now I weep in humility as your perfectly worded article led me to understanding and revelation on the width, depth, length and height of the love of Christ for me. I bless you and thank you” ~ Gail

“I can't begin to thank you for your verse-by-verse comments on Romans. I teach Bible at a Christian high school and sometimes it's hard to bring it down to a level where all of us understand. (myself included) I am teaching Romans this year and am so fortunate to have found your site. Your examples and explanations are such a blessing!” ~ Georgeanne

“Such an uplifting read. I am at home suffering from chronic jaw pain, (33 surgeries so far), and I just turned 24. Trying to make sense of the suffering, and this passage gives me hope, patience, and perseverance. Thank you for sharing your insightful words. You are making a difference in the lives of others” ~ KG

“This Scripture assures me that as 1 + 1 = 2, that believing with saying brings things unseen into existence...in other words, if I want something to be different, then I must believe it is possible and speak what I want different into existence, Amen! As the saying goes, like father, like son, as Jesus showed us and God is our father and we're His son, so we're to act like Him and call things that be not as though they were...Hallelujah!” ~ Pastor Billy

“I came across the scripture while at work just knowing that through faith patient and prayer i can do all things knowing that Jesus is with me in the midst of my storm brings great calmness cause in exchange i give him all my pain, sorrow and afflictions and he gives me Joy unspeakable Joy.” ~ Chante

“I didn't understand this scripture at first, but through your explanation it has given me joy that through prayer, faith and patience I can always find my happiness through the Lord. It is hard at times through the many trials we face in this world, but we always have to remind ourselves we are representing Jesus! - God Bless :)” ~ Cecila

“Juli, I have read your mission statements and thank God for it! I am a 65 year old man, married for 44 years, father of 2 sons and a daughter and grandfather of 7 young ones. In my search this morning for answers to Paul's Romans 7 struggle I happened on your website and began reading. That was several hours ago. I have bookmarked the blog and will continue to explore it. I am lifted up by what I have read and for that I thank our Heavenly Father. Thanks” ~ Russ

“Thank you for your inspiring explanation, revelation, of the Sabbath rest in Christ. My study bible comments;- our Sabbath rest in Christ begins when we trust Him to complete his good and perfect work in us. You have expanded on this and given me a fuller and joyful understanding.” ~ Maggie

“Dear Juli, This is an amazing explanation of Rest. Thanks soooo much! Blessings!”~ Sharon

“This scripture really inspired me to dig more into the word of God. His promises are enormous, I believe. And it could be quite easy to abide by this. Lots of distractions are keeping me from this precious and simple practices. Please pray that He that has started opening my eyes will perfect it in Jesus name. Amen” ~ Asuquo

“This is wonderful. Satan no longer has power over my life because he was disgraced, put to shame, disarmed, was made a public spectacle... Thank you JESUS” ~ Stephanie

In the weeks leading up to Christmas I have found myself thinking about Mary. Perhaps it started after watching the Nativity Story. As the story unfolded I saw the steadfast faith of a teenage girl who faced condemnation from the world because she chose to accept the Word of God. Over two thousand years later we still marvel at her faith.

Her story can be found in Luke 1. The angel Gabriel appeared to her with some amazing news, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end” ( Luke 1:30-33 ).

Not only was this news incredible but it was also impossible because Mary was a virgin. The angel explained that the Holy Spirit would overshadow Mary and she would become pregnant with the Christ. Everything that was spoken and prophesied about the Messiah throughout the Law, the prophets and the entirety of the Scriptures would be gathered into the seed form and planted inside her womb ( John 1:1; 14, I Peter 1:23 ).

I love Mary’s response, “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said” ( Luke 1:38 ). This is great faith. She was a teenager, she was a virgin, she knew the penalty of being found pregnant outside of a marital relationship but she accepted the angel’s word without reservation. In other words, at that moment she received the Word of God that became flesh ( John 1:1; John 1:14 ).

After Mary went to visit Elizabeth, who was also pregnant with John the Baptist, she was greeted with these comforting words by her relative, “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” ( Luke 1:45 ). The Lord sent others to encourage her along the way as well as confirm the message spoken to her.

From Mary’s own lips came a wellspring of praise and adoration to the One who brought it all to pass. “From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name” (Luke 1:48-49). As I read, I marvel at the faith she showed. From her own lips she spoke that future generations would call her blessed, all the time knowing that her generation would judge, condemn and consider killing her.

I think about Hebrews 11 (which is sometimes referred to as the “Faith Hall of Fame”). Although Mary is not listed here, the thread that ties these great men and women together is their faith in God. Mary certainly falls into this category and this is what the Lord recorded about them, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” ( Hebrews 11:13-16 ). He went on to say, “the world was not worthy of them...” ( Hebrews 11:38 ).

True to what Mary spoke, generations still call Mary blessed. Because of the great faith she had in God, she accepted the Word spoken to her. All generations have been blessed by God’s gift of Jesus. By answering that she was the Lord’s servant, ready in obedience to accept God’s plan for her life, she was an instrument mightily used by God. True to His word, He protected her, He provided for her and He brought about the Savior of the world through her obedience.

Taking a few moments to ponder Mary’s great faith is truly a reason to celebrate this Christmas day. I am blessed to think the of the mother of my Lord considered God faithful to do what he promised and that she willingly accepted the call on her life to bring it to pass. She was a woman of great faith. May God Bless you today as you celebrate the birth of His Son Jesus; our Savior, faithful Friend and Lord.

Merry Christmas!
Juli Camarin & JCBlog.net

“This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order” ( Hebrews 9:9-10 )

On this side of the cross we celebrate certain things to remind ourselves of everything Jesus accomplished on the cross. Communion is a great example of this. As we symbolically partake in the body and blood of Christ Jesus we remind ourselves of the sacrifice God the Father and his son Jesus made on our behalf. We remind ourselves that His body was broken so that we may be whole. We remind ourselves that His blood was shed so that we can be forgiven. We do this to remember.

In the same way, the Israelites experienced and celebrated certain rituals that were aimed at looking forward to the time of Christ Jesus. They were by no means an end unto themselves; they served as an illustration of the new order, or the institution of Jesus’ eternal High Priesthood.

Day after day, month after month, year after year, theses ceremonies were carried out. If this system could have worked, then the repetition would not have been needed, in other words, they would not have offered the same gifts and sacrifices over and over. Understanding this, we see why the entire system served as an illustration. The sacrifices made never cleared the conscience of the worshipper. What was offered was never able to renew the inner man because it only dealt with external rules and regulations for the body. This is why a new order was needed, one that dealt with the heart of mankind.

The sacrificial system was meant to point the worshipper to the coming Messiah. Just as we look back to the cross, the Israelites entire system of worship looked forward to the Cross. In both cases, Jesus plays the lead role. Since He has come, there is no longer a need for this illustration because we have the real thing. Hebrews 10:1 sums up this very thought, “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship” ( Hebrews 10:1 ). The shadow is inconsequential when the real thing is present. Unlike the illustration, Jesus is able to wash clean and clear the conscience of those who come to him. This shows how vastly different and far superior the New Covenant is over the Old. I am thankful that we are on this side of the cross looking back in remembrance to Jesus’ sacrifice, with no need for an illustration because what we have is the real thing.

“When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.  The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing” ( Hebrews 9:6-8 )

To understand everything that Jesus completed for us as our High Priest we have examples from the earthly Levitical priesthood to guide us in our understanding. Hebrews 9 uses examples from this system to show us how Jesus performed the very same acts on our behalf in the presence of God the Father in the heavenly tabernacle. We can glean so much wonderful truth from these passages of Scripture.

The writer is showing how entrance to the Holy of Holies was not accessible under the Old Covenant. The priests were able to enter into the outer portion of the tabernacle to carry out their daily duties. However, only the High Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies and he could only enter once a year. In fact, the High Priest wore bells around his ephod so that the sound of bells could be heard when entering before the presence of the Lord.

“The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die” ( Exodus 28:34-35 ). Bells were worn to give off sounds so everyone in the outer portions would know the High Priest’s status when ministering. The Cherubim of Glory circled around the atonement cover protecting the entrance to the Most Holy Place ( Exodus 5:22, Hebrews 9:5 ). So many guidelines were to be met before the Priest could even enter, so the confidence level was extremely low when entering.

The High Priest also had to enter with blood from animal sacrifices which he offered for both himself, and Israel. It was offered for all sins, even the ones committed in ignorance and thoughtlessness. It was a covering for a time period but these sacrifices were to continually be made. There was no permanence to this covering.

This system was an illustration looking forward to the time of Christ. As long as this system was in place the new system was not enacted. In the same way, when Christ came, He fulfilled everything that the Levitical priesthood foreshadowed. In other words, when Jesus came and took the role as High Priest, there was no longer a need for the previous institution. Because the way into the Most Holy Place was thrown wide open by Jesus ( Hebrews 10:19-20 ).

The amazing truth in all of this is that Jesus has made it possible to enter into the presence of God the Father. This was never the case while the first tabernacle was standing. However Jesus’ blood has completely cleansed us so that we are able to enter in to the throne room through the veil which is His body and boldly come before the Father ( Hebrews 10:21-22 ). As believers, we are included in a wonderful heritage. Peter tells us, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” ( I Peter 2:9 ). What was limited to a few because of a family line, has now been thrown wide open and offered to everyone who puts trust in Jesus.

“Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now” ( Hebrews 9:1-5 )

Worship as directed under the first covenant was very detailed. Everything was laid out according to the pattern Moses was shone on the mountain. Everything included in the temple worship had special meanings and significance. Even the items themselves which were placed within the Most Holy Place represented God’s supernatural ability to care for and lead the Israelites.

Behind the second curtain was the Ark of the Covenant, where God dwelt with the people. Inside the Ark was the gold jar of manna, a reminder of the bread that fed the Israelites for years while wandering through the desert in disobedience, Aaron’s staff, which God used after a rebellion to show that Aaron and the Levites were His chosen priests ( Numbers 17 ). And lastly, the Ark contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments to remind the Israelites of their Covenant.

Guarding the ark and the Most Holy Place were cherubim of glory. The Israelites could not enter because these creatures protected this area. In fact, only the High Priest could enter this room, and only once a year with blood which He poured on the mercy seat making atonement for the sins of the people. The priest made this offering directly before God. We know this from Moses’ account inside the tent, “When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony. And he spoke with him” ( Numbers 7:89 ).

The writer of Hebrews is drawing attention to all of these details, but notice the last statement in verse 5 declaring that these things cannot be discussed any longer. Why? Because the creatures guarding the way into the Most Holy Place where God dwelt among His people are no longer there. This is an amazing truth! After Jesus entered into the more perfect tabernacle in heaven to make perfect atonement for us, there was no longer a need for warrior angels to protect the way to God. Jesus opened this up so that we could have direct access to God the Father ( Hebrews 10:19-22 ). In fact, we are now to approach the throne of grace in confidence ( Hebrews 4:16 ) in a way the Israelites never could.

This makes perfect sense considering the last verse of chapter 8, “By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear” ( Hebrews 8:13 ). Jesus brought with Him a new way of approaching God. We can approach Him in faith washed clean by the body of Christ, unafraid of anything standing in our way because anything that could condemn or harm us has been removed by the blood of Jesus. Our covenant of grace is vastly superior and Jesus is the one who will forever protect and guarantee the way into the presence of the Father Himself.

“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.

“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” ( Hebrews 8:10-12 )

A few weeks ago, a friend asked me about this passage of Scripture. As he was reading through Hebrews he came to these very verses, which puzzled him. As he read that no longer will man teach his neighbor he questioned why this was so and if we should not try to teach others from the scripture? I started to share that this wasn’t what this passage was saying. These few verses are a marvelous synopsis of the New Covenant that God instated through Jesus. Part of this is that we now have a personal relationship with the Father no longer needing someone to mediate that relationship for us. In other words, we do not need someone to teach us about God, instead God reveals himself directly to us.

The previous verses tell us that God found fault with the people and the first covenant so He brought about a new covenant based on His ability to keep it, not the people’s ability. Then He describes in a nutshell the main differences between the Old Covenant and the New. The differences are so drastic we cannot understand the new in light of the first. Not only is it completely different and far better, but it is also based on better promises and guaranteed by a better High Priest ( Hebrews 8:6 ).

Here is what the New Covenant has that the Old one never possessed. First, God writes his laws in our minds and upon our hearts. The Old Covenant Laws were written in stone. This is not the case with the New. God’s laws are now a part of us, not something external to accuse us, but they are written by the Spirit of God on the inside of us. Paul said the same thing, “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” ( II Corinthians 3:3 ). Since they are now written on the inside of us, they are a part of our new nature or you could say, they are now second nature to us. To go against God’s law is contrary to who we are in Christ. The New Covenant made it so we don’t have to strive to live according to God’s laws; we simply live by the Spirit of God and by doing so fulfill these laws in the natural world.

Secondly, He has declared that He will be our God and we will be His people. We will not need someone to teach us about God, He will reveal himself directly to us. In the Old Covenant, the people had a mediator to represent them to God and to relay to them what God spoke. Moses is a perfect example of this. He spoke to God on behalf of the people and He spoke to the people on behalf of God. The only time God spoke directly to the Israelites, they begged Him not to. They were consumed with fear and begged God to only speak to Moses on their behalf ( Exodus 20:18-19 ). The New Covenant, because of Jesus’ atoning blood, made it so that we could speak directly to God without fear and hesitation. He became a personal God to everyone who believes in Him. No longer do we need someone to teach us about God, instead God reveals himself directly to us teaching us by the Holy Spirit dwelling inside ( I Corinthians 2:10;16, I John 2:20,27 ). Isaiah prophesied about this very thing, “All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children’s peace” ( Isaiah 54:13 ).

Lastly the main difference between the two covenants is that God will not only forgive our sins but He will not remember them. “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” ( Isaiah 43:25 ). The Old Covenant gave instructions for a yearly sacrifice for sin. This looked forward to the time of Christ but only served as a reminder of sin ( Hebrews 10:3 ). If you are constantly reminded of your sin then you will not experience peace or have confidence to approach God. This is why he ushered in a new covenant, because God could not have the personal relationship with us that he desired when we were so sin conscious. However, in the New Covenant God made it so that the issue of sin was completely and permanently dealt with once and for all. Because of it we have been made holy and acceptable to God ( Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:14 ). Since we are holy and acceptable we can approach Him in faith knowing we are forgiven and God will never hold our sin against us ( Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 10:22 ). This is drastically different than what the Israelites experienced under the Covenant of Law.

No covenant was instated without blood. After the Commandments were read to the people and they agreed to the Covenant, many bulls were sacrificed on that day ( Exodus 24:3-8 ). In the same way, blood was required to solidify the New Covenant God made with us. So Jesus shed His blood for us ratifying the promise. Jesus is the one who was who made this all possible and left this world comforting us with these words, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” ( Luke 22:20 ).

We have a covenant guaranteed through Jesus that is far better than anything the Israelites experience in the Old Testament. Jesus is our mediator and His blood cleanses us, forgives us and makes it possible for us to experience and enjoy God the Father in a completely new and different way. Perhaps David said it the best “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him” ( Romans 4:7-8, Psalm 32:1-2 ).

“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.