Heb 8:7-12 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Heb 8:7-13: 8:7-13 The author quotes Jer 31:31-34 , an Old Testament prophecy concerning the new covenant that includes a number of striking promises. Establishing the superiority of the new covenant lays a foundation for the argument in Heb 9:1–10:18 that the Son’s offering under the new covenant was superior to the offerings of the old covenant. 8:7 The first covenant , made at Sinai, was not faultless . It was not the end of God’s plan, because it didn’t solve human weaknesses (see 7:11-28 ; 8:9 ).

Summary for Heb 8:7-13: 8:7-13 ^a The author quotes Jer 31:31-34 ^b, an Old Testament prophecy concerning the new covenant that includes a number of striking promises. Establishing the superiority of the new covenant lays a foundation for the argument in Heb 9:1–10:18 ^c that the Son’s offering under the new covenant was superior to the offerings of the old covenant. 8:7 ^d The first covenant, made at Sinai, was not faultless. It was not the end of God’s plan, because it didn’t solve human weaknesses (see 7:11-28 ^e; 8:9 ^f).
8:8 ^g found fault with the people: Because the people were unable to keep the terms of the old covenant (see study note on 8:7), God made a new covenant.
8:9 ^h God made a covenant with their ancestors at Sinai (Exod 19:1-8 ⁱ; 24:7-8 ^j; 34:27-28 ^k; Deut 4:13 ^l).

• I took them by the hand: In rescuing his people from the land of Egypt, God led them as a parent might lead a child that could not fend for itself (see Exod 12–14 ^m).

• They did not remain faithful: See Heb 3:7-19 ⁿ; Num 14:1-38 ^o; Deut 9 ^p; Ps 106 ^q.

• so I turned my back on them: The covenant warned that if the people turned away, God would turn away from them (see Deut 28:15-68 ^r; 30:11-20 ^s; 1 Kgs 8:22-53 ^t; 2 Chr 6:12-42 ^u).
8:10 ^v Under the old covenant, the people were commanded to take the words of the law to heart (Deut 32:46 ^w), and the kings of Israel and Judah were judged on whether or not they followed the law of God wholeheartedly (2 Kgs 10:31 ^x; 2 Chr 31:21 ^y). A difference in the new covenant is that God’s laws would be in people’s minds and on their hearts. People would have renewed hearts and minds, with God’s law as an intrinsic, internal motivation.
8:11 ^z All those in the new covenant know the Lord; intimate personal relationship with the Lord is in the very nature of the new covenant.
8:12 ^aa A final characteristic of the new covenant is that God would forgive their wickedness and never again remember their sins. The blood of Jesus cleanses his people completely from sin (9:13-15 ^ab; 10:14-18 ^ac, 22 ^ad; 1 Jn 1:7 ^ae).