Friday, May 6: Hebrews 8- Left hanging

 

Ugh!  Today was one of those readings that ended too soon. It points to a new covenant that  explains the new covenant is far superior to the old one (6). It tells us that the old covenant is obsolete and will disappear (13), but it never explains the new covenant. It feels a bit frustrating…

Now I know that Bible chapters are arbitrary.  Someone added the chapters and verses long after the books were written to help people study, note and find things in the Bible, so I could read on and I did actually peek into chapter 9. But then I decided to sit in chapter 8, what might God speak to me about today?

I seemed to be drawn to the opening of verse 8: But God found fault with the people and said: … The problem is people.  We are imperfect. We want our way.  Our basic default position is to look out for ourselves. That doesn’t sound terrible as I write it, but inevitability what I want will conflict with what someone else wants.  Sin is knocking at the door and will likely bite one or both of us…

The basic problem with the old covenant is that the human heart was not changed, just rules instituted to curb and rein in the sin filled actions of human hearts. Earlier this year in reading the OT we came across priests who abused their position by stealing sacrifices for themselves. Even the ones charged with keeping order and preserving the truth were fallen. We read that after years the Book of the Law was found. God’s Word had been lost even within the community of faith. God’s people abandoned God’s Word.

The people-problem was personal… individuals (all individuals) constantly and repeatedly fell short of God’s Law. And the ‘people-problem’ was corporate because the collective ‘people of God’ were fallen and turned a ‘blind eye’ when evil was tolerated…

Even though I don’t like having to wait for the Good News of the New Covenant, it was spiritually helpful for me to realize how deep the problem was that we humans were in. We humans were doomed and without hope, unless God intervened!... which God did in Christ. The Good News will follow tomorrow.

Lord God, I was utterly lost without Jesus. I didn’t know it at the time but I was completely and utterly lost. Thank You for stepping in and for instituting the New Covenant.

Lord, as I ponder chapter 8, I am left realizing how desperate my spiritual situation was.  Thanks be to You, O God, that chapter 8 isn’t the end of the story… that there is more… that there is Jesus. Alleluia! Amen.