The New Covenant

The book of Hebrews says that the Father will make a new covenant with Christianity, or the gentiles that choose to believe in Jesus as a savior. At least this is the modern day interpretation of this passage according to the church. I plan to examine this theory with the intent to let the scriptures speak for themselves. First, here is the passage in reference.

Hebrews 10: 15-18

But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Breaking this passage down, notice the Holy Spirit is mentioned as being a witness to us, and then we see that the next verse has been stated at some point “before”. Obviously, we will need to find this previously mentioned verse in the bible to find out what was being referenced and possibly find out why the author of Hebrews quoted this verse based on the context in the original passages on the context surrounding the passage in Hebrews. Next, notice that the passage mentions the Father putting “My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them”. It seems that the law being put on the heart of a believer is the law of God. The quote comes from the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 31: 31-34

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

As seen in this passage, in which was being quoted, the new covenant that is being prophesied about will be made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Notice, there is nothing here being prophesied about a house of Gentiles. Next, notice that this is indeed the passage being quoted because it is virtually a copy and paste job for the most part. Now notice that this is an Old Testament passage and we have YHWH (the Father) stating that He will put His law into the minds of Israel and Judah. Why is this different and called a new covenant? Originally, YHWH told His people to write His laws on their hearts and they chose to disobey all the commandments, so He is going to guarantee that isn’t the case this time, He is ensuring His Law is put on the hearts of His people.

Deuteronomy 11: 18

“Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

The problem that required a new covenant was not a problem with the Law itself, but rather the problem was with the people deciding to disobey the law and not writing it on their heart. We see evidence for this throughout the Old Testament. But we can even see this in the book of Hebrews, chapter 8.

Hebrews 8: 6-13

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”  In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Notice that the new covenant is established, or recognized, on better promises. There is no mention of new laws with this covenant, only new promises. Also, the fault with the original covenant was with the people, not the law itself. As seen, the people chose to disregard the laws they were supposed to memorize and write on their hearts and minds. We know the law is perfect, so, how is it that Christianity today calls the law a curse? Do we have the right to call verses from the Old Testament false? How do we justify calling the Law of God a curse?

Psalm 19: 7

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple

Now, what does the Holy Spirit, a.k.a. the Spirit of God, have to do with the new covenant? There seems to be one main goal the Holy Spirit plays in the new covenant. First, let’s look at the prophecy.

Ezekiel 11: 17-21

Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.

Ezekiel 36: 24-29

For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you.

The prophecy about receiving the Holy Spirit specifically states that the Spirit of God causes those who have the Holy Spirit to keep His commands and actually carry them out. There is further evidence of this being the case from the book of Zachariah.

Zachariah 7: 12

Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.

Can we really decide the purpose of the Holy Spirit on our own, completely disregarding what the Old Testament says on several occasions? It seems likely that if this is what is being done, it makes sense that we have so many denominations of Christianity. Would it not make more sense to use what the prophets have said about the purpose of the Holy Spirit? Should we not interpret the New Testament using the Old? Why do we allow men to tell us how to interpret the New Testament instead of allowing the Old Testament to guide our thought process? If we can align the New Testament to everything that is mentioned in the old, should we not do so? Would we rather disregard the Word of God, the Torah and Prophets, in order to keep a man-made doctrine that does not align with all Scripture?

Amos 3: 7

Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.