Christ, High Priest in the True Sanctuary, superseding the Levitical Priesthood—The
New renders Obsolete the Old Covenant. (77) Heb. 8: 6-9.
“This new covenant God promised to make with “the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” The word, “Israel” is used in the Scriptures in no less than four distinct senses. First, it is the name which God gave to Jacob when he wrestled with the angel and prevailed as a prince Gen. 32:28. Second, it denotes his fleshly descendants called “the children of Israel,” that is, the Jewish nation. Third, it is employed of the ten tribes, the kingdom of Samaria or Ephraim, in contradistinction from the kingdom of Judah, and this, after the Nation was rent asunder in the days of Jeroboam. Fourth, it is applied spiritually to the whole of God’s people Gal. 6:16. To which we may add, Fifth, in Isaiah 49:3 note the verses which follow it appears to be applied to Christ Himself, as identified with His people. It is indeed remarkable that the two emphasized words have a double reference. First, they applied to the literal house of Israel, who were then outside the land, in the dispersion (Dan. 9:7); Second, to elect Gentiles, away from God: see Ephesians 2:13.” Pink Arthur W
At the time God announced His purpose and promise through Jeremiah, the fleshly descendants of Abraham were divided in two hostile groups. They had separate kings and separate centers of worship. They were at enmity with one another. As such they fitly adumbrated the great division between God’s elect among the Jews and the Gentiles in their natural and dispensational state. There was a middle wall or partition between them Eph. 2:14. There was “enmity” between them Eph. 2:16. But just as God announced through Ezekiel 37:16, 17 that the diversified houses of Judah and Israel should “become one,” so His elect among the Jews and the Gentiles are now one in Christ (Eph. 2:14–18)! Therefore, are all born-again believers designated the “children” and “seed” of Abraham Gal. 3:7, 29, and thus are they “blessed with faithful Abraham” Gal. 3:9.
“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 continued not Ex. 32:8, Deut. 31:16–18, in My covenant, and I regarded them not Jud. 10:13, 14, Lam. 4:16, saith the Lord” (v. 9). The former was mainly typical, the latter has the substance. The one was administered under an imperfect priesthood, the latter under a perfect one. The one had to do, primarily, with that which was external; the other is, mainly, internal. The Mosaic covenant was restricted to one nation, the Christian is international in its scope. “The old covenant is spoken of as dating from the day when the Lord took Israel, “by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt.” They were unable to deliver themselves out of their bondage. As Deut. 1:31 says, “The Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went.” So, in Hos. 11:3 God says, “I taught them to go, taking them by the arms.” God bow down Himself to reach them in their lowly estate. “But they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.” “They soon forgot God’s works; they waited not for His counsel” Ps. 106:13. They “thrust Him from them” Acts 7:39 and made and worshipped the golden calf. That was but prophetic or indicative of their whole history. Their shameful conduct is mentioned here for the purpose of magnifying that marvelous grace that shall yet make the new covenant with such a people. “I regarded them not” refers to God’s governmental dealings with Israel: the severity He exercised, consuming them in the wilderness. In view of which we may well heed that searching word, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” 1Cor. 10:12.” Pink Arthur W.
