Place for the Second Covenant Hebrews 8:7

The writer of Hebrews shared how Jesus “obtained a more excellent ministry” which afforded to be “a mediator of a better covenant”, and in chapter eight and verse seven of Hebrews the writer declared if there was not a “fault” with the “first covenant” there would have been “no place have been sought for the second” where we read:

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

The verse begins, “For if that first covenant had been faultless,...”. The writer began with the word, “For” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “if that first” or “whether the influence, chief, principal and foremost” “covenant had been” which means “disposition, arrangement, compact or testament was” “faultless” or “blameless or unblameable”. If the “first testament” provided by God was without flaw, there would not have been a need for “another covenant”.

The verse goes on to say, “...then should no place have been sought for the second.”. The writer continued with the words, “then should” or “there would be a supposition, wish, possibility or uncertainty” “no place” which means “no condition or station held by one in any company or assembly” “have been sought” or “required, demanded or craved” “for the second” which means “the other of two, afterward and again”. If the “first testament” was sufficient, there would not have been a need or desire for the “second covenant”.

When we meditate upon these words in Hebrews, we understand there was a problem with the “first covenant”. The trouble was that people could not keep that “contract or agreement” with God. Keeping the law of God was something man could not do, and this caused there to be a “need” for a “second covenant”. God provided this “second covenant” whereby Jesus kept the law of God and kept it completely. Because He did, we now have an opportunity for eternal salvation that is based upon His keeping of the “covenant” and not us.

Next time we will see God promise, “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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