Sunday School Lesson
March 27
Lesson 4 (KJV)
FREE BECAUSE OF THE LORD
DEVOTIONAL READING: Deuteronomy 8:1–11
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 8
DEUTERONOMY 8:1–11
1. All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.
2. And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
3. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
4. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
5. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
6. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
7. For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
8. A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
9. A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
10. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
11. Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
KEY TEXT
Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day.—Deuteronomy 8:11
LESSON AIMS
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. List the imperatives in Deuteronomy 8:1–11.
2. Explain the nature of those commandments.
3. Make a plan to practice greater humility in serving the Lord in one particular area.
HOW TO SAY IT
Sinai
Sigh-nye or Sigh-nay-eye.
suzerainty
soo-zuh-ruhn-tee.
Introduction
A. Negligent Plant Slaughter
How hard is it to water a plant? As it turns out, very difficult—at least for me. I was home from college for summer break. When my mother had to leave on a business trip, she instructed me to water one outside plant. If I didn’t and the plant died, I would have to buy a new one. I was confident I could not forget. After all, it was clearly visible through the large window behind the TV!
Not once did I water the plant. Worse yet, it rained very little while my mother was gone. By the time she returned, the plant was a dried husk, and the leaves crumbled to dust at a mere touch.
It wasn’t out of rebellion that I didn’t water the plant, or even that I didn’t care for my mom. The problem was that I never wrote it down, nor did I make a point to include watering the plant in my daily habits. Her instructions just slipped my mind. I still wish I had guarded myself against forgetting—that was an expensive plant!
Through my failure I learned that even forgetting to obey has consequences! But would Israel learn this lesson the easy way?
B. Lesson Context
The setting for today’s lesson is “on [the east] side [of the] Jordan, in the valley over against Bethpeor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites” (Deuteronomy 4:46) in about 1406 BC. The recipients were the Israelites of a new generation who were about to enter the promised land. Moses would soon die on Mount Nebo, located in Moab (chapter 34), having been barred from entering the promised land because of his disobedience at Meribah (Numbers 20:7–12).
Deuteronomy is a covenant renewal treaty, delivered by Moses in a series of speeches (Deuteronomy 1:1–4:43; 4:44–28:68; etc.). In these speeches, he recounted the covenant God had made with Israel at Mount Sinai some four decades previously. This covenant is very similar to a specific kind of ancient Near Eastern treaty called a suzerainty covenant. In such covenants, a sovereign king (the suzerain) would write out terms of an agreement with a weaker king (the vassal). This generally required obedience from the lesser king in exchange for certain protections and benefits from the greater king. Typical suzerainty covenants contained at least six parts: (1) an introduction, (2) a historical basis for the treaty, (3) general stipulations followed by (4) specific stipulations, (5) divine witness, and finally (6) curses for disobedience and blessings for faithfulness.
Deuteronomy 5–11 is the high point of the book. Here the Ten Commandments are recounted (chapter 5; compare Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4). This is followed by an exposition of how to love and obey the Lord (chapters 6–11). Our text today, from Deuteronomy 8:1–11, falls under general stipulations in the second speech.
One helpful way to categorize laws in the Bible is to distinguish between conditional and unconditional laws. Unconditional laws are what we have with the Ten Commandments. They are foundation principles for Israel’s covenant relationship. Covenant recognizes a relationship, and adherence to the rules maintains the relationship. Conditional laws rightly begin with a conditional clause (beginning with “if” or “when,” either expressed or implied), followed by a declarative judgment (beginning with “then,” either expressed or implied; examples: Exodus 21:28–29; 22:26–27).
I. Remember
(DEUTERONOMY 8:1–5)
A. Who Holds the Future (v. 1)
1. All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.
This week’s passage continues the call to observe the commandments God gave Israel (compare: Deuteronomy 4:1–2; 5:1; 6:1–2; 7:11–12). What follows are positive reminders of God’s work and the blessings that will follow from continuing to obey the Lord. Deuteronomy 8:12–20 (not in our printed text) presents the negative flipside. Curses can and will result from failure to follow the Lord’s ways.
Obeying God’s commands results in experiencing fulfillment of God’s promises (compare John 10:10b). To multiply is both a command from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:28) and a blessing given by God (Deuteronomy 7:13). Israel had multiplied in Egypt, but their growth resulted in a perceived threat to the Egyptians. They resolved this danger by enslaving the Israelites (Exodus 1:6–13). Possessing the promised land would allow the people to multiply in peace. Fulfillment of all these promises was predicated on obedience; the people’s failure to obey accounted for their exile in Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:11–21).
Your fathers refers to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:15). God had made a promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham (Genesis 12:6–7). God then formalized His promise with a covenant in Genesis 15 and 17. He renewed the covenant with both Isaac (26:3–5) and Jacob (35:9–12).
B. Who Provided in the Past (vv. 2–5)
2. And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Though we may not think of remember as an enforceable command, it is often given this power in Deuteronomy (examples: 7:18; 15:15; 16:12; 24:22). Festivals, sacrifices, Sabbath rest, and other rhythms of life were meant to help the people keep this command (examples: Exodus 13:2–3; 20:8). In a similar way, the Lord’s Supper and baptism remind us of what the Lord has done for us, especially through Christ.
Future generations would be well served to learn lessons from the hardships faced these forty years in the wilderness without repeating the same sins. Proud people believe they have earned everything they have through their own power; humble people recognize that without the Lord, they would have nothing. Experiencing uncertainty about resources in the wilderness was meant to humble the Israelites, reminding them not only of their need but of God’s ability and trustworthiness to care for them. Though the next generation was going into a land rich with resources, forgetting humility before God would be a dire misstep.
God was able to see the hearts of His people and prove their faithfulness. Though God’s seeking evidence of faith may seem to contradict the fact that He knows everything, the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah provides precedent for God’s proving the people’s faith (Genesis 22:1–18). There as here, God wants to be sure that His people remain faithful to Him by keeping his commandments. And perhaps as importantly, the people were reassured that God saw their efforts and valued their devotion to Him.
What Do You Think?
What have humbling experiences revealed about your character?
Digging Deeper
How does remembering these experiences reveal growth areas and God’s faithfulness?
3a. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know.
Immediately after leaving Egypt, the Israelites moaned that Moses was leading them to their deaths (Exodus 14:10–12). They also spoke against him twice more when they were thirsty (15:22–24; 17:1–3), as well as when they didn’t have food (16:2–3). This is an example of how God used their circumstances in an effort to humble them (see Deuteronomy 8:2–4).
Although Israel feared a lack of provision, God provided manna, “bread from heaven” (Exodus 16:4, 14–15). This bread “was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey” (16:31; compare Numbers 11:7–9). In naming it, the people threw up their hands and said in essence, “Manna—we don’t know what this is!” But they didn’t need to recognize the food—only that God’s provision was a concrete example of His care and capability. The intended effect of humbling the people and teaching them to trust God with a grateful heart, however, does not seem to have taken (see Exodus 16:19–20).
3b. That he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
This explanation falls in the middle of the list of things that the Lord provided for the Israelites while they were in the wilderness. Any time a list is interrupted with explanation, the reader should pay close attention. The interruption is important to understanding what surrounds it.
God’s response to Israel’s hardships was meant to inspire the people to trust Him. It’s not that the people didn’t need bread; rather, it’s that heeding every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord is the only path to life (see Psalm 119:9–16). What good is a healthy body if the soul languishes? Or as Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). If Israel wanted to live, they needed not only food and water, but to obey God and find life in Him (see Isaiah 45:22–25).
Jesus quoted this Scripture when Satan tempted Him to create bread (Matthew 4:1–4). Though Israel struggled with the truth that the Father sought to teach them, Jesus knew it well. Hunger lasts for a time, and God’s provision comes when He wills it. But seeking after God’s words—His laws, His promises, and His other proclamations of love—ensures life, whether one’s stomach rumbles or not. Jesus would wait for God’s time. And if we are to heed the wisdom of Jesus’ words, we will wait too (compare 6:25–33).
What Do You Think?
What evidence of faithfulness to God’s commands do outsiders see in your life? What contradictory evidence might they see?
Digging Deeper
What practices can you begin or strengthen to live by every word that comes from God?
4. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
The list of God’s provision continues. These two preventative measures kept Israel in good health and ensured they could continue the journey, even for forty years. Having raiment not wear out was important, given the scarce resources to make new clothing along the way. Swelling in the foot often results from injury or disease, though exercise (like lots of walking) can also cause it. Prolonged exposure to heat—a reality in the Sinai peninsula where summer highs hover in the high 90s Fahrenheit—can have the same effect.
ALL WHO WANDER
One summer I hiked in the Rocky Mountains for several months with a single pair of hiking boots. This range boasts peaks that rise more than 14,000 feet above sea level. Oxygen is precious, and trees do not grow above about 11,000 feet. The rocky crags above the tree line are exposed to the sun, high winds, and violent thunderstorms.
This unforgiving landscape chewed up my hiking boots. The laces broke, the soles thinned and then tore away from the toe box, the threaded stitching disintegrated, the leather wore through until my toes stuck out. When I retired them, those boots were a stark image of what happens to hard-used footwear.
The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, traversing many miles of unforgiving land. But their clothes never wore out. God protected them. And He still protects us, no matter how challenging our environment. How does God provide for you in your current hostile environment?
—W. L.
5. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
The heart in the Hebrew language represented the origin of will, or volition (examples: Genesis 20:5–6; Deuteronomy 8:2, above; 11:16). The command here is not about an emotional reaction but, instead, one of considering the facts of what God has done.
Though the people may have felt sorely used, it benefited them to consider their hardships as instruction to make them wise and capable of living well (Hebrews 12:5–11; compare James 1:2–5). The familial imagery—God as Father, Israel as his son—speaks to the love behind God’s actions. Even the curses contained in the covenant were meant to lead the people back to Him (Deuteronomy 30:1–10). And when Israel called out, God delighted in delivering His children (examples: Judges 3:7–9, 12–15; 4:1–7; compare Jonah 3:5–10; Revelation 3:19).
II. Anticipate
(DEUTERONOMY 8:6–11)
A. The Walk to Take (v. 6)
6a. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways.
Therefore transitions from what God did in the past to what He would do in the near future (see Deuteronomy 8:7a and following, below; contrast 8:2). When we think of the commandments, we tend to think of the Ten Commandments. But the command to walk in his ways refers to the instruction contained within the entire covenant (contrast Psalm 1:1; see Deuteronomy 8:11, below). The Ten Commandments serve as a summary in many ways, but the rest of the legal code gives Israel further direction in how to carry out those fundamental commands. Israel was required to keep God’s commandments by living lives that reflected His ways.
6b. And to fear him.
This phrase called the people to a proper, humble respect of God. Even so, the word fear does not lose the connotation of terror (see “terrible,” which implies “terror inducing” in Deuteronomy 8:15, not in our printed text). When people have a fuller understanding of God’s power and authority, fear is an entirely appropriate response. The righteous do not need to fear God’s wrath; their respectful fear of the Lord motivates them to keep His laws and continue to live rightly (Psalms 34:9; 52:5–7; etc.).
B. The Land to Take (vv. 7–10)
7a. For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land.
The original good land was the earth itself (see Genesis 1:10, 12, 25). Canaan was the specific land God promised to Abraham and his descendants hundreds of years before (Genesis 15; 17; 26:1–5; 28:12–15). “Good” is repeated in verse 10 (below) and to describe the houses the people would build for themselves (Deuteronomy 8:12, not in our printed text). In declaring the work of their own hands “good,” they would risk not appreciating that everything comes from the Lord (compare Daniel 4:28–37). God is not in the habit of giving mediocre gifts (compare John 2:6–10; 3:16; James 1:17), and the place He set apart for the people’s promised home was no exception (Deuteronomy 6:3; 11:9; 26:9; etc.). To forget this was to invite dire consequences.
What Do You Think?
In what ways do you see that God has brought you into a “good land”?
Digging Deeper
How can you be better satisfied with God’s provision?
7b. A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills.
After wandering in a wilderness where water was not easily found (Exodus 17:1; Numbers 20:2–4), abundance of water would seem like an appropriate litmus test for answering the question “Is the land good?” Flowing water from brooks, fountains, and springs ensured that disease wouldn’t flourish in stagnant water.
8–9a. A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it.
The northern portions of Canaan were ideal for fields of wheat and barley. These grains were used to make bread and other food. The southern mountains yielded a more temperate environment that could sustain fig trees, and pomegranates along with olive groves. Some students propose that honey refers to the syrup from fruits rather than to what bees produce.
While this list should not be taken as comprehensive, the elements named illustrate that the people shalt eat bread without scarceness and find nothing lacking in the land (see commentary on Deuteronomy 8:3b, above). This once again reversed the scarcity the Israelites had experienced in the wilderness (see 8:3a, above). The 12 Israelite spies had brought back a report of abundance in the land, coupled with information concerning the people who lived there. When the Israelites disobeyed the Lord and gave in to fear, the first generation out of Egypt was barred from entering the land (Numbers 13:17–14:25).
9b. A land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
Here the focus shifts to materials for crafting tools and weapons. Iron was known during the Bronze Age (about 3300–1200 BC) but not widely used (compare Deuteronomy 3:11). As the Israelites were soon to enter the promised land, the year was about 1406 BC, around 200 years before the beginning of the Iron Age (about 1200–550 BC), when iron’s value would be better appreciated. Brass is an older word for bronze, an alloy of copper and tin. This metal was still widely used as societies were learning how to work with iron.
10. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
God’s provision was meant to teach the people to depend on Him, to live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7; see Deuteronomy 8:3b, above). Such abundance might lure the people into believing they were self-sufficient or that the “gods” who were already worshipped in the land had helped them. The people would labor in the fields and vineyards, but God gave them the good land and then the conditions to benefit from His bounty. The only appropriate response to His provision is always to bless the Lord (“praise” in Judges 5:2).
What Do You Think?
What ordinary blessings do you tend to take for granted?
Digging Deeper
How will your life change when you take time to thank God for all your daily provision?
GRATITUDE AND GREEN THUMBS
I once knew a delighted, delightful gardener. Her yard was a riot of teal lamb’s ear, hollyhock, yellow and white daisies, soft purple columbines, pale catmint, bone white aspen roots, and snow-in-summer. She kept a golden peach tree and an orchard of bright green apple trees. An enormous grapevine scaled the east-facing side of her house. In late fall the vine grew plump clusters of vivid wine-colored grapes that hung down and touched the ground. The garden vibrated with iridescent hummingbirds that shimmered green and pink and silver, fat bumblebees, ladybugs, robins, and great orange monarch butterflies.
I imagine the good land as an alpine garden overflowing with fruit, bursting with color, teeming with life. Just as we are to rely on God in times of trouble, we are also called to praise Him when blessed to sit and eat in a bountiful garden. Give praise today for your own “good land”!
—W. L.
C. The Failure to Avoid (v. 11)
11. Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
Memory is the beginning of obedience (see Deuteronomy 8:2, above). If the people failed to remember, it would be seen in their disobedience to all that God commanded them. The repetition of this command makes clear its importance and even models how to remember.
Too fine a distinction can be made between commandments, judgments, and statutes. When used in quick succession this way, the three are meant to give a sense of the weightiness of all the covenant ordinances Israel had been given to obey. God’s people were responsible not for the pieces they liked or whatever was easy but for the entire law (Deuteronomy 6; Luke 11:42; James 2:10–11).
What Do You Think?
Which of God’s expectations do you most struggle to adhere to on a daily basis?
Digging Deeper
What memory aids can you use to remember God’s commands and seek to keep them?
Conclusion
A. Credit Where Credit Is Due
God has given us words to remember, laws to live by. Our peace depends on remembering what God has commanded and then acting faithfully on that memory (see John 14:21).
Though much has changed between when Israel stood at the boundary of the promised land and the time of the global church, we too are called to remember all that the Lord has done for us. We are not self-sufficient—God has given us all that we have. We must look to Him in times of both need and plenty. Only when we honor and fear Him like this can we call others to the same respect.
And, of course, we bring not only knowledge of God’s law but also the peace of God’s forgiveness through Jesus’ sacrifice. His love has been shown to us; let us show it also to the watching world. Only then will we experience life in our own good land—the world God created—and beyond, in His Heaven.
B. Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for all the ways that You bless us daily. Help us to remember You in hard times and in times of bounty. Show us opportunities to tell the stories of Your faithfulness to everyone we meet. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
The Lord’s faithfulness to us calls for our faithfulness to Him.
KID’S
Benefits of Believing the New Covenant
Sunday, March 27, 2022
Mark 14:17-25 & Hebrews 8:6-13
Mark 14:17-25
(Mark 14:17) When it was evening He came with the twelve.
Knowing He would spend His last Passover with His disciples, earlier that day Jesus sent two of His disciples to make preparations for the feast. A new day began at sundown, so a new day began on the evening Jesus went with His disciples to celebrate the Passover. After they celebrated the Passover, Jesus was arrested, tried, and murdered by the religious leaders.
(Mark 14:18) As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me.”
The Passover celebrated the LORD leading the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt. In Egypt, they ate hastily standing up. As people freed from slavery, the Hebrews ate the Passover slowly and reclined while eating. We need to read the other Gospels for a more complete account of Jesus’ Last Supper. Jesus knew who, how, and when He would be betrayed by one of His disciples (Judas). He announced the fact of His betrayal in advance so His disciples would know that He was not caught by surprise when Judas assisted in His arrest later than evening.
(Mark 14:19) They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?”
With humility, the disciples knew that it was possible for sin and the devil to trick them into doing the despicable evil deed of betraying Jesus. Presumably, they went around the circle each carefully watching and listening to one another to see if the betrayer would be revealed. Perhaps only John knew that Judas was a thief and capable of betraying Jesus for money (see John 12:6).
(Mark 14:20) And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl.
The Gospel of Mark is shorter than the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew reported that Jesus indicated during the feast of Passover that Judas would betray Him (see Matthew 26:25). Matthew, Mark, and Luke indicate that Judas received what we call Communion or the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper with the other disciples, but that commemorative meal did not transform Judas morally or spiritually or deter Judas from betraying Jesus. In his gospel, John gives an extended report of what Jesus said that night.
(Mark 14:21) “For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
Regarding Jesus’ betrayal by one of His disciples, “It was written of him (Jesus)” or prophesied in Psalms 41:9 — “Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.” During Judas’ lifetime, after Jesus was arrested, Judas experienced “woe” almost immediately when with regret he threw his thirty pieces of silver back at the religious leaders and went out and hanged himself. In John 17:12, when Jesus prayed about Judas, He said, “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction (or “perdition” in KJV and NASB), that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” Judas was one of those who heard Jesus preach and who saw Jesus’ miracles, but who rejected the One who did not meet his political or selfish expectations. Truly, it is better to have never been born than to reject Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
(Mark 14:22) While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.”
Jesus used two elements from the Passover meal to institute the Communion Service, the Eucharist, or the Lords’ Supper. God gave the Hebrews bread from heaven (manna) to eat in the wilderness to keep them alive. When we eat the bread during communion, we celebrate the fact that Jesus gave His body as the bread from heaven to make and keep us spiritually alive. Partaking of the Lord’s Supper can remind us that Jesus Christ has freed us (and lives to continually free us) from slavery to sin, death, and the devil; therefore, as His followers we can enjoy a special spiritual personal relationship with Jesus all the time.
(Mark 14:23) And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
Just as bread is used in the Passover feast, so is the fruit of the vine, which most probably was red in color. Following the Passover tradition, Jesus gave a prayer of thanks before giving His disciples the bread to eat or the cup to drink. They used a common cup, and they all drank from it. After they drank, Jesus told them the new significance that He was giving to their drinking the fruit of the vine.
(Mark 14:24) And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.”
Making a covenant required the shedding of blood, as in the case of the LORD’s covenant with Abraham and later with Moses when the LORD gave the Hebrews the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. When Jesus made the New Covenant, He used His shed blood instead of the blood of animals. As part of His covenant, He expected those who drank the fruit of the vine to love Him and obey His Commandments. Because God loves us, Jesus shed His blood so God could justly and mercifully forgive all who would trust in Him as Lord and Savior.
(Mark 14:25) “Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
After Jesus rose from the dead, He would drink again of the fruit of the vine. With these words, Jesus’ disciples would later recognize the fact that even though He shed His blood and died on the cross that He planned to (and did) live again in the kingdom of God after His death on the cross. During His last Passover meal, Jesus fully expected to be raised from the dead and live in a glorified human body that was fully capable of eating and drinking. As King Jesus, Jesus rose from the dead and fully established the kingdom of God in heaven and on earth, where He continues to reign at the right hand of God the Father.
Hebrews 8:6-12
(Hebrews 8:6) But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
Because of Jesus’ sacrificial death in obedience to His heavenly Father and His resurrection from the dead, His Father gave Him a ministry more excellent than that of the Levitical priests under the Old Covenant. Under the New Covenant, Jesus sits at the right hand of God and makes prayers of intercession to His Father for all His followers. Moses was the mediator between God and the Hebrews when through Moses God gave them the Ten Commandments, the feast days, and the priestly rituals, and promised to care for them if they obeyed Him. Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant. Unlike Moses, Jesus is fully God and fully man, and Jesus is the Mediator between His Father and all who will follow Him, whether they are Jews or not. God’s promises to those who will trust in Jesus are far better than the Old Covenant that declared in short, “I will care for you, if you keep my commandments. I will let you suffer the consequences and even discipline you if you disobey the Ten Commandments.”
(Hebrews 8:7) For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.
The first covenant was perfect on God’s part, but it also pointed toward the need for a second covenant that God would make through His Messiah. Because those who lived in the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah refused to obey the LORD and His commandments, the first covenant was not faultless. Furthermore, the first covenant provided only for the forgiveness of ignorant or incidental sins, not forgiveness for the high-handed rebellious sins that took place when a person intentionally broke one of the Ten Commandments as God’s people in Israel and Judea intentionally did. In accordance with God’s promises, the day finally came when Jesus Christ was born to save His people from all their sins (see Matthew 1:21) and establish the second covenant in His blood for the forgiveness of all the sins of His followers.
(Hebrews 8:8) For finding fault with them, He says, “BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH;
Though verses 8 and 9 are not included in the “official uniform lesson series,” in these verses the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews shows that the Prophet Jeremiah foretold that the LORD would establish a new covenant with Israel and Judah (see Jeremiah 31:31-34). Jesus fulfilled the Law and the prophets to rightly become our Lord and Savior.
(Hebrews 8:9) NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.
God gave the moral law, the Ten Commandments, as an objective “written in stone” standard of behavior for all people, and the Hebrews were to obey and teach people of all nations to obey the moral law of God. A consequence of disobeying God was to forfeit God’s protection, care, or concern (as we see from the Old Testament when God’s people consistently broke the moral law of God and God punished them). Ritual performances could not take the place of obeying the moral law of God. When Jesus was tried and crucified the religious leaders were careful about remaining ritually clean while they broke the moral law of God by plotting the arrest, trial, and death of an innocent man, their Messiah. Their performance of religious rituals did not keep them from committing sins or cleanse them from sin.
(Hebrews 8:10) “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 INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
Because Jesus died and rose again from the dead, He is alive and those who trust in Him as Lord and Savior can have a personal relationship with Jesus. He will put His laws into our minds as we read about His life and His laws written in the New Testament. His laws in our minds will make our conscience more effective when we are tempted. As we live our daily lives, He will help us specifically apply His laws when making decisions. Rather than write His laws only in a Book, the Bible, Jesus also writes His laws on our hearts (on our will, or the center of our personal being, that makes real moral choices). Jesus will be our God and we will be His people. To believers in Him, Jesus also gives the Holy Spirit to guide us in this life and help us live as Jesus would have us live in specific day-to-day situations.
(Hebrews 8:11) “AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’ FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.
The followers of Jesus will know the Lord Jesus personally and have a personal knowledge of Jesus (not a “I met him once” type of knowledge); therefore, believers won’t need to say to one another “Know the Lord.” The poorest and the richest, and the least and the greatest in the kingdom of God will know Jesus and be in a loving personal relationship with Him.
(Hebrews 8:12) “FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.”
As the Mediator between God and His people, Jesus is alive and writing the moral law, the law of love, into our thoughts and choices. Jesus knows us and He will be merciful toward us if we sin. Equally important, God the Father and Jesus will not remember our sins. As we love and trust in Jesus, Jesus will enable us to obey our Heavenly Father and His commandments. Jesus died on the cross to make our forgiveness by God justly and mercifully possible and to put us in a right relationship with God. What God said through Jeremiah has come to pass. Because of the redeeming work of Jesus, Jesus and our Heavenly Father will forgive and forget all our sins.
(Hebrews 8:13) When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.
The Old Covenant became obsolete when Jesus established the New Covenant in His blood. The Old Covenant cannot do anything that the New Covenant through faith in Jesus Christ can do for believers. The Old Covenant vanished away when the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. and the temple sacrifices could no longer be made. Now, to receive spiritual transformation and be right with God, we must trust and know Jesus Christ personally as our Lord and Savior.
Benefits of Believing the New Covenant
Sunday, March 27, 2022
Mark 14:17-25 & Hebrews 8:6-13
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Hebrews 8:10).
In the verse above, the writer to the Hebrews quoted what the LORD promised in Jeremiah 31:33. The old covenant could not do what a new covenant promised; therefore, the LORD promised to send a Messiah, a promise the LORD fulfilled through Jesus the Messiah. Indeed, in Hebrews 8:13, the writer referred to the LORD’s promise and declared: “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” In AD 70, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple; then, the old covenant with its ritual sacrifices and Levitical priests vanished. Under the new covenant, those who trust in and follow Jesus the Messiah have God’s laws put into their minds as they learn more about and obey Jesus as revealed in the Bible. Jesus restores their conscience, and the Holy Spirit indwells them and helps them overcome temptations and conformity to this world. Day-by-day they understand the mind of Jesus Christ better as they seek to do what Jesus would do. Jesus also writes the law of God on their hearts, so they love God and others as themselves—as Jesus and the law of God commands. Through Jesus Christ, they know and enjoy a loving and personal relationship with God; therefore, the writer to the Hebrews could write that Jesus’ followers no longer need to say to one another, “Know the Lord,” for they know Him (Hebrews 8:11). — LG Parkhurst Jr.
Word Search
Benefits of Believing the New Covenant
Sunday, March 27, 2022
Mark 14:17-25 & Hebrews 8:6-13
Name ______________________________________
G N I S S E L B D B Q F L Q E
Y D Q U H Q M I G U L S T V S
G K Z C I O P F C T H O L X E
W N H O D P C Y N U Y E O A S
Y D I G I B F A V C W B T D I
H B N N S D N T I T E K P F M
P I G K I E V M V T X S H W O
K M V X V L E Z R H O P E X R
S N Y O M D C A U R Z L N F P
U R C L I Z Y E R E M B O D Y
S O P A U Q K O R A H B T V Z
E X T Y D R W Q L T C R D J B
J E S Q O F T S B I S E P X D
S P K F U A O D F N X A T E A
C Z V L K F H J V G V D S X N
Twelve
Reclining
Eating
Truly
Betray
Sorrowful
Dipping
Bread
Blessing
Body
Blood
Covenant
Kingdom
Mediates
Promises
True and False Test
Benefits of Believing the New Covenant
Sunday, March 27, 2022
Mark 14:17-25 & Hebrews 8:6-13
Name _______________________________________
Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.
1. At His Last Supper, Jesus had no idea who was going to betray Him. True or False
2. At the table, John and Peter both told Jesus that Judas was most likely the one who would betray Him, because He was a thief who stole from the common purse the disciples used. True or False
3. Jesus said that it would have been better for the man who betrayed Him if he had not been born. True or False
4. When making His covenant, Jesus used bread and the fruit of the vine to represent His body and blood. True or False
5. Jesus indicated that He would rise from the dead when He said He would drink the fruit of the vine new in the kingdom of God. True or False
6. Jesus’ covenant is better than the old covenant because His covenant is enacted on better promises. True or False
7. The first covenant was perfect, so there was really no need for a new covenant. True or False
8. The Book of Hebrews quotes Jeremiah who predicted that the new
covenant would be with Jews and Samaritans. True or False
9. Jesus has put the laws of God into the minds of His followers and has also written them on their hearts. True or False
10. Though God remembers our sins forever, He will be merciful toward
our iniquities. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- False
- True
- True
- True
- True
- False
- False
- True
- False
Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for all the ways that You bless us daily. Help us to remember You in hard times and in times of bounty. Show us opportunities to tell the stories of Your faithfulness to everyone we meet. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.