Before a New Covenant, the Old One Must End

You cannot be in two at once, so the previous one must conclude — and you must ensure the covenant has been fully resolved mentally, physically, and legally. The old is released. For good.

The thirteen chapters of Hebrews describe the uniqueness of the covenant Jesus brought. They crystallise the supremacy of Jesus' high priesthood over earthly, human priests. They illuminate the truth of His perfect sacrifice on the cross, in the true temple before the face of God, having borne the judgement on our behalf. He is in the Holy of Holies eternally, interceding without ceasing for His faithful followers. No shepherd on earth is capable of this.

If the first covenant had succeeded, a second would not have been needed. But in this golden age of divorce, we know that things do not always go according to the agreement. Sometimes the partnership proves challenging, and it becomes difficult to remain faithful and trustworthy. Despite constant forgiveness and morsels of grace, the unfaithfulness repeats — the endless breaking of promises, the humiliation of adultery, the disrespectful treatment — until finally the covenant comes to an end. Everyone's patience has a limit, and it is only right to expect more.

A covenant with the manipulative world always ends in catastrophe, for the world is interested in only one thing: destroying the covenant between God and humanity. Jesus is, for all creation, what we ourselves as sinners cannot be — the Way, the Truth, and the Life into the Kingdom of God. He is the mediator without whom there is no covenant with God.

He is the Firstborn, whose descent into flesh and blood perfected the law and the covenant. There are no merits, deeds, achievements, sacrificial offerings, or rituals that could open the gate of heaven to the only living God. The key is Jesus, whose love and faithfulness are beyond comparison.

Our repeated harlotry with the idols of this world has been painted as harmless fun, and immorality rebranded as a synonym for tolerance. Utter mockery of God. Desecration of the covenant.

Even if the third world war were to begin tomorrow, the only covenant whose collapse should concern us is the one with our Lord — without whom the war against Satan is lost, and hell takes on an entirely new meaning.