“But now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6 NET).
A covenantal agreement may seem unfamiliar to modern-day audiences. Nevertheless, a covenant is not unlike certain other kinds of contractual arrangements in certain respects. For instance, a covenant resembles a modern-day contract in the sense that it identifies the responsibilities of those who enter it. And like many other types of contractual arrangements, a covenant often contains a list of penalties to be assessed against those who fail to fulfill its terms.
However, a covenant differs from other types of agreements in one important respect: the terms of a covenant are non-negotiable. In other words, the language contained within a covenant cannot be changed or revised to suit the desires of one party. Instead, a covenant must be accepted or rejected in its entirety without amendment. In the case of a Biblical covenant, God always initiates the terms.
While the covenant that God made with the people of Israel in Exodus 19:3-8 is in view here in Hebrews chapter eight, we should also note that God established several other covenantal agreements within the pages of the Scriptures. God instituted the first of those covenants with the very first human being…
“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die'” (Genesis 2:16-17).
God also entered into a covenant with Noah as detailed in Genesis 9:11: “Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” Some time later, God initiated another famous covenant with the Old Testament patriarch Abraham, a covenant that was later renewed with his son and grandson…
“Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be'” (Genesis 15:5).
In a modern-day setting, we can look to the sacred vows of a matrimonial relationship to illustrate the idea of a covenant. In addition, certain types of treaties offer contemporary examples of covenantal arrangements. This background information will prove valuable, as the concept of a covenantal agreement will become a focus of greater attention as we continue through chapters eight and nine of the epistle to the Hebrews.