Riff's Christian Journal

April 28, 2026

Hebrews 8:7 KJV

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

It would be easy to say that the first (Old Covenant) was a failure because it was based on the will of man, but I believe scripture explains what happened better than my simple words would say. The sad thing is that many Christians do not know nor understand “Why” there was a need for a New Covenant. Scripture speaks about it quite well.

Read these verses from the letter to the Hebrews; author unknown.

Hebrews 8:8-13 KJV

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 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 in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A New Covenant, he hath made the first obsolete. Now that which Is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The Old Covenant was written on tablets of stone and depended on the will of man in being obedient to them. However, man (Israel” failed in their obedience and God disregarded them.. The New Covenant is written into our heart and placed into our mind, and is depended on the will of God.

This action of God made the Old Covenant obsolete and was allowed to vanish away, because of man’s failure of his own will in being obedient to the Covenant.

Now, as for the Israel, of whom God spoke, these verses from Romans 9 will explain who is this Israel.

Romans 9:6-8 KJV

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

So, who are the children of the promise that has become the Israel of Romans 9 and Hebrews 8? One simple verse from Galatians 4 explains quite simply.

Galatians 4:28 KJV

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

You see, the true Israel of God are us, the children (Christian’s) of God. We are the true Israel upon whose hearts are written the Law by God Himself. He saves us, teaches and guides us by working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure, and keeps us saved for eternity.

The Old Covenant, based on man’s will to be obedient, was a failure. The New Covenant, based on God’s will, succeeds in doing what man could never do.

For by the Grace of God are we saved and kept saved. If it were not for this New Covenant about the Gospel of Grace based on the will of God, not by man’s will, and established by Jesus, no one would be saved. Thank God He does.

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