Hebrews 8:12–13: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

July 29th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Our English word obsolete means “no longer in use because it is replaced by something new and better.” This is another important verse that clearly confirms that the old covenant law is now obsolete and should demolish any argument that says otherwise, which so many still in this 21st century try to defend. The Holy Spirit says that the new covenant, New Testament, new agreement between God and humanity has made the law of Moses obsolete. This is true for believers today no matter what their genetic heritage. We are speaking to those who may have a Jewish heritage and have become believers in Jesus as Messiah, but are also trying to keep the law. The Mosaic Law is “obsolete” for everyone, for Hebrews, for Gentiles, no matter whether your skin is black, white, red, or yellow.

Obsolete means “no longer in use” and “ready to vanish away,” and it is in the present tense here. Why isn’t it past tense, “has become obsolete and has already vanished?” Because when this book was written, the temple was still standing in Jerusalem, and Jewish priests were still preparing daily sacrifices on the Temple Mount. That fact makes this Scripture, written before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, a startling prophecy.

Is the Bible reliable, trustworthy, and relevant today? Any reasonably intelligent person can personally visit the countless archeological sites that have provided physical evidence confirming the Bible over and over. Any honest person can read biographies of the lives of gifted scientists, physicist, biologists, chemists, and mathematicians, who have trusted in the new covenant and found a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And above all, a transformed life is the tangible argument for the reliability and truthfulness of the Bible. For the brilliant mathematician Blasé Pascal, it came in a moment of inspiration. He wrote down his revelation and kept it sewn in his coat pocket. It was found after his death and is called Pascal’s Memorial:

Memorial. In the year of grace, 1654, on Monday, 23rd of November . . . From about half past ten in the evening until about half past twelve. Fire! God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, Not of the philosophers and scholars. Certitude. Certitude. Feeling. Joy. Peace. God of Jesus Christ. “Thy God and my God.” Forgetfulness of the world and of everything, except God. He is to be found only in the ways taught in the Gospel. Greatness of the Human Soul. “Righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee, But I have known Thee.

“LORD, we trust in You and You alone for the righteousness that You give to us this day.”