Hebrews 8:12a
"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,…"
Even though they’ve been a wicked and an ungodly nation. You go back to the Old Testament and you wonder how God ever put up with them. And never forget the vast majority then, as now, even though they were ‘religious' in form, they didn’t have saving trust.
And I’m always going back to Elijah when he confronted the prophets of Baal and Jezebel. It is here that I must say that they exemplify all that is nothing but the selfishness of mans fallen nature, bestial. That’s probably the clearest explanation of the spiritual level of Israel. Though they knew God they did not exemplify Him by word or deed. And here most of the Hebrews had fallen down and worshiped Jezebel’s god, Baal. And you know the story, and when Elijah confronted them and the fire from Heaven lapped up all the water that Elijah had put on his sacrifices and God instructed him to kill the prophets of Baal, which he did. But then he got the message from ole Jezebel, "that tomorrow at this time he’ll be as dead as my priests of Baal are."
And old Elijah did what? He ran and he ran and I like to make it graphic. He was more than a marathon runner. He was triple that. And he ran all the way to the Negev. That’s a good hundred miles. And then he gets down under a juniper tree and I would imagine that he's all pooped out. Scared to beyond death. And what’s he say? "Lord, take my life, I’m the last one left in Israel. Take me and forget about the nation." And what was God’s answer, "Elijah, 'I have seven thousand that have not bowed their knee to Baal.'"
And we think, well that’s a pretty good chunk of people - seven thousand. But out of an average population of 7 million, 7,000 is one tenth of one percent. Even in Israel, that’s all that were remaining true to Yhovah. Well, it’s never been much different. At the time of the flood it was less than that. There were just eight. And I feel there were four billion people on the earth at the time of the flood. Eight people. That’s all. Noah and Methuselah were given 120 years to preach repentance to the inhabitants of the earth. But they refused.
And now another graphic illustration. When you get into Acts chapter 1, after the Lord has been ministering to the Hebrews, up and down the dusty roads of the little nation and they come together in the upper room, how many were there? A hundred and twenty. Now I have to feel that that was most, if not all, of the TRUE believers in Israel concerning Christ. A hundred and twenty after three years of His miracles and His ministry. Then we wonder why people don’t listen to us more? Or believe as we do.
It’s always been that way. We can never expect much from the multitudes, at least I don’t. That’s why I’m tickled if people say we’re going to get twenty people together, will you come? Sure I’ll go! Because I’d rather have twenty true believers who are really concerned as to have a whole stadium full that want to be entertained. But you see, it’s always been that way. God has always had to settle for that tiny remnant. Alright let’s look at verses 12 and 13.
Hebrews 8:12
"For (God says,) I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."
We have to stop and think. Can you and I forget something that has happened in the past? Not very likely. Not if it’s made an imprint on us. We can try our best but you cannot forget it, it’s there. And as you go through life something will just trigger it and there it’s back.
But what about God? He can. See, God can forget. And that’s the precious promise that when He forgives, He forgets. He doesn’t throw up our past. Oh, Our own memory will, but God won’t. And always remember that God doesn’t hold (I don’t care how black the past) that was against us. He has forgotten it. Well, He did the same thing with the Hebrews. And so then verse 13.
Hebrews 8:13
"In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."
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