A Tiny Word With Huge Meaning

I almost missed it. This morning I was making note of the words that are used the most in Hebrews 8. I noticed only four (other than articles, conjunctions, and other minor words) that were used more than two times: covenant, priest, Lord, and offer. I couldn't see a major theme shouting out to me as I had in other chapters. Then I saw it in verse 10. Will!

I backtracked and noticed nine "wills" (or "shalls") in all from verses 8-12:

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:

I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,'
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more."

These verses show us ten wonderful things that God will do:

1. Establish a covenant.
2. Make a covenant.
3. Put his laws into our minds.
4. Write his laws on our hearts.
5. Be our God.
6. Make us his people.
7. Make us understand it is not human teaching (verse 10 and Matthew 16:17)
8. Make us to know him.
9. Be merciful toward our iniquities.
10. Remember our sins no more.

Our relationship with God is based on all these things that he will do for us and in us.

If we want these things, we can ask him to do them, and we can trust that he will!