¹⁶ For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. ¹⁷ For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.

The Greek word behind “covenant” can mean an agreement between two parties. But, it also “denotes something like an authoritative laying down of what is to be done and is the normal word for a last will and testament” (Leon Morris, Expositor’s Bible Commentary). That is the sense used in our passage. God unilaterally lays down its terms, just like a person writes out his own last will and testament. The covenant is binding, does not actually go into effect until the person dies, whose last will and testament it is.

Although there might be debate about the meaning of the terms included in the covenant, no one can argue with the terms themselves. The word “valid” is a legal term and is used to convey the concept of unalterableness, as seen in Hebrews 2:2, “For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty …” and of steadfastness of our hope in Christ, in Hebrews 6:19, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast …” The word “in force” also is a legal term used in last wills and testaments of the ancient world. Together we see that the death of Christ is spoken of in legal terms as bringing into effect that which was determined before hand and was only effective once He died.

Now why God has chosen such a picture for, or for that matter this sequence of events (two covenants), is bound up in His overall plan to show His glory through the history of His creation. Humans created in His image were given the first covenant or agreement that took effect on Mt. Sinai and was ratified by the people to whom it was given. They agreed to it, and it had provisions for blessings and cursings, depending upon whether the people kept the Law of the Covenant. But a second covenant was pre-determined and ready to go into effect once the death of the testator occurred. In this case, the testator was the Lord Jesus Christ. It is His “last will and testament.” This reveals us humans in our failure to be “like God” and God in His glory blessing us.

We have a number of images coming together now. Christ as High Priest, presenting Himself as the perfect sacrifice, His blood being proof of death, thereby enacting the terms of His last will and testament. And it is therein that we find our inheritance which is promised us and is eternal (vs. 15). God wonderfully uses human conventions to show us His glory and grace!

Lord, I look forward to the inheritance in heaven that I am beginning to enjoy now. And the fact that it is eternal, gives me great peace and security!