<p>8:13- see on Ps. 102:26.</p><p><i>In that He said: A new covenant, He has made the first redundant. Now what is becoming redundant and growing old is ready to vanish away</i>- The very concept of a new covenant means that an old covenant has been &quot;made redundant&quot;. There is now no purpose in attempting to keep the Mosaic law, because it achieves nothing. The old covenant was &quot;ready to vanish away&quot; in that the temple was soon to be destroyed; but there is also perhaps a reference here to how by grace, God allowed there to be a changeover period. He recognized the deep conservatism within human nature, and allowed this changeover period during which the old covenant 'became redundant'; even though it was replaced by the new covenant when the Lord's blood was shed to confirm that new covenant and bring it into operation. As soon as the new covenant was in operation, the previous covenant became 'old'. That happened in a moment, and yet Paul generously says that it is becoming or growing old, as if a process is in view. Likewise in 1:11, the same word used here for &quot;becoming redundant&quot; is applied to how the 'heavens' of the Jewish system were 'becoming old'. And yet the Lord had clearly warned of how the old and new wine cannot be mixed or confused and they are mutually exclusive. The allowance of a changeover period was by grace alone, and it could be argued that the Hebrew had abused it and were turning back to the &quot;old&quot; rather than progressively forsaking it as intended.</p>