Thursday: The New Covenant
Jeremiah 31:31-33
These passages are the first time the Old Testament mentions what is referred to as the “new covenant.” It is lodged in the context of Israel’s return from exile, and it talks about the blessings they will receive from God. Again, as in all the others, it is God who initiates the covenant, and it is God who will fulfill it by His grace.
Image © Consualo Udave at Goodsalt.com
Notice, also, the language there. God referred to Himself as a husband to them; He talked about writing His law within their hearts; and using language from the Abrahamic covenant, He says He will be their God, and they will be His people. Thus, as before, the covenant is not just some legal-binding agreement, as in courts of law today, but it deals with something more.
Read Jeremiah 31:33. Compare it with Exodus 6:7, which details part of the covenant made with Israel. Again, what’s the key element that comes through here? What does God want with His people?
Read Jeremiah 31:34. Compare what is being said there to John 17:3. What is the key thing that the Lord does that builds the foundation for this relationship?
In Jeremiah 31:31-34, one can see the elements of both grace and obedience, just as in the earlier covenants, as well. God will forgive their sins, God will enter into a relationship with them, and God will bestow His grace in their lives. As a result, the people simply obey Him; not in some rote, mechanical way but purely because they know Him, because they love Him, and because they want to serve Him. This captures the essence of the covenant relationship the Lord seeks with His people.
| How do you understand this idea of the law being written in our hearts? Does it imply that the law becomes subjective and personal, something to be interpreted and applied according to the individual configurations of our hearts? Or does it mean something else? If so, what? |
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In reading the Scriptures for this lesson, it is evident that the "new covenant" is, indeed, a promise, not unlike the promise in Eden, the promise to Abraham, the promise to Jacob and the promise to David. This is the "everlasting covenant" restated for the people of Jeremiah's time. It makes clear that God wants to be *with* His people - just like when He asked them to build a sanctuary, so He might live among them. Over and over the Bible tells us that God yearns to be close to us.
Do we yearn to be close to Him?
We need to give serious thought about what the law written in our hearts implies. What does it mean to you? What change naturally follows from having the law written in our hearts?
But why did God say that this covenant was different from the covenant at Sinai? After all, it is clearly based on the same law. Does Hebrews 8:6 offer a clue?
Yes Inge, and perhaps we should consider WHO God was making the "old" covenant with? This was a generation that would not "enter into His Rest", with exception of two who left Egypt and ended up in Canaan from that first generation of adults.
As I currently understand: the covenant, beginning with Adam and Eve, was given "fresh" to every successive generation, such as to Abraham and then Isaac(see Gen 26:1-5). When God gave His covenant to Israel as a nation (just after delivering them from bondage, thirst, hunger, death, etc), the nation as a whole was without faith, complaining every step of the way to God's Holy mountain. He had given them and Pharaoh most wonderful demonstrations of HIS power and intentions for them as His people, but they turned against Him at every new "obstacle". What further promises could He make that they would accept after rejecting every demonstration of HIS power on THEIR behalf up to that point? They witnessed more than promises, and yet did not believe. God knew each heart(still does) and gave them only what they would understand due to their great unbelief. Similar to Jesus' day, when denouncing those cities in which His power and glory had been displayed which only resulted in their unbelief and rejection of Messiah.
God gave the covenant to Israel at Sinai according to their (lack of) faith, which has become a valuable lesson for every generation since that time. All of this is for "our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come"(1 Cor 10:11).
I would add that Paul includes the differences of the former covenant being in type, and the latter as the fulfillment. It is no longer "Aaron" offering the blood of lambs/goats/etc, but the Lamb of God Himself offering His blood as our high priest, as promised(Gen 3:15).
Inge, could it be the “same Law”? God is putting “My Law(s)” into minds and hearts. That’s solely God’s very Righteousness, which is “apart” from Law (Rom 3:21,22). These sons and daughters come to a personal knowledge of God through the Holy Spirit’s dwelling in them pouring out the Love of God throughout their hearts (Rom 5:5). I think that’s the writing of “My Law” in their hearts. The administration of the New Covenant by the Spirit is called the Ministry of Life, and Righteousness. That of the Old Covenant under Law is called the Ministry of Death, and Condemnation (2 Cor 3:6-11)
Scripture states that the Law was not made for the righteous but was addressed to murderers, thieves etc.(1 Tim 1:8-11), for those who are in the flesh, the unregenerate. It’s purpose was to bring us to the knowledge of ourselves as sinners, rebels in need of redemption, salvation (Gal 3:19-27; Rom 4:15; 5:13,20; 7:7-13). “... For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.” (Gal 3:21). The law testifies of the Righteousness of God. Christ is the Righteousness of God (Isa 46;12,13; 51:4,5; 56:1). The righteousness of Law is “our righteousness” if we perfectly obey the Law (Dt 6:25; Phil 3:6; Rom 9:31; 10:3). Since the Kingdom of God is exclusively about the Righteousness of God, the righteousness of Law (our righteousness) has no place there. It must be given up in order to gain God’s Righteousness which comes through faith in Christ (Phil 3:2-11).
Gal 3-5 detail the significance of being under Law and the consequence of seeking to be justified by Law before God.
Jer 31:32 There had to be a 2nd Covenant because Israel broke the 1st Covenant even though the LORD was a husband to them. It is like there was a marriage, then a divorce, then re-marriage.
I would like to review the DNA of the 2nd Covenant to get it fixed in my mind:
Jer 31:33-34 KJV But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD,
1) Sanctification: I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;
2) Reconciliation: I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
3) Mission: And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD:
4) Justification: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
What does it mean to have the law in our hearts? I believe (from below texts) the LORD wants to change our character to be like His, He is offering to transform us into His image, so all our thoughts, intentions and actions will be based on His Principles of Life.
Rom 8:29; 2Cor 3:18; Rom 12:2; 1Peter 1:15; Matt 5:48
Shirley, is the "new covenant" really more recent than the "old covenant"?
It seems to me that the "new covenant" is the everlasting covenant first intimated in Eden and renewed to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David. Thus the "new covenant" is the more ancient. So why is the Sinaitic covenant "old"?
I think the answer may lie in the fact that it was the first covenant given to Israel as a "nation." They took it upon themselves to do all the Lord had said, (Heb 8:6) without really giving Him their hearts. (See Deut 5:29)
When Israel broke the covenant in which they had presumptuously promised to obey all that the Lord had said, they were ready to see their need of a Savior. It was then that the Lord introduced the sanctuary services which formalized the offerings that had begun at the gate of Eden to point forward to Christ the Sin Bearer and Messiah to come.
Yes, Inge, I agree.
For years I was puzzled by the how. Then I discovered Ephesians 2:8-10. I believe it belongs in the list of texts you quote. When we commit ourselves to Christ, we become God's workmanship. Nothing for me to boast about.
I authorize a heart transplant and God works the miracle of grace. Then the rest that Hebrews promises is not only possible, but becomes a reality. What a Savior.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Ps 1:2
The New Covenant
How do you understand this idea of the law being written in our hearts?
I woke up with these words repeating them over and over this morning- Ps 1:1-2 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly. This Psalm opens up the entire 150 Psalms. It sets a contrast between two sets of people. Those who are good according to the bible standard and those who are evil according to the bible standard. The good people follows the council of Jesus, the evil ones follow the councils of Satan.
In the new covenant the good people have the Lord councils written in their hearts. They are not just church goers, not just favor families and friends but they also project the love of Jesus in their hearts to everyone they meet. Their love is unconditional and have no boundaries for others because we are all God's people. When dealing with others they remember what the laws says because it is written in their hearts. The ten commandments- to love the Lord with all their hearts and their neighbors as themselves.
Recently I saw a child walking alone in the desert and was rescued by border patrols. He was asking for help because he was afraid someone capture/kidnap him. I began to cry because as a mother you see your children in such a situation and the love in you go out to others in dire situations.
Many times people says evil things to me or about me, or group up and say things that does not go with my character. I know but does not even let it bother me because when you are praying everyday to have the mind of Christ the grip of Satan gradually loose its power on you. You start seeing things differently and behaving differently. A change character is what the Lord wants for his people.
The question concerning the law being written in our hearts is to me a very important one. My answer determines how I relate to God.
I believe accepting the ‘new covenant’ means I allow God to do what He loves to do for His children. Through love He recreates me in such a way that my relationship with Him resembles an untainted marriage. I know Him. I trust Him enough to allow Him to create in me a love for the same values, desires and purpose that He has. All that He is I love. All that He gives I receive and all that I am, I give to Him, withholding nothing. What He tells me, I believe and do what He asks in His strength.
There’s no room for legalistic rituals. I don’t approach Him with rote memorized prayers in this committed relationship but I bring myself as I am. There’s no need to appease Him with self inflicted suffering. There’s no need to reject Him to pursue selfish entitlement.
God and I are in agreement to His glory. My heart, mind and body are committed to Him. Every need I have is satisfied in Him.
What was God's covenant or was it a promise to Adam and Eve? How is that different from the covenant with Abraham, David, Jacob?
The two sentences begin similarly.."I will put." and "I will write". The first one was Divine intervention in that enmity was put between seeds. The second was to write the law. Another instance of Divine intervention. Both enmity and the law are placed in of the heart. In either case without Divine intervention we would be helpless in the hands of evil. We look forward to the time when we will keep God's law without effort or negative interference.
I am really happy with what I have discovered so far in my studies about the Covenants. The questions - “What’s the key element that comes through here? What does God want with His people”?, I believe are very important for us to fully understand and know the answers to.
As I understand it, all of our heavenly Father’s efforts lead to the establishment of His heavenly kingdom here on earth for His Family to live in which then continues to live in the kingdom to come.
In retrospect, I see our Father’s Covenant with Abram from Ur, impressing him to leave his homeland and leading him to the land of Canaan, as the beginning of the work culminating in the last Covenant with man in/by His Son, our Savior and Christ, Jesus.
Each successive Covenant being formed was based on the progress made by the people living with their God under their Covenant. Now the time had come for the LORD to introduce Himself again; for now He wanted to be known by His people as their heavenly Father. I can see Him moving away more and more from being known as their Judge and LORD to becoming the Father who admonishes His children to love Him with all their heart and so follow His guidance willingly from their heart motivated by His Love and responded to by our gratitude.
Jer.31:31-34KJV – God’s promise to write His Law into our hearts and minds will make all the difference in the world to those who desire to follow Him, to change their ways and so live peaceably with their neighbor and so have peace in their heart with their heavenly Father.
I believe that our Father's Love meets His children at all types of different cross roads in life. Whatever it is that needs to be healed, corrected, clarified, enhanced, encouraged, whatever it takes, the Father will provide it as we walk by faith the path of Christ’s Righteousness which He demonstrated with His Life.