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Creating
a New Covenant
INTRODUCTION
Our
lesson today is a part of what one scholar calls The Little Book of
Comfort, which consists of chapters thirty through thirty three in the
book of Jeremiah. It is set
inside the fifty two chapters of the book, which otherwise deals with the
horrible iniquity and degeneration of the chosen people of God and the
affliction determined on them by God. Jeremiah
certainly dealt with unpleasant matters and more affliction than comfort.
His ministry was not a pleasant one, for he was called by God to
spend over forty one years of his life being extremely critical of the
morality of the religious leadership, from which class he came, the
morality and point of view of the educated people and power brokers, and
the twisted domestic and incredibly stupid foreign policies of his
government. Everyone,
friends, relatives, the public, the government, the religious leaders,
resisted him and his message and the government labelled him a traitor
with a treasonous message. His
life was full of pain and suffering and he was so lonely, that he cursed
his birth, and sometimes resented the terrible burden that Jehovah had
placed on him. His was
substantially a message of doom. But he did point to the light at the end of the tunnel, a
light that was guaranteed by God. THE IMPORTANCE OF LAW
Among
those who proclaim belief in Christ, we find much ambivalence about the
law of God, and many even go so far as the state that they are “dead to
the law”. This attitude reflects the general position in our culture,
that ever person has a right to determine what is right and what is wrong
for themselves. It is felt
that any other position represents a menace to civilization. But
when we reject the biblical commandments, which are essential for our
existence, we have lost the way to diagnose our problems and way to find
the cure.
Let us therefore understand a few things about
the Law of God. First,
God created us in his image and likeness, and revealed to us what he is
like, what we are like, and how we should behave .
The Law of God therefore is like an owner's manual, and provides
the plumb line that we need. It
shows us what we have to do to be truly joyful and happy.
Understanding it transforms us, changes our attitude, and shows us
how we are to live to achieve what God intended.
It therefore shows the full extent of the boundaries, so that when
we cross over the line, we immediately know to retreat and return to favor
with God. Next,
obedience to the commands of God establishes us and makes a redeemed
community. It is the wonderful grace of God that redeemed us, freeing us from slavery, and when we keep the Law of God, we acknowledge that it is God's grace that saved us, that we belong to him and to each other, and that it is not our strength, ability, and might that had saved us. We are his and therefore we do what he says. (see
Deuteronomy 4:32-40). Note
that since God has redeemed us we have a new character, and because of
that, we agree to live as he directs.
As we continue to obey him, we are changed and are continually
being transformed into his image by the work of the Holy Spirit. We
then can be described as a tree planted by the stream of water.
We constantly receive nutrition from God and are fruitful, becoming
what God intended us to be. Psalm
1 distinguishes the man of God who delights in and loves the Law of God,
marking him out from the wicked, who does not care about God or the
commandments of God. Those
who love God, believers, are different from the wicked. They
delight in the Law of God and have a deep and abiding inward appreciation
of the Law. God therefore can live with them in the Light. This
introduces us to the next value of the Law which Jeremiah discusses in our
lesson today. This is where God graciously promised to change us, so that
the Law is written on our hearts, and righteousness comes from the inside.
We love God more effectively since we are more sensitive to the
Holy Spirit. The
Law had begun on the outside but is now on the inside.
We can therefore be described as new creatures, because we have
experienced the ‘New Birth’. It is
important to be mindful of the context of all this, for many of us forget
that and rewrite the Bible to suit themselves.
Gentiles, probably because of their large numbers in the church of
God, and likely because of the influence of the devil, though they are
called by God and have access to his revelation, in Scripture, tend to
develop a strange kind of pride.
The Apostle Paul, speaking in line with the
teachings of the Messiah addresses this matter in Romans 9 and 11.
In Romans 9, when discussing the disobedience of his people and
their special privileges, he states:: “
Who are the Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory,
and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and
the promises; Whose
are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is
over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” In
Roman 11 he warns Gentile the punishment of Israel will last for only a
limited period of time, so that Gentiles will have a time to enter into
the covenant. “
I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall?
God forbid: but
rather through their fall salvation is, unto the Gentiles, for to provoke
them to jealousy…(verse 11) And
if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree,
wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and
fatness of the olive tree; Boast
not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root,
but the root thee… (verses 17-18)…. For
if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not
thee…(verse 21) For
I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this ministry, lest
ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened
to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And
so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of
Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For
this is my covenant on to them, when I shall take away their sins.
(verses 25-27)… For
God have concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon
all. (verse 32)” The
new covenant that we now look at, flows out of the previous covenants, and
actually forms a part of the covenants spoken of in Genesis 3 and made
clear in Genesis 12. Jesus,
the promised Jewish Messiah, could therefore say rightly in Matthew
5:17-19; “
Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the prophets: I am not come
to destroy, but to fulfill. For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle
shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever
therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men
so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever
shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of
heaven.” Recognize
therefore that believers are to obey God and keep his covenant as stated
in Exodus 19:5. The
commandments of God are shown in the Torah and in all the written
Scriptures. They are the special revelation of God. The
covenant is the contractual agreement to obey the Scriptures and it is not
the Scripture itself. The
Scriptures contain the commandments that are to be obeyed, and teach us
that there are clear and unmistakable covenants under which we can rest
without fear. Jeremiah
could therefore tell Israel and those to whom God has shown mercy (Romans
12:32-36), that God will place his Commandments or Torah in them, writing
it upon their heart. This is
the new promise or covenant. The
nation of Judah and Israel knew that they were a covenant nation, and we
who believe in Jesus Christ know that we are covenant people. The
covenants are not just about privilege.
God is committed to take good care of us even when we misbehave.
But we cannot mock and trample on the sacred covenants by refusing
to please God and by not being a model and a light to humanity. THE
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Our
lesson is set following the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah and the son
of Josiah. This was a weak, vain, and godless king.
Jeremiah warned him that the nation would be destroyed if it did
not repent. Jeremiah
was then impeached for treason and put on trial by the religious and
secular authorities of the nation, which included the priests and
prophets. But though faced
with this very serious charge, the courageous Jeremiah did not deviate
from his position, and warned the high officials at the trial again, that
they should amend their ways and their doings, so that God would not carry
all the evil that he had pronounced against them. He did not fear what they could do to him. He faithfully
communicated to them what God intended to do. (Jeremiah 26:10-24). About
ten years after we find the last king of Judah, Zedekiah, on the throne.
He had been put there as a vassal king by Nebuchadnezzar.
He had been put on the throne to serve the interests of Babylon. By
this time Daniel and much of the elite had been taken captive to Babylon.
The evil king Jeconiah, the Queen, the eunuchs , the princes of Judah and
Jerusalem, the carpenters, the smiths, and skilled trades-people, as well
as the best military minds were taken into captivity. Judah was firmly
placed under the control of Babylon. Still
the iniquitous and rebellious leadership had not learned their lesson.
They were determined not to listen to God and his prophet. False
prophets now challenged Jeremiah directly, proclaiming optimistic
messages, that within two years God would bring back the king and exiles
from captivity in Babylon and re-establish Judah as a nation.
The yoke of Babylon would be broken. This
false prophet spoke in the Temple, spreading confusion among the people,
claiming that God had given him a contradictory message to that of
Jeremiah. This
false prophet even emphasized his false prophecy by the dramatic action of
taking a wooden yoke from around Jeremiah's neck and breaking it in two,
affirming that God would similarly break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Jeremiah
simply told them that he wished that Judah would be freed within two years
but unfortunately he Jeremiah was telling the truth.
God would never lie. Jeremiah
then prophesied that God would show that Hananiah was a false prophet who
made the people trust in a lie, by making him die in that very year for
his rebellion. Hananiah died in the seventh month of that year. (28:17) Jeremiah
then wrote to the exiles in Babylon who had been similarly troubled by
false prophets, and advise them that they would be in Babylon for a
long-time. They should settle
down, accept the situation, make the best of it, even pray for Babylon and
seek the welfare of Babylon. They should stop listening to the lies of the false prophets
among them and wait for God to do his work of redemption. We
note that in times of great uncertainty people often do not know what to
believe. Everybody has an
opinion. Some want to trust
the leading of their own heart, others will trust the opinions of those
who want power, while still others will follow the opinion of those who
they know deep down, do not wish them well.
They will trust every opinion that they hear for they suffer from
itching ears. History
has recorded the many solutions and many errors that have misled people. Just
remember that we really need the facts, and God is the only one who knows
the facts, knows what is happening, and can point the way of salvation. In
these days of confusion and uncertainty we ought to make sure we listen to
the voice of God. Make sure we do not listen to the voices of the occult, or to
the voices of the false prophets, who are telling us that their visions
are coming from God. Do not
listen to the voices of the secular world that tell us that we should not
follow the ways of the Bible. God
rules in the affairs of men. Listen to the laws of God. In our
lesson text Jeremiah forcefully and insistently trumpets, that because
they are a covenant people, there is hope and certainty of salvation and
that freedom will come in the midst of their deepest despair and distress. When your oppression will be great, and your afflictions cause you to repent your disobedience and also when the seventy years of your captivity will be expired, (2Ch 36:22; Ezr 1:1; Jer 25:12; Dan 9:2). THE
TEXT
Jeremiah
29
Verse
10. The covenant with God
remains in full force. The sovereign potter is now remoulding the clay.
This is an unpleasant process for the clay. The
problem that the four thousand plus exiles in Babylon had, was just as bad
as the problem with those in Judah. Satan had his false prophets in Judah,
and he had his false prophets among the exiles.
The ever faithful and concerned Jeremiah heard of this and wrote a
letter with the message that they will be there in Babylon for quite a
while. In this letter to those captive in Babylon, Jeremiah continued to wrestle with the influence that the false prophets had over the people. The fact that the false prophets were among the captives and that their prophecies were clearly and completely untenable, may lead one to reasonably or logically conclude that the people would certainly reject the false prophets. However Jeremiah’s continued warning indicated that the people were still susceptible to their deception. “For
so says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and
your fortune-tellers in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams
which you dream. For
they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says
Jehovah.”
Jer 29:8-9. This
is a peculiar, but not uncommon situation.
The people have reached a crossroad and they had to make a
decision, to either follow the truth of the word of God or the lying lips
of the false prophets, who said they would never be captives. It may
seem that when people are in an emotionally depressed state, they are more
likely to be deceived, making decisions based of their circumstances or
desires, rather than the word of God. But
note that these people have had warnings from Moses about the consequences
of their behaviour and how God would react, as well as extremely specific
warnings from the prophet Isaiah about their coming time of trouble. The
prophetess Huldah had pointedly told king Josiah about God's intentions,
and about the future of the nation. Can
any believer in the covenant be excused on any grounds when the prophetic
witness is so clear? Just
maybe there is a lesson here for us! Let us
remember what Jeremiah had just said –( verses 4-7), your captivity is
the Lord’s doing, the Babylonians are merely God instrument of
judgement. Here is my advice
to you; build new homes, farm the land, marry and have children; and pray
that Babylon be at peace with its neighbours. It would certainly be
detrimental for the captives if Babylon was at war with another nation. Of
course all this point to the fact they were going to be in Babylon for
quite some time. This would mean that many of them would not live to see their
beloved homeland again. This
was a highly emotional issue and their desire to be free led them to
follow the dictates of the fleshly desires, and go along with false
prophets again, who were now predicting deliverance within two short
years. Again
everything the false prophets had to say was in direct contradiction to
the word of God – Deliverance would only come after the seventy years of
Judah’s captivity was complete. And
this would also be the work of God. (Jer 25:12, Jer 27:7, Jer 27:22; 2Ch 36:21-23; Ezr 1:1, Ezr 1:2; Dan 9:2;
Zec 7:5) God
would visit them and perform what he had before spoken.
Yahweh the covenant keeping God would bring them back to their own
land. (Jer
24:6, Jer 24:7, Jer 32:42-44; Zep 2:7.) Jeremiah
however was not the only one to bring this message of deliverance, as can
be seen in the above text list. Yahweh’s
promise of a future restoration to their home should have brought great
hope and joy. When
one goes into captivity because of one's disobedience it is never easy to
sing the song of the Lord in the strange land. We like the captives often
find it difficult to sing the Lord’s song in a strange land. Many of us find ourselves in the same situation when we resist the will of God and the word of God. We end up in situations that we certainly do not like. This covers many more realms and situations that many of us can attest to. When we get into these situations that we do not like we often realize, sometimes sooner sometimes later, that we cannot change it. the clear word of God is as one writer puts it: “Accept
it, work for the welfare of those around you.
And wait for my time, for it will come.” Unfortunately, we often think that we can work ourselves out of the pickle we have placed ourselves in, we can act like Israel in Numbers chapter 14:39-45. Who after God had pronounced judgment on them for murmuring at the report of the spies, threatened to stone Moses and Aaron, and then thought that their mourning at the rebuke of God would cancel their iniquity. This
is an important text for us. See
also Joshua chapter 7. When we get ourselves in trouble, just remember the words of God, his promises, his attitude toward true believers, and the security true believers have in His reassuring words. But remember also that whether we like it are not, patience is a supreme virtual in those situations. Verse
11. God reaffirms the
blessings that He will give to Israel; despite the current circumstance.
This is not the end, He will not leave them in captivity. We know that all things work together for the good of those who are the called out ones. Even their captivity was ultimately for their good. “So
says Jehovah, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will
acknowledge the exiles of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into
the land of the Chaldeans for their good.” Jer 24:5
It
is often difficult to see or appreciate the ultimate benefit of the
unpleasant circumstance that God allows his people to go through; although
for the most part, it is brought on ourselves, because of disobedience. God
alone knows his thoughts toward us, but He has chosen to reveal them to us
by his Spirit, who searches the deep things of God. It is
then very comforting to know that the thoughts and plans that God has for
our lives are good and without evil intent, plans that will ultimately
bring His children to a bright and peaceful future. This
verse stresses that there is no uncertainty in God about his people.
His thoughts always work toward the end that he has decreed. Though
these thoughts were primarily concerning the temporal well- being and
prosperity of the Jews while in Babylon, we know that through the
sacrifice of the Messiah, we have been brought into the people of God, and
therefore God has tender thoughts toward us also. The
future will be significant both in a physical and a spiritual sense. The
peace that we seek is reconciliation with God and deliverance from sin. It
becomes clear that the intent of God is the salvation of his people,
although at times he may have to discipline them and sometimes severely.
God has never and will never cast off his people; but will act in
his sovereignty and mercy to save them. Note
the stress on “I”. These people are assured in the name of the
Lord of hosts, the God of Israel. This
means that they had better remember that he is the only true and the only
powerful God, who commands the armies of heaven.
His will cannot be thwarted. His
word is sure. It also points out to them that they had better stand on guard against the temptations to the idolatry of Babylon. He is the Lord of hosts. They would be well advised to build their hopes on him, and not be deceived by false prophets or false gods. Verse 12. When the appointed time draws close, God grants us a spirit of prayer, that like Daniel, the people would begin to pray earnestly for their deliverance. “And
I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires,
with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. “
Dan 9:3 This
prayer would be directed to the true and living God, it would be without
religious display or the pagan influences that had corrupted their
worship, and for which reason they were now in captivity. These prayers would be characterized by simplicity and sincerity; for this is the only kind of prayer that God will hear. One commentator says – “When
God designs mercy, He puts it into the hearts of His people to pray for
the mercy designed.
When such a spirit of prayer is poured out, it is a sure sign of coming
mercy.” We can
now see that the design of the captivity was no aimless punishment, but it
was designed to force God’s people to remember their religious roots, to
remember the covenant and remember their God. We too
often set-up all kinds of idols in our lives; we are like sheep that have
gone astray, we have become so entangled with sin and the things of the
world, that our worship has become contaminated and unacceptable to God.
Our relationship with God has become a mere religious ritual.
God then has to take drastic measures to bring us back from the
brink of disaster. It is
often when things seem to be at their lowest level, God begins to change
them. It is
strange but when we feel a growing and tremendous pressure on us to pray,
especially when we are in trouble, we should treat it as God pouring out a
spirit of prayer on us. It
might very well be a good sign that he is still coming and showing mercy
to us. Let us therefore be
sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we are in trouble let us
be quick to pray when we feel the urge to pray.
And let us pray fervently. Sometimes
we feel so burdened we cannot really pray, but then let us remember that
the Holy Spirit is at that time praying for us. When God responds by pouring out the spirit of prayer on us, let us seize the opportunity and quickly and without hesitation march on to victory. Verse
13. “And
you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your
heart.” When
one approaches God with a sincere heart, when we seek him diligently and
earnestly, God will not hide from us. In fact, he will re-establish true
communion with us, where grace and mercy and all the spiritual blessing
may flow. Of course a sincere
heart is always accompanied by repentance. “If
they shall confess their willfulness and the willfulness of their fathers,
with their sin which they sinned against Me, and that also they have
walked contrary to Me, I also will walk contrary to them and will bring
them into the land of their enemies. If then their uncircumcised hearts
are humbled, and they then pay for their iniquity,
then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant
with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham I will remember. And I will
remember the land.”
Lev 26:40-42 “And
yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not
cast them away, neither will I hate them, to destroy them utterly and to
break My covenant with them. For I am Jehovah their God.
But for their sakes, I will remember the covenant of their
ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of
the heathen, so that I might be their God. I am Jehovah.”
Lev 26:44-45 “when
ye shall search for me with all your heart; which, as Calvin rightly
observes, does not design perfection, but integrity and sincerity; when
they draw nigh with a true heart, and call upon him in truth, and search
for him with eagerness, with a hearty desire to find him, as men search
for gold, and silver, and hid treasure.” Verse 14. When God’s people call on him from a sincere heart he will hear them and he promises to restore them to their rightful place. God is a merciful God and will forgive and cleanse all those who repent and turn from their sin and turn to him. “…and
I will turn away your captivity..”
This means to restore one’s prosperity. “and
I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I
have driven you, says Jehovah…”
This
reference seems to include far more than recalling the exiles in Babylon;
it seems to encompass Jews in all parts of the world. In which case this
verse may point to yet another prophecy that was to be fulfilled at a
later date and the seventy year fulfillment. We can
learn from this that knowledge of the history of the people of God is most
important. In fact, history in general shows us the errors that people and
nations continually make, and we can see more clearly the solutions that
God has put forward. We
also learn that God works in the affairs of men, and that even though the
powerful people on earth, and the powerful men among the people of God
think they can write events to suit themselves, that is not so.
God alone determines times and seasons. We
also learn that men of God must speak the truth to the world.
Believers have a responsibility to so act and speak, that the blood
of the disobedient believers as well as the blood of the unbelievers will
not be on their heads. The
truth must be spoken. In
these days of confusion and uncertainty we must point people to the voice
of God, and encourage them to listen to God.
God is the only one who knows and we must call on men to listen to
his word. Finally
we must remember that God says that if we seek him and search for him we
will find him. This also applies to unbelievers, for they too will never seek God in vain. God will respond to their cries. The Holy Spirit will witness to them even when we are negligent in witnessing. Jeremiah 31
The
New Covenant, is a concept that is quite simple to understand.
The covenant redefines our relationship to the law of God.
Under the old covenant, the law was written on tables of stone, and
in effect worked externally to bring about and internal change.
But now, because of the coming and the Work of the Messiah, who has
atoned fully and perfectly for the sins of men, and brought justification,
the law of God would be put directly into the mind and written on the
heart. Thus
the law of God is internal. Working
from the inside, the law of God will be displayed externally as we are
changed into the image of his Son. Note
that this is made possible by the blood of the perfect, holy, and spotless
Lamb of God. God had fulfilled his promise to his people.
No member of the nation of Israel can therefore rightly argue that
God has not done exactly as he has promised.
The Messiah has come and fulfilled every single prophecy which was
given to mark him out. He was born in the line of David, inheriting the right to
rule through the line of Joseph, and by many signs in the power of the
Holy Spirit, showed who He was. Therefore
having completed his work on earth, and sending the gift of the Holy
Spirit to those who have believed on his name and placed their faith in
him, showing that they are the called of God, no more can the believer
ignore the law of God, for it is really a part of him; it is always
present with him and operates on his mind and emotions to bring about the
change that God desires. It is
very important to note that the law of God has not changed.
In fact the Scripture declares that the “law of the Lord is
perfect converting the soul…” (Ps 19:7-11) and Jesus said that
this same law will not pass away. A very
common error made in this teaching, is linking this covenant directly to
the Gentile believers as opposed to the Jews, and subtly suggesting that
God has cast off the Jews. This
is clearly opposed to what the Scripture declares and has in fact laid a
foundation for a number of heretical and destructive doctrines. The
covenant blessings belong to Gentiles only in so far as they put their
faith in the completed work of Christ on the cross and are grafted into
the natural olive tree which are the Jews. The
entire series of promises in this chapter are quite beautiful and
encompassing. They were of
course given when the nation was in unbelief.
The promises reflect God's faithfulness to his word, in spite of
the rebellion and waywardness of his people.
This shows us the quality of God's love, for this father cannot
forget his Son. God
promised to do something that his people could not do by themselves.
God is going to bring them around to him and his way, despite their
many failures. He will change
the motivation of their life by putting the law inside them, so that they
will respond to him in the right way. Of course the questions we must ask are, If we
have the law of God written on our hearts, and if we have the power to be
the sons of God, why is it we keep on doing things contrary to the law of
God? Is it possible that
though we say we have the law of God on our hearts, we really do not? How
do we behave when we have the law of God written on our hearts?
Do we behave in a way consistent with being under this real New
Covenant? These are important matters to consider, for it is wise to make sure that we really do belong to the new family of God, and are not in the family of the wicked. Verse 31. Here is the declaration that God will sometime in the future make a new covenant with the Jews; that is the house of Israel and the house of Judah. “The
new covenant is made with literal Israel and Judah, not with the spiritual
Israel, that is, believers, except secondarily, and as grafted on the
stock of Israel (Rom 11:16-27). For the whole subject of the thirtieth and
thirty-first chapters is the restoration of the Hebrews (Jer 30:4, Jer
30:7, Jer 30:10, Jer 30:18; Jer 31:7, Jer 31:10-11, Jer 31:23-24, Jer
31:27, Jer 31:36). With the "remnant according to the election of
grace" in Israel, the new covenant has already taken effect. But with
regard to the whole nation, its realization is reserved for the last days,
to which Paul refers this prophecy in an abridged form (Rom 11:27).” Verse
32. God was a husband to
Israel in the day that he brought them out of Egypt; his covenant with
them pictured one of a marriage. God
would protect care and love his bride; Israel however committed spiritual
adultery going after other gods and thus broke their covenant with God. Exo
19:5, Exo 24:6-8. In
the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith
is derived from a root which means “to cut,” and hence a covenant is a
“cutting,” with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into
two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a
covenant (Gen. 15; Jer 34:18, Jer 34:19). One
must understand the serious nature of a covenant, breaking ones covenant
could be punishable by death. The
parties passing between the divided animal really signified, that if
either one was to break the covenant, that the other could slay them as
they did these animals. The
nature of this covenant with them will be much enriched and sweetened, for
now the divine blessings would be superior to the blessings that came to
them, when they were taken out of the land of Egypt. This
would be because the old covenant gave them no security for their sins,
and they could not sin with impunity.
Their teeth had been set on edge when they had eaten the forbidden
fruit. Now
therefore under this new covenant, they would no longer be able to live a
life where sin had dominion over them.
They would no longer have to sin, offer sacrifices for the sins,
and continually sin and ruin themselves.
They would no longer be in danger of spiritual adultery.
They would not break the covenant of marriage by idolatry. Verse
33.
‘After those days…’ This phrase is generally accepted
to denote the time following Jesus’ earthly ministry, and the Holy
Spirit is given to indwell and empower the believer. Without
the empowerment of the Holy Spirit it is really impossible for fallen man
to keep a covenant with God. Thus
it was necessary that a new covenant be made, one that is founded in the
continuing grace and mercy of God and is administered by the sovereign
election of God. Note however that the old covenant reflected the grace of God and the new covenant also reflects the grace and the mercy of God. But now there are new circumstances for the Messiah would come and write the new testament or covenant in his blood. One writer comments - “The
old law could be broken Jer 31:32; to remedy this God gives, not a new
law, but a new power to the old law. It used to be a mere code of morals,
external to man, and obeyed as a duty. In Christianity, it becomes an
inner force, shaping man’s character from within.” This
new covenant contained some great spiritual blessings.
It is not that they would be given a new law, for Christ denied
that, but the law would now be written on their hearts, making it familiar
to them and making them well disposed to love it and obey it with delight. The
people of God would now be a willing people. The Lord of hosts will be their only God. They will now have a . hance to really learn to know Him. Of course this is made possible by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit given as a gift of Messiah. Verse
34.
“And
they shall no more teach each man his neighbor and each man his brother,
saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know Me…”
This
is a beautiful promise concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit to every
believer, and to the future eternal state where there will be no need for
the teaching ministry as we now know it. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet
been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when He shall be
revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” This
verse however primarily points to a time when the knowledge of the Lord
will come to us directly by the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit.
It will be a time of immense blessing and possibly indicates that
the image of God in man has been restored. “However,
when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.
For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak.
And He will announce to you things to come.” John16:13 This
verse points to the intermediate fulfillment of this prophecy, the
blessings that all believing Jew and Gentile enjoy now as believers, being
placed in one body. There
will however be a time subsequent to this, when all the elect of God, from
the youngest to the oldest, will know him.
One commentator says – “It
shall be a time of universal light and knowledge; all shall know God in
Christ, from the least to the greatest; the children shall be taught to
read the New Covenant, and to understand the terms of their salvation.” “Which
is not to be understood of the outward ministry of the word; in heaven
indeed there will be no need of it, nor in the New Jerusalem state; but in
every period of time before it. In the first times of the Gospel, persons
were appointed and qualified by Christ to be pastors and teachers; and in
the latter day men shall run to and fro, and increase knowledge; besides,
the saints in the present state stand in need of teaching; since they know
but in part, and there is room for a growth in grace, and in the knowledge
of Christ:” “They
shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain; for the earth shall be
full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.” Is 11:9 ; Heb 2:14 “For
I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more…”
Because
of the covenant, God will unconditionally forgive the iniquity of the
elect. This is a great manifestation of the grace of God.
As it is for us in the dispensation of the gospel, so too were the
Old Testament saint saved by grace. In order for this to happen, God had acted not to impute their sins to them. The sins that kept the good things of God from us, will be pardoned because of the mercies of God. God’s grace will remove all obstructions. CONCLUSION
Actually
it appears that sometimes the troubles we experience may be blessings in
disguise. When
God redeems us, he comes and stays inside us, so that we are now in a
quite simple, obviously natural, permanent relationship. We
should, as the Holy Spirit changes us, begin to sense more and more that
God is not distant, but that he is right here with us. We
know that the Messiah has come, and that one day soon all the people of
the nation of Israel that are scattered all over the world, will be
brought together again and restored to their rightful place in the land of
Israel. We
also know that those of Israel that do not accept that Jesus is Messiah
will as the prophet says, see him whom they pierced, and will mourn in
contrition, when he returns, for they will then recognize their mistake
and repent for it. It is
however not correct for anyone to hold the point of view that Gentiles
have displaced the nation of Israel, will inherit all the blessings spoken
of by the prophet Jeremiah, and that Jews will be permanently excluded,
simply because Israel strayed from the path many times. The
prophet made it absolutely clear, that the Jewish people would one day
have the law of God written in their hearts, that they will one day turn
to their Jewish Messiah, that God has never and will never forget the
covenant he made with Abraham and the patriarchs.
This is an everlasting covenant. It is
correct however to note that through the seed of Abraham all the nations
of the earth are blessed. The blessings brought by the seed of the woman promised in Genesis 3, as well as the promise to Abraham are everlasting promises and covenants. To be
free from the law of God is to be in bondage to sin, but to truly know
God, is to have his law written in ones heart and placed in one mind. The
law of God remains the same but now works from the inside out, and is
administered by the Holy Spirit. It
is the new covenant that gives us the assurance of eternal salvation. So brethren let us not forsake the law of God.
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