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The Scriptorium

Jeremiah and God's Covenant

God will keep His covenant. Jeremiah 11-15

Threatened and Revived: Jeremiah 11-15 (7)

Pray Psalm 132.11, 12.
The LORD has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body.
If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I shall teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”

Sing Psalm 132.11, 12.

(Finlandia: Be Still My Soul)
Remember, Lord, the oath You swore to David;
Do not turn back, do not deny Your Word:
“One of your sons, with your throne I will favor,
And He shall keep My cov’nant evermore,
And walk within My testimonies ever,
Thus He shall ever rule as Israel’s Lord.”

Review Jeremiah chapters 11-15; meditate on Jeremiah 15.19-21.

Prepare.
1. What is God’s covenant? What does God promise in His covenant?

2. While the people of Judah forfeited the benefits of God’s covenant, He continued to hold them out to Jeremiah. Why?

Meditate.
This section begins with God reminding Jeremiah of His covenant, and the promise for those who kept covenant with Him: “I will be your God, and you will be My people.” The rest of chapters 11-15 show how Judah failed to keep God’s covenant, and how He therefore would most certainly not fail His own Word, but would keep it in bringing judgment against His people.

For his trouble as God’s messenger, Jeremiah became the target of a conspiracy to silence him (ch. 11). God encouraged him not to allow this setback to daunt or defeat him (12.5, 6), assuring Jeremiah that He would come to his aid. He continued holding out His covenant to any who would repent (12.14-17), but no one seemed interested.

By the symbols of the sash and the wine bottles, God dramatically declared His intention of sending His people into captivity and of breaking their leaders (13.1-14). He even sent Jeremiah to the king and his mother to proclaim God’s decision and to pronounce woe on the nation (13.15-27).

The horror and completeness of the coming judgment of God are outlined in chapters 14 and 15. Jeremiah is led to intercede for the people, but God tells him not to do so (14.11). His decision is final. A remnant will be saved (15.11); and Jeremiah, because of His faithfulness, would realize the salvation, deliverance, and redemption of the Lord (15.19-21). Thus God would keep His covenant both ways, by judging the faithless and by sparing the faithful. God’s covenant faithfulness with Jeremiah is a portent of covenant renewal that we will see in later chapters.

Reflect.
1. How would you explain the promise of God’s covenant to a new believer?

2. God keeps His covenant. What are the implications of this for us?

3. How can believers help one another to stay within the safe bounds of God’s covenant?

We hence see more plainly what is the meaning of the word “turn” in the second clause, even that the Prophet would render his office approved of God, however clamorous the Jews might be; though they even rose up [tumultuously] against him, yet he says, thou shalt stand before me. There is implied here a contrast in the word “stand,” for though the Prophet should be most violently assailed by the false words of men, yet God would support and sustain him. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Jeremiah 17.19

Help me to stand firm for You, Lord, and to remain within Your covenant today as I…

Pray Psalm 132.1-10.

Pray through the promises of God’s covenant, and commit yourself afresh to keep covenant with Him in all aspects of your life.

Sing Psalm 132.1-10.
Psalm 132.1-10 (Finlandia: Be Still My Soul)
Remember, Lord, we pray, in David’s favor, the hardships he endured, the oath he swore,
the vow he made to Jacob’s mighty Savior: “I shall not enter through my palace door;
I shall not sleep, nor slumber my eyes favor, until I make a dwelling for the Lord!”

The word throughout the chosen nation spread, to Ephrata, and in the fields of Jaar:
“Now let us go,” the faithful people said, “and worship where our Savior’s dwellings are!
Around His footstool let our worship spread; come, gather to Him, all from near and far!”

Arise, O Lord, come to Your resting place; Your holy presence meet with us in might.
Clothe us with righteousness in Jesus’ grace, and we will shout to Your divine delight!
For David’s sake, turn not away Your face, but look upon us in Your holy light.

T. M. Moore

Where do the prophets fit with the rest of Scripture? Our workbook, God’s Covenant, shows you how all the parts of the Bible fit together under one divine covenant. The lessons in this workbook will show you the unity of Scripture and the centrality of Jesus in all the Bible. Order your copy by clicking here.

Visit our website,
www.ailbe.org, to discover the many new resources available to help you in your walk with and work for the Lord. All installments of our Scriptorium series on Jeremiah are available by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from
Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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