Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Pre-exilic Prophets 5 (6)
Pray Psalm 115.1-3.
Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”
But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
Sing 115.1-3.
(Plainfield: Nothing But the Blood of Jesus)
Not to us, O God, not us, but unto Your Name give glory!
For Your love and faithfulness, ever to Your Name be glory!
Why should the nations cry, “Where is their God on high?”
You rule us, LORD, on high: Ever to Your Name be glory!
Read Jeremiah 31.31-40; meditate on verses 33, 34.
Preparation
1. What is different about the new covenant?
2. What will God do for His people then?
Meditation
God promised a new covenant for His people. They would not be able to break this covenant, as they repeatedly did the old one, because God would write it on their minds and hearts, renewing them in His Law and all His Word and—as Ezekiel points out (36.26, 27)—giving them His Spirit as well. This new covenant does not abolish the old covenant made and renewed with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. We can see this because the new covenant continues the place of the Law of God, only as an internal matter. This new covenant will become the means of truly knowing the LORD and realizing forgiveness of sins (v. 34). We recognize this as pointing forward to Jesus and His work of redemption.
God refers to this new covenant using the same motto we’ve seen over and over in reference to the old covenant: “I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (v. 33). The new covenant is the same covenant God has given from the beginning, bringing forward all its precious and very great promises as well as its obligations. Only this time administered in such a way as to ensure the union of God with His people in bonds of eternal life and love. Jesus bears the sins of His people and fulfills the demands of the Law. Jesus rises from the dead and, with the Father, pours out His Spirit into His people (cf. Gal. 4.4-6). Jesus rules as King according to the teaching of His Law, written again on our hearts for the Spirit to use in making us willing and able to please the Father (Phil. 2.13).
The new covenant is as sure and wonderful as every new day (vv. 35, 36). God will rebuild His glorious City (Ps. 48) and make it—His Church—a holy temple unto the Lord. This is the covenant within which we live.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
Some things never change:
The truth of God is always the same.
The will of God is always perfect.
The love of God is always gracious.
And the Law of God always pertains.
“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure…
The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;
but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers,
the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you…
Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God,
the faithful God Who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations
with those who love Him and keep His commandments;
and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them.
He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face.
Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments…to observe them.
Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments,
and keep and do them,
that the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.
And He will love you and bless you and multiply you…” (Deut. 7.6-13).
He sent us Jesus to make all these glorious promises of salvation and redemption true.
And He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to do His work and keep His Law—
making the impossible possible.
It is when we become lackadaisical about our Kingdom work of obedience that we bear a telling resemblance to God’s children of old, those tutored and taken to the woodshed by the prophet Isaiah: “Your holy people have possessed it but a little while;”—their desire to follow God— “our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary. We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled, those who were never called by Your Name” (Is. 63.18, 19). Ouch. Those were hard words to a recalcitrant people. And they are hard words for us, as well, if we find ourselves not exercised about keeping the Law, or not following Jesus daily, or not proving our love and appreciation to Him by our obedient behavior (Jn. 14.15).
Jesus, through His suffering and death and then His mighty resurrection, opened the channels of forgiveness from God our Father, and made it possible to participate in His covenant. When Jesus was taking His final breaths, forsaken by God, He cried out again, “and yielded up His spirit”. But then this happened: “Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom…” (Matt. 27.46-51). God’s powerful act of ripping asunder the last vestiges of separation between Himself and humankind. “The faithful God Who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations…” (Deut. 7.9) has now made a way, and a new covenant of possibility for His “dusty” children (Ps. 103.13, 14).
“This is the covenant within which we live.”
Let’s do so with all our heart, soul, and mind! (Matt. 22.3-40).
Reflection
1. What does it mean to say that the Spirit of God writes the Law of God on our heart? Why does He do that?
2. Why is the new covenant better than the old covenant?
3. What is the Holy Spirit’s role in the new covenant?
Not, I will give them a new law; for Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it; but the law shall be written in their hearts by the finger of the Spirit, as formerly written in the tables of stone. The Lord will, by his grace, make his people willing people in the day of his power. All shall know the Lord; all shall be welcome to the knowledge of God, and shall have the means of that knowledge. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Jeremiah 31.27-40
Pray Psalm 115.9-18.
Give thanks to God for the new covenant, and for Jesus, Who died and rose again to bring us into that covenant by His grace. Seek His blessings for today, that you might be a blessing to everyone around you.
Sing Psalm 115.9-18.
(Plainfield: Nothing But the Blood of Jesus)
All who trust in Jesus yield—ever to His Name be glory—
find in Him their help and shield: Ever to Your Name be glory!
O Israel, trust the LORD! He helps us evermore!
Fear Him, obey His Word: Ever to Your Name be glory!
Blessings from our gracious LORD—ever to Your Name be glory—
will attend us evermore: Ever to Your Name be glory!
Bless all who fear You, LORD, all who obey Your Word,
all who Your Name adore: Ever to Your Name be glory!
Grant us, Savior, great increase—ever to Your Name be glory!
Bless us with eternal peace: Ever to Your Name be glory!
Heaven and earth are Yours; let every soul adore
and bless You evermore: Ever to Your Name be glory!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: Read Moore (from the book, Revived!); from Crosfigell, “He Knows What He’s Doing”, on the work of the Holy Spirit; and “Grow in Jesus” from our ReVision series, “Pray for Your Church.” And new in our bookstore, Let God Be True and Enjoying God, both free to download and share.
Support for Scriptorium comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise. And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
