A Life in Exile

Today’s post from the prophet Jeremiah is not as tearful as our last, but on the contrary, very hopeful. Let’s jump right in.

“Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—my covenant that they broke even though I am their master”—the Lord’s declaration. “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the Lord’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin. (Jeremiah 31:31-34 CSB)

A New Day—A New Covenant

From the very beginning, Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, was pointing mankind to something greater, something more remarkable. When sin came in and distracted man from focusing on fulfilling God’s commands from the Garden Days, he provided statutes and laws to teach them his ways and set them apart from the nations. Much of Jeremiah’s prophecies are about their failure as the Chosen People to love the Lord with all their heart, souls, and minds, and to live that set-apart life that would have brought blessing.

Still, God’s love never wavered, and though they faced pending exile, he would not let them leave without hope. Hope of a new day which would come from a new covenant. Now his teaching would be on the inside and written on their hearts. The God-People relationship would be clearly distinguishable. The New Testament writers saw this day and knew how it came to pass—through the coming Holy Spirit, who arrived upon the completed work of Christ on the cross, as his followers put their faith in him for salvation. The second chapter of Acts revealed the initial outpouring of the Spirit that would revolutionize the world.

It was the writer of Hebrews who referred to this Jeremiah passage in explanation of the superior covenant.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one. But finding fault with his people, he says: See, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant. (Hebrews 8:7-8a)

He quotes the entire prophecy and concludes with this:

By saying a new covenant, he has declared that the first is obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old is about to pass away. (Hebrews 8:13)

God was still calling a people to himself, but it was implanted within their hearts through faith. Christ had done the work of righteousness they were unable to accomplish through the first covenant. The first would make clear their sin and inadequacy before a Holy God, the second would point to the sufficiency of Christ alone.

The sufficient sacrifice to cut the covenant.

The writer of Hebrews does an excellent job of pointing the people to the supremacy of Christ over all the Old Testament system which was to direct the people to God and guide them to righteous living. We know that didn’t work out so well, but God knew that from the beginning too. It would only be the perfect sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross that would restore mankind to the pre-fall relationship with their Creator. Thus, the new covenant would wipe out the old sacrificial system as well.

For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. For after he says: This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, the Lord says, I will put my laws on their hearts and write them on their minds, and I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts. Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. (Hebrews 10:14-18)

So, with the one new covenant, made available through the one perfect sacrifice, we have forgiveness of sins and restored relationships with God. I’m thankful that as a result, the writer of Hebrews goes on to encourage us in how we should respond to such a blessing in Christ.

Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

The covenant, prophesied so long ago, and now ours by faith in the completed work of Christ, should enable us to stand firm, encourage each other toward love and good works, and keep faithful to gathering together as believers. It’s hard to avoid the reality that we see the day of his return approaching. May we be found faithful.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Learning from the Past post, click HERE, or start the series from the BEGINNING.