September 14, 2014 Today’s Sunday School lesson is Jeremiah 31:31 – 37. This is the second of four lessons from the section of Jeremiah’s book that scholars have named the “Book of Consolation,” chapters 30 – 33, because it is a message of hope, rather than judgment, following the destruction of the kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians and the displacement of a large part of its population (the Babylonian Captivity.) Last week’s lesson dealt with the promise of a joyful return of the people to their land, with their own kingdom restored. This week’s lesson deals with a different type of restoration, the renewal of the people’s relationship with God. The theme is set in verse 31: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.” (CEB) A covenant was a binding agreement between two parties, similar to a legal contract today. Each party agreed to accept the agreement and to uphold its conditions. In the Old Testament, the two parties were God and the nation of Israel, and it meant that God and Israel belonged to each other forever. The difference between this covenant and covenants between human parties was that God’s commitment to Israel was unconditional. Israel’s unfaithfulness to God, which had brought about the destruction of the earthly kingdom of Israel, would not negate the covenant with God. God would continue to love Israel, although the nation had chosen to distance itself from God. One can feel God’s sadness at this state of affairs in verse 32, “…They broke that covenant with me even though I was their husband, declares the Lord.” By comparing the relationship of between himself and Israel to a marriage, God shows the depth and strength of his commitment to his people. The first covenant with Israel was through the laws of Moses. They were detailed instructions for living a holy life in relationship with God. That Israel failed to uphold this covenant is apparent in almost every page of the Old Testament. God promises, however, that the New Covenant, rather than being written on stone, like the Ten Commandments, would be written on the hearts of the believers. “I will put my Instructions within them and engrave them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (CEB; the KJV and some other translations say “Laws” instead of “Instructions.”) How will this new relationship be characterized? By forgiveness: “…for I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sins.” The last three verses, 35 – 37, are a poetic promise that the God who maintains the physical universe, will also uphold his covenant with his people. Although the term “new covenant” occurs only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 31:31, it had a profound influence on Christianity. The most in-depth exposition of the theme of the new covenant is in Hebrews chapters 8 – 10, which quotes this passage from Jeremiah, but the new covenant theme runs throughout the New Testament. In fact, the English term, “New Testament,” means “New Covenant.” One verse that we often use in connection with the communion service is I Corinthians 11:25, “this cup is the new testament (covenant) in my blood; this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” (KJV) This is a perfect bridge between the Old and New Testaments, tying together the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and remembrance of the mighty works of God. The law was a duty; the gospel is grace. The root of this grace is the free pardon and the remission of sin. One truly knows God only after he or she has accepted God’s freely given forgiveness of sin, because, only then can one realize the depth of God’s love.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 13:10:14 +0000