New Covenant - Jeremiah 31

Jeremiah 31:33 "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."

I believe this refers to the giving of the Holy Spirit to dwell within the new born Christian. No longer is it just a set of rules to follow but a person from within that tells what is right and wrong.

This chapter reminded me of the Song of Solomon. It tells of the love the LORD has for Israel.

v3 "The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

Then he goes on to describe how it will be in Israel after the time of trouble. The people will do well and the land will be fertile.

v12 "Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd; and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all."

This is a wonderful message of hope delivered to Israel at the time of their captivity. It was hope for their children. What better hope can a man have than that his children do well?

v17 "And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border."

Israel as a nation has sinned, worshipped idols and turned from the Lord. The nation is being chastened. These words seem to be directed at the families and of a more personal nature.

v16 "Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and thy shall come again from the land of the enemy."

I don't know if I got it right or not, but it seems like the scene when a parent has to correct a child with spanking. The child weeps and it hurts the parent but the punishment must stand if the child is to be helped in life.

So, this is not the abandonment of Israel. The Lord was angry but has not forsaken.

v37 "Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD."

Of course, we know it is impossible to measure those things. A parent who loves cannot totally cast away their child. If they do, there was no love in the first place. The Lord loves Israel. He has proved it over and again. And now, as a Christian, we are partakers in that love. And that is wonderful.