God’s Sacred Agreement
Jeremiah 31:33 (NKJV)
“I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts” – Jeremiah 31:33 (NKJV)
The covenant account began when God created humans in His image to partner with Him in spreading goodness throughout the world.
According to Smith’s Bible Dictionary, a covenant is a compact or an agreement between two parties. There are several covenants in the Bible, but five are crucial for understanding the Bible and God’s redemptive plan (as we read earlier in the month – The Noahic Covenant: Genesis 9:1-17; The Abrahamic Covenant: Genesis 12:1-3; The Mosaic Covenant: Exodus 19; The Davidic Covenant: 2 Samuel 7; The New Covenant: Hebrews 8:7-13).
The Old Covenant God established for his people (Israel) required strict obedience to the Law. It was a preparation for the New. Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17) and to establish the New covenant between God and His people. The Old Covenant was written on stone tablets, but the New Covenant is written on our hearts; hallelujah!
Entering the New Covenant is made possible only by faith in Jesus Christ, Who shed His blood to take away our sins – John 1:29; Luke 22:20 (NKJV). This means everyone is drafted into the New Covenant and can become children of God once they believe. The New Covenant is both continuous and discontinuous with those from the past. It is inclusive in that it incorporates even foreigners. It is also exclusive because it is confined to those who ‘hold fast to its obligations’. In this New Covenant, all the hopes and expectations of previous covenants will attain fulfillment and expression. Today, you can be a part.
Prayer
Father in Heaven, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for me. Thank You for His blood that was shed to redeem mankind and cleanse us from our sins. Father, You commend Your love towards us in that, while we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. I confess that I have sinned against You in many ways and fallen short of Your Glory. The wages of sin is death, and I don’t want that debt, Father. Instead, I want the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.
Read: 2 Samuel 7:4-17; Romans 6:23
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 23; Mark 4:30-41; Mark 5:1-20; Exodus 25; Exodus 26
