The Christmas Covenant[2018]-1 Series

The CHRISTMAS COVENANT-I—Jeremiah 31:31-34

God informed Jeremiah & Jeremiah the people, of the promise of a new covenant to supplant/fulfill/uphold/empower the ineffective covenant.

God’s people have the promise of an effective covenant.

What is the Christmas Covenant?

Why is the promise of a differing covenant encouraging to God’s people?

5 elements/encouragements concerning the covenant people of God.

The covenant people of God are promised...

Heb. 10:12-23—“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, & in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins & their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new & living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, & having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience & our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

1—The Christmas Covenant is...

A PROMISED Covenant(:31a)

Explanation:(:31a; :33a)Anticipated

:31—“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel & with the house of Judah--”

:33—“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, & write it on their hearts; & I will be their God, & they shall be My people.”

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when”-&-“after those days.”

Bkgd.—At the writing of this prophecy, Israel & Judah are separate entities. Both Israel & Judah had been under the same covenant, which will be considered “old”(antiquated in some sense) in relation to that which is yet future. This “new covenant” is a promise from the God of Israel, the need for which was amplified by Israel & Judah’s division(brought about after Solomon’s death between Rehoboam & Jeroboam—1Kgs. 12:1-33).

The LORD God promises that there will come a future occurrence of great spiritual significance for Israel. There will be “a new covenant” to effectively replace the ‘old’ covenant? This new covenant will be made with “the house of Israel” as well as with “the house of Judah.”

The LORD God promises that there will come a future occurrence of great spiritual significance for Israel.

“Coming”—awb bow’—Qal Participle Active—1) To go in, enter, come, go, come in; 1a) (Qal)--1a1) To enter, come in, 1a2) To come—1a2a) To come with, 1a2b) To come upon, fall or light upon, attack(enemy), 1a2c) To come to pass, 1a3) To attain to, 1a4) To be enumerated, 1a5) To go. Strong—a primitive root; To go or come(in a wide variety of applications).

“After”—rxa akh-ar' OR--yrxa—Adverb/Preposition/ Conjunction/Substantive—1) After the following part, behind(of place), hinder, afterwards(of time)—1a) as an Adverb--1a1) Behind(of place), 1a2) Afterwards(of time); 1b) as a Preposition--1b1) Behind, after(of place), 1b2) After(of time), 1b3) Besides; 1c) as a Conjunction--1c) After that; 1d) as a Substantive--1d1) Hinder part; 1e) with other prepositions--1e1) From behind, 1e2) From following after. Strong—properly—The hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction--After(in various senses).?From—rxa aw-khar'—a primitive root; to loiter(i.e. be behind); by implication--To procrastinate.

Argumentation:

Lk. 1:67-75—“Now his[John the baptist] father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, & prophesied, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited & redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness & righteousness before Him all the days of our life.”

The ‘mystery’ of the Messiah(Christ) was ‘promised’ to Israel.

The ‘certainty’ of the Cross-work of Christ(Messiah) is held by faith.

Gen. 22:15-18—“Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, & said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, & have not withheld your son, your only son--“blessing I will bless you, & multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven & as the sand which is on the seashore; & your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.””