December 17, 2007 FB
The Text
The Text
31 "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. 33 "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 "And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." 35 Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day, and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name: 36 "If this fixed order departs from before Me," declares the LORD, "Then the offspring of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me forever." 37 Thus says the LORD, "If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done," declares the LORD.
The intended meaning of this passage is unmistakable. God is going to make a New Covenant with national Jewish Israel.
The factors of the New Covenant (31:31-34):
1. The covenant is with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (v.31)
2. It’s unlike the conditional Palestinic covenant, it is unconditional (v.32)
3. God will put His law in their minds and write it on their hearts (v.33)
4. He will be their God and they will be His people (v.33)
5. There will be no more evangelism (v.34) because…
6. Every person will know the LORD (v.34)
7. God will forget their sin (v.34)
The surety of the New Covenant (31:35-37):
1. The Jewish race will perish before this covenant will be broken (v.35-36)
2. If all the earth and universe can be measured then God will break off his dealings with Israel (v.37)
Observation
Remember that the nation of Israel is the receiver of this covenant, and Jeremiah makes sure that the Jews are mentioned three times just in verses 31-34.
Covenant Theology (CT) cannot interpret this passage to fit their theology. There are several ways they will try to read amillennialism and postmillennialism into this passage but with either interpretation it makes God a liar.
God will write the law on their hearts: CT says that this factor has been fulfilled in church age believers, and yes it partially has been, but they can’t escape the fact that there are other factors to the covenant that must also be present. CT would say that all of these promises have been taken over by the Church (the universal body of believers) because Israel rejected their Messiah, but if Jeremiah meant that this was the Church, then why does he mention national Israel three times? The last three factors negate any interpretation other than dispensational.
There will be no more evangelism: This one should be self explanatory, but here it is anyway. For this covenant to be in effect there cannot be any believers sharing the gospel. The rest of the passage goes on to say why there will be no need for evangelism, but suffice it to say that under this New Covenant there will not be any sharing of the gospel.
Every person will know the LORD: There will be no more evangelism because everyone will be saved! If the Church has taken over the New Covenant then why are we still witnessing? Because there are still unsaved people in the world. We are obviously not under the New Covenant.
God will forget their sin: CT would say that this is proof that the Church has taken over this covenant because God only sees believers in Christ and does not see their sin. This, however, is fallacious because the only way that God would forget our sins is if we are actually sinless. A better, and more logical, interpretation is that in the future God will make us sinless so that we cannot mess up. While we are living in these earthly bodies we are prone to sin, and God must chasten us. He sees our sin, remembers it, and chastens us until we stop. For this requirement to be fulfilled there must be a future time when we are not sinning.
Interpretation
Okay, so we have seen that we are not presently under the New Covenant because several factors must be in place. CT cannot spiritualize away any of the covenants factors because if they do they will make God a liar. CT would say that God only meant part of the blessings to fall on the Church because Israel rejected the Messiah, but this fails because in the rest of the passage (vv. 35-37) God goes to great lengths to prove that He will not fail His promise to Israel, no matter what they do.
This means that CT must interpret this as a future covenant but, as will be shown, it cannot do that either. Since most CT is either amillennial (no millennium) or postmillennial (after the millennium) the New Covenant must go in effect at the Second Coming of Christ.
The Ammillennial view: In this view the amillennialist says that the Church exists until the Second Coming of Christ when we will all be raised and judged and enter into the eternal state of being. It is at this point that there will be no need for evangelism and all the other factors. This is fallacious because, remember, this covenant was made with “the house of Israel” and if we are all in the eternal state there will be no more Israel. CT would say that this proves their point, except the following verses (vv.35-37) indicate that God intends this covenant to be in effect while Israel is temporally extant. So either God will bring this covenant into effect while Israel exists or after Christ's Second Coming, and the latter amillennial view would make God a liar to Israel. Amillennialism doesn’t work and cannot interpret this passage.
The Postmillennial view: This view holds that the Second Coming is after the millennium. The Church is to reach the whole world for Christ and bring in His Second Coming. Setting aside this erroneous teaching that we humans control what God does, let’s look at why this passage doesn’t work in the postmillennial view.
First of all this branch of CT also contends that the Church has taken over Israel’s blessings, and that the tribulation period took place in the first century A.D. with the destruction of Jerusalem. The millennium is not actually 1000 years but just an extended time of peace, at the end of which Christ will return to judge the world. This view actually could explain all of the factors, except that the supporters say that the Church is now Israel. To repeat; if Jeremiah meant that this was the Church, then why does he mention national Israel three times? The Jewish nation of Israel is the intended recipient of this New Covenant. Let’s examine the historical factual evidence. Israel still exists. If the Church has taken over the blessings of Israel then why does Israel still exist? Why does God care about keeping one of the smallest nations in the world protected? If the Church is God’s new baby then Israel should have, and would have, been totally destroyed in the first century. The last part of the passage (vv.35-37) negates any kind of switching of allegiances by God from Israel to the Church, no matter what Israel does.
Conclusion
In Covenant Theology, no matter which way they interpret this passage, God comes away a liar to Israel. Either God lied about some of the promises of the covenant (vv.31-34) or He lied because He did not intend the New Covenant for Israel (vv.35-37). The only other alternative would be to become premillennial, but that would totally screw up their theology, and they are only left with dispensationalism to reconstruct it.
Only the dispensational view that there will be a literal kingdom of God on earth in a literal one-thousand-year millennium, during which Christ will literally reign, can explain the New Covenant in these verses.
God gave this unconditional covenant to Israel and He will bring it about to happen literally. The believing Jews will have renewed hearts, along with the church age believers who have had renewed hearts from the time of their salvation. Some of these promises have been fulfilled in the Church but the covenant is with Israel, not the Church. Some factors have been fulfilled in the Church not by the Church. There is a difference. When a sinner puts his faith in Christ he becomes a new creature and becomes partaker in the New Covenant. It is not until the future earthly reign of Christ when this believer will finally get to completely take part in the New Covenant along with national Israel. God still cares for Israel and has a plan for them!
Nehemiah Ryan © 2007
The intended meaning of this passage is unmistakable. God is going to make a New Covenant with national Jewish Israel.
The factors of the New Covenant (31:31-34):
1. The covenant is with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (v.31)
2. It’s unlike the conditional Palestinic covenant, it is unconditional (v.32)
3. God will put His law in their minds and write it on their hearts (v.33)
4. He will be their God and they will be His people (v.33)
5. There will be no more evangelism (v.34) because…
6. Every person will know the LORD (v.34)
7. God will forget their sin (v.34)
The surety of the New Covenant (31:35-37):
1. The Jewish race will perish before this covenant will be broken (v.35-36)
2. If all the earth and universe can be measured then God will break off his dealings with Israel (v.37)
Observation
Remember that the nation of Israel is the receiver of this covenant, and Jeremiah makes sure that the Jews are mentioned three times just in verses 31-34.
Covenant Theology (CT) cannot interpret this passage to fit their theology. There are several ways they will try to read amillennialism and postmillennialism into this passage but with either interpretation it makes God a liar.
God will write the law on their hearts: CT says that this factor has been fulfilled in church age believers, and yes it partially has been, but they can’t escape the fact that there are other factors to the covenant that must also be present. CT would say that all of these promises have been taken over by the Church (the universal body of believers) because Israel rejected their Messiah, but if Jeremiah meant that this was the Church, then why does he mention national Israel three times? The last three factors negate any interpretation other than dispensational.
There will be no more evangelism: This one should be self explanatory, but here it is anyway. For this covenant to be in effect there cannot be any believers sharing the gospel. The rest of the passage goes on to say why there will be no need for evangelism, but suffice it to say that under this New Covenant there will not be any sharing of the gospel.
Every person will know the LORD: There will be no more evangelism because everyone will be saved! If the Church has taken over the New Covenant then why are we still witnessing? Because there are still unsaved people in the world. We are obviously not under the New Covenant.
God will forget their sin: CT would say that this is proof that the Church has taken over this covenant because God only sees believers in Christ and does not see their sin. This, however, is fallacious because the only way that God would forget our sins is if we are actually sinless. A better, and more logical, interpretation is that in the future God will make us sinless so that we cannot mess up. While we are living in these earthly bodies we are prone to sin, and God must chasten us. He sees our sin, remembers it, and chastens us until we stop. For this requirement to be fulfilled there must be a future time when we are not sinning.
Interpretation
Okay, so we have seen that we are not presently under the New Covenant because several factors must be in place. CT cannot spiritualize away any of the covenants factors because if they do they will make God a liar. CT would say that God only meant part of the blessings to fall on the Church because Israel rejected the Messiah, but this fails because in the rest of the passage (vv. 35-37) God goes to great lengths to prove that He will not fail His promise to Israel, no matter what they do.
This means that CT must interpret this as a future covenant but, as will be shown, it cannot do that either. Since most CT is either amillennial (no millennium) or postmillennial (after the millennium) the New Covenant must go in effect at the Second Coming of Christ.
The Ammillennial view: In this view the amillennialist says that the Church exists until the Second Coming of Christ when we will all be raised and judged and enter into the eternal state of being. It is at this point that there will be no need for evangelism and all the other factors. This is fallacious because, remember, this covenant was made with “the house of Israel” and if we are all in the eternal state there will be no more Israel. CT would say that this proves their point, except the following verses (vv.35-37) indicate that God intends this covenant to be in effect while Israel is temporally extant. So either God will bring this covenant into effect while Israel exists or after Christ's Second Coming, and the latter amillennial view would make God a liar to Israel. Amillennialism doesn’t work and cannot interpret this passage.
The Postmillennial view: This view holds that the Second Coming is after the millennium. The Church is to reach the whole world for Christ and bring in His Second Coming. Setting aside this erroneous teaching that we humans control what God does, let’s look at why this passage doesn’t work in the postmillennial view.
First of all this branch of CT also contends that the Church has taken over Israel’s blessings, and that the tribulation period took place in the first century A.D. with the destruction of Jerusalem. The millennium is not actually 1000 years but just an extended time of peace, at the end of which Christ will return to judge the world. This view actually could explain all of the factors, except that the supporters say that the Church is now Israel. To repeat; if Jeremiah meant that this was the Church, then why does he mention national Israel three times? The Jewish nation of Israel is the intended recipient of this New Covenant. Let’s examine the historical factual evidence. Israel still exists. If the Church has taken over the blessings of Israel then why does Israel still exist? Why does God care about keeping one of the smallest nations in the world protected? If the Church is God’s new baby then Israel should have, and would have, been totally destroyed in the first century. The last part of the passage (vv.35-37) negates any kind of switching of allegiances by God from Israel to the Church, no matter what Israel does.
Conclusion
In Covenant Theology, no matter which way they interpret this passage, God comes away a liar to Israel. Either God lied about some of the promises of the covenant (vv.31-34) or He lied because He did not intend the New Covenant for Israel (vv.35-37). The only other alternative would be to become premillennial, but that would totally screw up their theology, and they are only left with dispensationalism to reconstruct it.
Only the dispensational view that there will be a literal kingdom of God on earth in a literal one-thousand-year millennium, during which Christ will literally reign, can explain the New Covenant in these verses.
God gave this unconditional covenant to Israel and He will bring it about to happen literally. The believing Jews will have renewed hearts, along with the church age believers who have had renewed hearts from the time of their salvation. Some of these promises have been fulfilled in the Church but the covenant is with Israel, not the Church. Some factors have been fulfilled in the Church not by the Church. There is a difference. When a sinner puts his faith in Christ he becomes a new creature and becomes partaker in the New Covenant. It is not until the future earthly reign of Christ when this believer will finally get to completely take part in the New Covenant along with national Israel. God still cares for Israel and has a plan for them!
Nehemiah Ryan © 2007
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