WEEKLY SUNDAY
SCHOOL LESSON
An international
Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday September 14, 2014
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A
NEW COVENANT
(Trust
in the LORD’s presence)
(Jeremiah
31:27-40)
In Jeremiah 31:31 the LORD promises
a New Covenant with the nation of Israel and Judah. It would not be like the
old covenant made with their ancestors when HE brought them out of the land of
Egypt. Anyway, they had already broken that covenant, even though GOD continued
to love them as a husband who dearly loves his wife.
GOD’s work in the New
Covenant for HIS people would silence the proverb that was uttered so commonly
around Israel in those days, which stated, “The parents eat sour grapes, but
the children’s mouths pucker at the taste” (v.29). It was that generation’s way
of not taking responsibility for its own sins. Apparently they found it easier to
stomach the guilt of their iniquities by convincing themselves that they were
suffering only because of the sins of their ancestors, and not through any
fault of their own, which of course is ridiculous.
In Exodus 24, verses
1-8, the Israelites accepted GOD’s Covenant, as it had been given to Moses on
Mount Sinai. However, man would not then, nor, will not now, abide by such a
covenant, because he has always been, in every generation, too determined to do
things his own way. And when we choose to do things our way, we automatically
move farther and farther away from GOD, and we continue to interrupt our
relationship with GOD, by way of our perpetual sinful rebellion.
The New Covenant spoken
of here in Jeremiah 31 is the covenant that was eventually ushered in by CHRIST
JESUS in the first century A.D. Yes, it took the life of CHRIST to restore our
lost relationship of friendship with GOD. JESUS’ whole purpose for coming was
to usher in this New Covenant from GOD, which consists of many spiritual
aspects, and is a covenant that is far superior to any before, or since that
time.
But first, the final
judgment upon Israel had to run its course. It would come in the way of “a
physical deportation” from the “promised” land of Israel, to captivity in
Babylon. With the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian
forces in 586 B.C., the final curse was complete, and restoration could get
under way in about 70 years.
With HIS “Mosaic
Covenant”, GOD had set “a holy standard of conduct” by which HE intended HIS
people to live. However, because of their rebellious hearts, they simply could
not maintain those high standards. The Mosaic Law served as a mirror for which
sinful man could look into and see for himself, just how far he was from GOD’s
glorious and holy standards. GOD shares HIS nature with us and HE wants us to
live holy lives because HE is holy. HE wants us to wholly desire to live holy
under HIM.
The New Covenant
ushered in by CHRIST, in essence, makes the Mosaic Covenant obsolete and
irrelevant. The old covenant basically told Israelites how to behave and also
specified blessings for those who obeyed, and punishment for those who
disobeyed. And although GOD still desires for us to obey HIM under the New
Covenant by desiring to live holy like CHRIST, we are no longer prisoners or
slaves to the sin and death of this world. GOD has given us an obvious out,
through the sacrificial blood of JESUS.
Under the New Covenant,
GOD writes HIS laws on our hearts and in our minds (v.33), and HE also promises
believers an inner transformation. Believers can now have a direct,
experiential relationship and friendship with GOD, through JESUS CHRIST, by the
power of the HOLY SPIRIT living in us. Through earnest repent, GOD is faithful
to forgive whatever sins we commit, because HE has accepted the blood of CHRIST
as payment for all the sins of the world, past, present, and future.
It is the duty of the Christian
to build his or her foundation on the “Most High Faith”, which is “Christianity”,
and not all the various denominations man has dreamed up over time. We must
learn to pray in the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, and we must always remember the
conditions of the New Covenant that has been ushered in by CHRIST, and then
signed in HIS OWN blood.
When we repent and trust
in GOD’s presence, and believe on CHRIST JESUS, GOD forgives us, and HIS
transforming works begin in our heart. And through our new found faith, we can begin
walking in the newness of the life that can only be found in CHRIST JESUS our LORD
and SAVIOR, and we can also forever enjoy a New Covenant relationship with GOD
the FATHER, here on earth, and, in Heaven.
A Sunday school lesson
by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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