Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-05-23

LESSON TEXT-Jeremiah 31:31-37
GOLDEN TEXT 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.-Jeremiah 1888.
Gods law written in the hearts Of
all men-surely that is the ultimate
goal Of all of our efforts, and therein
we will find the solution of all Of our
problems. jeremiah the prophet,
in the midst of a despairing people
with only captivity and sorrow be-
fore them because of their sinful
rebellion against God. gives q
prophetic foregleam Of the day
when all Israel and Judah should
know God. Sin was to be forgiven,
fellowship restored. and men over
all the earth were to know God.
Obviously, that prophecy is still
future for Israel, but in the mean
time God has permitted us to enter
into the enjoyment of our covenant
Of grace.
I. The Old Covenant wv. 81. 32).
The promise Of q new covenant
at once raises the question, What
was the old covenant" We do not
have space to make any complete
study Of II, but we note that while
God did make a great covenant with
Abraham, founding the nation Of
Israel Gen. 17:1-1D, the reference
by jeremiah is evidently to the COW
enant with Moses (Exod. 20-23).
We observe that it was
/. National ". go. The old COW
enant was made with Israel only.
and could bring blessing to the other
nations Of the earth only indirectly,
rs they might share the peace and
prosperity which would have come
to Israel had they been obedient TO
God. God was here dealing with
q chosen nation for whom He had
q specific plan and purpose.
q Limited ". 32). The blessing
OF the old covenant was limited
not only In the sense that II was
national. but also In that it was con-
ditional Gods promise hinged on
His word In Exodus 1875: 'fNow
therefore. If ye will obey my voice
indeed, and keep my covenant, then
ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto
me above all people," In other
words, the fulf1llment Of this COW
enant was dependent on the faith
fulness Of the people. We know that
they failed.
8. Broken by Israel ". 32). God
was like IAN husband" ". 32) unto
Israel. He was patient, tender, for
giving, always trying to restore
them to Himself. He used His great
power on their behalf as He ''took
them by the hand" and yet we
read my covenant they brake" ".
3O. Human, failure in spite Of
Gods promise and goodness. that
is the history of man under law.
Now, however. we turn to the new
covenant of grace.
II. The New Covenant wv. $3.50.
jeremiah looked forward to the
day when there was to be a COW
enant that is
l. Personal ". 33). The reference
here is not to a law written in q
book, which may be neglected or
forgotten, or broken because there
Is no power in man to keep it. This
new law is to be written in the
hearts of men. 1t is personal-not
something which he shares as
member Of a great nation.
2. Universal ". 34). From the
least to the greatest, every man
shall know God. That promise
awaits its future complete fulfill
ment to Israel (and remember that
God has not forgotten His people,.
Even now, however, we have the
spiritual fulfllment Of the promise
in the Church. It is true now that,
regardless of nationality, education,
wealth, or position. the grace Of God
Ii made manifest In the hearts of
men and women everywhere.
3. Assured by God (vv. $3.50.
The old covenant Of law failed, for
It hinged upon the faithfulness Of
indispensable man-'H ye will"
(Exod. 1850. But the new covenant
Of grace rests upon the II will'' Of
God ". "a; see also Heb. 8:10-12).
This Is indeed "a better covenant,
which was established upon better
promises" (Heb. 500. 1t Is an
everlasting covenant (Heb. l3:2O).