Jeremiah 23:1-8, The Promised Covenant (2)

Here are more instructive promises of the New Covenant.

¹⁹ Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, ²⁰ that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. (Ezek. 11:19-20)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. (Ezek. 36:26-27)

We see here the promise of the Spirit, the new birth, the ability to do God’s will (which they could not do under the old covenant), and the blessed relationship.  We should acknowledge that our righteousness in Christ, the truth that He is righteous and by Him the righteous requirement of the law was fulfilled in us (Rom. 8:4), is built on the truth of the NC.  Remember this as you read 2 Corinthians.  In Ch. 3-4 Paul speaks of the glory of the NC ministry, and then concludes in 5:21, For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  Our ability to live a righteous life is dependent on the relationship we have with the Lord.  The OT promised this righteousness as well.  Today’s reading from Jeremiah tells us the LORD is our righteousness (v6), a reality that comes through the “Branch of righteousness” (Messiah, v5).

And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord God.” (Ezek. 39:29)

This verse concludes the prophecies of Israel except for the description of the kingdom temple and land in Ezek. 40-48.  After all the judgment, and then the restoration, God makes this promise.  Remember: the New Covenant is eternal.  The Old Covenant began at Sinai and ended at the cross of Jesus.  It is finished (Jn. 19:30).  This is one of many things encompassed by those words.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom. 10:4).

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. (Zech. 12:10)

The NC makes possible genuine and deep repentance and faith.  Genuine repentance is not just sorrow for sin.  It is sorrow for the cross.  Genuine faith has as its object the One on the cross.