God’s promise of restoration for His wayward people is at the heart of Jeremiah 31. Following the consequences of their sin, the nation was plundered, many were exiled, living in misery away from their homeland. As God speaks to them of a restoration, He promises to make a New Covenant with His people which would be totally unlike the Old one He had made at Sinai.

The basic tenet of the New Covenant is stated by God: “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.”(Vs.33) This is in contrast to the Old Testament times when God gave them written instructions on tablets of stone which they failed to follow time and again. The tendency to sin was prevalent as their old nature of sin was not completely done away with. There was no total change of heart which made them sin again and again. So how does the New Covenant promised to them come into the picture?

We now know that the New Covenant is made available to us through Christ Jesus- “Jesus the mediator of a new covenant” (Heb.12:24). By His death on the Cross and His shed blood, He has made a new and living way (Heb.10:20) for us to be restored to a Holy God. Unlike the blood of goats and bulls that were offered for the remission of sins in the Old Testament, the unblemished blood of Christ is able to cleanse our hearts and even our conscience from sin so that we can draw near to God with a sincere heart(Heb.10:22).

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On a new and clean heart, God can write His laws- put in His instructions, which a renewed mind is able to follow. A person who has repented of sin and by faith accepted the finished work of Christ on the cross for his sin and decided to live with Christ, has now a new Master over his life! Sin no longer has mastery over him as he has given the members of his body as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13,14). And day by day, through Christ, he has victory over sin as God’s laws in his heart guide him!

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The aspect of “Knowing the Lord” as mentioned in the key verse is possible only for the one who would have a personal relationship with God through Christ Jesus! In the OT times, the priests were the mediators for the people to know God and the prophets brought them His word. Today as seen above, we have Christ who has opened a new way to know God. When we invite Him into our hearts, through His Spirit, we call God, “Abba!”  Romans 8:15,16 says, “…but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God..” What a privilege! That knowing is through an intimate fellowship with our Father through the Holy Spirit!

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Friend, where are you in life?- struggling with sin? Not knowing the purpose of your life?  A New life in Christ is the doorway to a new start -He calls you in love to become “His Own.” As You get to know Him, you will never lack His directions all the way through life!

 

Thought- “Knowing You Jesus/Knowing You/There in no greater thing/ You’re my all, You’re the best/You are my joy my Righteousness/And I love You Lord.”- lyrics ~Graham Kendrick