That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 15 - April 11th, 2021

Jeremiah 31:33

33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Context: In this passage, the LORD has reflected on the whole of covenantal history and offers a summary conclusion: the covenant made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David has not produced a righteous humanity. This is not because the covenant was insufficient, rather, its human participants were. Here, the LORD proposes a solution.

Meaning: This New Covenant is not like the Old. While the Old Covenant was written on tablets of stone or recorded on the pages of scrolls, this New Covenant will be inscribed directly on the human heart. Rather than presenting a set of laws to be followed or behaviors to be performed, God will give His people a desire to honor Him.

Life Application: While it may seem insignificant to care about a prophecy made to Israel thousands of years ago, these words have a direct connection to us today. This New Covenant that Jeremiah prophesied about is the covenant that Christ makes with His church. Scripture teaches us that as believers in Jesus, we have become the recipients of the promises of God for His people. Jesus doesn’t only forgive our sin, He gives us hearts that love His Word and are eager to obey Him.

For Further Study: The author of Hebrews quotes this very passage when He talks about the New Covenant that believers have with God as part of His church. Read Hebrews 8. What connections do you find? How does this impact the way you understand your salvation?