Any plan for the betterment of human society that ignores the sin problem is destined to failure. It isn’t enough to change the environment, for the heart of every problem is the problem of the heart. God must change the hearts of people so that they want to love Him and do His will. That’s why He announced a new covenant to replace the Old covenant under which the Jews had lived since the days of Moses, acovera t that could direct their conduct but not change their character.

Jewish history is punctuated with a number of “covenant renewals” that brought temporary blessingbut didn’t change the hearts of the people. The book of Deuteronomy records a renewal of the covenant under Moses, before the people entered the Promised Land.

In addition, before he died, Joshua led the people in reaffirming the covenant (Josh. 23—24). Samuel called the nation to renew their vows to God (1 Sam. 12), and both Hezekiah (2 Chron. 29—31) and Josiah (2 Chron. 34—35) inspired great days of “revival” as they led the people back to God’s law.

The fact that the blessings didn’t last is no argument against times of revival and refreshing. When somebody told Billy Sunday that revivals weren’t necessary because they didn’t last, the evangelist replied, “A bath doesn’t last, but it’s good to have one occasionally.” A nation that is built on spiritual and moral principles must have frequent times of renewal or the foundations will crumble.

But the new covenant isn’t just another renewal of the Old covenant that God gave at Sinai; it’s a covenant that’s new in every way. The new covenant is inward so that God’s law is written on the heart and not on stone tablets (2 Cor. 3; Ezek. 11:19–20; 18:31; 36:26–27). The emphasis is personal rather than national, with each person putting faith in the Lord and receiving a “new heart” and with it a new disposition toward godliness.

The Old covenant tried to control conduct, but the new covenant changes character so that people can love the Lord and one another and want to obey God’s will.

“By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20), but under the new covenant God promised “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:34). It is this covenant that the Jews will experience in the last days when they see their Messiah and repent (Zech. 12:10—13:1).

The basis for the new covenant is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Matt. 26:27–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–20). Because the church today partakes in Israel’s spiritual riches (Rom. 11:12–32; Eph. 3:1–6), anyone who puts faith in Jesus Christ shares in this new covenant (Heb. 8:6–13; 10:14–18). It’s an experience of regeneration, being born again into the family of God (John 3:1–21).

The Lord also affirmed the permanence of the nation and the faithfulness of His relationship to His people (Jer. 31:35–37). It would be easier for the sun to stop shining and the moon and stars to go out than for God to break His promises to His people Israel. Just as Jerusalem was rebuilt after the Babylonian captivity, so it will be restored after the time of Jacob’s trouble and be holy to the Lord. Because of its ancient associations with Israel, Islam, Jesus, and the church, Jerusalem is called “the Holy City,” but it will not truly be holy until the Lord restores it and reigns in glory at the end of the age.

Categories: Articole de interes general, Studiu biblic