What do we understand the term ‘covenant’ to mean?
Well, the Merriam-Webster online dictionary has described it as: (1) a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement; and (2) a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action.
These definitions seem to fit the idea of the covenant that God made with the people of Israel and Judah when he gave the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. That particular covenant was certainly a formal, solemn and binding agreement, and the commandments that God gave to Moses were written on tablets of stone.
Unfortunately for the people of Israel and Judah, they consistently broke this agreement with God when they continually failed to keep the commandments they’d been given. Ultimately God grew weary of their failure to keep the covenant, and He allowed them to be conquered and sent into exile – the people of Israel to Assyria, and the people of Judah to Babylon, in the eighth and sixth centuries BC respectively.
Writing to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, the prophet Jeremiah suggested that “The sin of Judah is written with an iron pen; with a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts . . .” (Jeremiah 17:1) Clearly the prophet is comparing Israel’s heart to an extremely hard surface such as metal or stone.
The message then comes to Jeremiah from God is that He will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. The new covenant involves a promise that God will write his law on the hearts and minds of his people. In contrast to the old covenant, which gave the law to Israel written on tablets of stone (Exodus 24:12), the new covenant will transform them internally and result in real change
This change seems to describe an experience very much like a new birth, with God taking the initiative. We now know that the foundation of this new covenant is Jesus (Hebrews 8:6). It is a complete and far-reaching change, involving not only Israel and Judah but even the Gentiles. It offers a unique personal relationship with God Himself, with his laws written on individuals’ hearts instead of on stone. Jeremiah looked forward to the day when Jesus would come to establish this covenant. But for us today, this covenant is here. We have the wonderful opportunity to make a fresh start and establish a permanent, personal relationship with God.
