Posts by NCWPadmin (Page 5)

They Shall Not Teach, ‘Know The Lord.’

“FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’ FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.” Hebrews 8:10-12

We’ve almost finished our journey through this rich Old Testament quote of the prophet Jeremiah by the writer of the letter to the Hebrews concerning the prophesied New Covenant. The last section of Jeremiah’s inspired words are found in Chapter thirty-one, verses thirty-three and thirty-four: “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “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. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Their God, My People

Well, we’re working through the last parts of the Hebrew writer’s quote from the prophet Jeremiah found in Jeremiah chapter 31. Here is that last section of verses referenced by the writer of Hebrews as found in the Old Testament in the NAS translation. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “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. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jer. 31:33-34

Placed In The Mind, Written On The Heart

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:10-12

Okay, we’re in our fourth week on our study of Jeremiah’s prophetic utterance concerning the coming New Covenant as quoted by the writer of the letter to the Hebrews. This week, we’ll begin our consideration of the superior benefits, blessings and promises of the New Covenant. Remember now, Judah was in its death throes headed for the Babylonian captivity, and Israel to the north was long gone as a nation. These were the conditions that existed when Jeremiah was moved to utter and record these hopeful words for the posterity to come. This was the great hope of the faithful prophet and a prophesied faithful remnant. Here’s Jeremiah’s quote in its entirety as found in the Old Testament (NAS). “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “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. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jer. 31:31-34)

After Those Days

This week, we press on in our study of the quote by the inspired penman of the letter to the Hebrews from the prophet Jeremiah concerning the New Covenant as recorded here in chapter eight. The passage cited by the writer is found in Jeremiah 31:31-34. “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “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. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

A New Covenant For A Spiritual-Minded Israel

Two weeks ago, we began our consideration of the New Covenant as foretold by the prophet Jeremiah, that which the inspired writer of the Hebrew letter quotes here in chapter eight. Here is Jeremiah’s quote in entirety.

Developing Disciplined Children

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.’ And, fathers, do no provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1-4)

In Mr. Simpson’s absence (he is on a family vacation this week), we will temporarily digress from looking at Old Testament quotations in light of their New Testament meanings. This week we will instead look at the importance of raising up Godly children who will continue to carry the spiritual revolution on to the next generation. When God ordained the family, He established the parents to be a united leadership, with the father ultimately being the head of the household. Under this divine family structure, the children are to be in subjection to their parents, growing “in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” The family is the initial training ground by which children learn the fundamental principles for living as adults in subjection to the heavenly Father.

Finding Fault With Them

‘For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says,”Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will effect a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care for them, says the Lord.” ’ Hebrews 8:7-9

In Hebrews 3:1, the “holy brethren” (the church) is told to “consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.” From that point forward in the book to our text for today, the inspired writer has been doing just that. For our consideration, He’s been placing before us the revelation of just who Jesus really is and what He has done for us in those two roles, buttressed by quotes from the Old Testament showing their fulfillment in Christ.

Pattern, Precepts and Blessing; or Perversion and Plagues

Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.”

Hebrews 8:4-5 (NAS)

Last week we noted that our Old Testament quote found here in chapter eight of the letter to the Hebrews by the divinely directed penman of God, is a continuation of the church’s education and edification in the critical principle of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as our high priest.

Passage and Presence, Patterns and Precepts

Jesus, the Son of God, our great High Priest

The inspired writer of the Hebrew letter introduced Jesus, the Son of God, as our great high priest back in Hebrews 4:14. In the previous two installments we considered Jesus’ superiority to Aaron as our high priest based upon Old Testament quotes found in Hebrews 5:5-6. If you missed those, they can be found at the congregational website, newcreation.us. From Hebrews 5:6 to our text today, which contains the next citation of an Old Testament passage, the penman has continued working on the principle of Jesus as our high priest.

Thou Art My Son, Thou Art The King, Thou Art A Priest Forever

And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee”; just as He says also in another passage, “Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrew 5:4-6

Last week we began the process of considering Jesus Christ as our high priest, as the inspired writer of the letter to the Hebrews exhorted (Heb. 3:1). Since in our text Christ is compared and contrasted to Aaron, the first high priest called by the LORD, we reviewed significant events where the Father confirmed absolutely His choosing of Aaron in the face of those who sought to take that honored position to themselves.