According to Jeremiah 31, the new covenant will be made
after YHVH has gathered (or redeemed, v. 11) all the families of Israel (v. 1; i.e., the houses Ephraim or Israel [i.e., Christians] and Judah [i.e., the Jews], vv. 9, 20, 27, 31) who will be returning from the north country, the coasts of the earth and the isles (vv. 8, 10) back to Zion with joy, singing and dancing (vv. 12–13, 24). This will occur after Ephraim repents (v. 20) of Torahlessness, and YHVH’s daughter turns away from her backsliding (vv. 21–22), and upon coming out her captivity in the end times (v. 23; in spiritual Egypt or Babylon the great). At that time, YHVH will make a new covenant with the two houses of Israel (vv. 31–33), and all Israel will know Elohim from the least to the greatest. This prophecy has yet to be fulfilled.
The author of Hebrews quotes Jeremiah 31:31–33 (Heb 8:7–13) asserting that the new covenant is the same covenant about which Jeremiah prophesied. From that author’s perspective (Heb 8:13), the new covenant isn’t fully in place yet, and the first covenant is decaying (wearing out), growing old and vanishing away (disappearing). The implication is that the old covenant has not totally gone away yet (see also 2 Cor 3:11).
We know that Yeshua initiated the new covenant at his Passover seder called the last supper (Luke 22:20). This covenant has been given to believers in Yeshua, but it hasn’t been universally applied to all Israel yet. This will occur when the two houses of Israel will return to the Promised Land after they have been set free from spiritual Babylon at Yeshua’s second coming.
YHVH’s Word tells us that no man can add to or subtract from the terms of the old covenant (Gal 3:15). Although YHVH made this covenant with men, it is a divine covenant, and YHVH himself (not men) determines its terms and conditions! When Yeshua initiated the new covenant at his Passover, the old covenant and the Torah were still in force, and not one jot or tittle will be removed from the Torah until heaven and earth pass away (Matt 5:18). The Torah determines the terms of both the old and new covenants. Any traditions that have come into the Christian (Sunday, Christmas, etc.) or Jewish religious systems that are contrary to the Torah are men’s additions, and are therefore invalid and irrelevant.
Even as there was a gradual process of phasing into the first (or old) covenant, the same is true of the new covenant. With the former covenant, the Israelites put the blood of the lamb on their door posts at Passover, prepared themselves to meet YHVH at Mount Sinai (Exod 19), were then presented with the terms and conditions of the Sinai covenant at Shavuot (Exod 20–23), and then the covenant was ratified (Exod 24). After that, subsequent generations of Israelites automatically entered into that covenantal agreement as they were born (Deut 29:12–15) even as Americans, for example, are still bound to the U.S. Constitution many generations after its ratification.
Similarly, Yeshua initiated the new covenant with Israel in his day when his blood was put on the door posts (the cross) at Passover, then wrote his Torah (the terms and conditions of the new covenant) on their hearts by his Spirit on Pentecost. This began the process of regathering scattered and adulterous Israel back to YHVH through the blood of Yeshua the Lamb of Elohim.
When the process of regathering Israel is finally completed (during the Millennium). YHVH will finalize his new covenant agreements with them. It will be called the everlasting covenant (Jer 32:40; Ezek 37:26; Isa 55:3) or the covenant of peace (Isa 54:10; Ezek 34:25; see also 59:10; Hos 2:19–19).
I dont see anything new about the Torah being written on hearts. Isnt that part of the still intact old covenant as well?
Deuteronomy 30:6 “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your HEART and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your HEART and with all your soul, so that you may live. 7 “The LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 “And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. 9“Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; 10 if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the [Torah], if you turn to the LORD your God with all your HEART and soul. 11“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. 12“It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ 13“Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ 14“But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your HEART, that you may observe it.
So if Jeremiah 31:33 is nothing new, is there any other verse in Jeremiah chapters 30-31 (the New Covenant) that is fulfilled in any way?
First, I didn’t come up with the idea or term “new covenant.” Jeremiah did, and this is echoed by Yeshua and the apostolic writers. So there must be something new or different about the new covenant vis-a-vis the old covenant, or else they wouldn’t have used this term.
Second, it was YHVH’s intent from the beginning that his Torah be written on the Israelites’ hearts, and that that their hearts would be circumcised toward him. His desire and the reality of the matter were two different things, sadly. The older generation of Israelites were’t allowed to enter the Promised Land because of hardness of hearts, and because of doubt and unbelief (Heb 4).
Third, so what was new about the new covenant? It was the Comforter (Holy Spirit) coming to write YHVH’s Torah laws on the hearts of his people and aiding them from within to help them to keep his Torah. Yeshua clearly explains this in his last instructions to his disciples before his death in John chapters 14 through 17. The fulfillment of this promise——the outpouring of his Spirit/the Comforter occurred in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost, and has been a reality for redeemed believers ever since.
Fourth, thank you for giving me an idea for a teaching topic for our upcoming Shavuot/Pentecost feast celebration: The Differences Between the Old and New Covenants from a pro-Torah, Hebrew roots of the Christian faith perspective. There seems to be some confusion in the minds of some folks regarding this subject. It’s all about the HOLY SPIRIT in the lives of YHVH’s people!!!
Big topic. I’ll try to lay this out as dialog:
Lon’s quote: “I dont see anything new about the Torah being written on hearts. Isnt that part of the still intact old covenant as well?”
Natan: “First, I didn’t come up with the idea or term “new covenant.” Jeremiah did, and this is echoed by Yeshua and the apostolic writers. So there must be something new or different about the new covenant vis-a-vis the old covenant, or else they wouldn’t have used this term.”
Lon: I never said anything about there not being anything new about the New Covenant. I said:
“So if Jeremiah 31:[VERSE] 33 is nothing new, is there any other verse in Jeremiah chapters 30-31 (the New Covenant) that is fulfilled in any way?”
My current understanding is that everything about that covenant will be new—no part of it has ever taken place yet, even in part. I have absolutely no problem with the term New Covenant. I meant that there is nothing new about Torah being on our hearts in verse 33. That’s why I quoted Deuteronomy 30:6-13 as evidence of it being part of both covenants.
Natan: Second, it was YHVH’s intent from the beginning that his Torah be written on the Israelites’ hearts, and that that their hearts would be circumcised toward him. His desire and the reality of the matter were two different things, sadly. The older generation of Israelites were’t allowed to enter the Promised Land because of hardness of hearts, and because of doubt and unbelief (Heb 4).
Lon: Written on their hearts: My understanding on that is that nothing of that magnitude has ever happened yet. When the Torah is really written on our hearts we will all be in harmony. We will not be having this kind of conversation. BROTHERS will not be teaching brothers at this time:
Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My [Torah] within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34“They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his BROTHER, saying, ‘Know [Yehovah],’ for they will 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.”
Natan: Third, so what was new about the new covenant? It was the Comforter (Holy Spirit) coming to write YHVH’s Torah laws on the hearts of his people and aiding them from within to help them to keep his Torah. Yeshua clearly explains this in his last instructions to his disciples before his death in John chapters 14 through 17. The fulfillment of this promise——the outpouring of his Spirit/the Comforter occurred in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost, and has been a reality for redeemed believers ever since.
Lon: When Peter quoted Joel on that Day of Pentecost, I am convinced that he jumped the gun, thinking that the day of Yehovah was about to start. None of the other events he quoted happened. He did experience an outpouring of the spirit, but it certainly did not include “all mankind”. When everybody is included no one will think others are drunk:
Joel 2:28 “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on ALL MANKIND; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 “Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30 “I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. 31“The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of [Yehovah] comes.
Natan: Fourth, thank you for giving me an idea for a teaching topic for our upcoming Shavuot/Pentecost feast celebration: The Differences Between the Old and New Covenants from a pro-Torah, Hebrew roots of the Christian faith perspective. There seems to be some confusion in the minds of some folks regarding this subject. It’s all about the HOLY SPIRIT in the lives of YHVH’s people!!!
Lon: When we all have the Torah in our hearts there will be no “confusion in the minds” of anyone. I’ve heard for my entire life that we are living under the New Covenant to one degree or another, but the evidence usually cited is about something (usually not the Torah) written on someones hearts. I’ll be interested in hearing your explanation.
Natan: “From that author’s perspective (Heb 8:13), the new covenant isn’t fully in place yet, and the first covenant is decaying (wearing out), growing old and vanishing away (disappearing).”
Lon: Another case of jumping the gun. But we agree that the old covenant is still “disappearing” 2000 years later. We disagree on the “ isn’t fully in place yet” part. Again, apart from verse 33, what part of Jeremiah 31 do you view as partially completed in any literal sense?
Natan: “We know that Yeshua initiated the new covenant at his Passover seder called the last supper (Luke 22:20). This covenant has been given to believers in Yeshua, but it hasn’t been universally applied to all Israel yet. This will occur when the two houses of Israel will return to the Promised Land after they have been set free from spiritual Babylon at Yeshua’s second coming. …When Yeshua initiated the new covenant at his Passover …”
Lon: We also agree that when Yeshua died on the cross that He insured that the New Covenant would be effected. To me His first public coming “only” set the stage for His return to implement the covenant at His second coming. In Luke 22, those final instructions, the timing of the New Covenant is still future:
Luke 22:15 And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is FULFILLED IN THE KINGDOM of God.”… 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on UNTIL THE KINGDOM of God comes.”… “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood…28 “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; 29 and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you 30 that you may eat and drink at My table IN MY KINGDOM, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
In every single instance where the term “New Covenant” is used, the timing includes similar futuristic wording.
I’ve read your lengthy reply a couple of time. If I’m understanding you correctly, you don’t believe that the new covenant is in place yet. If this is so, this begs a couple of questions?
First, in your view, what covenant are we still under? If not the new, then the old? If so, why aren’t we still doing sacrifices—a key component of both the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants? What was the purpose of Yeshua’s death on the cross?
In addition, It appears that the Epistle to the Hebrews was written just before or after the temple’s destruction in 70 AD. There the author was attempting explain the fact that we no longer need the old priesthood or sacrificial system, why it ceased with the temple’s demise, why and how Yeshua fulfilled the sacrificial system by his death on the cross, and how we no longer need the Levitical priesthood since Yeshua is now our Great High Priest in heaven. In this context, the author of Hebrews introduces the idea of the new covenant as a present reality, not something to come in the distant future.
Second, pray tell what was Yeshua referring to when at the last supper he spoke of the new covenant of which the bread and wine with which he partook with his disciples were the symbolic elements?
Natan to Lon: If I’m understanding you correctly, you don’t believe that the new covenant is in place yet.
Lon: Correct
Natan: First, in your view, what covenant are we still under? If not the new, then the old?
Lon: The old covenant was for ancient Israel. The New Covenant will be our surviving Israelite friends who are not resurrected at His coming. Why assume we are under either?:
Jeremiah 31:31 The time is coming [1], declares Yehovah, when I’ll make a New marriage Covenant with the ‘nation’ of Israel and the tribe of Judah. 32 It wont be like the marriage Covenant that I made with their ancestors during the time when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt, since they broke My Covenant, tho I was their Husband, declares Yehovah.
Natan: If so, why aren’t we still doing sacrifices—a key component of both the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants?
Lon: When the temple was destroyed sacrifices stopped. When it is rebuilt they will resume. (Ezekiel chapters 40-48) Zec 14: 20-21).
Natan: What was the purpose of Yeshua’s death on the cross?
Lon: As I mentioned in my previous segment: “We also agree that when Yeshua died on the cross that He insured that the New Covenant would be effected. To me His first public coming “only” set the stage for His return to implement the covenant at His second coming. “
Natan: In addition, It appears that the Epistle to the Hebrews was written just before or after the temple’s destruction in 70 AD. There the author was attempting explain the fact that we no longer need the old priesthood or sacrificial system, why it ceased with the temple’s demise, why and how Yeshua fulfilled the sacrificial system by his death on the cross, and how we no longer need the Levitical priesthood since Yeshua is now our Great High Priest in heaven.
Lon: We are between the covenants but Yeshua covered our sins. Perhaps things will be different in the near future.
Natan: In this context, the author of Hebrews introduces the idea of the new covenant as a present reality, not something to come in the distant future.
Lon: Presumably you mean Hebrews 12:
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a NEW COVENANT, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. 26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
We see here that:
1) Yeshua is the Mediator of the New Covenant due to His first coming and death.
2) We need to take this seriously
3) The New Covenant will be fulfilled after a major shaking of the earth.
Natan: Second, pray tell what was Yeshua referring to when at the last supper he spoke of the new covenant of which the bread and wine with which he partook with his disciples were the symbolic elements?
Lon: First, He did not take part; that is eat His own flesh and drink His own blood:
Luke 22:14 When it was time to eat, Yeshua came and reclined at the table, along with His twelve envoys. 15 He told them, “I had [1] really wanted to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 But I tell you, “From now on I WILL NOT BY ANY MEANS [Strong’s 3364 ] EAT IT [2] until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of YHVH.”
Second, the context explains the timing:
20 After supper He did the same with the cup, He said, “This cup is the New Covenant in My blood that is poured out on your behalf! … 27 But I’m here among you as someone who serves. 28 You are the ones who have stayed with Me in My trials, 29 and I PROMISE YOU THE KINGDOM just as My Father has promised it to Me, 30 SO THAT YOU CAN EAT AND DRINK at the table IN MY KINGDOM and sit on thrones governing the twelve tribes of Israel.”
You’re right, Yeshua didn’t partake of the communion elements at the last supper, but his disciples did. As I read the Gospel account, by their drinking it, at that moment in time, he is instituting the new covenant then and there, for he speaks in the present, not the future, tense. This is what leads me to believe that Yeshua did indeed initiate the new covenant at that time, yet, it will be finalized at his second coming.
Presently, as I see it, we’re in the interim phase between the third and fourth cups of the Passover seder (the cups of redemption and praise), which corresponds to the betrothal (erusin) and nuptial (nisuin) stages in the Hebraic wedding. As I see it, this also corresponds with the third and fourth of YHVH’s “I will” statements in Exodus 6:6–7.
Moreover, in 2 Cor 3:4, Paul declares of himself and others who were in the ministry at that time to be “ministers of the new covenant.” Sounds to me like Paul viewed himself as (present tense) a minster of the new covenant at that time to the saints and that it wasn’t some future consideration in his mind.
Furthermore, in Paul’s mind, the Spirit of Elohim was the key component of the new covenant that made it different from the old covenant (verse 6), which is what I’ve been saying all along.
What’s more, the writer of Hebrews also speaks about the new covenant in the present tense when he declares that Yeshua is (present tense, not “will be” future tense) the mediator of the new covenant (Heb 8:6).
In summary, I’m having a hard time seeing that the new covenant isn’t currently in place having been ratified with the elect in the first century and subsequently binding redeemed believers to it when we say “I do” to Yeshua and partake of the communion elements. Now this is not to say that it won’t be reconfirmed with greater redeemed Israel after the second coming of Yeshua. As you recall, YHVH initiated the Mosaic covenant with Israel at Mt. Sinai, then reconfirmed it with the next generation as they were going into the Promised Land. Sounds YHVH is about to follow the same pattern again.
I’m afraid we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. Everywhere you see present fulfillment I see future fulfillment, including the ministry of 2 Cor 3:
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not [future tense] the MINISTRY of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts [into the future]! 12 Therefore, since we have such a hope [always future]…
Certainly the New Covenant should picture something happy, but Paul in the same dialog was more than ready for that future. He was dying to get there!
4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.