“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more,” Hebrews 10:16-17.
The Lord has a special relationship with the nation of Israel. So often hated by the nations of men, they are beloved of God! He has said of them: “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth,” Deuteronomy 7:6. The word ‘special’ is elsewhere translated by the phrase ‘peculiar treasure, jewel’. We stand in awe of this nation’s relationship with the Lord, despite all their sin and rebellion!
The verses which form our text, are among the final references in the Bible to the Covenant that God has made with Israel and which yet awaits final fulfilment.
I must emphasise that the LORD HAS NOT ABANDONED ISRAEL AND UTTERLY GIVEN THEM UP! That is something that Paul the apostle made ABSOLUTELY plain.
“I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot (know) ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace,”Romans 11:1-5.
Many times, even in the periods of Israel’s deepest apostasy and departure from God, He reiterated the terms of the Covenant and sought to encourage and comfort those who were under His judgment for their sins. Just on Friday past, I read these words in my daily reading. “Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart,” Jeremiah 24:4-7.
The day before reading those words, I read these verses, and they are what suggested this study to me:
“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land,” Jeremiah 23:1-8. (more…)
The following article has appeared in today’s Belfast Telegraph. It is by ‘perversion advocate’, Gareth Hanna.