Jeremiah 31:35-37 - A commitment worthy of our emulation

We saw the three clear-cut characters of the New Covenant God made with His people in Jeremiah 31:31-34. It guaranteed reconciliation, regeneration, and possession. The people of God would be His redeemed, reconciled, regenerated, and renewed people.  There would be a mutual love relationship between Him and them. He would be their God and they, His forgiven people. The New Covenant described in these three verses found its fulfillment in Christ Jesus.

Having made the promise of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34, God went on to talk about the everlasting nature of this covenant in verses 35-37.  Unlike usual contracts that would be made null and void, when one party fails to keep his part of the stipulation, this New Covenant will never be made null and void. It is an everlasting covenant. God guarantees it. While men may fail to keep their part of the bargain, God will never fail to keep His. This is His commitment. He promises that as much as the earth will never grind to a halt, so neither will His commitment to His redeemed people stop. As sure as the sun will rise every morning and set every evening that is how committed God will be to His covenant.

 

In verse 37, God plainly declares that he will never discard his people. Just as it is impossible to measure the infinite length of heaven or know the depth of the foundation of the earth, so neither will God's love for His people be fully fathomed. His commitment to His people will never fade even when His fickle-minded people fail to keep their end of the stipulation.

 

How can this covenant be so permanent? Hebrews 9 give us some clues to its durability. This New Covenant had cut with a better sacrifice, Jesus Christ the lamb of God, and inaugurated His precious Blood. Just as the blood of animals was applied to the Old Covenant beneficiaries, the Israelites, and the Tabernacle, this New Covenant went into effect when Christ's shed blood was applied to its beneficiaries, we the believers. This is a covenant between God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son Jesus Christ on our behalf. God had made His commitment to save and keep us. What about us? Will we be committed and stay faithful to Him till the end?