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| But this prophetic word was different than most; it was full of hope. God promised a new covenant. The old covenant, initiated by God with the rescue of the slaves from Egypt, was broken. But instead of giving up on the people of Israel and Judah, God came up with a new plan. The new covenant was similar to the old one in that: • In both, God takes the initiative. • Both are based on God’s law (the same law). • Both have the same goal, that of an intimate relationship (I will be their God and they shall be my people.) The new covenant was different as well: • Now people can obey the law through internalized motivation. The law will be written upon their hearts. • Everyone will experience God in a direct and unmediated way. • Forgiveness is the cornerstone of the covenant. While there was also forgiveness in the old covenant, this covenant stresses it in a bigger way. The phrase “I will be your God and you shall be my people” was a phrase borrowed from the typical Hebrew marriage ceremony. The marriage metaphor continued in the use of the word “husband” in verse 32. This word is “Baal” in Hebrew, which means husband, master and was also the word used for the pagan gods or the Baals. In one sense, then, God was saying, “Even though I was their Baal,” making a play on words for idol worship. So to break covenant was similar to the terrible crime of being unfaithful in marriage. Most of the prophets, including Jeremiah, did compare idolatry to being unfaithful to a spouse. So God was like a jilted lover, forsaken by the very people he rescued from Egypt. And even in the midst of this rejection, God offered a new covenant. |
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