Day 220, or August 8. We are all included in God's plans. Our thoughts today are rooted
in Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 31. The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will
make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.
And now the big picture surrounding this verse. Jeremiah dedicates several chapters to the
restoration of the land and its people. The forthcoming exile may appear to be the end
and a disastrous one at that, but it will end in triumph. Interestingly, he refers to
Israel and Judah even though the northern tribes of Israel have long since been scattered
by the Assyrians. This confirms that many individuals must have migrated south before
the Assyrians came, so even though the actual tribes have lost their identities, the people
within those tribes were safe as soon as they trusted God and joined Judah in the south.
They were secure because they trusted in their God rather than in their kinship as part of
one of the tribes.
And now our action step for today. God clearly promises a new covenant for Israel and Judah.
Through the words of Jeremiah. In four verses in chapter 31, God's promise is explained.
And if you take time to look for yourself, you will see how wonderfully it ends with
a beautiful promise from God himself, I will forgive their wickedness and I will never
again remember their sins. All of this is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, through
whom we have this special relationship with God, which is better than the Mosaic covenant,
which was broken by the Israelites. This is a new one sealed with the blood of Jesus,
God's only son. Part of this new covenant is the promise that it will be available to
everyone, Gentiles as well as Jews. This is fulfilled in the New Testament many centuries
later with the fleshly reality of the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If
there are things in your life that are preventing you from getting closer to God, why not claim
this ancient promise of forgiveness today? God is always as good as His word.