Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Hear the words of this covenant"
Text: Jeremiah 11:2
SEVERAL COVENANTS
There were several Covenants that God had given to Israel. Unfortunately, these had not been comprehended properly. There was obvious confusion of understanding and application of God’s covenant (Sinaitic).
A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE COVENANTS GIVEN TO ISRAEL
The following were the Covenants that were relevant to Israel. But the Covenants had to be understood and applied carefully.
1. Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15, 17)
a) The promise of blessing.
b) The promise of the land of Canaan to the Descendants of Abraham.
2. Sinaitic Covenant (Exodus 20, 25)
a) This was different from the Abrahamic Covenant.
b) In this Covenant, “Curses” were included (Deuteronomy 27-28).
3. Davidic Covenant
This was given to David and his descendants (2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89).
4. Levitical Covenant (Malachi 2)
THE COVENANT MENTIONED HERE
The Lord mentioned “the words of this covenant”. This covenant was not the “Abrahamic Covenant”.
“The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
‘Hear the words of this covenant, and speak
to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel:
‘Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant.”'”
Jeremiah 11:1-3
1. “The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying”
a) This was a word that God gave to Jeremiah.
b) The prophet must first understand God’s word thoroughly before preaching it.
c) All servants of God must seek to master Biblical content.
2. “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem”
a) “Hear the words of this covenant”
i) This was not the giving of a new covenant.
ii) This was to call the people in Judah to recall the Sinaitic Covenant.
b) Obviously, there was a lack of full knowledge of the Covenant.
i) The shepherds of the nation had become “dull hearted” (Jeremiah 10:21).
ii) The people had also become dull-hearted (Jeremiah 10:14).
3. “And say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant””
a) Jeremiah was not pronouncing a curse on Judah.
b) He was simply citing what was written in the Sinaitic Covenant.
c) The Lord’s “Curse”
i) His judgment.
ii) His punishment on all who deliberately disobeyed Him.
d) God’s word of warning was clear and specific.
i) “But if you do not obey Me…” (Leviticus 26:14)
ii) “If you despise My statutes…” (Leviticus 26:15)
iii) The Curses of God were pronounced (Leviticus 26:14-39).
This was the context of the “curse” that God spoke to Jeremiah!