If to proceed from, how much is opened variously and widely to people God's lovingkindness and how God opened a lot to us about Him (indeed, in Christ is manifested all the plenitude of the Divinity bodily), then is imperative the...
If to proceed from, how much is opened variously and widely to people God's lovingkindness and how God opened a lot to us about Him (indeed, in Christ is manifested all the plenitude of the Divinity bodily), then is imperative the conclusion that with the birth of the Church, the religious history of humanity has ended. Properly, it is like that: in fact, what can God give us again, having given His Son for our sake? God’s gift in Christ is so immense that we need centuries to realize and contain it. The possibility to find a genuine life in the Church is so real that nothing more is required indeed. But it is only a part of the affair: Divine’s.
If we read attentively what God said about the New Testament in the Bible, especially the above mentioned words by the prophet Jeremiah, or the words of the prophet Ezekiel pronounced a few years later (Ezekiel 36:26-27), becomes quite evident the rightness of one modern saint, who said that Christianity is only beginning. The prophets speak about such a deep transformation of people, when the fulfillment of the will of the Creator will be for us an internal necessity, and not an external. The action of the Holy Spirit on the participants of the New Testament is called, as it seems to fill us such that the realization of human freedom should be not sin, but unity with God so that the fulfillment of our destination could become our free choice.
A great dream since the antiquity has inflamed the spirits and hearts of the best of people: to do that sin does not reign in us. For that were created religious systems and philosophic doctrines, but mostly for that people tried to create a perfect society. Those who grew upon the Bolsheviks, will remember here of their promise that in communism work will become a voluntary need of all the members of the society. In fact, they were very unoriginal, simply did as monkeys. Then it turned out that to do such thing, without violating the freedom of the person is impossible. And only God fulfilling all His promises, says through the prophets that it will be like that, because it is our freedom to be holy, paid by the Blood of His Son. It is clear that the fulfillment of this promise in us hasn’t yet come true, but it already depends on ourselves. Among other things, we therefore received a mighty perspective – if not the whole humanity, then every person.
31 The restoration of Israel published, Jer 31:1-14.
Rachel mourning is comforted, Jer 31:15-17.
Ephraim repenting is brought home, Jer 31:18-21.
Christ promised, Jer 31:22-26.
His care over the church, Jer 31:27-30.
His new covenant, Jer 31:31-34.
The stability and enlargement of the church, Jer 31:35-40.
31:23 The Lord of hosts - These prophecies of the restoration of the Jews, are ordinarily prefaced with these two attributes of God, the one of which asserts his power to do the thing promised; the other his goodness to his people.
31:25 For - The words are a promise, that God would give his people abundance of ease and plenty.
31:26 Upon this I awaked - Probably this revelation was made to Jeremiah, in a dream.
31:27 I will sow - That is, I will exceedingly multiply them, both with men and with cattle.
31:31 Behold - And not only with the Jews, but all those who should be ingrafted into that Olive. It is not called the new covenant, because it was as to the substance new, for it was made with Abraham, Gen 17:7,and with the Jews, Deu 26:17-18, but because it was revealed after a new manner, more fully and particularly, plainly and clearly.Nor was the ceremonial law any part of it, as it was to the Jews, a strict observance of that. It was likewise new in regard of the efficacy of the spirit attending it, in a much fuller and larger manner.
31:32 Not according - The covenant which God made with the Jews when they came out of the land of Egypt, was on God's part the law which he gave them, with the promises annexed; on their part (which made it a formal covenant) their promise of obedience to it.
31:33 With - That is, with those who are Jews inwardly.And write it - The prophet's design is here to express the difference betwixt the law and the gospel. The first shews duty, the latter brings the grace of regeneration, by which the heart is changed, and enabled for duty. All under the time of the law that came to salvation, were saved by this new covenant; but this was not evidently exhibited; neither was the regenerating grace of God so common under the time of the law, as it hath been under the gospel.
31:34 I will forgive - God makes the root of all this grace to be the free pardon, and the remission of their sins.
31:36 Those ordinances - The ordinances of nature, which are God's establishments for the working of natural causes in their order.
31:37 I will cast off - That is, I will never cast off all the seed of Israel.
31:38 The city - Shall be built round, as largely as ever.
31:39 The line - That is, it shall be built round about upon its old foundations.
31:40 The valley - A valley, so called from the multitude of Sennacherib's army slain there. Of the ashes - So called from the ashes of the sacrifices carried thither. Holy - All these places shall be parts of the holy city, and God's name shall be sanctified, and he shall be worshipped in them all. For ever - If we interpret the word for ever of a perpetuity, the church of God must here be understood, against which the gates of hell shall never prevail.