DAY 11

God Keeps His Covenants with Jacob and David

The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “Have you not observed what these people are saying, ‘The LORD has rejected the two families which he chose’? Thus, they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight. Thus says the LORD: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the ordinances of heaven and earth, then I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his descendants to rule over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy upon them.” Jeremiah 33:23-26 RSV

The rejection or the replacement of Israel is not a new topic. The intensity of God’s judgment on Israel over the centuries has made many wonder whether God was still in covenant with Israel. The exile, the first destruction of Jerusalem, and the absence of a king on the throne of David, opened a crisis of faith within the people. Did these dramatic events show that God had ended His covenant with His people because of their many sins?

God addresses the issue through the prophet Jeremiah. He rebukes the people who say that the Lord has rejected the families of Jacob, Israel, and David – the royal line. God confirms His covenants with the two families that He chose.

The Lord uses powerful language. He says His covenants with them are as strong as the cosmic order He set in place. He will not reject them as long as day and night exist. God will have mercy upon them as long as the fixed order of heaven and earth stands. He has established immutable cosmic laws visible in the created order; similarly, His covenants with Israel and David are irreversible. Israel will remain God’s firstborn son, and the son of David – Jesus – will sit on the Messianic throne in Jerusalem forever.

Prayer

Our Father,

We bless Your Holy Name. We thank You for Your faithfulness to Your covenants with Israel. You are true to Your words. You are faithful to Your promises. You always keep Your part of the covenants You established with Your people.

We pray that the Jewish people will return to Your covenants, see Your faithfulness despite the tragedies they have experienced, and see You as You indeed are.

We pray that You give us a deeper understanding of Your covenants. Grant us to know You as the covenant-keeping God. Anchor our faith in the solid foundations of Your covenants so we will be unshakable when everything shakes.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.