From Jeremiah 31: 27 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals. 28 And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the Lord. 29 In those days they shall no longer say: "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." 30 But all shall die for their own sins; the teeth of everyone who eats sour grapes shall be set on edge. 31 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the Lord," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
I love the idiom, "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." It means that whatever the parents do, leaves a bad taste in their children's mouths. Spiritually, it means that setting a bad example leaves a bad impression on your children's mind and may affect their faith and/or their relationship with God or lack thereof. This is but the first part of a longer, more positive lesson from God through the prophet. God is still lamenting choices and behaviors God's people have made. They are far from being a light to the nations; in fact, they have become just as bad, if not worst, then the rest of the nations.
But God speaks of a new covenant coming, not like the one that led them to freedom from Egypt. This one will go deep into their hearts, minds, and spirits; and it will be one that will be marked with forgiveness instead of sin. It is the covenant that God brought through Jesus the Christ with all who would receive Him. It is a covenant of faithfulness and fruitfulness. It is one of belief and service. It is one of building up instead of tearing down. It is one that will even influence children to believe because of the way they see adults living loving and caring lives.
We live in the days of this new covenant, whose words make up the New Testament. It is the gospel message that should be deep within our hearts, minds and spirits. It is a new and better way to live, to live with love for God, and for our neighbor as ourselves.
You feeling it?
PRAYER: Loving God, awesome are Your promises, but even more amazing is Your presence in our lives. May this day be a day in which we seek to live the new covenant as a way to share our witness with those who have not yet heard. This we pray in Christ Jesus, Author and Bringer of the New Covenant, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
