(a) Why was a new covenant established during the time of Jeremiah? (b) State two consequences faced by the Israelites for breaking God's covenant

Answer Details

(a) Why a new covenant was established in the time of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

• The Lord declared that the days were coming when He would make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
• It would not be like the covenant He made with their fathers when He took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt.
• The reason was that the people had broken that former covenant, though God had been a husband to them. The old covenant, written on tablets of stone, had failed because of Israel's repeated disobedience and unfaithfulness.
• The new covenant would be inward and personal: God would put His law within them and write it on their hearts, not merely on stone.
• Under it, He would be their God and they would be His people. There would be a direct knowledge of God, from the least to the greatest, without needing every man to teach his neighbour.
• Above all, God promised, I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more. The new covenant was therefore established because the old one had been broken and a deeper, heart-based, forgiving relationship was needed.

(b) Two consequences the Israelites faced for breaking God's covenant

1. Defeat, destruction and exile. They were conquered by their enemies, Jerusalem was destroyed, and the people were carried away into captivity in Babylon.
2. Loss of God's favour and protection. Because of their unfaithfulness they suffered God's judgement, hardship and the withdrawal of the blessings promised to a covenant-keeping people.