Chris Katulka: Hi Everyone. I’m Chris Katulka, host of The Friends of Israel Today radio program. Did you know that August is Make-a-Will Month? It's a special time to reflect on your legacy and to take an important step for your future. According to recent studies, only 32% of adults in the United States have a will. Creating one brings peace of mind, it protects your loved ones and allows you to support the ministries that matter most to you. At The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, we want to help you and that's why we've partnered with FreeWill to offer a simple and secure way to write your legal will for free as our gift to you. When you include The Friends of Israel in your plans, you're leaving behind a powerful testimony of your passion for God's Word and compassion for God's Chosen People. It's fast, it's free, and it's a beautiful way to honor what God has placed on your heart. And if you remembered FOI in your legacy plans, let us know. We will be honored to include you in our FOI Heritage Society. Visit partner.foi.org to get started today. Make-a-Will Month. Your future. Your legacy. God's Glory. Again, that's partner.foi.org to get started today.

Steve Conover: Hi, I’m Steve Conover, executive director here at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry and you’re listening to The Friends of Israel Today. What you’re about to hear is a rebroadcast of a program we believe is just as meaningful today as when it first aired. Thanks for listening.

Chris Katulka: Last week, we started a new study, a study on the New Covenant. It's such an important study because if you believe that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world, then you are saying that you are a part of the New Covenant community of believers bound together by the Spirit of God. And we know that Jesus is the one who ushered in this New Covenant. When, on the night of the last supper, he said, concerning the cup that we take during communion, he said, "Drink from it all of you, for this is my blood. The blood of the covenant that is poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins." This is a study that I hope opens your eyes to the fullness of the New Covenant. Because the New Covenant was something that was promised and rooted by God in the Old Testament.

Now, last week, we looked at the biblical history of the New Covenant. We specifically looked at Jeremiah chapter 31, where God promises to Israel that he would bring about a New Covenant. God was tired of punishing Israel for her continual disobedience. A disobedience that brought about exile and the Jewish people were ultimately kicked out of the land for their perpetual sin. And when Israel is out of the land, Israel cannot fulfill the purpose that God gave them to bless all the families of the earth according to Genesis chapter 12, verse 3. This was all according to what God said in the old covenant, the mosaic covenant stipulated that if Israel disobeys God, he will have to kick them out of the land temporarily though God wanted to provide a way to keep Israel in the land. And the issue was not the Old Covenant, the Old Covenant, the Mosaic law was not the problem actually, the problem was sin. God needed to deal with the issue of sin in Jeremiah chapter 31 though he promised a New Covenant.

So if you miss last week's program, head on over to foiradio.org and there you can find the first installment of this series on the New Covenant as we study the biblical background to the New Covenant. I even tell you a great story of an Israeli friend of mine who came to Christ because he saw how God promised the New Covenant in the Old Testament. So if you want to hear this story and you want to catch up on this series, please go to foiradio.org. And there you can find last week's episode and all the episodes that we've been producing for the past five years.

So today I want to focus on Jesus and the promise of the New Covenant in the gospels and what it means for Christians today. Again, Jesus didn't invent the New Covenant on the fly during his life. It was a promise that went back to the prophet Jeremiah who lived nearly 600 years prior to Christ. Jeremiah prophesied that a New Covenant would be established in the future. Now we know that leading up to Christ’s coming, we know this, that there were talks in the Jewish community, even before Jesus was born. There were talks in the Jewish community of the New Covenant. It's found in Jewish literature that was written about 150 to 250 years prior to Jesus's arrival. It talked about a new community of believers who followed God's laws, they were the New Covenant community.

Many believe Essenes who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls thought of themselves as a New Covenant community, awaiting for God to restore Israel, to send the Messiah. So we even know that prior to Christ, there was this hope that God would usher in this New Covenant because the New Covenant from Jeremiah was also the hope that God would restore Israel to the land and give them sovereignty over the land. And God would return to them and bless them and make them the head of the nations, not the tail. And so there's this promise that's connected to the New Covenant that is unique to Israel.

Okay, so let's start with this when it comes to the New Covenant and Jesus. First, what we know about the New Covenant from Jeremiah 31, is that God is saying there is a spiritual issue at play with Israel. Their sin has prevented them from keeping them in the land that God promised them to fulfill their divine purpose. Sin is the problem. So notice, when Jesus comes in the gospels, he's not preaching against the Roman empire and the Roman powers that oppress Israel and the Jewish people. He's not calling out Caesar from the sermon on the mount, he's not calling for a Jewish revolt against the Roman military. No, see Jesus understands that the real reason Rome occupies the land, like the Greeks did before them and the Persians before them and the Babylonians before them and the Syrians before them. The real reason Israel is a tenant under Gentile rule is because of their spiritual condition, which goes back to the original issue of Jeremiah chapter 31. Israel's sin is preventing them from experiencing all of God's blessings. Just as was what was promised in the law.

And Jesus came to tend to the spiritual condition of his people, to shepherd them. Now notice Jesus's greatest condemnation isn't toward the lost sheep of the house of Israel, they are lost sheep because they lack a shepherd to lead them. Jesus's condemnation is often directed toward the corrupt leadership of Israel that led the flock away from God. I always like to tell people, if you think Rome was a problem for God, then you have a very small view of who God is. Israel's problem was an age-old problem, which was dealing with the spiritual disobedience that they wrestled with all throughout their calling in the Old Testament. Jesus came to correct Israel's spiritual plight.

So let's go back really quick to what Jeremiah 31 says about the New Covenant. Jeremiah chapter 31, verse 31 and on says this, "There are days coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a New Covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah, it will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by their hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant though I was like a husband to them declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people." Verse 34. “No longer will they teach their neighbor or say to one another, "Know the Lord." Because they will all know me. From the least of them to the greatest declares the Lord, for I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sin no more.”

God is going to take the law and write it on their hearts and place it in their minds and notice what he says, "I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." God is going to provide a way for Israel through a New Covenant. In Hebrew, it's B'Rit Hadashah. God is going to provide a way for Israel to fulfill the covenant God entered with them. And that will only come through Jesus's life, death, resurrection, and ascension.

And here's something that's interesting. When the Old Covenant was ratified between the Israelites and God, think about this, when God brought the Old Covenant down and it was the tablets, the 10 Commandments and God enters into this covenant with the Israelites, Moses takes the blood of a bull and sprinkles it on the covenant, on the law and also on the people. And there is this moment where the Old Covenant is ratified and God enters into this new coven... Oh, I mean, I'm sorry into this covenant with his people. And so it was blood that ratified the OldCovenant between God and his people. That is the unique connection that was there. God said, "Do you want to enter into this covenant with me?" And the Old Covenant community of the Jewish people said, "Yes, we do. We want to enter into this covenant." That's when blood was sprinkled on the law and on the people to ratify that covenant.

And then listen to what Jesus says, it's very fitting. Listen, at the last supper, a Passover seder. Matthew chapter 26, verse 27 says this. Then he took a cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins."

The gospel of Luke actually calls the cup, the New Covenant, connecting Jesus's blood directly to the promise of the New Covenant that was made back in Jeremiah chapter 31. Jesus's blood becomes the blood of the New Covenant and it's through his blood that we find the forgiveness of sins once and for all. Even the writer of Hebrews says it this way, "And so he, Jesus, is the mediator of a New Covenant so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised; since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant." Jesus becomes the mediator of a New Covenant for his people and their sins are forgiven. Just as Jeremiah promised in Jeremiah chapter 31.

And according to Jeremiah, the New Covenant is a promise made to Israel. And it is, it's a promise for Israel. One day, all of Israel will be saved according to Romans chapter 11. Their sins will be forgiven when they look upon him whom they have pierced, Zachariah chapter 12, verse 10. But even now the New Covenant is also a promise that finds its meaning in the life of all people who place their faith in Jesus Christ. Through the promise made to Israel, all of the families of the earth have been blessed by the shed blood of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Just as Genesis chapter 12, verse 3 promised, that through Abraham and his descendants, all the families of the earth would be blessed by God.

Anyone from any background who places their faith in Jesus Christ is welcomed into a New Covenant community of God.

Now, when we return, we're going to look at what Jeremiah means when he says, "I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God. And they will be my people." Stick around.

Chris Katulka: Welcome back everyone. We're continuing our discussion on the New Covenant. And we're just looking at how the shed blood of Jesus becomes the way believers find forgiveness. Which is connected to the New Covenant promise that was made in Jeremiah chapter 31. And what's interesting about Jeremiah's prophecy of the New Covenant, is that it says God would put his law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. Now check this out, just a few chapters before Jeremiah 31, where God talks about the idea of planting his law within his people in their hearts and minds. Just a few chapters before in Jeremiah 17, God says this about Judah in Jeremiah 17, verse 1. The sin of Judah is engraved with an iron chisel on their stone hard hearts. It's inscribed with a diamond point on the horns of their altars.

Did you see what it says there? Did you hear that? The sin of Judah is engraved on their hearts. It's only a few verses later that the famous verse, we all gravitate towards to show the sinful nature of man's heart in Jeremiah 17, verse 9, which says this, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick, who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart and test the mind to give every man, according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." Friends again, I come back to this idea that sin is the issue. Sin's Israel's issue and sin is also the world's issue. Look, it was sin that was engraved on Judah's heart that's what it said in Jeremiah 17 verse 1 and only eight verses later, starting in Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 9, it says that every man's heart is deceitful above all things. Everybody's heart, the heart of man, it's not just an issue in Israel, it's a global issue. The heart is deceitful above all things. It's desperately wicked. Sins are engraved on it.

But then you just flip chapters forward into Jeremiah chapter 31 and God promises a New Covenant that would come. God wants to place the New Covenant within his people. Why does he want to do that? The old covenant law written on tablets produces an insincere obedience or even outright rebellion on the part of the people. Listen, I can't... But one of the greatest examples of this that we all deal with is just the issue of driving down the street and seeing the speed limit on a sign. It's an external law. It's right there, 25 miles an hour. And you know what, what happens to the heart of man? "I can push it a little bit. I can do 26. I can do 27. I don't see any cops around. I can do what I want because even though I see what the law is, I can obey it to how I want to obey it." It becomes insincere or even for some, outright rebellion when they drive 50 miles, double the speed limit down the road. It becomes insincere obedience. Even though the law is staring at us right in the face.

But see God's new action in Jeremiah chapter 31 will bring about a new situation, where the people will obey freely and gladly and rebellion will be something of the past. Through this forgiveness and obedience that comes from the New Covenant. God says, "I will be your God and you will be my people." The relationship between God and his people is renewed and restored. And here's what's awesome to me is that through Christ in the New Covenant, we have a relationship with God. We are God's children. We are sons and daughters of the living God. Something that comes as a result of the New Covenant that was promised in Jeremiah chapter 31.

Look even at the end of Revelation 21:3, which is something that I'll be preaching on our online Bible conference that's coming up pretty soon that you heard about in our ad. When I look at Revelation chapter 21, verse 3, right there is the New Jerusalem is coming down, a voice says this, "Behold the dwelling place of God is with man. He dwells with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God." A future prophetic event, a future reality. When God's people dwell with him forever. A promise that was made back in Jeremiah, chapter 31. A New Covenant, a new way of relating with God. When it's no longer tablets that we stare at with insincere obedience. No, now it is God's law engraved, embedded in our hearts and minds that we might follow him with true obedience. A leading that's given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Steve Conover: Chris, I’m reminded again as I was last week that, what a thought that God wants not just our obedience but a relationship with us. And I’m reminded of Revelation 7 where we read about this enormous crowd that no one could count and it’s made up of people from every nation, tribe and language, and they’re all standing before the Lamb in the throne and worshipping Him.

Chris Katulka: It’s amazing to me when you see even in the Old Testament, God is fighting to be with his people. You’d think after the Garden of Eden, God could have just said, ‘I’m done with these people. They disobeyed me. They sinned.’ And yet God still calls out to Adam and Eve knowing full well what they had done—”Where are you?” That God would even come and dwell with his people in a tabernacle and then a temple and that he would bring himself to his people in the person of who Jesus Christ is. This is God fighting for his creation and this is God desiring to enter into a relationship, to fix the problem of sin and to mend the issue once and for all through the shed blood of Jesus Christ—the promise of the New Covenant.

Steve Conover: Israel, on the verge of becoming a state, a teenaged Holocaust survivor arrives on her shores alone. His name is Zvi Kalisher. Little did he know his search for a new life in the Holy Land would lead him to the Messiah. Zvi, enthusiastic to share his faith, engaged others in spiritual conversations, many of which can be found in our magazine Israel My Glory. While Zvi is now in the presence of his Savior, his collected writings from well over 50 years of ministry continue to encourage believers worldwide. Now, Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life of Zvi.

Mike Kellogg: How can we believe in Jesus and still say that we are Jews? After living in Israel for 36 years, many know me. Some greet me with, "Shalom," Others say something like, "Are you still alive? People like you should be dead." When I received one such greeting recently I replied, "No my dear, that is not so. It is written “I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord,” Psalm 18:17. What can you a Christian possibly tell me about the Lord, he asked. I said, "The Lord has given me salvation, love and peace in my heart through the Holy Spirit. That is why the Lord has kept me alive through the Holocaust and four Wars here in Israel. So that I can tell others of his mighty deeds." He then said, "You want me to accept this new faith that you believe in? Your Jesus?" I responded, "The Lord Jesus did not come to make a new faith. He came to give us everlasting life through his suffering." "I know all about suffering." He said, sarcastically. I then asked, "Would you like me to read about his suffering?" He agreed.

So I read Isaiah 53, the forbidden chapter for Jewish people. Suddenly this man who was so sure of himself was now interested in hearing about the Lord. Such people have spent their entire lives listening only to the revered rabbis and reading many books of tradition. So when I present facts from the Bible, they become curious and want to hear more. It is important to articulate that Christians do not believe in a new faith, but in the one true God.

People walked by as we conversed. And one man said, "Israel is not the right place for a Christian. If you want to speak about Jesus, go somewhere else, but do not do it here." I had never met people with such deep hatred. For those of us who believe in the Lord, Jesus. They kept repeating, "Jesus came to make a new faith and because you believe in him, you have left the faith of your fathers." I told them, "If you would read the Bible instead of your books of tradition, you would see this is untrue." One said, "You are talking about the new Testament, but that does not belong to our Holy Bible." I told him, Jeremiah 31,31 says, "Behold the days are coming when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah."

The term New Testament is actually the Hebrew phrase B'Rit Hadashah. Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the law of the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." Surprisingly all were listening closely so I asked, "Do you still think Jesus came to make a new faith? Or do you realize he came to fulfill the Hebrew Scriptures? We must have faith in Him or we will be lost forever." One replied reluctantly, "We must admit you are right." I told them, "Now through the love of the Lord, we can speak together as friends. Strive to learn more about the Lord and his great love for all people and you will be able to stand against the false teachers who abound in our midst." They all responded, "Amen."

Steve Conover: Thank you for being with us today. Chris, why don't you share with our listeners what we'll cover next week as we wrap up our study on the New Covenant.

Chris Katulka: Yeah, the New Covenant has amazing aspects to it. First, it's what we looked at in Jeremiah, it's something that was promised in the past. Jesus then comes and brings about the hope of the New Covenant through his shed blood and the forgiveness of sins. And we also looked at this week what it will look like in the future when the New Covenant is fully realized. But do you know what? We are New Covenant believers which means as Christians, we are supposed to live with an attitude of the New Covenant. And so next week we're going to discuss what does a New Covenant lifestyle actually look like for a believer today?

Steve Conover: Join us then. Our host and teacher is Chris Katulka. Today's program was produced by Tom Gallione. Mike Kellogg read Apples of Gold. Our theme music was composed and performed by Jeremy Strong. And I'm Steve Conover, executive producer.

The Friends of Israel Today is a production of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. We are a worldwide evangelical ministry, proclaiming biblical truth about Israel and the Messiah while bringing physical and spiritual comfort to the Jewish people.