Will the Real "New Covenant" Please Stand Up? (Jeremiah 31:30-36)

"Steve" 

Will the Real "New Covenant" Please Stand Up? (Jeremiah 31:30-36)

I. Introduction

The passage Jeremiah 31:30-36[31-37 in Christian Bibles] is an
important so-called 'proof text' in the toolbox of Christian
apologists and missionaries. This passage is unique in that it
contains the only occurrence in the Hebrew Bible of the Hebrew
phrase (brit khadashah), a new covenant. Christian apologists and
missionaries thus point to this passage as one that foretells the
replacement of what Christians call the 'Old Covenant' which, is the
Torah in Judaism, with their New Covenant, which is more commonly
referred to as the New Testament.

To Christian and Jews, Jeremiah 31:30-36[31-37] is a messianic
passage, albeit for different reasons. A close examination of the
Hebrew text of this passage within its proper context, along with
other relevant passages from the Hebrew Bible, demonstrates that this
messianic passage is irrelevant to the Christian New Testament and to
the Christian messiah.

II. Christian and Jewish Translations of Jeremiah 31:30-36
[31-37]

The Hebrew text and side-by-side English renditions of the passage
Jeremiah 31:30-36[31-37] – the King James Version (KJV) translation
in the left column and a Jewish translation in the middle column next
to the Hebrew text, are displayed in Table II-1. [Note: In some
Jewish editions the passage is numbered as Jeremiah 31:31-37, which
is the way it also appears in Christian Bibles, where Chapter 31
starts with the verse that is normally the last verse in Chapter 30 -
Jeremiah 30:25]. The KJV rendition also contains in it references to
several key passages in the New Testament that appear to be invoking
portions of the passage; these references were taken from the New
American Standard Bible (NASB).

Table II-1 – Jeremiah 31:30-36[31-37]

King James Version Translation
Jewish Translation from Hebrew
The Hebrew Text

Jeremiah 31
31
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:(1) (2)
30
"Behold, days are coming," says the L-rd, "when I will form with the
House of Israel and with the House of Judah a new covenant.

32
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the
day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of
Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto
them, saith the LORD:(1)
31
Not like the covenant that I formed with their forefathers on the
day I held them by the hand to take them out of the land of Egypt,
for they broke My covenant, although I was a husband unto them," says
the L-rd.

33
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their
inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God,
and they shall be my people.(1) (3)
32
"For this is the covenant that I shall form with the House of Israel
after those days," says the L-rd; "I will place My Torah within them,
and I will inscribe it upon their heart; and I will be their G-d and
they shall be a people for Me.
34
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man
his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from
the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I
will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.(1)
33
And no longer they shall teach, a man his neighbor, and a man his
brother, saying, 'know the L-rd,' for they shall all know Me, from
their smallest to their greatest," says the L-rd, "for I will forgive
their iniquity, and their sin I will no longer remember."

35
Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and
the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night,
which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts
is his name:
34
So said the L-rd, Who gives the sun to illuminate by day, the laws
of the moon and the stars to illuminate at night, Who stirs up the
sea to make its waves roar, the L-rd of Hosts is His name:

36
If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the
seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for
ever.
35
"If these laws could depart from before Me," says the L-rd, "so will
the seed of Israel cease being a nation before Me for all time."

37
Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the
foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off
all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.
36
So said the L-rd, "if the heavens above will be measured and the
foundations of the earth below will be fathomed, so too will I reject
all the seed of Israel because of all they did," says the L-rd.

(1) Hebrews 8:8-12(KJV) – See Section III.A

(2) Luke 22:20(KJV) - Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

2 Corinthians 3:6(KJV) - Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

(3) Hebrews 10:16(KJV) - This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

2 Corinthians 3:3(KJV) - Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of
Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

(4) 1 Thessalonians 4:9(KJV) - But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

John 6:45(KJV) - It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Romans 11:27(KJV) - For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Hebrews 10:17(KJV) - And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Overall, the two translations are remarkably similar; there are no
major issues of mistranslation to be resolved.

As noted, this passage is referenced in the New Testament on a number
of occasions and, when 'quoted' in Chapter 8 of the Letter to the
Hebrews, it is subjected to some rather serious manipulation – an
issue that will be addressed below.

III. Overview of Christian and Jewish Interpretations

A. The Christian Perspective

The Christian position concerning Jeremiah's new covenant is
contained in the 8th chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews in the New
Testament.

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews first states the rationale:

Hebrews 8:6-8(KJV) – (6) But now hath he obtained a more excellent
ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant,
which was established upon better promises. (7) For if that first
covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought
for the second. (8) For finding fault with them, he saith, …

Following the opening phrase of Hebrews 8:8, the author proceeds to
cite a carefully edited version of the first four verses from the
passage in Jeremiah, Jeremiah 31:30-33[31-34]:

Hebrews 8:8-12(KJV) (8)… Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the
house of Judah: (9) Not according to the covenant that I made with
their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them
out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant,
and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. (10) For this is the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,
saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in
their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a
people: (11) And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and
every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me,
from the least to the greatest. (12) For I will be merciful to
their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I
remember no more.

Note the highlighted phrase in Hebrews 8:9 above, and compare it with
the (corresponding) highlighted phrases in Jeremiah 31[32] found in
both Jewish and KJV renditions shown in Table II-1 above.

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews then concludes his
discussion by explaining the status of the new covenant as compared
with the old covenant:

Hebrews 8:13 - In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the
first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish
away.

Thus, the overall message here is that Jeremiah's (brit khadashah),
new covenant, is the covenant of the cross that was fulfilled some
2,000 years ago when, according to Christian theology, the blood of
Jesus was shed for the sins of mankind. In other words, the author
of the Letter to the Hebrews proclaims that the covenant G-d made
with Israel at Mount Sinai expired. And, therefore, the Jewish
people need no longer keep the commandments of the Torah since
salvation now comes with the belief in Jesus as high priest,
sacrifice, lord, and messiah:

Matthew 26:28 - For this is my blood of the new testament, which is
shed for many for the remission of sins.

According to Christian theology, the new covenant [ (brit khadashah)]
has replaced the existing covenant, which is deemed old and flawed.
And, thus, Jeremiah's (brit khadashah), new covenant, is a prophecy
that was fulfilled with the death of Jesus on the cross, an event
that led to the writing of the New Testament of Christianity (the
Greek noun διαθήκη (diatheke) means a covenant or a testament), the one that replaced the (Mosaic) Law, i.e., the Torah.


B. The Jewish Perspective


A correct reading and understanding of the Hebrew text shows
unequivocally that Jeremiah 31:30-36[31-37] is not a prophecy that
was fulfilled during the 1st century C.E., or at any other time in
the past. Rather, it is a prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled, one
that will be fulfilled in the future, in the messianic era. In fact,
this passage contains messianic agenda items, i.e., messianic
prophecies, which are yet to be fulfilled – the ingathering and
restoration of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel, and the
existence of a state of the universal knowledge of G-d.

1. Ingathering and Restoration of the Jewish People

The passage begins with the prophet addressing both the House of
Israel and the House of Judah, which clearly indicates that Jeremiah
is addressing an ingathered Jewish people. This was not the case
when those words were written, and it certainly was not the case at
the time of Jesus' death. To the contrary, during the 1st century
C.E. the House of Israel no longer existed as a people because
Assyria had exiled the Northern Kingdom of Israel well over 700 years
earlier (during the 8th century B.C.E.). Moreover, in the 1st
century C.E. the Jewish people were dispersed throughout the Roman
Empire and beyond. Thus, not even the House of Judah was all present
in the Holy Land at that time - the Jews were exiled into the
Diaspora and were spread around much more than during their previous
exile in Babylon following the destruction of Solomon's Temple.

The fact that the era of which Jeremiah is speaking - a future
messianic age when all the Jewish people, both House of Judah and
House of Israel, will be restored together in their rightful place,
the land of Israel - has not yet arrived, is addressed elsewhere by
the prophet:

Jeremiah 16:15 - But, As the L-rd lives, Who brought the people of
Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands where He
had driven them; and I will bring them back to their land that I gave
to their forefathers.

This is also confirmed by some of Jeremiah's fellow prophets:

Isaiah 11:12 - And He shall carry a banner for the nations, and He
shall collect the lost of Israel, and the dispersed one of Judah He
shall gather from the four corners of the earth.

Ezekiel 37:21-22 – (21) And say to them, Thus says the L-rd G-
d: "Behold, I will take the Children of Israel from among the nations
where they have gone, and I will gather them on every side, and I
will bring them into their land; (22) And I will make them into one
nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall
be king to them all; and they shall no longer be two nations, and
neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more.

Zechariah 10:6 - And I will strengthen the House of Judah, and the
House of Joseph I will save, and I will get them settled for I have
mercy on them, and they shall be as though I had not neglected them;
for I am the L-rd their G-d, and will respond to them.

Note how, in Jeremiah 30[31], the prophet starts out by speaking
of "days are coming" where he mentions both Houses – the House of
Israel and the House of Judah. Then, in Jeremiah 32[33], he mentions
only the House of Israel when he talks about an era "after those
days", i.e., the days after the scattered Jewish people are
repatriated to the Land of Israel and are united.

The message in these Scriptures is unambiguous – the dispersed Jewish
people will be returned to the Land of Israel and will be united once
again as one nation lead by the promised Jewish Messiah/King.

2. Universal Knowledge of G-d

A verse in this passage that is often overlooked or ignored by
Christian apologists and missionaries is Jeremiah 33[34]. Two
interesting facts emerge from this verse. First, the verse starts
with the preposition (ve), and, which means that Jeremiah 31:30-36
[31-37] is not a two-prophecy passage. Rather, the presence of this
preposition, (ve), and, at the beginning of Jeremiah 33[34] connects
it with the previous verse, Jeremiah 32[33], which makes it a
continuation of the earlier prophecy and not the start of another,
separate prophecy.

Jeremiah 31:33[34] – "And no longer shall they teach, a man his
neighbor, and a man his brother, saying, 'Know the L-rd', for they
shall all know Me, from their smallest to their greatest," says the L-
rd, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will no
longer remember."

This verse speaks of a time when the knowledge of G-d will be
universal. Ask yourself: "Is there a universal knowledge of G-d in
the world today?" Well, if that were the case, then why are
Christian missionaries still spread all over the globe, spending many
millions of dollars annually, trying to teach everyone to "know the
(Christian) lord". Is this not in complete contradiction to the
words of Jeremiah 33 [34]? The presence of these Christian
missionaries is a de-facto admission by the Church that the prophecy
has not yet been fulfilled!

The message of a universal knowledge of G-d in the messianic era
found in Jeremiah 33[34] is also echoed by other prophets:

Isaiah 11:9 - They shall neither harm nor destroy on My entire Holy
Mountain; for the earth shall be full of knowledge of the L-rd, as
the waters of the sea cover up [the sea floor].

Zechariah 14:9 - And the L-rd shall be King over all the earth; on
that day shall the L-rd be One, and His Name One.

As can be seen from the above, according to the Jewish perspective,
the prophecy of Jeremiah's (brit khadashah), a new covenant, has not
yet come to pass – its fulfillment is coupled with Israel being once
again united in the Holy Land and with the existence of a universal
knowledge of G-d.

IV. Does This Passage Foretell the (Christian) New
Testament?

A comparison of the Christian and Jewish perspectives indicates that
they cannot both be valid. Though the Jewish perspective clearly
demonstrates how this messianic passage has not yet been realized,
there still remains the issue of the nature of Jeremiah's (brit
khadashah), a new covenant, first mentioned in Jeremiah 31:30[31],
and then alluded to throughout the rest of the passage. In order to
help resolve this issue, a closer look at the passage is required.

An Attempt to Reverse the Prophetic Message

In his deliberate revision of the original text of Jeremiah 31:31
[32], the author of the Letter to the Hebrews had intended to solve a
serious theological problem for the Church – the prophesied eternity
of the Jewish people and the Torah – he attempted to reverse the
prophet's original message.

Hebrews 8:9 appears to be 'quoting' Jeremiah 31:31[32]. However,
upon checking the Hebrew phrase in Jeremiah 31:31[32] and its
respective translations, one discovers that, , is translated in both
Jewish and KJV renditions as, "for they broke my covenant, although I
was a(n) husband unto them", but is rendered in Hebrews 8:9
as, "because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them
not". The two highlighted phrases are obviously not congruent in
their context.



The Hebrew term for the English phrase I was a husband is
(ba'alti). The same conjugated verb appears once again in the Book
of Jeremiah, and in the same context, at Jeremiah 3:14. The Hebrew
root verb (ba'al) is most commonly applied throughout the Hebrew
Bible in the context of being espoused. Of its 16 occurrences, in 11
cases (ba'al) refers to an espousal, in one case it is used in a
metaphorical sense, and in the remaining four cases it is used in the
context of being a master over someone or something. A Hebrew noun
derived from this verb is (ba'al), which can mean a husband (either
married or betrothed) or a master and, in various combinations with
other terms, it is used to describe someone who possesses certain
attributes, qualities, or skills. As it concerns the verb (ba'al)
in the context of espousal or mastership, it should be rather obvious
that disregarding someone - as Hebrews 8:9 has it, is the antithesis
of being a husband or master of someone - as Jeremiah 31:31[32] has
it.

Another interesting aspect of the attempt at Hebrew Bible revisionism
by the author of the Letter to the Hebrews is that he actually winds
up contradicting one of the main messages conveyed in the Gospels –
that Jesus did not come to change 'The Law' but to fulfill it:

Matthew 5:17-19(KJV) – (17) Think not that I am come to destroy the
law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (18)
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
(19) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments,
and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom
of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be
called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Perhaps the editing by the author of the Letter to the Hebrews was
not done as carefully as initially stated.

Is the 'New Covenant' A 'New Torah/Law'?

What is a covenant anyway? The American Heritage Dictionary, p. 334,
Second College Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company (1991), defines
covenant (the noun) as follows:

covenant n. 1. A binding agreement made between two or more persons
or parties; compact. 2. Law. a. A formal sealed agreement or
contract. b. A suit to recover damages for violation of such a
contract.

In other words, a covenant is a contractual agreement between two
parties. Concerning the case in point here, the covenant is merely
the agreement made by the Children of Israel to accept and obey the
Torah in return for the promises made by G-d.

The opening promise to Israel is made just before the revelation at
Mount Sinai:

Exodus 19:5 - And now, if you will obey Me and keep My covenant, you
shall be to Me a treasure out of all peoples, for Mine is the entire
earth.

The terms of the contract consist of blessings that would accrue by
obedience and warnings and curses that would be the consequences of
disobedience. Detailed blessings in the wake of obedience are found
in Leviticus 26:3-13, in Deuteronomy 11:13-25, and in Deuteronomy
28:1-14. The wages of disobedience are detailed in Leviticus 26:14-
39, and again in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

Exodus 24:3-4,7 – (3) And Moses came and told the people all the
words of the L-rd and all the ordinances, and all the people answered
in unison and said, "All the words that the Lord has spoken we will
do." (4) And Moses wrote all the words of the L-rd, and he arose
early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain
and twelve monuments for the twelve tribes of Israel.

(7) And he [Moses] took the Book of the Covenant [ (sefer ha'brit)]
and read it for the people to hear, and they said, "All that the L-rd
spoke we will do and we will hear."

It is important to recognize that the covenant is the contractual
agreement to obey the Torah and is not the Torah itself. The Torah
contains the commandments that are to be obeyed, and that is why it
is referred to as (sefer ha'brit), the Book of the Covenant. Thus,
breaking the agreement by Israel does not change or invalidate the
Torah!

The fact that this (brit khadashah), a new covenant, will not
replace the Torah is emphasized by Jeremiah himself:

Jeremiah 31:32 – "For this is the covenant that I shall form with the
House of Israel after those days," says the L-rd, "I will place My
Torah [ (torati)] within them, and I will inscribe it upon their
heart; and I will be their G-d and they shall be a people for Me."

The Hebrew term (torah) is used in the Hebrew Bible in two general
contexts. First, it could refer to rules, doctrines, or other
instructions for behavior, i.e., laws, statutes, and ordinances.
Second, it could refer to the Mosaic Law, which is commonly referred
to as the Torah.

The context of the Hebrew term (torati), My Torah, is unambiguous –
it refers to the Torah. This is supported by the way Jeremiah uses
the root noun (torah) throughout his Book, in which the noun appears
on 11 occasions in various forms. The remaining ten instances of
(torah) in the Book of Jeremiah are at: Jeremiah 2:8, 6:19, 8:8, 9:12/
[13], 16:11, 18:18, 26:4, 32:23, 44:10,23. In all ten cases the
application is in the context of the Torah, as is the case in point –
at Jeremiah 31:32[33]. It is interesting to note that even the KJV
translators rendered all 11 instances as the/my/his law, as
appropriate in the individual passages, clearly indicating this is
The Law, a term commonly applied in the New Testament as a reference
to the Mosaic Law, i.e., the Torah.

Sidebar note: Jeremiah 31:32[33] would have been the optimal place
for the prophet to inform the reader that this new covenant will,
indeed, involve a new Torah. All he would have had to do is say
(torah khadashah), a new Torah, or (torati ha'khadashah), My new
Torah, instead of saying (torati), My Torah, and the deed would have
been accomplished. But he did not do that!

The 'New Covenant' vs. the 'Original Sinai Covenant'

In Jeremiah 31:31[32], the prophet declares that the new covenant
will be,

Not like the covenant that I formed with their forefathers on the day
I took them by the hand to take them out of the land of Egypt, for
they broke My covenant,…

So, in what way will this new covenant differ from the original Sinai
covenant? The only difference between the two covenants is in where
(sefer ha'brit), the Book of the Covenant resides. In the original
Sinai covenant, it was placed in our mouths,

Exodus 13:9 - And it shall be to you for a sign upon your hand, and
for a memorial between your eyes, in order that the Torah of the L-rd
shall be in your mouth; for with a mighty hand has the L-rd brought
you out of Egypt.

And the contract was verbally agreed to, as was seen in Exodus 24:3,7
above. According to Jeremiah 31:32[33], the new covenant will be
placed within us:

…I will place My Torah within them and I will inscribe it upon their
heart…

In other words, this new covenant will simply be an integral part of
us and, thus, will become just part of the Jewish way of life.

The Everlasting Sinai Covenant

Christian apologists and missionaries often use the following phrase
found in Jeremiah 31:32[33],

…for they broke My covenant...

to support their claim that the original Sinai covenant is no longer
in force. After all, they claim, it is stated very clearly here that
Israel broke the contract. Therefore, the New Testament is the new
covenant prophesied by Jeremiah, and it replaces the 'Old
Covenant/Testament'.

Is that claim true? Evidently, those who make such a claim are
confused about the difference between the covenant and the Book of
the Covenant, as was explained in Section IV.B&C above. Here is what
the Hebrew Bible teaches about this matter. Although the people of
Israel, throughout their history, often fell short of fulfilling
their end of the agreement made at Mount Sinai and, in effect, broke
the covenant, G-d repeatedly states that He will not break His
covenant with Israel:

Leviticus 26:44-45 – (44) And despite all this, when they are in the
land of their enemies, I will not despise them nor will I reject them
to annihilate them, thereby breaking My covenant with them; for I am
the L-rd their G-d. (45) And I will for their sakes remember the
covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt
before the eyes of the nations, to be a G-d to them; I am the L-rd.

Judges 2:1 - And an angel of the L-rd came up from Gilgal to Bochim,
and said [in G-d's name], "I will bring you up from Egypt, and I have
brought you to the land which I swore to your forefathers, and I
said, 'I will never break My covenant with you.'"

Ezekiel 16:59-60 – (59) For thus said the L-rd G-d [to Jerusalem]: "I
have done with you in accordance to that which you have done, that
you have despised an oath in breaking a covenant. (60) Nevertheless
I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I
will establish with you an everlasting covenant.

Psalms 105:8-10 – (8) He has remembered His covenant forever, the
word which He commanded to a thousand generations. (9) That which He
had made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac; (10) And He
established it for Jacob as a law, and for Israel as an everlasting
covenant;

There is no argument about the fact that Israel has strayed from the
path many times since the promise made at Mount Sinai. And G-d
punished Israel for it, just as He said He would do. Yet, the Hebrew
Bible clearly shows that G-d will neither break that covenant nor
replace the Torah - The Torah is eternal.

So, given the evidence presented from the Hebrew Bible, the response
to the question asked in the title of this Section IV, "Does This
Passage Foretell the (Christian) New Testament?", is that the claim
made by Christian apologists and missionaries about this passage
foretelling the New Testament cannot be supported with any other
Scriptures from within the Hebrew Bible. Quite to the contrary, the
Hebrew Bible establishes the eternity of both the covenant and the
Torah.

V. Summary

The analysis presented above demonstrates how to correctly read and
interpret the passage Jeremiah 31:30-36[31-37]. The effort by an
author of the New Testament to revise the prophetic message of
Jeremiah about the Jewish people and the Torah in the messianic era
and turn it into a prophecy about the coming of the Christian New
Testament, has been exposed.

The Jewish prophets foretell that, in the messianic era, the Jewish
people will observe the commandments of the Torah:

Isaiah 2:3 - And many people shall go and say, "Come, and let us go
up to the mountain of the L-rd, to the House of the G-d of Jacob, and
He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths;" for out
of Zion shall Torah emerge, and the word of the L-rd from Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 37:24 - And My servant David shall be king over them, and one
shepherd shall shall be for them all; and they shall follow My
ordinances, and observe My statutes, and perform them.

Malachi 3:22/[4:4] - Remember the Torah of Moses My servant; that
which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, statutes and
ordinances.

It is evident that Jeremiah's use of the term (brit khadashah), a
new covenant, does not involve the replacement of the Torah, which is
eternal. Rather, it signals a renewal of the original Sinai
covenant, which was declared to be everlasting, through its placement
within us along with the (sefer ha'brit), the Book of the Covenant,
to make them an inseparable part of the Jewish way of life.

Brought to you by The Messiah Truth Project

http://www.messiahtruth.com