Kingdom Coming Part 1
At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Coming,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.
This week, we are starting a new series called Kingdom Coming. In this series, we are continuing our look at the Bible’s storyline. We will look at the fifth section, 1 Chronicles—Malachi. The three main points in this series will be the Glory departs, the Exile, and the Prophets.
In Jeremiah 31:31-33, the prophet brings forth one of the most powerful promises from God, the announcement of a new covenant. This covenant is distinct from the one made with Israel’s ancestors, which was written on stone tablets and broken due to human failure. Instead, this new covenant is written directly on the hearts of God’s people, signifying a deep, intimate relationship that transforms the very core of a person.
Jeremiah 31:31–34 (NIV)
31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “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.
The new covenant reveals God’s desire for an internal transformation. In the old covenant, the laws were external, and people often failed to keep them because they were disconnected from the necessary inward change. However, under the new covenant, the law is internalized, no longer just a set of rules but a guide written on the heart. This signifies an intimate and personal relationship with God, where His will is naturally known and followed out of love rather than mere obligation.
This heart-centered covenant speaks to the very nature of what it means to follow God. It is no longer about adhering to rituals or traditions but about a relationship that transforms from the inside out. God Himself enables His people to live in obedience, as their hearts are aligned with His will.
The new covenant also brings with it a renewed intimacy between God and His people. God promises, “I will be their God, and they will be my people.” This speaks of a personal and communal bond where God is not distant but near, involved in the everyday life of His people. Unlike the old covenant, where priests mediated between God and the people, the new covenant offers direct access to God, fostering a close relationship.
The new covenant is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the mediator of this new agreement (Hebrews 9:15), providing the way for forgiveness of sins and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, believers experience the fulfillment of God’s promise in Jeremiah. The new covenant realizes the transformation of the heart, the forgiveness of sin, and the intimate relationship with God, establishing a relationship of grace, love, and transformation.
This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.
Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.
