Tovia Singer – The New Covenant
“No more shall every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” – Jeremiah 31:34
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Thank you all for this wonderful discussion!
Shalom guys — Another great show! Thank you Tovia for bringing clarity to those still caught up in the Lie. I trust many are beginning to listen and being set free. It soothes my spirit to hear you bring forth the Words of our ancient prophets and re-establishing them in our era. Todah Raba!
Annette Cohen
Thank you so much gentlemen, this was such an awesome, awesome show! A bountiful supply of information – SO SO GOOD! This was very helpful, and an answer to prayer. A blessing indeed 🙂
I loved this – thank you!
This was a great program and I will definitely share it with my friends, but I have a question.
You talked about in Ezekiel 18 how the children are not accountable for their fathers sin.
Eze 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
So my Question is, did God change his mind about this? because it seems to say the opposite in Exodus and Numbers for example.
Exo 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
Num 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Am I missing something? I’m a little confused.
I believe this is speaking to the influence that an evil father has upon his child as the example given in Ezek 18. The sin visits another generation simply because of them choosing to reproduce the evil deeds of their fathers.
The writer of Hebrews seems to have been quoting the LXX version of Jeremiah 31:31-32.
(Heb 8:8-9 KJV) 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, 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.
(Jer 31:31-32 LXE) 31 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:
32 not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they abode not in my covenant, and I disregarded them, saith the Lord.
Basically the same reading. So why does the much later Masoretic version read differently and misquotes the older?
Also you failed to mention that the “Damascus Document”, a writing of the Zadokite priesthood from 2nd C BCE uses the term Brit Chadasha(new covenant) three times to describe people in their communities. These communities also referred to themselves as members of “The Way”. It seems that the first believers in Yeshua came out of a Judaism like that described in the scrolls of the Dead Sea area(Qumran) and less like the later Pharasaic/Rabbinic form of Judaism. Notice that the community in the Book of Acts was often described as being in “one accord” ie. Yachad, yet another name that these groups called themselves. Read through the Dead Sea Scrolls and you will see the Judaism that the disciples of Yeshua understood.
Thanks for the good laughs at the beginning. They remembered me of the good days with Keith & Nehemia & Jono! 🙂
I reject replacement theology. I do not believe the Bible (Old and New T) teaches it anywhere.
This is how I read Jeremiah 31 “And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.”
I read ‘know’ as ‘love’, just as in “Now Adam knew Eve and she conceived and bore Cain”. I read thus that in the New covenant (for Ezekiel says “new’), from the least to the greatest, they will all love God and spontaneously seek Him / his instruction. Nobody shall have to teach his neighbor (encourage, exhort, need to tell) saying “know God”, for each and every person shall do that.
My thoughts about the ‘misquote’ of Jeremiah 31 in Hebrews:
Hebrews 8 (ESV)
8 For he finds fault with them when he says:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord(rabbi Singer quotes: I disregarded them).
Jeremiah 31 (ESV):
31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.
The difference is in the last verse. The book of Jeremiah was written before the captivity and destruction of the temple, while Hebrews was written after.
The author of Hebrews knew, as we all know for a fact, that God ‘hid His face’ and delivered His inheritance to be trampled over by the uncircumcised. God delivered His people to captivity, because they broke his covenant. It is said all over Tenak.
It had already been announced in the Law
26 But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations… 28 lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
Hebrews is just summing up the history up to the time it was being written. In my opinion the author of Hebrews in not lying about the Old testament.
A suspicious text is Hebrews 8: 13
” In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
We have to ask ourselves which covenant is declared obsolete here. Rabbi Singer says that it is the covenant that God has with His chosen people Israel. But this is not the case in the new covenant:
It is very clear, Romans 11: 28 … regards election, they [Israel] are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Romans 11: 26 all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
I understand that the new testament does not teach replacement theology, even though Calvin and mainstream Christianity does. On the contrary, the new testament confirms and teaches to all Gentiles the irrevocable nature of God’s covenant with His chosen people:
Rom 8:29 “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” This is exactly what Jeremiah 31: 35-36 which rabbi Singer quotes.
The question remains: which covenant has become obsolete, according to Hebrews 8:13?
The same chapter explains the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant:
8 For he finds fault with them when he says:
“Behold… declares the Lord,
… I will establish a new covenant
9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The fault of the old covenant (which God is going to ‘patch’ in the new, is not the covenant itself, or the terms of the covenant.
The fault that God found in the old covenant (which was based on just and perfect laws) is in the people (verse 8), because they have not continued in it. And therefore the land that God had given them vomited them out, the temple was destroyed and God hid His face and delivered His inheritance to be trampled.
Therefore God says: I will make a New covenant, again based on my laws (God’s Law, which never changes. Until heaven and earth pass away not one iota and not a tittle of the Law will ever change, as Jesus clearly said) and my statutes, but this time I will write them in the hearts and in the minds of the people. No one will need to teach his neighbor anymore, for they all will “know”, = “love” me.
The new covenant is by love, that each person may love God and do what God says.
My note: I personally think that this ‘new’covenant was already effective at Sinai, for God said: “This law is not too difficult for you. it is not in heaven…not beyond the sea. It is in you heart and in your mouth…that you may do it”. A portion of people at Sinai, who received the law of God in their heart and kept it there, they kept it. And the rest of the people who did not receive it in their heart, found it burdensome and too difficult to do, and did not keep it.
Mary James I believe this might help in answering your question. This is one of the notes from the Net bible(which is an online bible with over 60,000 notes although it is a Christian translation they are pretty fair in explaining the true meaning, but they still tend to lean a little on the Christian side)
Exo 34:7 NET keeping loyal love for thousands,15 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression16 of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”
16 sn As in the ten commandments (Exo_20:5-6), this expression shows that the iniquity and its punishment will continue in the family if left unchecked. This does not go on as long as the outcomes for good (thousands versus third or fourth generations), and it is limited to those who hate God.
Now look at Exo_20:5-6
Exo 20:5-6 NET You shall not bow down to them or serve them,13 for I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous14 God, responding to15 the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations16 of those who reject me,17 (6) and showing covenant faithfulness18 to a thousand generations19 of those who love me and keep my commandments.
The key words in the two verses you quoted is (by no means leaves the guilty unpunished.)
I hope this helps
Jerry
PS. The net bible can be found at http://www.bible.org
Covenant is italicized in my bible in hebrews 8:7 & 9:1- that means it was added in. I was told that the book of hebrews is talking about the priesthood and these scriptures refer to the priesthood.
Also, have you heard that Matt 1:16 says Yoseph the father of Miryam not husband of Miryam in the original Hebrew? thus making the link to David? Your thoughts?
Today, who grows grapes from seeds? Usually, the plants are purchased. Seedless grape vines can be propagated by running the vines along the ground & placing a rock upon it where you desire the roots to form, over 2 seasons.
((The Greek Septuagint or XXL is only a translation of the earlier, inspired Hebrew Scriptures; the Torah translated by 70 Rabbis first. The Tanakh portion of the Scriptures was later translated into Greek and attached to the Septuagint, by others. The English version of the Septuagint is a translation of a translation.))
Let’s look at the verse from this podcast regarding the author of Hebrews 8 quoting from Jeremiah 31, shall we?
ESV Jeramiah31:31-32
Jer 31:31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
Jer 31:32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.
ESV Hebrews 8:8-9
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
Heb 8:8 For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
Heb 8:9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
LXX (Septuagint):
“Behold, days are coming, quoth the Lord,
and I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel and the house of Iouda. 32 It will not be like
the covenant that I made with their fathers in the
day when I took them by their hand to bring
them out of the land of Egypt, because they did
not abide in my covenant, and I was unconcerned
for them, quoth the Lord…’
George; there is no Septuagint (LXX) codex or scroll in existence. It appears to be a 100% fabrication of the Alexandrian “Church Fathers”. I find it telling how many of the pivotal NT passages trying to tell us why we need Jesus depend on the onerous teachings that rely on the mistranslations in the LXX which appears to be a forgery.
Re: CK Dee. According to wikipedia; the “LXX” was found among the dead sea scrolls of Qumran. Many old writtings have not even been released so we the pubic do not know what is out there.
I was a Christian but now believe the Jews have it right. But I am wondering what “the day of atonement” is all about in Leviticus 16. It seems to point to a sacrifice for all sin, not just unintentional (Lev4)…Christians point to it as well.
G’day Rachel, here’s a couple of programs that may help to answer your question:
https://truth2u.org/2011/10/yoel-ben-shlomo-yom-kippur.html
https://truth2u.org/2012/04/nehemia-gordon-keith-johnson-pearls-from-the-torah-portion-achrei-mot-leviticus-16-1830.html
Jono, please look at Hebrews 8:13 again, where did you find the word ‘covenant’ it’s not present? The same mistake is made in Hebrews 8:7 and in the next chapter by the English translators. Do you still believe that’s what the author of Hebrews was trying to convey?
Perhaps Tovia’s assertion about misleading New Testament quotes of the Tanakh is due to the NT authors quoting the Septuagint. So are you,Tovia, suggesting that the Septuagint is unreliable? Do you believe that the Masoretic text is the only reliable source text?
Interesting ideas, but before Jeremiah 31:34 is 32:32 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,…. The cross references found in this chapter are amazing to my mind, for they are crossed with Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and Even the Writings of Moses(Torah). How can I say this, because “after those days” are not of THIS earth. Jeremiah 33: 20 Thus saith the LORD: If ye can break My covenant with the day, and My covenant with the night, so that there should not be day and night in their season; 21 Then may also My covenant be broken with David My servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, My ministers.(This covenant is found Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.’).
Destruction of the Heavens and the Earth: Isaiah 24: 1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. . . ., or Isaiah 65 and 66. Your can read these and a lot more at: http://ask-james.com/wordpress1/?p=222. Point: the piece found at the time of the Last Temple of Ezekiel can only come after the earth is no more.
Thank you so much I plan to share with family as I can.