S4: Week 39 Day 1: Annotating Jeremiah 31:31-34

Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace
Episode: S4: Week 39 Day 1: Annotating Jeremiah 31:31-34
Date: September 22, 2025
Main Theme:
This episode guides listeners through an in-depth annotation of Jeremiah 31:31-34, focusing on the biblical theme of the new covenant promised by God. The hosts explore the contrasts between the old and new covenants, highlighting God's central role in instituting this transformative promise and illustrating how this passage points to Jesus and the gospel.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Stage (00:00–00:54)

• The hosts introduce the week’s plan: closely reading passages from Jeremiah 31 and Luke 22 to understand how Jesus fulfills God’s covenant promises.
• Quote:

  “We will see that it is through Jesus's death that God establishes a new covenant with His people.”
  — Co-host (00:45)

2. Reading Jeremiah 31:31-34 (00:54–01:52)

• Alexa reads the entire passage, emphasizing God's repeated promises and declarations.
• Highlights of the passage:
  • Promise of a coming new covenant with Israel and Judah.
  • A new covenant distinct from the one made during the Exodus, which was broken.
  • God’s law will be written on their hearts.
  • Intimate, universal knowledge of God.
  • Complete forgiveness of sin.

3. Annotating the Passage – Contrasts and Theological Insights (01:52–02:23)

• Beth reflects on the significance of annotation, particularly the contrast between old and new covenants.
• The old covenant (with Moses) was broken by people, while the new covenant ensures God's law is internalized.
• Quote:

  “The old covenant was broken and the new one ensures that God's teaching will be within the people.”
  — Co-host (01:59)

4. Attributes of God in Jeremiah 31:31-34 (02:23–03:06)

• Focus on the repetition of “I will”—emphasizing God’s initiative and sovereignty.
• Beth observes the active role of God: virtually every statement is God declaring what He will do.
• List of divine actions in the passage:
  • “I will make a new covenant…”
  • “I took them by the hand…”
  • “I am their master…”
  • “I will put my teaching within them…”
  • “I will be their God…”
  • “I will forgive their iniquity…”
• Quote:

  “Almost every sentence begins with God as the subject. … This emphasizes God’s authority and His lordship. God is saying that He is the one in charge; He is the one who is calling the shots and performing the action here.”
  — Beth (02:45)

5. The Comfort of “I Will” (03:06–03:22)

• Alexa remarks on the comfort and reassurance of these divine promises.
• Quote:

  “I always love seeing the repetition of ‘I will’ in Scripture because it just really shows how God is the one who makes so many things happen.”
  — Alexa (03:09)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We will see that it is through Jesus's death that God establishes a new covenant with His people.”
  — Co-host (00:45)
• “The old covenant was broken and the new one ensures that God's teaching will be within the people.”
  — Co-host (01:59)
• “Almost every sentence begins with God as the subject… This emphasizes God's authority and his lordship.”
  — Beth (02:45)
• “I always love seeing the repetition of ‘I will’ in Scripture because it just really shows how God is the one who makes so many things happen.”
  — Alexa (03:09)

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Welcome and episode introduction | | 00:37 | This week’s Scripture focus announced | | 00:54 | Full reading of Jeremiah 31:31-34 | | 01:52 | Discussion of annotating the passage and covenant contrasts | | 02:24 | Highlighting God's attributes and agency in the new covenant | | 03:06 | Reflection on the significance of “I will” in the passage | | 03:22 | Episode wrap-up (content ends) |

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Summary

This episode provides a concise yet rich exploration of Jeremiah 31:31-34, encouraging listeners to see the passage as a pivotal moment in God’s unfolding story—a promise not only of a new covenant but of an intimate, transformative relationship initiated by God Himself. The hosts draw out the repeated theme of God’s “I will,” underscoring the theological truth that God is the actor who secures and sustains His promises. The session closes with anticipation for deeper exploration throughout the week, linking Jeremiah’s prophecy to its fulfillment in Christ.

Transcript

[Host]

Welcome to A Year in the Bible with daily grace. This year we want to spend a few minutes with you every day walking through our study Christ in All of Scripture. Each week we will dive deeply into two passages of Scripture, one from the Old Testament and one from the new, seeing how they connect and point to Jesus.

[Beth]

Whether you are doing the study yourself or just following along with us here, we are hopeful that through studying these passages each week, you will see how Christ is not only present throughout the entire biblical story, but but the center of it.

[Alexa]

Hi, everyone. Welcome back to Year in the Bible. My name is Alexa and I'm here with my co host, Beth. Hi, friends.

[Co-host]

We are excited to study the Bible again with you this week. Over the course of this next week, we're going to be looking at Jeremiah 31, 31, 34 and Luke 22:14, 20. And we will see that it is through Jesus's death that God establishes a new covenant with his people. Yes.

[Alexa]

So today we'll be discussing our annotations for Jeremiah 31, 31, 34. So let me start off by reading that passage for us. Look. The days are coming. This is the Lord's declaration when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. My covenant that they broke even though I am their master. The Lord's declaration. Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days. The Lord's declaration. I. I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, know the Lord, for they will all know me from the least to the greatest of them. This is the Lord's declaration. For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin. So, Beth, how did annotating this passage go for you today?

[Co-host]

I thought this was a fun passage to annotate. I love a good contrast. So looking at the differences between the old and new covenants that we see in this passage was really interesting to me. And I know we're gonna talk about that in more detail as the week goes on, but for now, I think it's just interesting to note that the old covenant was broken and the new one ensures that God's teaching will be within the people. Which I'm definitely excited to learn more about that. And what that means yes, me too.

[Alexa]

And that is a really cool contrast. Did you want to share about any other prompts?

[Beth]

Yeah.

[Co-host]

When I was looking for attributes of God in this passage, I was struck by how much of the action in this passage is actually performed by God Himself. So we see that this whole passage, the Lord's declaration, which is said four times in just these four verses and so with what is being said here, is actually spoken by the Lord. And almost every sentence begins with God as the subject. We read I will make a new covenant, not like the one I made when I took them by the hand. I am their master. I will make this covenant. I will put my teaching within them. I will be their God. I will forgive their iniquity. This emphasizes God's authority and his lordship. God is saying that he is the one in charge. He is the one who is calling the shots and performing the action here.

[Alexa]

I love that. I always love seeing the repetition of I will in Scripture because it just really shows how God is the One who makes so many things happen. Well, that is all for today. We hope that you join us tomorrow as we go deeper into Jeremiah 31:31 34.

[Beth]

Thank you for listening to today's episode of A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace. Be sure to check out our show notes for some helpful links and resources related to today's episode. And make sure you're following aalygrace Podcast and hedaily Grace Co on Instagram for more Bible study resources and encouragement. We're looking forward to studying God's Word with you again tomorrow. Bye friends.