The new covenant is God's promised future covenant with Israel and Judah, in which He writes His law on their hearts and forgives their sin.
In Jeremiah 31:31-34 God says He will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, one that is not like the broken law covenant from Egypt. Its central feature is that God will put His law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts. Les Feldick teaches that this covenant is for Israel alone, not the Church, and will be fulfilled when Israel recognizes Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah.
Jeremiah 31:31 — Identifies the recipients of the new covenant as the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
Jeremiah 31:32 — Distinguishes the new covenant from the broken Mosaic covenant made at the exodus.
Jeremiah 31:33 — Declares the central promise: God will write His law on Israel's hearts.
Jeremiah 31:34 — Promises universal knowledge of God and complete forgiveness of sin.
The decisive description of the new covenant in Scripture is Jeremiah 31:31-34. God says, “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.” He clarifies this is “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.” The central promise is, “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.” Finally, God promises, “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.”
Les Feldick teaches that the new covenant is a future covenant God will make with Israel, not a covenant for the Church. He quotes Jeremiah 31:31-33 and emphasizes the words “house of Israel” and “house of Judah” ([Clip 1]). He says, “If I read my Bible in plain English, that just can’t fly, because to whom is God going to make this New Covenant? Israel! And no one but” ([Clip 6]). He connects it to the master covenant God made with Abraham, repeated to Isaac and Jacob, in which Israel would become a great nation in their own land with God as their King ([Clip 7]). Les contrasts the old law covenant with the new one. The old covenant was the law given when God brought Israel out of Egypt—the Ten Commandments, priesthood, ritual law, and temple—and Israel broke it ([Clip 3], [Clip 4]). The new covenant is different because God will put His law within Israel, not on stone tablets. Les says no one will have to be taught the Word of God; every Israelite will have the heart of God within them and will be an obedient, forgiven people ([Clip 2], [Clip 5]). Les also teaches that in that day Israel will recognize Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah, and God will once again call them “My people” ([Clip 5]).
Jeremiah 31:31 says God will make the new covenant “with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.” Les Feldick says that “if I read my Bible in plain English” the new covenant cannot be applied to the church, because the text says Israel and no one but ([Clip 6]). He also places this covenant within God’s master covenant with Abraham, repeated to Isaac and Jacob, promising Israel would become a great nation in their own land with God as their King ([Clip 7]).
The old covenant was the law covenant made when God took Israel by the hand to bring them out of Egypt; Israel broke that covenant ([Clip 3]). Les explains that after Abraham, God gave Israel a different set of circumstances—the Law, including the Ten Commandments, the ritualistic law, the priesthood, and the temple ([Clip 4]). The new covenant is not that law. Instead, God promises, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). Under that new covenant no one will have to be taught about God, for “they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them” ([Clip 5]).
God says He will be their God and they shall be His people; He will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:33-34). Les describes the result practically: every Israelite will have the heart of God within them, be an obedient people of faith, be cleansed from all iniquity, and God will bless them materially because in Israel’s economy obedience brought material blessing ([Clip 2]). He also says this is when Israel will recognize Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah ([Clip 5]).
No. Les Feldick directly rejects the view that the Church is under the New Covenant: “Far be it from me to argue with the theologians, but I think most of you are aware that a lot of theologians claim that you and I as believers in the Age of Grace are under the New Covenant. If I read my Bible in plain English, that just can’t fly, because to whom is God going to make this New Covenant? Israel! And no one but” ([Clip 6]).
The Bible presents it as a future event: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 31:31). Les says, “He doesn’t call them that today, but He will then” ([Clip 5]), and describes it as the day when the surviving remnant of Israel will recognize that Jehovah is their God and Jesus of Nazareth is their Messiah ([Clip 3], [Clip 5]).
The Boundaries of the Promised Land: What Does the Bible Say?
of what she's going to have someday. So I don't see Israel giving up a big chunk of territory. I can envision the day when the Palestinians will be pushed out, or they'll be amalgamated. They're going to have a choice. And I don't know why they rebel at that, because we were given the opportunity to go to Israel many years ago, and at that time we had an Arab guide and an Arab bus driver, and they…
God's Promise of a New Covenant
Les identifies the new covenant in Jeremiah 31 as the covenant in which God says He will put His law in Israel's inward parts and write it in their hearts.
Heart of the Covenant
Les explains the effect of the new covenant: no one will need to be taught, every Israelite will have God's heart within them, and Israel will be cleansed and blessed materially.
Not the Law Covenant
Les emphasizes the new covenant is not the law covenant made at the exodus; Israel broke that covenant, but God will write His law on their hearts.
Israel's Law History
Les describes the old law covenant as a unique set of circumstances God gave Israel—Ten Commandments, ritual law, priesthood, and temple—contrasting with the new covenant.
Israel's Future Recognition
Les teaches that under the new covenant all Israel will know God without instruction, recognize Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah, and receive complete forgiveness of sins.
Israel Only
Les says the new covenant is for Israel only; it cannot be applied to the church because Jeremiah 31 names the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
Abrahamic Covenant Context
Les places the new covenant within God's master covenant with Abraham, repeated to Isaac and Jacob, in which Israel would become a great nation in their land with God as their King.
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:
This is the opening declaration of the new covenant and names its recipients: Israel and Judah.
Jeremiah 31:32: 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:
This verse explicitly contrasts the new covenant with the old covenant of law made at the exodus.
Jeremiah 31:33: 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.
This is the central promise—God's law written within Israel rather than on stone tablets.
Jeremiah 31:34: 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.
This verse promises universal internal knowledge of God and complete forgiveness.
According to Jeremiah 31:31, God makes the covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Les Feldick says the text cannot be applied to the church: the new covenant is for Israel and no one but Israel ([Clip 6]).
God promises to put His law in Israel's inward parts and write it in their hearts, to be their God, to make them His people, to forgive their iniquity, and to remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:33-34).
No. Jeremiah 31:34 says “they shall teach no more every man his neighbour… for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.” Les says this will be automatic, without benefit of instruction ([Clip 5]).
The Bible says “the days come” (Jeremiah 31:31), and Les describes it as a future day when Israel will recognize their Messiah and God will call them “My people” again ([Clip 5]).
Watch the Teaching: The Boundaries of the Promised Land: What Does the Bible Say?