God Promised to Make a New Covenant with Israel

Hebrews 8:6-13; After Israel had been subject to the law for nearly 900 years, the Lord, through Jeremiah, promised to make a new and better covenant with them, a gospel covenant, a covenant which would bring them into his presence so that all might know him. In using this prophecy of Jeremiah to show that Christ brought the new gospel covenant, Paul is doing the same thing in principle as the Mormon Elders do in quoting Biblical passages about the restoration of the gospel in the latter-days.

Hebrews 8:6; 6. The mediator] 7. The first covenant] See 1 Timothy 2:1-7.

Hebrews 8:6; 6. Better covenant] 8. A new covenant] "God's covenant of salvation is the fulness of the gospel. (D&C 39:11; 45:9; 66:2; 133:57.) When men accept the gospel, they thereby agree or covenant to keep the commandments of God, and he promises or covenants to give them salvation in his kingdom.

Hebrews 8:6; "The gospel is the everlasting covenant because it is ordained by Him who is Everlasting and also because it is everlastingly the same. In all past ages salvation was gained by adherence to its terms and conditions, and that same compliance will bring the same reward in all future ages. Each time this everlasting covenant is revealed it is new to those of that dispensation. Hence the gospel is the new and everlasting covenant." (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., pp. 529-530.)

Hebrews 8:8-12; 8-12. Jeremiah's promised covenant was offered to Israel in Jesus' day, but found no enduring acceptance. It has been offered anew in this dispensation and is now beginning to be accepted, with the assurance that in due course, in the millennial era, complete fulfilment shall be brought to pass.

Hebrews 8:8-12; Speaking of this promise made through Jeremiah, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "This covenant has never been established with the house of Israel, nor with the house of Judah, for it requires two parties to make a covenant, and those two parties must be agreed, or no covenant can be made.

Hebrews 8:8-12; "Christ, in the days of his flesh, proposed to make a covenant with them, but they rejected him and his proposals, and in consequence thereof, they were broken off, and no covenant was made with them at that time. But their unbelief has not rendered the promise of God of none effect: no, for there was another day limited in David, which was the day of his power; and then his people, Israel, should be a willing people; and he would write his law in their hearts, and print it in their thoughts; their sins and their iniquities he would remember no more.

Hebrews 8:8-12; "Thus after this chosen family had rejected Christ and his proposals, the heralds of salvation said to them, 'Lo we turn unto the Gentiles;' and the Gentiles received the covenant, and were grafted in from whence the chosen family were broken off: but the Gentiles have not continued in the goodness of God, but have departed from the faith that was once delivered to the Saints, and have broken the covenant in which their fathers were established (see Isaiah 24:5); and have become high-minded, and have not feared; therefore, but few of them will be gathered with the chosen family." (Teachings, pp. 14-15.)

Hebrews 8:8-12; That the glorious and full effect of the covenant promised through Jeremiah will come to pass during the millennium, is shown by the following statement of the Prophet about making one's calling and election sure: "This principle ought (in its proper place) to be taught, for God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them, for the day must come when no man need say to his neighbor, Know ye the Lord; for all shall know him (who remain) from the least to the greatest. How is this to be done? It is to be done by this sealing power, and the other Comforter spoken of, which will be manifest by revelation." (Teachings, p. 149.)