Day 1 - Lord's Day - Sunday | Daily Devotions | The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2025-2026 |

October 26

Lesson 8 (KJV)

Changes Promised

Devotional Reading: Psalm 103:17–22

Background Scripture: Jeremiah 31:1–40; John 1:17; Hebrews 8:7–13

Jeremiah 31:29–34

29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.

30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

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:

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 a husband unto them, saith the Lord:

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.

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.

John 1:17

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Key Text

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.—Jeremiah 31:33b

Judah, from Isaiah to the Exile

Unit 2: Jeremiah and the Promise of Renewal

Lessons 5–9

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

1. Locate the two places in the New Testament that quote Jeremiah 31:31–34.

2. Harmonize Jeremiah 31:29–30 with Exodus 20:5; 34:7.

3. Notice the Holy Spirit’s work of bringing awareness of sin and giving desires to love God faithfully.

Lesson Outline

Introduction

A. Better than Before

B. Lesson Context

I. Change in Attitude (Jeremiah 31:29–30)

A. Old Proverb (v. 29)

What Do You Think? What life consequences have you been tempted to blame on a past generation’s or a family member’s sin? Digging Deeper Where might there be truth in this? Where might this be a faulty assumption?

B. New Reality (v. 30)

What Do You Think? Under what circumstances do you struggle most to take responsibility for your own actions? Digging Deeper What image or metaphor would you use to describe how it feels to face the consequences of your sin?

Shirking Responsibility

II. Change in Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34)

A. Why It’s Needed (vv. 31–32)

What Do You Think? When has someone overlooked a past offense and shown you undeserved grace? Digging Deeper What did it feel like to receive that grace? What did it enable in that relationship?

           B. How It’s Different (vv. 33–34)

What Do You Think? How does your life look different when you know something “by heart” instead of needing to look it up? Digging Deeper What are the things you know “by heart”? In what ways do they shape how you live?

Action from the Heart

What Do You Think? What does it feel like to consider the fact that the sins you can’t forget, God doesn’t remember? Digging Deeper How does knowing that you are forgiven affect how you view yourself and interact with others?

III. Change in Mediator (John 1:17)

A. Law (v. 17a)

B. Grace and Truth (v. 17b)

                                                                                                      Conclusion

A. Fresh Start

Many Christians who read their Bibles faithfully struggle with understanding what to do with the commands and regulations they find in the Old Testament. Because we believe in the inspiration and value of the entire Bible, we must take these passages seriously. The prophecy in Jeremiah 31 helps us put other portions of the Old Testament into perspective. The Law of Moses revealed God’s will for the people of Israel and, in so doing, revealed many things about His nature and character. Jeremiah’s perspective shows that this initial covenant did not work for Israel. This was not because God failed, but because of the people’s disobedience. Eventually, Israel was punished by the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, followed by exile.

The new covenant Jeremiah speaks of is a fresh start for humanity. This new covenant defines its adherents not in terms of obedience to law, but as those who have experienced the grace of being forgiven through Jesus’ atonement for our sins.

As new covenant people, we have much we can learn from the old covenant, but we rejoice in the reality of the new covenant. What the prophets searched for diligently, we now experience (1 Peter 1:10–11).

B. Prayer

Lord, we marvel at the new covenant mediated by Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We thrive because of Your grace and rejoice over Your truth. We thank You for giving us Your Spirit so we may know You. It is in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

C. Thought to Remember

Jesus mediates a new covenant based on grace.

Involvement Learning

Enhance your lesson with KJV Bible Student (from your curriculum supplier) and the reproducible activity page (at www.standardlesson.com or in the back of the KJV Standard Lesson Commentary Deluxe Edition).

 Mark S. Krause, Suzanne Sang, and Angela Reed, Editorial, “Changes Promised,” in The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2025–2026, ed. Taylor Z. Stamps et al., vol. 73, The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary (Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2025), 71–72.