Of Hearts and Stones

Our discussion of Psalm 19 and 119 was followed by this verse. Heb 10:16
“This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days," says the Lord: "I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,”

From the focus on God’s law, we have turned to the practical application. During Moses’ time and onward the Law was written on stone tablets. Recall the scene as Moses returns from his 40 day stint on the mountain to find the Children of Israel basically in the middle of an orgy. They had pretty much trashed all ten, and to illustrate that, Moses smashed the tablets.

(Aside: They did not really “break the law” but broke themselves on it. That distinction is critical even today.)

Now picture Moses trudging back up the mountain carrying the two stone tablets that he had to carve out. I think that the first pair were provided gratis from the Lord. The second ones were “hand carved” by Moses.

Mini Lesson: Exodus 32:16 The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing engraved on the tablets. And after the demonstration (or perhaps temper tantrum): Exodus 34:1
Now the Lord said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered."

God wrote on both sets, but I think that Old Mo had to replace the blanks. Lesson–even in a “good cause” losing your temper is probably not a good idea. End of mini lesson.

Those tablets with the law on them accompanied the Israelites during the 40 years in the wilderness, during the conquest of Canaan, all during the time of the judges, then the kings, and finally came to rest in Solomon’s temple. We lose track of them at this point. Whether they were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar or were secreted somewhere by zealous priests before the destruction of the temple is unknown.

It is perhaps propitious that they were “lost.” The Israelites worshiped the bronze snakes that Moses made in the wilderness to teach them about faith. (Numbers 21:6-9)  It is possible that they would have made the tablets of the law an idol as well. Paul referred to this dichotomy of stone and hearts in 2 Corinthians 3:3
being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 

Does the “stony” heart we see in the Old Ttestament and even in the Jews of Jesus’ day reflect the stone medium carrying the law? But we can even see hard hearts in our lives today. God prefers to find a soft heart, one of flesh.

Our verse today stems from Jeremiah 31:33
"But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

The intent of this rewriting is to produce a perfect people as compared to the “rewrite” in Moses’ time. Ezek. 11:19–20
And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

This is actually a prophetic Scripture. It is fulfilled individually in the lives of believers. But it has not happened for the nation of Israel. There is a lot to anticipate. This recalls the old acrostic: GINFWMY “God Is Not Finished With Me Yet.” We could substitute GINFWIY. God is not finished with Israel yet.

Now focus on the verse.  Repeat to help us remember:
“This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,”

The laws are first placed on our hearts. This could apply to the conscience, but more importantly, the words and ideas become a natural outgrowth and expression of our life and love for Jesus. Then He writes them on our minds. This is the cognitive aspect of understanding and enforcing the laws in our actions.

The Lord wants us to do things because they are right, and be able to explain the rationale for doing so. Peter advises us to be ready to give an answer at any time. (1 Peter 3:15) 

“Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee.” (Psalm 119:11)