In Jeremiah 31:35–37 God links Israel’s perpetual existence as “a nation” with the sun, moon, stars, and foundations of the earth. With Romans 9:4–5 Paul explicitly affirms that the “covenants,” “promises,” and “temple service” still belong to national Israel, even when Israel as a whole was characterized by unbelief. The specific conditions and the people to whom the promises and covenants were originally made matter. God’s integrity is tied to this.
