Sometimes this verse is misunderstood to mean that one day everyone will be converted in some millennial kingdom. Instead, the verse is teaching that under the new covenant there will not be anyone who does not know the Lord as there was under the old covenant. Under the Mosaical system, one came into the covenant when circumcised at eight days old. But it would be years later until this person actually knew the Lord. Many times, even though under the covenant to God, an Israelite would know the gods of the nations around him before he would know the Lord. It would then be necessary for a fellow Israelite to teach him about the Lord. Under the new covenant such ignorance of God by those in His covenant could not take place. Under Christ, in order to enter the covenant a person must know the Lord. He cannot enter the covenant as a baby or enter ignorantly and then later learn about the Lord. John 6:44-45 states that those who come to Christ must be taught of God and must learn from the Father.
Possibly related:
- I understand that the New Testament tells us that the Law was done away, but the Law refers only to the ceremonial laws, not the ten commandments.
- From Hebrews 8:7, what was the fault with the first covenant? How could God make a “faulty” covenant?
- Even Jesus and Paul kept the Sabbath (Mark 2:28; Acts 18:4).