A study by the
Biblical Church of God 1985
On the whole I think this is a fine study. Where I disagree or
felt the need for further clarification I have added some
comments - Keith Hunt.
PART ONE
CHAPTER 1
WHAT WERE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OLD COVENANT?
WHAT WAS THE AGREEMENT between God and Israel? What did He want
them to do and what did He promise in return?
A covenant or a contract must have terms and conditions that both
parties must abide by in order to judge the performance of either
party. These terms and conditions of the covenant between God and
the nation of Israel were very specific and to the point.
The first condition is Found in Exodus 19:5-6: "Now therefore, if
you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you
shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all
the earth is mine: And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests,
and a holy nation ..."
Notice that God did not place any limitations on what He might
ask the Israelites to do later. He just said if they would obey
His voice, He would do thus and such. He is asking them to agree
to an open-ended contract - a contract which could be added to
later.
The Israelites agreed to these first terms and conditions:
"And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid
before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.
And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord
has spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people
unto the Lord" (Exodus 19:7-8).
In Exodus 20:1-17 we find that after hearing the people had
agreed to honor the basic contract, God then gave the Ten
Commandments directly to them.
BENEFITS
In any agreement or contract there must be benefits for both
parties - i.e. both parties receive something in return for their
efforts or their part in the agreement.
THE PEOPLE'S BENEFITS
Exodus 19:5-6: "And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests,
and a holy nation." In Deuteronomy 28:1-14, God promises wealth,
protection, health, happiness, and many other fantastic physical
blessings to the Israelites for their obedience.
It is important to point out at this time that eternal life was
also offered to those who lived under the Old Covenant. Jesus is
an example of one who earned eternal life under the Old Covenant.
How did He earn eternal life? There is a simple answer. He earned
eternal life because He lived a physically sinless life. He
deserved life, and not death. But He chose to die for us.
As we know, He was the only one who ever lived who was able to
accomplish this and claim the promise of eternal life. All others
failed in their attempts to obey all of God's laws.
Let's read the scripture from which Christ could have claimed the
promise of life: "You shall therefore keep my statutes, and my
judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in (by) them: I am
the Lord" (Leviticus 18:5). Now turn and read Galatians 3:10-12.
Notice verse 12: "And the law is not of faith but the man who
does them (meets all the conditions of the law) shall live in
(by) them." Christ did this and therefore deserved life, not
death.
Romans 10:5: "For Moses describes the righteousness which is of
the law, that the man who does those things (the commandments,
statutes, and laws) shall live by them." That is, he will gain
eternal life as a result of doing them (if there is no sin, not
even one sin, then you could gain eternal life because you have
not sinned - Keith Hunt).
This, then, is one way a person could gain eternal life under the
Old Covenant - by meeting all the righteous demands of the law as
Christ did.
As we read in Hebrews 11 there will be many who lived under the
Old Covenant who will be resurrected to eternal life in the first
resurrection: "And these all, having obtained a good report
through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some
better thing for us, that they without us should not be made
perfect" (Hebrews 11:39-40).
Also, the New Testament says Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be in
the Kingdom as well as King David. How could they be there unless
eternal life was offered under the Old Covenant?
FROM CREATION, GOD HAD A PLAN
So one might ask, "How will all of the people mentioned in
Hebrews 11 qualify to enter into the Kingdom of God and have
eternal life?" We will cover this in detail in Part Two. But here
it is in condensed form:
Those people who lived under the Old Covenant and who followed
the instructions contained in the Law, offering the proper
sacrifice after repentance when they sinned, were forgiven by God
and put back in right standing with Him. They had faith in that
sacrifice which was a type of Christ. They knew that someday
Christ would come and offer Himself as a perfect sacrifice that
would give them eternal life. This, then, is why they will be in
the first resurrection (they looked ahead in faith to Christ's
sacrificing death and shed blood, we, after that event, look back
in faith to Jesus' sacrifice of death for our justification -
Keith Hunt).
Thus the promise of eternal life was given under the Old
Covenant. But, it was very difficult to obtain. This is why a New
Covenant was necessary. Those who have been called and those who
will be called in these New Covenant times have an opportunity
toward a more easily obtainable goal (I do not believe this last
sentence is correct. It was just as easy to obtain eternal life
under the Old Covenant as it is under the New Covenant, and in
some respects it may have been easier, for certain things were
"allowed" under the OC (Old Covenant), such as polygamy, which
are not allowed under the NC (New Covenant) - Keith Hunt).
Once again we see that the laws of God were given as a whole, and
those who followed them (the commandments, the statutes, the
judgments, and the sacrificial system) will be in the Kingdom of
God (yes, if they were called by God, and if his spirit was with
them, but for most in Israel they were not called and did not
have God's Spirit - see Deut.5:29; 29:4; Num.11 - Keith Hunt).
Let's take a look at Romans 11:7 (Good News Bible): "What then?
The people of Israel did not find what they were looking for. It
was only the small group that God chose who found it: the rest
grew deaf to God's call."
Here we see that God was only calling a select group of people
under the Old Covenant to govern with Him in the Kingdom. Many of
these people are listed in Hebrews 11. We, who are being called
in this age, will reign along with them in God's Kingdom as kings
and priests governing over His Kingdom.
The difficulty in gaining eternal life under the Old Covenant may
be why many of those who did qualify then will hold key positions
in the Kingdom. For example, King David will reign as King over
Israel (I do not believe that is the reason at all. It is simply
God's choice, who does what in the Kingdom, for a number of
factors, not revealed in any depth to us in God's word. We shall
at that time KNOW as we are known, some things we now look
through a glass darkly - said Paul - Keith Hunt).
GOD'S BENEFITS
It is very easy for us to see the benefits that the Israelites
would gain from this agreement. But what possible benefit could
the Creator God gain from giving blessings? Herein lies a great
mystery from the foundation of the earth; and part of that
mystery is that God gains great pleasure from giving. Jesus
summed it up in Luke 12:32: "Fear not, little flock; for it is
the Father's good pleasure (delight) to give you the kingdom."
God is a loving, giving and sharing Being and He gains pleasure
from giving to others. This is by no means the only benefit God
would get from this agreement, but that is another subject.
CONTRACT REVIEW
In Exodus 20 we see God speaking the words of the covenant as He
said He would in Exodus 19:5: "... If you will obey my voice..."
He began to tell the Israelites what He wanted them to do. Notice
the first thing God gave them was the Ten Commandments. Upon
hearing the voice of God, the people were frightened and they
asked Moses to speak to God and then transmit what He said. From
that time on, God told Moses everything He wanted to be contained
in the covenant.
Now to Exodus 24. Note that Moses had gone up the mountain in
chapter 20, verse 21, and he did not come down until Exodus 24:3.
This is an important fact to note, because after that, Moses
related to the Israelites everything that God told him on Mount
Sinai (Exodus 20 through Exodus 24:3). Remember the only reason
God spoke through Moses instead of speaking Himself is because
the people were afraid to listen to Him directly (Exodus 20:19).
Also remember that God had already spoken the Ten Commandments
before He began to speak through Moses. So the commandments are
definitely a part of this covenant.
In Exodus 24:3 Moses told the people the words of the Lord: "And
Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all
the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and
said, All the words which the Lord has said will we do."
Moses relayed to the people all the words of the Lord and all the
judgments. He told them, from Exodus 23 through 24, all the
things that he had received from God, including the building of
an altar and the giving of sacrifices. In chapters 21, 22 and 23,
God gave the civil laws (judgments) to Israel - which included
the laws for servants, manslaughter, murder, kidnapping, theft,
property damage, witchcraft, slander, and land rest. And in
chapter 25 God told them how they were to worship Him. Notice
chapter 23:14 where the Feast Days (which are statutes and an
extension of the Sabbath commandment) are mentioned. (See also
Leviticus 23).
This relaying by Moses of God's commandments, statutes and
judgments (Exodus 20-24) is also brought out in Hebrews where the
apostle Paul says: "When Moses had spoken every precept to all
the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and
of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled
both the book, and all the people" (Hebrews 9:19).
THE FORMAL RATIFICATION
If a contract is important, it is normally written or recorded on
something permanent so that there will be no question as to what
was agreed, and so that the agreement can be referred to for
clarification of a point in question. Moses told the people
everything God had said and then he wrote these things in a book.
"And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord,
and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one
voice, and said, All the words which the Lord has said will we
do. And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early
in the morning, and built an altar under the hill, and twelve
pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel" (Exodus
24:34).
After recording the terms and conditions in a book, Moses
prepared an altar as God had instructed (Exodus 20:24-26; 24:56).
Moses then read the covenant to the people: "And Moses took the
blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood
of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning all
these words" (Exodus 24:8). The people agreed again to do
everything God asked of them.
The covenant was then formally ratified by blood (verse 8). And
all the people answered together and said: "All that the
Lord has spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the
people unto the Lord" (verse 7).
Here the people formally agreed to do anything God would ask them
to do. This also implies anything in the future that He wanted
them to do. It is interesting that when God added something to
the covenant, the people would always affirm that they agreed to
what was added and would obey (Exodus 19:8; 24:3 and 24:7).
After the formal ratification, Moses went back up the mountain to
receive the writings of God: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Come
up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give you tables
of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that
you may teach them" (Exodus 24:12).
In the next few chapters, we see what Moses received on his first
forty days on Mount Sinai. Exodus 25 through 27 gives the
instructions on how to build the tabernacle and how to pay for
it; Exodus 28 and 29 has the instructions on how to sanctify
Aaron and his sons. In Exodus 32:15, Moses came down from the
mountain carrying the tables of stone written on by the very hand
of God, and, to his utter dismay, found the people worshipping a
golden calf. Overcome with anger, Moses broke the tables
containing the Ten Commandments. Then after strongly admonishing
the people, Moses turned to the Lord to ask God to have mercy
upon the people and to make an atonement for their sins.
THE CREATOR KEEPS HIS WORD
God does not forget or break His word, and He reminded Moses of
His covenant with the patriarchs: "And the Lord said unto Moses,
Depart, and go up hence, you and the people which you have
brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I swore
unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto your seed will
I give it" (Exodus 33:1).
Moses went back up Mount Sinai in chapter 34, and God again wrote
the laws on tables of stone: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew
you two tables of stone like unto the first; and I will write
upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which
you broke" (Exodus 34:1). Verse 28 of this chapter proves that
the commandments were a part of the Old Covenant, and that they
were in fact the part of the covenant that defined sin.
In Exodus 35:1 Moses gathered Israel together and said to them:
"These are the words which the Lord has commanded that you shall
do them." Then he told them all he had received, including the
instructions on the tabernacle. Please notice that they stayed at
Mount Sinai, after he had given them all the instructions they
needed to have in order to operate as a nation, until Numbers
10:11.
CHAPTER TWO
WAS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE OLD COVENANT
We have now established what constituted the first covenant and
that the terms and conditions included everything enumerated in
Exodus 20-24 and that it was ratified by blood. The fact that God
had not given the Israelites the two tables of stone with the Ten
Commandments written on them prior to the formal ratification
does not void the fact that He spoke them in Exodus 20, because
Israel agreed to obey all that God had spoken from Exodus 20-24
forward: "And all the people answered together, and said, All
that the Lord has spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words
of the people unto the Lord" (Exodus 19:8).
They had agreed to the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), the
judgments (Exodus 21,22,23), and the statutes (Exodus 23). There
is no doubt what the Old Covenant was and what was expected from
both parties. The Israelites were to obey the commandments,
statutes and judgments (including the Holy Days) and God would
make them a kingdom of priests, bless them and be their
protector.
Many seem to think that there was something wrong with the
covenant God made with Israel. Was the Old Covenant a bad
contract? Was it poorly written and administered? Most of
Christianity has been taught that the terms and conditions of the
Old Covenant were impossible to fulfil; but was this the case?
A major error being taught by the churches of God and others is
that prior to Jesus Christ and the giving of the Holy Spirit, man
could not obey the commands of God. This is a totally false
concept. Abraham, Lot, King David and many others spoken of in
the Old Testament were righteous individuals because they kept
the commandments, statutes, judgments, sacrificial laws and
obeyed God. They were righteous only because they obeyed the
sacrificial system (and more importantly because they like us,
were under "grace" - they were saved by grace as we today are -
the way of salvation has always been the SAME from the beginning.
see my studies called "Saved by Grace" - Keith Hunt), not because
of their ability to keep God's laws - all have sinned.
Even in the New Testament before the giving of the Holy Spirit in
Acts 2, we find those who were able to obey God. Notice what is
said about two of these individuals: "There was in the days of
Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of
the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before
God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord
blameless" (Luke 1:5-6) (Yes, and so they were under the grace of
God. They were not sinless, for it is written that ALL have
sinned and come short of the glory of God [except Jesus of
course, He was sinless] and so they were under God's grace
because they had the mindset of a willingness to obey all of
God's commandments. Again, please see my studies "Saved by Grace"
- Keith Hunt).
POINT OF LAW
An important point of law to understand is that all contracts are
void from inception if it is impossible for either party to
perform the things agreed to in the contract. Would God make a
contract that He could not fulfil? Would He have made a contract
with Israel knowing that they could not fulfil; their commitment?
The answer is absolutely NO to both questions. God made the
contract with Israel because He knew it was possible for them to
fulfil their part.
Once again we see that one cannot separate the laws of God; the
law was given as a whole. The law was given so that man could
become holy and remain holy before God. The law shows what
"holiness" is and the sacrifices keep man holy before God (not
really, they just reminded them about sin, and that it would cost
the blood of life to be saved - a picture of the blood of Jesus
the Messiah to be shed for the sins of the world - Keith Hunt).
This would be an impossibility without the sacrificial system,
because without the sacrifices there would be no way to put man
back in right standing with God. But, if one offered the proper
sacrifice prescribed under the law for the sin committed, one
could be put back in right standing with God (well as far as THAT
first Covenant went, but not as far as eternal life, for those
called to eternal life under the Old Covenant, were saved EXACTLY
as we under the New Covenant, are saved - by the grace of God,
through faith in the death of the Messiah. Physical sacrifices
play no real part in saving for Paul said in Hebrews that it was
impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins -
Heb.10:4. They were a reminder of sin - Heb.10:3. They looked
ahead to the Messiah's death and shed blood for sins, we look
back to it, hence all being justified and saved the same way -
Keith Hunt).
This, then, is why Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and many others will be
in the Kingdom. As you can see, it was possible for mankind to
keep the laws of God (how I have just inserted it to you above -
Keith Hunt).
THE BREAKING OF THE COVENANT
We know from history that Israel failed to keep their part of the
covenant, so God cancelled the agreement or covenant with them.
"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in
the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land
of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I
regarded them not, saith the Lord" (Hebrews 8:9).
As a nation Israel went through periods of obedience and
disobedience. God was extremely merciful to the people of Israel,
blessing them for their obedience and forgiving them for their
disobedience. The problem was that Israel's periods of
disobedience far outweighed her obedience.
By the time the prophet Jeremiah came on the scene, Israel had
totally disregarded the intent of the covenant and failed to
fulfil her national commitment: "And I saw, when for all the
causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery, I had put
her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous
sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. And
it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she
defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with
stocks" (Jeremiah 3:8-9).
Notice that God divorced the nation of Israel for spiritual
adultery. In chapter 5 of Jeremiah, the same accusation is
levelled at the nation of Judah as well. Because of their failure
to perform their part of the covenant or agreement, the covenant
was completely broken and made void.
WHY GOD DID NOT GIVE UP ON ISRAEL
However, God could not and would not give up on Israel. Keep in
mind that centuries before Israel became a nation, God had made a
contract with Abraham: "That in blessing I will bless you, and in
multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven,
and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and your seed shall
possess the gate of his enemies; And in your seed shall all the
nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my
voice" (Genesis 22:17-18).
Our Creator keeps His word: "O Lord God of Israel, there is no
God like you in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keeps
covenant, and shows mercy unto your servants, that walk before
you with all their hearts" (2 Chronicles 6:14); "... He will ever
be mindful of his covenant" (Psalm 11:5).
Because of His prior commitments to the patriarchs, God will
continue to work with the nation of Israel until His purpose for
mankind is completed.
"The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Hear you
the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; And say you unto them, THUS
SAITH THE LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeys not
the words of this covenant, Which I commanded your fathers in the
day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the
iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to
all which I command you: so shall you be my people, and I will be
your God: That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto
your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as
it is this day.
"Then answered I, and said, So be it, O Lord. Then the Lord said
unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in
the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear you the words of this
covenant, and do them. For I earnestly protested unto your
fathers in that day that I brought them up out of the land of
Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying,
Obey my voice.
"Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every
one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will
bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded
them to do; but they did them not. And the Lord said unto me, A
conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the
inhabitants of Jerusalem. They are turned back to the iniquities
of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they
went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the
house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their
fathers" (Jeremiah 11:1-10).
It is important to understand here that they not only broke the
commandments of God but also refused to obey the sacrificial
laws. So it is evident they disobeyed the whole law - the
commandments, statutes, judgments, and the sacrificial system.
.............
TO BE CONTINUED
The Old and New Covenants #2
Aspects of it all
CHAPTER THREE
THE PROMISE OF A NEW COVENANT
"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:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in
the day that I took them out of the land of Egypt; which my
covenant they broke, although I was a husband unto them, saith
the Lord: 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." (Jeremiah
31:31-33).
WHY WAS A
NEW COVENANT NEEDED?
Why do we need a new covenant with a testament? What was wrong
with the Old Covenant? Now we will see why a new agreement or
covenant was necessary.
A BETTER COVENANT
"But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much
also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was
established upon better promises" (Hebrews 8:6). Here we find the
apostle Paul stating why the new covenant is a better one. He
states that the primary reason is because it is based upon better
promises (i.e. terms, conditions and benefits). And as we will
see, these promises are far better than those given to the
physical nation of Israel.
"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no
place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with
them, he saith, Behold, the days come, with the Lord, when I will
make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house
of Judah" (Hebrews 8:7-8).
The fault was not with the covenant; it was with the people
themselves. The covenant could be performed: God could perform
His part, and many individuals did perform their part. But for
Israel to perform her part on a national scale was extremely
difficult, as their history indicates. Even to perform it on an
individual basis IS extremely hard and few could accomplish
this task and reap the blessings that were promised.
(It was hard to perform because their heart was not right, and as
we have seen God did not call and give His Spirit to the MANY but
to the relatively few. So trying to perform the Old Covenant in
the flesh, on ones on steam, was then indeed hard to do - Keith
Hunt).
A PERFECT SACRIFICE NEEDED
"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the
very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which
they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto
perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered?
because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more
conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a
remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible
that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins"
(Hebrews 10:14).
In verse 1, we read that the sacrifices were given year after
year but could never save the people from their sins. Verse 4
says it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take
away sins. One reason for this is that an inferior animal cannot
take away the sins of a superior being, and man is superior to
any animal. Man has the potential to become as God; animals do
not have this potential. The inadequacy of the sacrifices is
another reason the Old Covenant is inferior to the New Covenant.
It could only cover the sins of men, but not remove them. God was
not satisfied with these sacrifices because they could not TAKE
AWAY sins. So the first thing that is needed is the perfect
sacrifice.
(Ah yes, glad to see the writers did see that physical sacrifices
did NOT take away sins, only reminded the people, in no uncertain
way I may say, that they were sinners, and needed a perfect
sacrifice to forgive and remove sins - Keith Hunt).
THE OLD COVENANT IS CANCELLED
"Wherefore, when he comes into the world, he says, Sacrifice and
offering you would (want) not, but a body have you prepared me:
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have had no
pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it
is written of me) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said,
Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin
you would (want) not, neither had pleasure therein; which are
offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do your will, O
God. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:5-10 quoted by
Paul from Psalm 40:6-8).
Verse 5 shows that Christ is the supreme sacrifice; verse 9 shows
that Christ will cancel the first system in favor of a far better
one. Verse 10 shows that under the new plan or agreement, we can
now be forgiven of our sins and made clean by Christ's sacrifice
for us, a perfect sacrifice which can and does remove our sins.
Verse 14 says: "For by one offering he has perfected forever them
that are sanctified." So by His perfect sacrifice we can now
stand before God as righteous sinless individuals.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those
days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and
in their minds will I write them" (Hebrews 10:16). Notice again
that He is going to write His laws into our minds. The reason He
does this is so we will always know His will.
After we receive the Holy Spirit, we have a desire to obey Him.
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest
by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he has
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh"
(Hebrews 10:19-20).
A NEW HIGH PRIEST
Hebrews 10:19 says that now, because of the new agreement or
covenant and because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we may go
right into the very Holy of Holies where God is. Verse 20 tells
us that now there is a fresh, new, life-giving way which Christ
has opened up for us by tearing the curtain (His human body) to
let us into the very presence of God. This new life-giving way is
the New Covenant and Testament. Verse 23 tells us that now there
is no longer any room for doubt because of what Christ has done.
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;
for he is faithful that promised" (Hebrews 10:23).
WHY THE NEW COVENANT IS A BETTER COVENANT
HEBREWS 10 GIVES THE ANSWER
No.1 God suspended the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant and
sacrificed Himself for us.
No.2 He also suspended the Levitical priesthood and established
Himself as High Priest.
No.3 He also put His Spirit into our hearts. So He is changing
man to want to obey His Commandments because of the change of
heart (mind).
These are the three basic tools that God has given to man that
were not available under the Old Covenant. Now they are available
to all those God is calling under the New Covenant.
BLESSINGS OR CURSINGS - WHICH?
Under the Old Covenant God said the people would have tremendous
physical blessings if they would keep their part of the bargain:
"And it shall come to pass, if you shall harken diligently unto
the voice of the Lord your God, to observe and to do all his
commandments which I command you this day, that the Lord your God
will set you on high above all nations of the earth" (Deuteronomy
28:1. Note verses 2-14 ). He also said: "But it shall come to
pass, it you will not harken unto the voice of the Lord your
God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which
I command you this day; that all these curses shall come upon
you, and overtake you" (Deuteronomy 28:15. Note verses 16-68).
If they would not obey, they would not only miss out on these
wonderful blessings, but they would receive terrible curses in
their place. Their Creator and benefactor summed up the choices
He had given them by saving: "See, I have set before you this day
life and good, and death, and in that I command you this day to
love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his
commandments, and his statutes and his judgments, that you may
live and multiply: and the Lord your God shall bless you in the
land where you go to possess it. But if your heart turn away, so
that you not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other
gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that you
shall surely perish, and that you shall not prolong your days
upon the land, where you pass over Jordan to go to possess it. I
call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have
set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore
choose life, that both you and your seed may live:" (Deuteronomy
30:15-19).
It was God's earnest desire that they would choose life above
death.
NEW COVENANT BLESSINGS
Under the new Covenant He tells us we can receive all the
blessings He offered to ancient Israel: "And if you be Christ's,
then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise"
(Galatians 3:29). We likewise can become a son in the family of
God just as many who lived under the Old Covenant - Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, to name a few. "For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The Spirit itself bears
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together" (Romans 8:14,16-17). And also inherit eternal life:
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates
into the city" (Revelation 22:14. Also see 1 Thessalonians
4:1317; 1 Corinthians 15:1-58; and Revelation 20:4-6).
The blessings and benefits of the New Covenant over the Old are
so great and wonderful that it is really impossible to compare
the two. The first had a physical value, and the second has a
physical, spiritual, and eternal value.
REWARDS FAR SUPERIOR
Since the rewards of the New Covenant are far superior to the Old
one, so then are the penalties for non-compliance: "For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted
of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world
to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God
afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks
in the rain that comes often upon it, and brings forth herbs meet
for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God: But
that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto
cursing; whose end is to be burned" (Hebrews 6:4-8).
Once this contract is entered into by God and an individual,
there is no turning back: "For if we sin wilfully after that we
have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more
sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment
and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He
that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three
witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be
thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and
has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was
sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit
of grace? For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongs unto
me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall
judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
the living God" (Hebrews 10:26-31).
If an individual wilfully refuses to honor his contract with God,
God cannot bless him, but must instead curse him under the terms
and conditions of the contract. The choice each one of us makes
under the New Covenant is exactly the same choice God gave to the
ancient Israelites, and our Creator desires above all else that
we make the right choice, and CHOOSE LIFE (Deuteronomy 30:1519).
WHAT ARE THE BETTER PROMISES OF HEBREWS 8:6?
"But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry by how much
also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was
established upon better promises" (Hebrews 8:6).
What are the promises under the New Covenant, or agreement, that
are better than those of the Old Covenant? (1) The perfect
sacrifice of Christ. (2) The perfect High Priest who is a true
bridge builder between God and man. And, (3) the Holy Spirit to
help us, strengthen us and give us a new heart so that we will
WANT to obey God.
WHY THE OLD COVENANT FAILED
"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no
place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with
THEM, he said, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will
make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house
of Judah" (Hebrews 8:7-8).
Verse 7 says that the old agreement did not work. Why? Because it
lacked the three things mentioned above. If it had worked, then
there would have been no need for another covenant to replace it.
So the Old Covenant has been replaced by the New Covenant.
Verse 8 says God found fault with the people of the Old Covenant
because they didn't have a heart in them to be able, or even have
a desire, to worship Him. So He cancelled the Old Covenant. He
changed what was wrong with the Old Covenant - the people - and
now places a new heart or mind in them.
The fault was NOT with the COVENANT; it was with THE PEOPLE
themselves. The covenant could be performed; God could perform
His part, and many individuals performed their part. But for
Israel to perform her part on a national scale was extremely
difficult, as their history indicates. Even to perform it on an
individual basis was extremely hard, and few could accomplish
this task and reap the blessings that were promised.
(On an individual basis the person did have God's Spirit (see
again Number 11), hence it was no harder to serve God and obey
Him than it is for Christians today to serve God and obey Him -
Keith Hunt).
One reason it was so difficult was because of the sacrificial
system. Each time they knew they had sinned, they had to offer a
sacrifice. They also had to offer a sacrifice to cover the sins
they did in ignorance. This was extremely difficult compared to
those of us who live under the New Covenant, who only have to ASK
God to use the sacrifice to Christ to take away our sins.
(Well not really that difficult, for sacrifices could only be
done where God placed His name, first in Shilo, then later in
Jerusalem. The people only went up to "the place where God placed
His name" only at Festival times, and then many or most did not
go up for all three seasonal pilgrim festivals. Even if they did,
they sacrificed then only three times a year. It was not as if
they were doing DAILY sacrifices - Keith Hunt).
What we have in Hebrews 8 are the same conditions that are
contained in the Old Covenant because God found no fault with His
part of the agreement - His commandments, statutes and judgments.
God gave them the laws that were good for them. It could have
made them a prosperous, happy, and contented people. The terms
and conditions that God gave were good and were never done away
with. They are the same terms and conditions that we have under
the New Covenant.
Now we not only have a New Covenant, but we also have the tools
that enable us to keep the terms and conditions of that covenant,
the Ten Commandments and the spiritual laws of God.
(We have the Holy Spirit as a divine "begettal" united with our
spirit, which then is a greater power of the Spirit in us, than
was for those called under the Old Covenant. But then on the
other hand the New Covenant covers the DEEPER spiritual aspect of
the laws of God, see Jesus' amplification of the laws in Matthew
5;6;7. So a deeper spiritual New Covenant, but also a deeper
giving of God's Spirit to those called under the New Covenant -
Keith Hunt).
.............
TO BE CONTINUED
The Old and New Covenants #3
The Glory of the New
CHAPTER FOUR
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE NEW COVENANT AND TESTAMENT
What are the requirements necessary to become an heir? What do we
have to do? Mark 1:14-15: "Now after that John was put in prison,
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of
God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is
at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel." So we find that the
first thing we have to do is REPENT of our sins and BELIEVE the
gospel concerning Christ.
John 6:53: "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say into
you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his
blood, you have no life in you." This verse shows that we must go
through Jesus Christ to receive eternal life at the resurrection.
Acts 2:38 tells us to REPENT and be BAPTIZED for the forgiveness
of sins and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
So, you must
(1) Believe in Christ, (2) Repent, (3) Be baptized - and then you
can receive the Holy Spirit.
We know that when we receive the Holy Spirit we become a son of
God, and it (the Spirit) is the power that will resurrect us. So
it is this Spirit from God that makes you an heir so you can
receive your inheritance at the resurrection of the just (Romans
8:1114).
THE TESTAMENT
Since the New Covenant has conditions that the people must meet
before they can inherit the promises, it could also be called a
testament or agreement.
Now the reason for a will or testament is to make sure the heirs
get what the testor (the one making the will) wants them to
receive. This is why a will or testament is made.
The requirements of a will or testament are as follows:
(a) The person making the will should have something to leave the
heirs and he must have heirs to inherit whatever is left.
(b) There should be an administrator of the will or the testament
or the estate.
(c) Sometimes there are conditions to a will or testament that
the heir must meet before he can inherit his part of the will.
This is the case in the New Testament or will.
(d) Then there must be the death of the one making the will.
(e) When the death occurs, the will begins to take effect.
WHAT IS THE INHERITANCE?
The first question is: "What did Christ have to give his heirs?"
In Galatians 3:39 it says that if you are Christ's, then are you
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now what
promises was Paul talking about?
Genesis 26:4 says: "And in your seed (singular, meaning Christ)
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" - blessed with the
salvation God had to offer through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
It is interesting to note one of the reasons Abraham received
these promises was because he kept God's commandments, statutes
and laws (Genesis 26:7). In Romans 4:13 we find that Abraham was
to be heir of the whole world, not just a few countries.
Romans 8:14-15: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Notice verse 15: we can
now call God our father because we have received the Spirit which
comes through Abraham's seed - Christ.
Romans 8:16-17: "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs;
heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." These
verses tell us that we are heirs and joint heirs with Christ, who
has already received His inheritance as the firstborn son.
ETERNAL LIFE!
So we see that the gift of eternal life is what Christ has to
offer. Who can be the heirs of Christ's will or testament? That
is the important question. Who are the ones that can inherit
eternal life at the resurrection? Can all people be His heirs at
this time? No!
Hebrews 9:15 says: "They which are called might receive the
promise of eternal inheritance." This shows that our inheritance
will be for eternity because it is an eternal inheritance. Romans
8:28-29 says: "To them who are called according to his promise."
John 10:27 says: "My sheep hear my voice." At this time God is
opening the minds of the ones He is calling to receive His truth.
God has opened the minds of only a few and is giving them a
chance to receive His inheritance. So the heirs or the called-out
ones are the ones who have answered the call, because "many are
called, but few are chosen." Many who are called will not humble
themselves and repent of their sins, even though God has called
them to inherit this great gift of eternal life.
THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE WILL
Now the question is, "Who will administer the estate of Jesus
Christ?" We, the called-out ones, are the ones He has chosen to
execute His will. We are the administrators of the will of
Christ! Christ's Will.
How is this done? Matthew 28:19-20 tells us that the follower of
Christ is commanded or charged to execute His will. "Go you,
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I
am with you always, even unto the end of the age." Every time a
Christian preaches Christ and Him crucified, he is relaying the
offer of eternal life to those who hear and believe and answer
the call. He is, in essence, saying: "Did you know Christ died
for you?" The Christian is administering God's will.
Yes, it's true: if you will believe in Christ (belief in His
blood to take away sins), repent from breaking God's law, and are
baptized and live an overcoming life, then you, too, can become
an heir of Christ and receive eternal life.
This then is the most important job God has ever given to
mankind, far greater than any ruler who ever lived. If we
overcome we will also be the administrators of His will in the
Kingdom when every one living in the world will be offered the
opportunity to inherit eternity.
DEATH OF THE TESTOR
2 Corinthians 3:6 tells us who the administrators of the New
Testament are: "Who has made us able ministers of the New
Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter
kills, but the spirit gives life." Christ as the testor had to
die for us (1 Corinthians 15:3). At Christ's death, the will or
testament began to go into effect.
AFTER REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM, WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT?
The vast majority of today's professing Christians believe that
all or at least most of the laws of God were cancelled by the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ even though He said: "Think not that I
am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am come not to
destroy but to fulfil" (Matthew 5:17). Christ, through the Bible,
says to these professing Christians of today the same thing He
said to the professing righteous of His day: "... You do err, not
knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).
People do not understand the truth of God because they refuse to
obey the laws which God has created for humanity's benefit. To
obey them will bring understanding. "0 how love I your law! it is
my meditation all the day. You through your commandments have
made me wiser than my enemies: for they are ever with me. I have
more understanding than all my teachers: for your testimonies are
my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I
keep your precepts" (Psalm 119:97-100).
A careful study of the scriptures will reveal that all of the
terms and conditions that were in the Old Covenant are a part of
the New Covenant, with the only exception being those items
specifically deleted or changed by Christ (among these are the
Passover, temple worship, and sacrifices). Many other items (such
as the commandments, holy days, health laws, etc.) are still a
part of the New Covenant and are binding upon Christians of
today.
"For finding fault with them, he said, Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel and with the house of Judah?" (Hebrews 8:8-10). Since God
has only one set of laws He created for the benefit of all
mankind, logic should tell us that these laws being spoken of
here are the same set of laws that He gave to the Israelites as a
part of the original covenant. Notice God is going to write His
laws in the hearts and minds of people. In other words He will
write them in their very being, thereby making these laws a part
of the thinking process of those individuals God is calling in
this age.
CHAPTER FIVE
MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW CONTRACTS
1. FORGIVENESS OF SIN
BY A PERFECT SACRIFICE
"And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall
come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness
from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take
away their sins" (Romans 11:26-27).
"And every priest stands daily ministering and offering
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for
ever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Hebrews 10:11-12).
"If the plan that leads to doom was glorious, much more glorious
is the plan that makes men right with God" (2 Corinthians 3:9,
Living Bible).
The reason that it led to doom and death was because of the fault
of the people, that fault now being corrected under the new
agreement. The Ten Commandments showed them their sins. But the
flesh was weak and they couldn't keep them. Since they knew what
sin was, but were not able to keep the Ten Commandments, they
were doomed to death because the penalty for breaking the Ten
Commandments was death. So much more glorious is the plan or
covenant that makes men right with God. (Man is made right with
God through the perfect sacrifice of Christ).
Deuteronomy 6:25 says: "And it shall be our righteousness, if we
observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as
he has commanded us." That old system failed because the people
were weak and there was not a heart in them to want to obey God's
laws. The New Covenant offers Jesus Christ, the Righteous, as its
atoning power. If we believe in Jesus Christ to take away our
sins, then we are justified (declared righteous) in the eyes of
God and our sins are forgiven forever. So we are justified and
put in contact with God by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ,
the Righteous (Romans 5), as opposed to the system of
justification under the Old Covenant.
(There really was only justification under the Old Covenant for
those called and given God's Spirit. As we have seen MOST did not
have the heart, hence they were never justified - Keith Hunt).
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those
days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and
in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities
will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there
is no more offering for sin" (Hebrews 10:16-18).
The perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ not only takes away the
sins of those under the New Covenant, but because of Christ's
sacrifice, God the Father forgets our sins forever and the
Christian stands before Him as a righteous individual.....
2. A PERFECT HIGH PRIEST
"If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for
under it the people received the law,) what further need was
there that another priest should rise after the order of
Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the
priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change
also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertains
to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which
tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet
far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchizedek
there arises another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a
carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life"
(Hebrews 7:11-16).
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest
by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he has
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having a high priest over the house of God" (Hebrews
10:1921).
These verses show a change in the conditions of the covenant and
this change allows a Christian to go directly before God the
Father without going to a physical man, and having him go to God
for us as the priest did for the Israelites.
3. THE HOLY SPIRIT
2 Corinthians 3:6-10 talks about God's new agreement or covenant
to save man. Paul says we do not tell them that they must obey
every law of God or die, which was the case under the Old
Covenant laws. James also says that if your break one of the Ten
Commandments you are guilty of breaking them all. But we tell
them that there is life for them from the Holy Spirit (Romans
8:11). The old way of trying to be saved (justified) by keeping
the Ten Commandments ends in death, because all have fallen short
of the mark and sinned (Romans 3:23; Galatians 3:22). But in the
new way, the Holy Spirit gives them life, because the Holy Spirit
gives man the desire to want to obey God, and also helps his
infirmities.
Verse 7 states that the old system (covenant) of law, which
included the Ten Commandments, that led to death, began with such
glory that the people could not bear to look at Moses' face as he
gave them God's law to obey. His face shone with the very glory
of God.
Now when did Moses' face shine, and what laws did he have in his
hand when it was shining? Read Exodus 34:27-35. Verse 27 says:
"And the Lord said unto Moses, write these words; for after the
tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with
Israel." Verse 28: "And he was there with the Lord forty days and
forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he
wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Command-
ments. Verse 29: "And it came to pass, when Moses came down from
Mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when
he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of
his face shone while he talked with him."
There is no doubt that the law being spoken of included the Ten
Commandments. In 2 Corinthians 3:8-18 (Living Bible), verse 8
says: "Shall we not expect far greater glory in these days when
the Holy Spirit is giving life?" Because when we have the Holy
Spirit we have the seed that will resurrect us. It is this seed
or Holy Spirit that makes us a part of the God Family, a son of
God. Therefore the glory which is made possible under the New
Covenant is much greater than Moses' glory - his face shining.
Our glory will be manifested when we are resurrected and receive
the very glory that God has as a spiritual being. The reason the
New Covenant will end in this type of glory is because under the
New Covenant God is giving us the necessary tools to do His will.
Verse 9 says: "If the plan that leads to doom was glorious, much
more glorious is the plan that makes men right with God." The
reason it led to doom and death was because of the fault of the
people, that fault is now being corrected under the new
agreement. The Ten Commandments showed them their sins. But the
flesh was weak and they couldn't keep them. Since they knew what
sin was but were not able to keep the Ten Commandments, they were
doomed to death because the penalty for breaking the law was
death. So, much more glorious is the plan or covenant that makes
men right with God (man is made right with God through the
perfect sacrifice of Christ).
The New Testament has Jesus Christ, the Righteous, to offer as
its atoning power. If we believe in Jesus Christ's atoning blood
to cover our sins, then we are justified or declared righteous in
the eyes of God and our sins are forgiven forever. We are
justified and put in contact with God by the death of His Son
Jesus Christ (Romans 5) as opposed to the system of justification
under the Old Covenant. Deuteronomy 6:25 says: "And it shall be
our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments
before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us." That system
failed because the people were weak and there was not a heart in
them that wanted to obey God's laws. So all under the Old
Covenant were doomed to death because of their refusal to keep
God's laws, commandments, statutes, judgments and sacrificial
system. (All except those called and given the heart and given
god's spirit - Keith Hunt).
2 Corinthians 3:10 (Living New Testament) says: "In fact that
first glory as it shone from Moses' face is worth nothing at all
in comparison with the overwhelming glory of the new agreement."
Why was the first glory worth nothing when compared to the New
Covenant or Testament? Because it only showed them what sin was
and there was no way found, under the first covenant, to take
away sins (the sacrifice of animals could not take away sin).
Also the fact that they had a stony heart and didn't have the
desire to keep God's Commandments....
When you compare the two covenants, the old and the new side by
side, the new one has an overwhelming glory because it contains
the tools necessary for success which the Old Covenant did not.
These tools are (1) the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, (2) a
High Priest able to understand man's imperfections (Hebrews 2),
and (3) the Holy Spirit available to be placed within man,
creating in him the desire to obey God's commandments, statutes
and judgments. (As we have seen, the Holy spirit was given to
SOME under the Old covenant - Keith Hunt).
2 Corinthians 3:11 says: "So if the old system that faded into
nothing was full of heavenly glory, the glory of God's new plan
for salvation is certainly far greater, for it is eternal." The
New Covenant will never fade away, but wilt culminate in eternal
life and the glory of becoming a son of God, born into the Family
of God, having the same kind of glory and power of God himself.
So it is apparent that the Holy Spirit is a vital tool in
overcoming.
4. A NEW TEMPLE
"Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit
of God dwells in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple
you are" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
"What! know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not
your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Why was the apostle Paul so strong in this admonition to the
Corinthians? Acts 2:1-4 gives the answer: "And when the day of
Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one
place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a
rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were
sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of
fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance."
Each time God moved his dwelling place within the nation of
Israel, He did so with the sign of fire. As proof of His placing
of His Holy Spirit within Christians, He used the same sign He
had used before, that of fire. Paul was telling the Corinthian
Christians to straighten out their lives because the Holy Spirit
of God dwelled in each of them.
This will also be true after the return of Jesus Christ. Everyone
in Israel will have an opportunity to receive the Spirit of God
and the strength needed to obey His laws as well as the desire to
want to obey them. Jeremiah 50:19-20: "And I will bring Israel
again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan,
and his soul shall be satisfied upon Mount Ephraim and Gilead. In
those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of
Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none, and the sins
of Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will pardon them
whom I reserve."
THE NEW COVENANT EXTENDED TO GENTILES
"For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor
free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in
Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's
seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29).
All who are baptized and have truly accepted Christ as their
savior are now God's children.
"Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the
flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the
circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time you
were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of
Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world: But now, in Christ Jesus, you
who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ"
(Ephesians 2:11-13).
"For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the
Father. Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God"
(Ephesians 2:18-19).
Here again we see it is possible for Gentiles to have access to
God the Father and to have the opportunity to acquire the
blessings from this association because all who are called to
repentance and baptism, and respond, become spiritual Israelites.
Just as Gentiles have an opportunity to become heirs in this age,
so will the Gentile nations have the opportunity for eternal life
during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ: "At that time they
shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all the nations
shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem;
neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their
evil heart" (Jeremiah 3:17).
NEW COVENANT TO BE MADE WITH REGATHERED ISRAEL
As we see in Hebrews 8, the New Covenant we are under now is
similar to the covenant that the nation of Israel will be under
in the millennial reign of Christ. They will be given the Spirit
of God, one of the tools of the New Covenant (Ezekiel 36:2428).
They will have the King-Priest, Jesus Christ, dwelling there in
Jerusalem. They, too, will repent after the return of Christ as
King. When they repent, they will then be given the Spirit of the
Father. Romans 8:11 tells us this is the power that will make us
a son of God.
Since it is similar to the covenant we have now, then it follows
they, too, will then have the Spirit of begettal as a son of God.
And after overcoming, they will also be born into the Family of
God. So the conditions of the covenant are similar for those
living today and those who will be living in the Kingdom. They,
too, will have the necessary tools to be overcomers. (Please see
my studies on my Website called "Overcoming" - for the truth on
that subject - Keith Hunt).
Now let's take a look at Romans 11 where we find the entire
nation of Israel will be saved. Please read the entire chapter.
Note in verse 15 of Romans 11 the fate of the nation of Israel
will be complete restitution. Verse 26: "And so all Israel shall
be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the
Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Israel)."
The question is - when does He do this? There are many scriptures
in the Old Testament that tell us God is going to make a New
Covenant with regathered Israel in the last days. So this
scripture is no doubt talking about the regathering of Israel.
Note what he says in verse 27: "For this is my covenant unto them
(regathered Israel) when I shall take away their sins." God is
going to call Israel to repentance at the time He regathers them.
..............
TO BE CONTINUED
The Old and New Covenants #4
The heart of the New Covenant
A study by the Biblical
Church of God (1985)
Jeremiah 31:31-33
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 an
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.
Hebrews 8:8-10
8. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel and with the house of Judah.
9. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers
in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the
land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I
regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into
their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them
a God, and they shall be to me a people:
THE OLD
COVENANT
The Old Agreement or Contract was made with the physical nation
of Israel at Mount Sinai (Ex 19:5-8).
Brief Outline of The OLD COVENANT is as follows:
a. OPEN-ENDED CONTRACT - The contract could be added to or
subtracted from by God, but not by the Israelites (Exodus
19:5-6).
b. NATIONAL and INDIVIDUAL - The contract was made both with the
nation of Israel and the individuals of the nation. (The books of
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy detail national and
individual terms and conditions of the contract).
c. EXCLUSIVE - The contract was made exclusively with the nation
of Israel, although it did allow for others to become adopted
into the Israelite nation.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
a. The Israelites were to obey God (Exodus 19:5-6; Exodus 2023).
b. The Israelites would worship only God (Exodus 20:1-7; 25).
c. God would bless the Israelites and protect them.
BENEFITS FOR ISRAEL
Physical and eternal benefits
BENEFITS FOR GOD
The Israelites would be His treasure as a kingdom of priests
(Exodus 19:5-6).
CONTRACT DURATION
The contract was a perpetual contract and would last as long as
the Israelites obeyed God (Exodus 31:16; Leviticus
23:14,21,31,41; 24:5-8; Deuteronomy 28: 15).
CONTRACT RATIFICATION
The contract text was written in stone and in a book, and then
attested to orally and sealed with the blood of the sacrifice
(Exodus 24:3; 24:12; 34:1-5; 24:8).
CONTRACT PREREQUISITES:
This Contract was made between the God Family (through the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) and the nation of Israel. The only
prerequisite was to be an Israelite.
PRECAUTIONARY NOTE:
Be it known that this contract was irrevocable; its terms,
conditions and stipulations could not be renegotiated by the God
Family or the nation of Israel. Therefore: The children of Israel
were fully warned of the consequences of breaking this contract
(Deut. 28:15-64).
THE NEW COVENANT
This New Agreement of Contract supersedes and voids the contract
made with the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai (Ex 19:5-8). Brief
Outline of The NEW COVENANT is as follows:
TYPE OF CONTRACT
a. CLOSED CONTRACT - The contract cannot be added to or
subtracted from by either party (Hebrews 8:8-10; 10:16).
b. INDIVIDUAL - The contract is made with an individual Acts
2:38-39,47; 1 John 2:4-5.
c. EXCLUSIVE - The contract is made exclusively between each
individual (whether Israelite or non-Israelite) and God. Each
person is dealt with on a personal level (Matthew 20:16; John
6:44,65).
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
a. The individual must repent of past sins and be baptized.
b. The individual must worship and obey God.
c. God will give the individual the tools to help him perform his
part of the contract.
BENEFITS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
Physical and eternal benefits.
BENEFITS FOR GOD
To share eternity with newly acquired spiritual sons.
CONTRACT DURATION
The contract will last for eternity once the individual fulfils
his part of the bargain (Hebrews 13:20).
CONTRACT RATIFICATION
The contract is overtly committed to by the individual when he is
physically baptized in water. God then seals the contract by
placing His Spirit into the individuals mind, thereby infusing
His laws, precepts, and principles into that person's very
thought processes (Acts 2:38).
CONTRACT PREREQUISITES:
This Contract is made between the God Family (i.e. God the Father
and Jesus Christ) and the individual. It is only offered to those
specifically called to repentance and salvation by God the
Father. "...no man can come unto me, except it were given unto
him of my Father." (Jn 6:65).
PRECAUTIONARY NOTE:
Be it known that this contract is irrevocable; its terms,
conditions and stipulations are eternal and can not be
renegotiated by the God Family or the individual. Therefore: let
the individual fully consider the consequences of consummating
this contract (Heb. 6:4-8; 10:26-31).
THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW COVENANTS
1. The Priesthood changed from the Aaronic-Levitical to the
Melchizedek-Christ Priesthood (Hebrews 4:15; 5:1-10; 6:20 7:117).
2. The animal sacrificial system was suspended by the perfect
sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:4,10,12,14,16-18).
3. The temple worship system was suspended by the moving of God's
Spirit and temple into those individuals under the new contract
(Acts 2:1-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19).
4. Individuals other than Israelites are now allowed to contract
with God for blessings (Galatians 3:26-20; Ephesians 2:11,13,19).
5. Those individuals who fulfil their par(of the contract:
a. Will have the Spirit of God dwelling within them (Acts 1:4-8
2:38; Hebrews s 8110).
b. Will receive, eternal life (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17;
1 Corinthians 15:158; Revelation 20:4-6; 22:14).
c. Will have direct access to God the Father (Ephesians 2:18;
Hebrews 4:15-16).
d. Are to he co-heirs
(Romans 8:17; Ephesians 3:6).
e. Will become Kings and Priests in the Kingdom of God
(Revelation 2:26; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4-6).
f. Will become Sons of God (Romans 8:14,16,17; 1 John 3:1-2).
g. Will become Gods as God is God (1 John 3:2).
CHAPTER SIX
BAPTISM, THE RATIFICATION OF THE NEW COVENANT
Contrary to what many organized churches believe, baptism is not
for the purpose of binding a person to a group of people or to
one particular physical organization or another. Baptism is your
ratification and acceptance of the terms and conditions that God
has established for the contract between you and the God Family.
"Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus
Christ were baptized into his death?" (Romans 6:3).
Baptism is the making of a covenant (contract) between a person
and God the Father and Jesus Christ. Baptism is the induction of
a person into the holy and divine family of God and the church of
God. Baptism is a step toward becoming a God-being as God is God.
No earthly organization of puny physical humans can offer this
grand and awesome privilege - only God can bind a person to
Himself and place him into His Family (John 6:44-45).
The allegiance one makes at baptism is to God the Father and
Jesus Christ, and to no other. Baptism is a very, very serious
step to take. From the moment one is baptized and receives the
Holy Spirit, a commitment of gigantic proportions has been made -
by the baptized person, by God the Father, and by Jesus Christ.
The baptized person has committed himself to an endeavor that
will lead to eternal life as a member of the family and
government of God (Revelation 3:5,21; 5:10; 20:4-6), or eternal
death for those who turn back from this commitment (Luke 9:62;
Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-27; Revelation 20:13; 21:8).
God the Father and Jesus Christ have committed themselves to help
the newly begotten son with the very power that sustains the
universe and all that exists (Matthew 6:25-34; Hebrews 13:5-6;
John 14:12-14).
CHAPTER SEVEN SUMMARY
Now we have a fool-proof method under the New Testament or
Covenant or agreement. This new method or covenant will succeed
where the old one failed because we now have a perfect sacrifice,
a perfect High Priest, and the Holy Spirit. When we sin we can go
right into the throne room of God and ask His forgiveness,
knowing that He will forgive because of our perfect High Priest,
Jesus Christ. So we who are under the New Covenant can always
stand before God as righteous individuals, as having never
sinned. God looks on us as if we had never sinned because our
sins are as far from us as the East is from the West: "He has not
dealt with us after our sins; or rewarded us according to our
iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great
is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is
from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us"
(Psalm 103:10-12).
Human beings can forgive, but they cannot forget. But God can
forgive and He also has the ability to forget: "For I will be
merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more" (Hebrews 8:12). So our sins
are gone, never to be brought up again as long as we use the
tools that God has given to us under the New Testament.
One of the Holy Days, the Day of Atonement, pictures the time
when God will call physical Israel from the nations and bring
them back to their land of inheritance. He will at that time give
His Spirit to all of them and eventually will evangelize the
whole world so that everyone in the world will have God's Holy
Spirit. When this happens we will have one thousand years of
peace under the Kingdom of God. During this time of one thousand
years, resurrected Christians (who will then be Spirit Beings)
will have a part in this rulership. These Spirit Beings will
continue to administrate the estate of Jesus Christ offering
eternal inheritance to all who dwell on earth at that time. So
the whole world will eventually be under the New Covenant.
2 Corinthians 3:10 (Living New Testament): "In fact that first
glory as it shone from Moses' face is worth nothing at all in
comparison with the overwhelming glory of the new agreement."
Why was the first glory worth nothing when compared to the New
Covenant or Testament? Because it only showed them what sin was,
and there was no way found, under the first covenant, to take
away sins because the sacrifice of animals could not take away
sin.
GLORY OF THE NEW COVENANT
When you compare the two covenants, the new and the old, side by
side, the new one has an overwhelming glory, because it has the
tools contained in it to succeed where the Old Covenant did not.
These tools are (1) the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, (2) a
High Priest who understands man's imperfections (Hebrews 2) and
(3) the Holy Spirit placed within man, so that he now desires to
obey God's commandments. 2 Corinthians 3:11 says: "So if the old
system that faded into nothing was full of heavenly glory, the
glory of God's new plan for our salvation is certainly far
greater, for it is eternal."
The New Covenant will never fade away, but will end in eternal
life and the glory of becoming a son of God, born into the Family
of God, having the same kind of glory and power of God himself:
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant" (Hebrews 13:20).
The New Covenant brings with it an opportunity to be among the
first of humanity to be made a part of the very Family of God, as
a son of God the Father just as Jesus Christ is His firstborn
Son. It offers an eternal inheritance of the physical earth and
the universe plus a spiritual inheritance so fantastic that it
can not even be comprehended by the human mind. All of this and
more is offered by God the Father to those He calls and extends
the New Covenant in this age of human existence.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Is God extending this contract to you? If you understand what you
have read in this booklet, there is a good chance you are being
afforded this rare opportunity. Would you like to be among the
first humans to become a son of God and inherit the eternal
benefits offered by God the Father to those who desire them? Do
you want to make a contract for eternal life with the ruler of
all that is or will ever be? You can if you so desire. The choice
is yours alone.
..................
END OF PART ONE
Two Covenants - Part Two #1
Sacrifices and THE sacrifice
A study(1985) by the Biblical
Church of God
MAINTAINING A
RIGHT-STANDING WITH GOD
Mankind was created as a being with the ability to reason and
weigh alternate courses of physical and mental action: in other
words he was created with the ability to choose to do as he
pleased, whether good or evil. Before God created humanity He
knew that they might choose evil over good. He also knew that man
might, after choosing evil and seeing the results of such
behaviour, want to change and obey Him. If man did want to repent
and get in tune with His Creator and His laws, there must be a
method by which this could be done. So before man's creation, God
formulated the SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM in order to give mankind a way
to place himself back into contact and right-standing with his
Creator (Well....animal sacrificing that would REMIND mankind
that they were sinners and the blood would have to be shed to
blot out their sins. And to point them TOWARDS the ONE who would
come to shed His blood for the sins of the world, the Messiah
God, a member of the Godhead - Keith Hunt).
Maintaining this right-standing with God was a major part of the
terms and conditions of Old Covenant. Remember, God said to the
Israelites that if they would obey Him, He would bless them. But
if they disobeyed Him, He would curse them (Deuteronomy 28). (And
remember that NO eternal life was ever promised to the MAJORITY
in Israel under the Old Covenant - see Romans 10; 11; where we
are clearly told that it was only the ELECTION of grace that
saved some, the REST were BLINDED, and God had given them that
blindness, even to this day. Also Deut.5:29 and 29:4; Num.11;
prove that it was not God's intention to save but a few in Israel
under the Old Covenant - Keith Hunt)
It is very important for those under the New Covenant to
understand how the Israelites maintained a good relationship with
their Creator, and how we as Christians can use their examples,
good or bad, to help us maintain a good relationship with God the
Father and Jesus Christ (True, on the moral side of the question
as the apostle Paul would verify in 1 Cor.10:1-13, but on animal
sacrificing there is no equation because those physical rites of
the Old Covenant would not be a part of the New Covenant, as
planned by God, for He determined that all physical Priest/Temple
rites would come to a stop in 70 A.D. when the Jerusalem Temple
would be destroyed by the Roman armies of Titus - Keith Hunt). It
is this good relationship or right-standing with God that assures
the Christian of salvation under the terms and conditions of the
New Covenant......
THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
Let's take a look at Romans 3:25 (King James Version) which
reads: "Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith
in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of
sins that are past, through the forbearance of God."
Notice here the statement: "for the remission of sins that are
past." My marginal reference says "passing over of sins done
aforetime - that is, since the time of Adam."
Quoting from William Barclay:
"It is through him (Christ) that there emerges a new covenant
between God and man; and the purpose behind this new covenant is
that those who have been called might receive the eternal
inheritance which has been promised to them; but this could
happen only after a death had taken place, the purpose of which
was to rescue them from the consequence of the transgressions
which had been committed under the conditions of the old
covenant. For where there is a will, it is necessary that there
should be evidence of the death of the testator before the will
is valid. It is in the case of dead people that a will is
confirmed, since surely it cannot be operative when the testator
is still alive.
As we have seen, the idea of the covenant is basic to the thought
of the writer, by which he meant a relationship between God and
man. The first covenant was dependent on man's keeping of the
law; as soon as he broke the law (as a way of life, as a chosen
path, as a mindset, which is different from a weakness of the
flesh, but still wanting to live the way of the Lord's
commandments - Keith hunt) the covenant became ineffective.
Let us remember that to our writer religion means access to God.
Therefore, the basic meaning of the new covenant, which Jesus
inaugurated, is that without the shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness.
That is why even the first covenant was not inaugurated without
blood. For, after every commandment which the law lays down had
been announced by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of
calves and goats, together with water and scarlet and hyssop, and
sprinkled the book itself and all the people. And as he did so,
he said: 'This is the blood of the covenant whose conditions God
commanded you to observe.' In like manner he sprinkled with blood
the tabernacle also and all the instruments used in its worship.
Under the conditions which the law lays down, it is true to say
that almost everything is cleansed by blood. Men should have
access to God or, to put it another way, have fellowship with
Him. But here is the difficulty. Men come to the new covenant
already stained with the sins committed under the old covenant,
for which the old sacrificial system was powerless to atone (take
away). So the writer to the Hebrews has a tremendous thought and
says that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is retroactive. That is
to say, it is effective to wipe out the sins of men committed
under the old covenant and to inaugurate the fellowship promised
under the new" (End of quote, William Barclay's commentary on
Hebrews).
(Yes, the way of salvation even under the Old Covenant, was
always by grace through faith in the atoning blood of the
Messiah, and animals sacrifices only reminded them that they were
sinners and the shedding of the Messiah's blood was the only away
to wipe away sins in the ultimate view to salvation. There was a
type of reconciliation with God in these physical rites, but only
as pertaining to the continuing of the agreement Israel and God
had made together under the treaty of the Covenant made in Moses'
time - Israel would serve God, obey Him, have a mindset to obey
Him, and He would physically bless them, and use them to show
other nations the way of the true God was the way people should
live - Deut.4 - Keith Hunt).
All this seems very complicated but at the back of it there are
two great eternal truths. FIRST, the sacrifice of Jesus gains
forgiveness for past sins. We ought to be punished for what we
have done and shut out from God; but because of what Jesus did,
the debt is wiped out, the breach is forgiven and the barrier is
taken away. SECOND, the sacrifice of Jesus opens a new life for
the future. It opens the way to fellowship with God.
THE PRICE OF FORGIVENESS
William Barclay:
The life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for
you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is
the blood that makes atonement" (Leviticus 17:11). Let us further
understand this scripture. "Without the shedding of blood there
can be no atonement for sin" was actually a well known Hebrew
principle.
The writer to the Hebrews goes back to the inauguration of the
first covenant under Moses, the occasion when the people accepted
the law as the condition of their special relationship with God.
We are told how sacrifice was made and how Moses took half of the
blood and put it in basins; and half of the blood he threw
against the altar. After the book of the law had been read and
the people had signified their acceptance of it Moses took the
blood and threw it upon the people, and said: "Behold the blood
of the covenant which the Lord has made with you in accordance
with all these words" (Exodus 24:3-8).
His basic idea is that there can be no cleansing and no
ratification of any covenant without the shedding of blood. Why
this should be so, he does not need to know. Scripture says it is
so and that is enough for him. The probable reason is that blood
is life, as the Hebrew saw it. Life is the most precious thing in
the world, and man must offer his most precious possession to
God.
Forgiveness is a costly thing. Human forgiveness is costly. A son
or a daughter may go wrong and a father or a mother may forgive;
but that forgiveness brings tears, whiteness to the hair, lines
to the face, a cutting anguish and then a long dull ache to the
heart. It doesn't cost 'nothing.' Divine forgiveness is costly.
God is love but he is also holiness. He, least of all, can break
the great moral laws on which the universe is built. Sin must
have its punishment or the very structure of life disintegrates.
And God alone can pay the terrible price that is necessary before
men can be forgiven.
Forgiveness is never a case of saying: 'It's all right; it
doesn't matter.' Without the shedding of heart's blood, there can
be no forgiveness of sins. Nothing brings a man to his senses
with such arresting violence as to see the effect of his sin on
someone in this world who loves him, or on the God who loves him
for ever, and to say to himself: 'It cost that to forgive my
sin.'
Where there is forgiveness, someone must be crucified" (William
Barclay's commentary on Hebrews 9:15-22,pp 105-106).
THE SACRIFICE FOR
FORGIVENESS OF SIN
Christ's sacrifice will also take away the sins that God had
passed over (covered) from Adam to Christ.
(Here the Biblical Church of God study gets rather confusing as
they try to explain the physical animal sacrificing in some kind
of relation to the New Covenant. The truth is really very simple,
animal sacrificing never really played a direct part in saving
people to eternal life, that those animals sacrifices never took
away sins for eternal life, at BEST they REMINDED those shedding
the blood of animals, that the ONE God member would come, in the
future for them, and need to shed His blood, to forgive sins.
Those BEFORE Jesus' coming to die on the cross, people called and
chosen of God for salvation, were justified and saved EXACTLY as
we, who have come AFTER Christ's death. We are all saved by GRACE
through FAITH.
Those before the cross looked FORWARD IN faith, we who have come
after the cross look BACK IN FAITH. Only those who were CALLED
and CHOSEN, given God's Spirit, from Adam to Jesus' return to
earth in power and glory, will be saved and be in that FIRST
RESURRECTION to GLORY (as outlined in 1 Cor.15) and those are
relatively few, the small group, the little flock, the salt of
the earth people - Keith Hunt).
THE ATONEMENT FOR SINS
There is one other point that must be made very clear. Under the
sacrificial system there were some sins that could be atoned for,
and there were some that could not be atoned for (For Eternal
life there were no sins that could be atoned for, but only
through faith in the shed blood of Christ, the Messiah. The
atoning for sins was under the Old Covenant, only in this
physical life - to live or to die, to give restitution to people
effected by your sins, to pay a physical penalty of some kind -
Keith Hunt).
Here are a few of the sins for which there was no sacrifice that
could be offered for atonement. The penalty under the Old
Covenant was death! No atoning sacrifice covered these sins:
Kidnapping......... Death Penalty Deut 24:7; Ex 21:6
Adultery.............. Death Penalty Lev 20:10
Rape................ Death Penalty Deut 23:25-27
Murder............. Death Penalty Num 35:17-21
Sodomy............ Death Penalty Lev 20:13
Witchcraft............ Death Penalty Ex 22:18
Blasphemy.......... Death Penalty Lev. 24:15-18
(These were sins that IF NOT "repented of" carried the death
sentence. If they were repented of, then forgiveness from the
physical penalty in this physical life could be extended to the
sinner, it was a judgement call by God and the judges of Israel.
The classic example is that of king David, who was forgiven by
God the physical death penalty, but punished in other ways, for
adultery and murder - Keith Hunt).
Sins that could be covered by offering an atoning sacrifice,
thereby bringing a restitution are:
Stealing - Ex 22:1; 22:4.7
Self-confessed crimes - Lev 5:2-7
Sins done in ignorance - Lev 4:2,27
It is important to understand that there were certain sins that
if committed under the Old Covenant resulted in the penalty of
death. There was no way one could be pardoned for a capital crime
against God or man. The death penalty was mandatory for these
crimes.
(Very wrong indeed. The example of DAVID being FORGIVEN, UPON
REPENTANCE, for adultery and murder, should blast this false idea
into the next solar-system - Keith Hunt).
HEBREWS 10:26-31
There is one vast difference between the New Covenant and the Old
Covenant. Under the Old Covenant, there was no atoning sacrifice
for certain sins (very wrong if the person repented, it was then
a judgement call - David's judgement call was to spare his life
but punish him in other ways, but true, there was no sacrifice
David could do in any physical way - Keith Hunt). Under the New
Covenant, Christ's perfect sacrifice will take away all sins, no
matter how terrible, as long as one is truly repentant of that
sin (This was also the way it was from the time of Adam, this was
the way it was for David, this is the way it was for being saved
to eternal life ALWAYS, from the day of Adam. One way to
salvation for all people from the very beginning, for those
called and chosen - Keith Hunt).
There is a note of caution however in the New Testament. Hebrews
10:26-31 (Good News Bible) reads: "Anyone who disobeys the Law of
Moses is put to death without any mercy when judged guilty from
the evidence of two or more witnesses (a GENERAL statement
only....see the study called "A Key to Bible Understanding -
General Statements" - Keith Hunt). What, then, of the person who
despises the Son of God? Who treats as an unholy thing the blood
of God's covenant which purified him from sin? Who insults the
Spirit of grace? Just think how much worse is the punishment he
will deserve! For we know who said, 'I will take revenge. I will
repay,' and who also said, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It
is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
What can we learn from this passage? Verse 26: if we continue to
sin AFTER we KNOW the truth, the sacrifice of Christ will not
take away that sin. An example of this would be if a person had
the knowledge of the Sabbath and the Holy Days and knew what God
expected of him, then said in his heart: 'I don't care what God
says, I will not keep His Sabbath holy,' this person then is in
danger of the judgment.
This principle will hold true with any truth of God. The more we
know, the more God is going to hold us responsible for.
Verse 28: note here, as we have already stated, that certain
crimes demanded the death penalty under the Old Covenant (but
could be commuted to a lesser penalty as in David's case - Keith
Hunt).
Verse 29 states that if one has no faith in the blood of Christ
to take away sins and consider it an unholy thing, then that
person is in grave danger of the judgment. Note also his
punishment will be worse. Under the Old Covenant the penalty was
a physical death. But to him who KNOWS the truth of God and the
truth about the atoning power of the blood of Christ, and
does NOT obey, his penalty will be the second death, which is the
lake of fire (verse 27). The second death is the final death; it
is eternal. From it no one can return to life, because he will be
erased from the book of life which God keeps of all humanity
(Deuteronomy 29:20; Psalm 69:28; Revelation 3:5). (There is no
"commuting" this judgement - it is sure and it is FINAL, no
lesser sentence can be given but eternal death, for tramping on
and disregarding the blood of Christ - Keith Hunt).
Verse 31: so it is indeed a terrifying thing to fall into the
hands of the living God.
FORGIVENESS AND REPENTANCE
Now let us look at the Book of the Law and see where a sin was
forgiven AFTER REPENTANCE, and the corresponding proper sacrifice
that was to be used.
"Sin offerings are required in the following cases: If someone is
officially summoned to give evidence in court and does not give
information about something he has seen or heard, he must suffer
the consequences. When a person is guilty, he must confess the
sin. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for the
man's sin, and he will be forgiven ..." (Leviticus 5:1,5,13, Good
News Bible).
Notice that sin offerings were required for specific offenses
which are then listed. Verse 5: when a person is guilty, he must
confess and bring the proper sacrifice. Then note in verse 13;
the priest shall offer the sacrifice and the man's sins shall be
forgiven. This is also mentioned in verse 18 and in Leviticus
6:1-7.
So we see that if confession is made, along with the proper
sacrifice, one's sins are forgiven ... The people of Israel were
put back in contact or right-standing with God through the proper
sacrifices and repentance.
So we see that the children of Israel could go before God as
individuals for certain sins they had committed and by a
sacrifice get back in right-standing with God.
(Again, this right-standing with God, under this sacrificial
system of the Old Covenant was merely for this physical life
under the conditions of the Old Covenant....God saying, "you do
my commandments and I will bless you in this material life, you
disobey and not follow my ways, then curses will come upon you."
It was all to do with keeping the Covenant of Israel in good
standing with God, the animal sacrifices had no bearing in any
direct way with eternal life that was offered to those called and
chosen by God under the Old Covenant. It was not God's original
intent to have a strict, somewhat complicated, animal sacrifice
system - Jer.7:22,23; Ps.51:16-17; 1 Sam.15:22.
The sacrificial system per se, had nothing to do towards being
saved under the Old Covenant. The SACRIFICE of the Messiah, being
saved by GRACE through FAITH, in HIS shed blood for justification
and forgiveness of sins, was ALWAYS THE ONLY WAY to be saved,
whoever you were and whenever you lived. It is THROUGH Christ we
can have and remain in right-standing with God the Father.
There was no animal sacrifice that David could have done after
his adultery with Bathsheba and the killing of her husband, that
could have forgiven him, but he was spared the penalty of
physical death BECAUSE of his DEEP REPENTANCE. Read all of Psalm
51.
Remaining under the Grace of God is, as outlined by John the
apostle in 1 John chapters 1 and 2. This I have covered in some
detail in my studies called "Saved by Grace." There are
interesting types and analogies within those animal sacrifices
under the Old Covenant, which will be looked at in the second
part of this part two of the Covenants study - Keith Hunt).
....................
TO BE CONTINUED
The Old and New Covenants - Part Two - #2
Sacrifices pointing to ONETHE SACRIFICES
OF THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
"The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron
who were killed when they offered unholy fire to the Lord. He
said, Tell your brother Aaron that only at the proper time is he
to go behind the curtain into the Most Holy Place, because that
is where I appear in a cloud above the lid on the Covenant Box.
If he disobeys, he will be killed. He may enter the Most Holy
Place only after he has brought a young bull for a sin offering
and a ram for a burnt offering" (Leviticus 16:1-3, Good News
Bible).
"Then the Lord gave the following instructions. Before Aaron goes
into the Most Holy Place, he must take a bath and put on the
priestly garments: the linen robe and shorts, the belt and the
turban" (verse 4). Note in verse 5, the community of Israel was
to give Aaron the two goats for a sin offering.
Verses 14-16: "He shall take some of the bull's blood and with
his finger sprinkle it on the front of the lid and then sprinkle
some of it seven times in front of the Covenant Box. After that,
he shall kill the "first" goat for the sin offering for the
people, bring its blood into the Most Holy Place, and sprinkle it
on the lid and then in front of the Covenant Box, as he did with
the bull's blood. In this way he will perform the ritual to
purify the Most Holy Place from the uncleanness of the people of
Israel and from all their sins. He must do this to the Tent,
because it stands in the middle of the camp, which is ritually
unclean."
Verse 15: God used this ritual to purify the Holiest of Holies
and the altar. In this way (verse 14) Aaron is to purify the Holy
of Holies and the altar from the sins of the people of Israel and
make it holy.
What about the second goat? Verse 10 of Leviticus 16 says: "The
goat chosen for Azazel shall be presented alive to the Lord and
sent off into the desert, in order to cover the sins of the
people."
Note that the live goat shall be presented alive before the Lord
to make atonement over it and then sent into the wilderness
carrying their sins. (This is further proof that the nation's
sins were covered by God)(covered, not blotted out, as the BCG
admit later, covered so the Old Covenant contract and
relationship between God and Israel could continue for another
year - Keith Hunt).
In Leviticus 9:5-6 we read: "They brought to the front of the
Tent everything that Moses had commanded, and the whole community
assembled there to worship the Lord. Moses said, 'The Lord has
commanded you to do all this, so that the dazzling light of his
presence can appear to you.'" Note here in verse 6 the sins of
the people are forgiven and covered.
Verses 22-24 of Leviticus 9 tell us that God appeared and
consumed the sacrifice. This is evidence that He accepted the
sacrifices.
We see that the people's sins, the ones committed during the
year, were forgiven and covered so that God could continue to
deal with them for one more year....
The important thing to remember is that their sins were only
covered, they were not taken away. The word "atone" means to
cover, purge or make reconciliation.
Now let us go to Hebrews 10:4: "For it is not possible that the
blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." This is an
important scripture. It states that the blood of bulls and goats
could not take away sin (this blood could only cover their sins).
So under the Old Covenant their sins were covered. God still had
a list of the times they had transgressed His law. This list
could still be used as evidence against them on the day of
judgment.
But as we learned, under the New Covenant the sins are not just
covered. They are TAKEN AWAY as far as the east is from the west.
They are completely forgotten by God, never to be remembered
again. Under the New Covenant, we can stand before God as a
righteous individual - as one who has never sinned.
The list of sins that God had of our transgressions are nailed to
the stake never again to be remembered (Colossians 2:14 15).
So under the New Testament the blood of Christ will forgive all
sins and then remove these sins forever. This could never happen
under the Old Covenant.
HOLINESS THROUGH THE SACRIFICES
One other point we should be aware of is that man became holy by
the sacrificial system (this is explained in Leviticus chapters 8
and 16) and was kept holy through them. When one committed sins
under the Old Covenant, the only way he could be put back in
contact with God and restored to holiness was through the
sacrificial system. (ONLY TO A POINT WAS THIS TRUE - in the point
of a continued relationship with God, so the Old Covenant could
continue to be in effect between Israel and God. There was NO
sacrifice of any animal that could have made David justified or
holy after his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, and his follow up
of planning the likely-hood of her husbands death by placing him
in the front lines of Israel's army against her enemies. It was
because of David's DEEP REPENTANCE that the Lord commuted his
death sentence for such sins, to other punishments. David was
saved under the Old Covenant by GRACE through FAITH, the same way
that ALL who will be in the first resurrection will be saved -
Keith Hunt).
Man basically is carnal, subject to sin, a sinner. In order to be
right with the Holy God, however, man must first be made holy.
This can happen only through sacrifice. Man cannot sacrifice
himself, because he is not "without blemish" as a sinner. But a
substitute "without blemish" may die on his behalf. This
substitute must itself be holy and without blemish. Through the
sacrifice of this substitute, a man's life can be redeemed or
bought back or given back to him.
Quote:
"The substitute which is sacrificed must be 'devoted to the Lord'
for only then is the substitute most holy to the Lord. Leviticus
27:28: 'Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote
unto the Lord of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of
the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every
devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord.' The sacrifice must be
totally and utterly destroyed. Leviticus 27:29: 'None devoted,
which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall
surely be put to death.' The Hebrew word used here is the Hebrew
'cherem.' This term describes what Joshua did to the city of
Jericho when he sent it up in smoke to God. So 'the devoted thing
given to the Lord' (verses 2829) cannot ransom itself, though it
is now the 'ashram' or guilt offering. So it must be another who
now becomes the ransom for the sinner, one who is willing to make
the ultimate and absolute commitment for the price of man; and
that can happen only if he be willing to be a 'cherem,' that is,
a total sacrifice. As Paul insists, it is only God himself,
uttering his Word which is both blessing and curse at the same
time, who can do this thing; and it is just this that God
actually does, in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19)" (Quoted from
"Leviticus," by George A. F. Knight).
It is quite obvious that Christians are ***made and kept holy
through the blood of Christ, the perfect sacrifice, ***just as
the people under the Old Covenant were made and kept holy by the
sacrificial system (as pertaining and in view to the Old Covenant
agreement on god's part towards what he had promised Israel -
Keith Hunt). ***For it is through the sacrifice of Christ that we
are declared holy in God's eyes, and it is through His sacrifice
that we can continually remain holy in His eyes.*** (Yes indeed,
see my studies "Saved by Grace" - Keith Hunt).
THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM OF WORSHIP
What purpose did the sacrificial system serve? Was the system of
an interface between God and man? Could the individual, through
the sacrificial system, stay in right-standing with God? Were the
sacrifices a form of worship whereby the individual could express
his love and appreciation for the many blessing God had given
him? Let us see if we can find the answers to these questions.
SACRIFICES - ACTS OF PRAISE
We will see that some of the sacrifices were acts of praise,
thankfulness, homage, and submission to the Holy One of Israel.
They were symbols of man's gratitude to God, and also symbols of
man's dependence, devotion and confidence in God.
THE DIFFERENT MEANINGS OF THE SACRIFICES
For an overview of the sacrifices or offerings and the offerer,
we can go to Jukes' book "The Law of the Offerings," pp 44-45:
"What, then, is the OFFERING? what the PRIEST? what the OFFERER?
Christ is the offering, Christ is the priest, Christ is the
offerer. Such and so manifold are the relations in which Christ
has stood for man and to man, that no one type or set of types
can adequately represent the fullness of them. Thus we have many
distinct classes of types of sacrifices, and further variations
in these distinct classes of sacrifices, ***each of which gives
us one particular view of Christ, either in His character, or in
His work, or person.*** But see Him as we may, for sinners He
fills more than one relation. This causes the necessity of many
emblems. First He comes as offerer, but we cannot see the offerer
without the offering, and the offerer is himself the offering,
and He who is both offerer and offering is also the priest.
Christ, as a man under the law, was our substitute when He stood
in our stead before God as offerer (His own body). He took 'the
body prepared for God' as His offering, that in it and by it He
might reconcile us to God. Thus, when the animal sacrifices and
offerings had wholly failed, when at man's hand God would no more
accept them: 'then said He, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book
it is written of me, I delight to do Thy will, O God: yea, Thy
law is within my heart' (Hebrews 10:5-9; Psalm 40:6-8). Thus His
body was His offering, willingly offered. Then, as Priest, He
took the blood into the holiest of Holies. As Offerer, we see Him
under the law, standing as a substitute for us, to fulfil all
righteousness. As Priest, we have Him presented as the Mediator,
God's messenger between Himself and Israel. As the Offering, He
is seen the innocent victim, a sweet savour to God, yet bearing
the sin and dying for it.
Thus in the selfsame type, the offerer sets forth Christ in His
person as the One who became man to meet God's requirements. The
offering presents Him in His character and work as the victim by
which the atonement was ratified, while the priest gives us a
third picture of Him, in His official relation as the appointed
mediator and intercessor. Accordingly, when we have a type in
which the offering is most prominent, the leading thought will be
Christ the victim. On the other hand, when the offerer or priest
predominates, it will respectively be Christ as man, or Christ as
mediator" (End of Jukes quote).
What he is saying here is that Christ is pictured as (1) the One
bringing the offering, (2) the One being offered, and (3) the
Priest giving the offering.
THE SACRIFICES THAT WERE ACTS OF PRAISE
THE BURNT OFFERING (Leviticus 1:3-7)
expresses one's individual self surrender to God's will. It
pictures the faithful Israelite giving a sweet-smelling offering
as a gift to God. In the burnt offering we see a method where one
can come before God with something valuable given by the giver
and also pleasing to God. Sin does not enter into this sacrifice.
It is strictly a means of an individual expressing his feelings
to God. This offering, then, is strictly a means of worshipping
God.
THE MEAL OFFERING
is also a burnt offering. It is an offering that is pleasing to
God. It pictures the individual in perfect obedience to God. It
has basically the same meaning as the burnt offering. Again this
offering has nothing to do with sin. It is a means whereby one
could worship God by bringing God his offering - something
valuable to the offerer. It is also God's food (Leviticus 2:1-6).
"In the Burnt or Meat offering, we have the offering satisfying
God; all consumed by His fire, and ascending to Him as in the
Burnt offering; or shared, as in the Meat offering, with His
priests. But in all this, though God was satisfied, the offerer
got no part of the offering. The Burnt and Meat offerings were
the emblem of the perfect fulfillment of the law's requirements.
In them we see man (in Christ) offering to God that which
perfectly satisfies Him. God finds food in the offering, and
declares it to be very good. But in all this the offerer has
nothing" (ibed., Jukes)
THE PEACE OFFERING
is also called the fellowship offering and pictures the
individual's gratitude to God for his bounteous blessings and
mercies. It also pictures God, man, and the High Priest eating
and fellowshipping together as a family. It also pictures a
family feast or a community feast where friends and neighbors get
together with God to have fellowship (Leviticus 3:117).
What we see here in the peace offering is a means for the
different ones to get together to fellowship and worship God.
This offering has nothing to do with sin. This offering, as was
the burnt offering, is a means whereby the people could worship
God.
Quote:
"In its contrast may be sufficient points: (1) It was and, (2)
The offerer, God, and the priest were fed by it. Not as offered
with any reference to sin, but rather as showing man giving to
God that which is sweet and pleasant to Him.
The second point by which the Peace offering differed from others
was that in it the offerer, the priest, and God, all fed
together. This was the case in no offering but the Peace
offering. In this they had something in common. Here each had a
part.
In the Peace-offering the offerer feasts. In other words, he
finds satisfaction, and feeds upon the same offering of which a
part has already satisfied God. For, a part of the Peace offering
(the fat, the blood, the inwards) must have already been consumed
on the altar before the offerer can touch his part.
The offerer feasts with God. Man (in Christ) and God find common
food. The offering is shared between them. The thought here is
not, as in the burnt-offering, merely that God finds satisfaction
in the offering. It includes this, but it goes further. It shows
communion, for God and man share together.
Is Christ not, as man, God's heir and first-born, the One in whom
His soul delights, the One with whom God holds unbroken
fellowship, to whom He reveals all His mind? And does Jesus hold
this alone? Are we not, in Him, called to the same communion? Are
we not in all His fellow-heirs, His joy, His bride, His members?
The Peace-offering answers the question when it shows us, man,
feasting with God." (ibed., Jukes).
FREEWILL OFFERINGS
***The Burnt offering, The Peace offering, The Meal offering and
The Freewill offering were all freewill offerings brought to God
by the individual because the offerer wanted to, not because he
had to. This was his way of telling God, 'Thank you for
everything.' These offerings picture us as God's children
bringing our offering to God and telling Him, 'Thanks for
everything; we are grateful for all You have done for us.' We
show our gratitude today by going to God in prayer, through
Christ, thanking Him for all His bounteous blessings and mercies;
and by contributing to His work here on earth.***
SACRIFICES DEALING WITH SINS
King David knew God would forgive him when he asked: "Have mercy
upon me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; according unto
the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before
me. Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done this evil in
your sight, that you might be justified when you speak, and be
clear when you judge. Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in
sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you desire truth in the
inward parts, and in the hidden part you shall make me know
wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and
I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:1-7).
Paul also dealt with this same thing in Romans, the seventh
chapter, verses 15-25. But notice verses 24-25 which read: "Oh,
wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of
this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So, then,
with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh,
the law of sin."
Here we see that the sacrifice of Christ in the form of the sin
offering is what saved Paul from his human nature.
THE SIN OFFERING
THE SIN OFFERING was offered for the sins done in ignorance, or
the unknown sin, by the individual. It was given to show God that
the one giving the sacrifice recognized that he was a sinner and
was bound to commit sins that he was not aware of. It shows God
that he realized that he was human with human nature that is
subject to sin. And that being human, he had sin dwelling in him.
It pictures him asking God to purge that sin from him and make
him pure (Leviticus 4:1-35).
This was not an offering where the individual came and confessed
his known sins, one by one. (This was done in the next offering
we will consider, called the Trespass offering).
Once again let's go to Jukes' "Law of the Offerings" for more
light on the sin offering:
"With our shortsightedness, our inability to see beyond the
surface, we naturally look at what man does, rather that at what
he is; and while we are willing to allow that he does evil, we
perhaps scarcely think that he is evil. But God judges what we
are as well as what we do; our sin, the sin in us, as much as our
trespasses. In His sight, sin in us, our evil nature, is as
clearly seen as our trespasses, which are but the fruit of that
nature. He needs not wait to see the fruit put forth. He knows
the root is evil, and so will be the buddings."
As we have seen THE TRESPASS OFFERING was given when a man
actually sinned. It pictures one who is truly sorry he has
sinned. It pictures one who is confessing his sin (crime) before
God and then making restitution for that sin (crime). If he does
all of this then God will forgive him. Now to continue in Jukes'
Law of the Offerings.
"Now the distinction between the SIN and TRESPASS OFFERINGS is
just this: - the one is for sin in our nature (this is the sin
offering), the other for the fruits of it (the trespass
offering). And a careful examination of the particulars of the
offering is all that is needed to make this manifest. Thus in the
Sin offering, no particular act of sin is mentioned, but a
certain person is seen standing confessedly as a sinner: in the
Trespass offering certain acts are enumerated, and the person
never appears. Of course, in the sin offering, though the man is
seen rather than his acts, proof must needs be brought that he is
a sinner. No definite act of trespass is seen here: for it is 'an
offering for sin,' not an offering for trespass. In the Trespass
offering, on the other hand, it is exactly the reverse. We have
nothing but one detail after another of particular wrongs and
offenses; the first class being of wrongs done against God, the
other of wrongs against our neighbor.
In the SIN OFFERING, the atonement is seen not for trespasses the
fruits of sin, but for sin itself within us. Look at the man who
has somewhat grown in grace; not only what he has done, but what
he is, is his sorrow. With such it is not so much this or that
act of trespass, which leaves the question of guilt on the
conscience; but it is the constant sense of indwelling evil, and
that 'when we would do good, evil is present with us.' This or
that particular act of iniquity we have confessed, it is past,
and we believe it pardoned: but this ever-remaining, ever-
struggling sin within us, it is this more than aught else that
burdens us. True, 'the Spirit in our hearts cries Abba,
Father,' and 'the Spirit in us lusts against the flesh;' but we
find that all this instead of improving the flesh only manifests
it, and shows how it 'lusts against the Spirit.' To those who are
thus painfully learning what they are (a sinner), what joy to
know Christ died for this as well as for trespasses; and that
this indwelling sin, as much as our acts of wickedness, was
equally confessed and put away by His sacrifice" (End of quote
from Jukes, page 151-152).
TRESPASS OFFERING
Let us go to Leviticus 5:16 to understand the Trespass offering a
little better. Quoting again from Jukes:
"And he shall make amends for the harm that he has done in the
holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it
unto the priest; and the priest shall make an atonement for him
with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven
him.
Sin is the evil of our nature; and the offering for this, the Sin
Offering, is for what we are. In the case of trespass, the
offering is for what we have done, for the actual wrong committed
against some one.
Now it follows from the distinct nature of these things, that the
atonement or satisfaction for each must differ, in measure at
least; for that which would fully satisfy justice in reference to
sin would by no means do so in reference to trespass. In the case
of sin - that is, our sinful nature, where no actual robbery or
wrong had been committed against anyone - justice would be fully
satisfied by the death and suffering of the sinner. But the mere
suffering and death of the sinner would not make satisfaction for
the wrong of trespass.
For the victim merely to die for trespass, would leave the
injured party a loser still. The trespasser indeed might be
punished, but the wrong and injury would still remain. The
trespasser's death would not repair the trespass, nor restore
those rights which another had been robbed of. To make
satisfaction in the Trespass offering, there is not only judgment
on the victim, but restitution also; the right of which another
had been defrauded is satisfied; the wrong fully repaid.
In a word, atonement for trespass implies restitution; without
this, though the trespasser is judged, the claim of trespass
remains still unsatisfied. Not only is the original wrong paid,
but a fifth part more is paid with it in the Trespass offering.
But while this was the import of giving the fifth part, yet by
the addition of this fifth the injured party became in truth a
gainer. So far from losing by trespass, he received more back
again. Its payment testified that he to who it was given had now
not only his original right, but a still further claim upon him
who wronged him.
The fact that God has been wronged by man, and that Christ stands
for man confessing trespasses, gives God a claim upon Him, not
only for the original right, but for more that the first claimed
holy things. So, too, because man has been injured by man, and
because Christ stands for man as his substitute, therefore man,
injured by trespass, has a claim on Christ, not for the original
right only, but for greater blessings" (Jukes, page 185).
..............
So we end the study from 1985 by the Biblical Church of God. The
book by Jukes "Law of the Offerings" is a very fine book indeed,
a copy of which I have in my library. I do not know if it is
still being published, but your local Library may have it or can
obtain it through their inter-Library loan department. I
recommend every Christian reads it.
We see in the sacrificial offerings JESUS the Messiah. He was the
ONE sacrifice that could not only cover sins but blot them out,
take them away, as if they never existed, and so ALL who were
called and chosen, granted the heart of repentance, and who loved
the commandments of God, who had a mindset of living and serving
the Lord, could come under the "Spiritual New Covenant" no matter
when they lived on earth, and could be saved by grace through
faith in THE sacrifice of the Messiah God. King David of ancient
Israel is the classical example, of those who lived before the
first coming of the Messiah, as under what is called the Old
Covenant age. Maybe the apostle Paul is the classic example of
being saved under what is called the New Covenant. But both men
were saved EXACTLY the same way. Both were saved by GRACE through
FAITH, in Jesus' blood sacrifice on the cross.
If you have not done so, you need to read and meditate, on my
study called "Saved by Grace" - Keith Hunt
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