A study by the
Biblical Church of God 1985
On the whole I think this is a fine study. - Keith Hunt.
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.
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 Aspects of it all
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 The Glory of the New
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.
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 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).
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).
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.
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