COVENANTS
Definition
DEFINITION:
A formal agreement, a contract
SYNONYMS:
Contract, deal, pact, agreement, treaty, alliance, pledge,
constitution, testament or will.
A
covenant, in contract law, is a legally enforceable agreement
between two or more persons to do or to refrain from doing a certain
act, or specifying that a given state of facts does or does not
exist.
A
modern legally binding contract between people could be described as
follows:
There
must be at least 2 parties.
Both
parties must voluntarily agree to enter into the contract (no
duress).
The
contract might have all terms stipulated by one party (e.g. hire
purchase) or could have terms negotiated by both parties (e.g.
business partnership).
There
might be conditions (about either promised action and/or
non-action) attached to one or both parties (e.g. inter-country
alliance treaty) or it may be unconditional (e.g. last will or
testament).
A
contract with conditions attached might require mediation by a
third party.
If
either party breaches the agreement by not adhering to the
stipulated conditions, the other party is automatically released
from their obligations, and the contract becomes null and void.
There may be a penalty clause to penalise the offending party.
The
conditions of the contract can only be legally changed by consent
of both parties, or by the existence of a more recent contract,
which supersedes the previous one.
The
contract must be signed by both parties and countersigned by
witnesses to make it legally binding.
Typical
commonplace contracts are marriage, business partnerships, sale of
property, insurance policies, hire-purchase agreements, rental or
lease contracts, inter-country treaties etc.
A
CONTRACT OR COVENANT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CRUCIAL PART OF GOD'S
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS PEOPLE.
Covenant
is a legal concept often used in the Bible as a metaphor to describe
the relationship between God and humankind… The idea of a covenant
between God and humankind lies at the heart of the Bible. This idea
explains the selection of the word testament, a synonym for
covenant, in naming the two parts of the Bible.
God
always honours his covenants, unlike people who often make covenant
vows and then dishonour them. The marriage covenant where people
swear “until death us do part” with God as a witness, and then
lightly disregard this is but one example.
Malachi
2:13-16 Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with tears.
You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your
offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask,
"Why?" It is because the
LORD is acting as the witness
between you and the wife of your youth, because you
have broken faith with her,
though she is your partner,
the wife of your marriage covenant.
Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his.
And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard
yourself in your spirit, and
do not break faith
with the wife of your youth. "I hate divorce," says the
LORD God of Israel, "…
Types of
covenants
Equals and
non-equals
In
ancient times, a covenant was a treaty between two parties. There
were two kinds of covenants:
a voluntary agreement between equals
(as with David and Jonathan - 1 Samuel 18:3) and
treaties of loyalty between a great king and a lesser king
(his vassal). In the Bible, covenants
between God and his people are always of the second type.
God
always dictates the terms
of His covenants, which assert His sovereignty and kingship, and the
people's obligation of faith and obedience.
The
Hebrew for covenant is “berîth”.
In
the OT
berîth
identifies three different types of legal relationships.
A
two-sided covenant between human parties, both of which voluntarily
accept the terms of the agreement… God
however never "enters in" to such a covenant of equality
with men.
A
one-sided
disposition imposed by a superior party
(Ezekiel 17:13-14) .
God the Lord thus “commands" a berîth
which man, the servant, is to "obey"
(Joshua 23:16).
God’s
self-imposed obligation, for the reconciliation of sinners to
himself (Deuteronomy 7:6-8, Psalm 89:3-4)
Not
only the Hebrew, but also the Greek, emphasises that God’s
covenants are not an agreement between equals. The Septuagint (LXX),
which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament by 72 Hebrew
scholars before the time of Christ, is useful in ascertaining the
equivalent Greek terms for the Old Testament Hebrew. In its
translation of the Hebrew berîth,
more light is thrown in this regard:
The
LXX avoided the usual Greek term for covenant, synthêke
(Meaning a thing mutually
"put together"),
as unsuitable
for the action of the sovereign God
and substituted diathêke
(a thing, literally, "put through"), the primary meaning
of which is "a disposition of property by a will."
We
are familiar in modern times with contracts where we are not able to
negotiate conditions but are obliged to accept what the initiating
party has stipulated (e.g. a rental agreement). Our extent of
negotiation is in accepting or rejecting the terms altogether, but
not in modifying them.
Likewise,
the covenants between God and man do not have the conditions
negotiated by both parties. God stipulates the conditions for men,
but in his love, also imposes conditions on himself, albeit not due
to pressure or bargaining by men (e.g. the Abrahamic covenant).
Man’s freedom of choice allows for acceptance or rejection of the
contract, but not for variation of God’s stipulated terms.
Joshua
23:16 If you violate the
covenant
of the LORD your God, which
he commanded you,
and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the LORD's anger
will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good
land he has given you.
Major
types of Covenants
In
the ancient Near East there were 3 main types of covenants; the
Covenant of Parity, a Royal Grant and the Suzerain-Vassal Covenant.
Commitments
made in these covenants were accompanied by self-maledictory oaths
(made orally, ceremonially, or both). The gods were called upon to
witness the covenants and implement the curses of the oaths if the
covenants were violated.
Parity
Parity:
A covenant between equals, binding them to mutual friendship or at
least to mutual respect for each other’s spheres and interests,
Participants called each other “brothers”.
This
was the type of covenant entered into by Abraham and Abimelech,
Jacob and Laban, and David and Jonathan.
Royal
Grant
Royal
grant (unconditional): A
king’s grant of land or some other benefit to a loyal servant for
faithful or exceptional service. The grant was normally perpetual
and unconditional, but the servant’s heirs benefited from it only
as they continued their father’s loyalty and service.
There
were different kinds of covenants in the biblical world, however,
just as there are different kinds of contracts today. One type of
ancient covenant that serves as a model for certain biblical
passages is the royal
grant.
In this type of covenant, a king or other person in authority
rewards a loyal
subject
by granting him an office, land, exemption from taxes, or the like.
It is typical of such covenants that only
the superior party binds himself; conditions are not imposed on the
inferior party.
Such covenants are also referred to as covenants of promise or
unconditional
covenants.
The covenants God made with NOAH (Genesis 9:8-17), ABRAHAM (Genesis
15:18), and DAVID (2 Samuel 7; 23:5) fit this pattern. In each of
these cases, it is God alone who binds himself by a solemn oath to
keep the covenant.
Suzerain-Vassal
Suzerain-Vassal
(conditional):A
covenant regulating a relationship between a great king and one of
his subject kings. The great king claimed absolute right of
sovereignty, demanded total loyalty and service (the vassal must
"love" his suzerain) and pledged protection of the
subject’s realm and dynasty, conditional on the vassal's
faithfulness and loyalty to him. The vassal pledged absolute loyalty
to his suzerain - whatever service his suzerain demanded - an
exclusive reliance on the suzerain's protection. Participants called
each other "lord" and "servant", or "father"
and “son”.
The
Mosaic covenant (Exodus 19-24; Deuteronomy; Joshua 24) seems to have
been modelled on another type of ancient covenant, the political
treaty between a powerful king and his weaker vassal. Following the
standard form of such treaties, God, the suzerain, reminds Israel,
the vassal, how God has saved it, and Israel in response accepts the
covenant stipulations. Israel is promised a blessing for obedience
and a curse for breaking the covenant.
All
covenants between God and man before the New Covenant are either of
the Royal
Grant or Suzerain-Vassal
type, or both.
Testament
or will
Jesus
Christ added another model, that of a last will and testament. At
the Last Supper, he interpreted his own life and death as the
perfect covenant (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20).
Table :Types of covenants
COVENANT
|
TYPE
|
PARTICIPANTS
|
Edenic
|
Suzerain-Vassal
|
Adam
& Eve
|
Adamic
|
Royal
Grant
|
All
mankind
|
Noachic
|
Royal
Grant / Suzerain-Vassal
|
Noah,
his descendants and every living thing on earth
|
Abrahamic
|
Royal
Grant / Suzerain-Vassal
|
Abraham
|
Mosaic
|
Suzerain-Vassal
|
Israel
|
Phinehas
|
Royal
Grant
|
Phinehas
|
Davidic
|
Royal
Grant
|
David
|
New
|
Last
will or testament
|
All
men who believe
|
Covenants
of parity
Abraham
and Abimelech made a covenant of parity. In return for securing
property rights for water wells in Beersheba, Abraham promises to be
kind to Abimelech and his offspring. The covenant was sealed with an
oath and the 7 lambs set apart from the others as a witness were
probably used in the treaty ceremony. As equals they negotiate the
terms of the treaty.
Genesis
21:22-31 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his
forces said to Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do.
Now swear
to me
here before
God
that
you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants.
Show to me and the country where you are living as an alien the same
kindness I have shown to you." Abraham said, "I swear it."
Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that
Abimelech's servants had seized. But Abimelech said, "I don't
know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it
only today." So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them
to Abimelech, and the
two men made a treaty.
Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, and Abimelech
asked Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs
you have set apart by themselves?" He replied, "Accept
these seven lambs
from my hand as
a witness
that I dug this well." So that place was called Beersheba,
because the two men swore
an oath
there.
The
Philistine Abimelech who was originally hostile to Isaac, decided to
negotiate a covenant of parity indicating mutual respect
Genesis
26:26-31 Meanwhile, Abimelech had come to him from Gerar, with
Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his
forces. Isaac asked them, "Why have you come to me, since you
were hostile to me and sent me away?" They answered, "We
saw clearly that the LORD was with you; so we said, `There
ought to be a sworn agreement between us'--between
us and you. Let
us make a treaty
with you that you will do us no harm, just as we did not molest you
but always treated you well and sent you away in peace. And now you
are blessed by the LORD." Isaac then made a feast for them, and
they ate and drank. Early the next morning the men swore
an oath
to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left him
in peace.
Jacob
and Laban entered into a covenant of parity sealed with an oath.
Boundaries were agreed upon and Jacob promises to be kind to Laban’s
daughters. A sacrifice was made to seal the covenant and God was
called as a witness. Despite their differences Jacob and Laban agree
to a covenant of mutual respect.
Genesis
31:43-54 Laban answered Jacob, "The women are my daughters, the
children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see
is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or
about the children they have borne? Come now, let's
make a covenant,
you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us." So Jacob
took a stone and set it up as a pillar. He said to his relatives,
"Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them
in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. Laban called it Jegar
Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. Laban said, "This heap
is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was
called Galeed. It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May
the LORD keep watch
between you and me when we are away from each other. If you mistreat
my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even
though no one is with us, remember that God
is a witness
between you and me." Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is
this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me.
This
heap is a witness,
and this
pillar is a witness,
that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that
you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. May
the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father,
judge between us." So Jacob
took an oath
in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. He
offered a sacrifice
there in the hill country and invited
his relatives to a meal.
After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
In
return for offering the Israelite spies protection, Rahab negotiates
a covenant for her family’s protection. The scarlet cord, which
symbolised this agreement, has been regarded as typical of the
blood, which would symbolise the New Covenant, which protects us
from God’s righteous anger against sin.
Joshua
2:17-21 The men said to her, "This oath
you made us swear
will not be binding on us unless, when we enter the land, you have
tied this scarlet cord in the window
through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your
father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your
house. If anyone goes outside your house into the street, his blood
will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for anyone
who is in the house with you, his blood will be on our head if a
hand is laid on him. But if you tell what we are doing, we will be
released from the oath you made us swear." "Agreed,"
she replied. "Let it be as you say." So she sent them away
and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
To
confirm certain oaths or seal a contract in Biblical times, a man
plucked off his shoe and gave it to the other party, as was the case
with Boaz
.
Ruth
4:7-8 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and
transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal
and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalising
transactions in Israel.) So the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, "Buy
it yourself." And he removed his sandal.
When
Jonathan made a covenant of parity with David, he went even farther
than this and gave him his own garments.
1
Samuel 18:3-4 And Jonathan made
a covenant
with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan
took off the robe
he was wearing and gave it to David, along with
his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
God
does not enter into covenants of parity with men as we are not his
equals.
Isaiah
40:25 "To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?"
says the Holy One.
Dispensational
covenants
A
dispensation can be defined as a period during which God deals with
His people in a particular manner. Each one is ushered in by a
distinct covenant and terminated by a judgement. These
dispensational covenants are as follows:
The
Age
of Innocence
was ushered in by the Edenic
covenant
and ended with the judgement
of man and the serpent.
The
Age
of Conscience
commenced with the Adamic
covenant
and ended with the judgement
of the Deluge (flood).
The
Age
of Human Government
commenced with the Noachic
covenant
and ended with the judgement
at Babel.
The
Age
of Patriarchal Rule
started with the Abrahamic
covenant
and ended with the judgement
of the 10 plagues in
Egypt. While normally the covenant also ended with the
dispensation, in this case Scripture teaches that the Abrahamic
covenant didn’t cease when the newer Mosaic covenant was put in
place (see next section for elaboration).
The
Age
of Law
began with the
Mosaic covenant
and ended with the judgement
of man’s sin through Jesus’ crucifixion.
The
present Age
of Grace
began with the New
Covenant
in Christ and will end with the judgement
of the tribulation.
Dispensation
|
Covenant
started with
|
Judgement
ended with
|
Innocence
|
Edenic
covenant
|
Judgement
of serpent and man
|
Conscience
|
Adamic
covenant
|
The
flood
|
Human
Government
|
Noachic
covenant
|
The
tower of Babel
|
Patriarchal
Dispensation
|
Abrahamic
covenant
|
The
10 plagues
|
The
Law
|
Mosaic
covenant
|
The
crucifixion
|
Grace
|
New
covenant in Christ
|
The
tribulation
|
The
Millennium
|
New
covenant with Israel
|
The
Great White Throne
|
Table
2:Dispensational covenants
Figure
1:Dispensational covenants and judgements
The uniqueness of the
Abrahamic covenant from a dispensational view
While
normally the newer covenant displaced the previous, Paul indicates
in Galatians that this was not true of the Abrahamic covenant. The
Abrahamic covenant did not cease with the Mosaic covenant and we
remain recipients of the main promise of the covenant which is:
Genesis
22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed
Paul
makes it clear that Jesus is the seed referred to and all nations
being blessed refers to the blessing of salvation we have received
by virtue of Jesus who was Abraham’s seed.
In
fact, in Galatians Paul explicitly says that the Mosaic covenant did
not set aside the previous Abrahamic covenant, although it was more
recent.
Gal
3:17 What I mean is this: The
law,
introduced 430 years later, does
not set aside the covenant
previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.
Is
the Abrahamic covenant no longer applicable to Israel but only to
the church?
However
although the Abrahamic covenant is still intact and we are
recipients of the blessing of the seed – most of the Abrahamic
covenant does not apply to the church. This is because the covenant
also included very specific promises regarding land to Abraham’s
physical descendants (i.e. the land of Israel) which is still to be
fulfilled in the future Millennial kingdom. Abraham’s covenant
also included the seal of circumcision (not required by New Covenant
believers).
Most
Amillennialists take the view that the promises made to Abraham have
all been passed on to the church and that God has finished with
Israel. However the Premillennial view is that God deals with man in
dispensations and that while “Israel has experienced a hardening
in part” (Romans 11:25) – Paul qualifies this statement by
saying that this is only until “until the full number of the
Gentiles has come in.” He then adds “And so all Israel will be
saved” (Rom 11:26). So God will restore Israel as promised in
Romans 11 and then they will receive all the other promises (of
land) that were part of Abraham’s covenant.
Stephen
indicates that Abraham’s covenant included the sign or
circumcision and the NT makes it clear that we are no longer
required to be circumcised.
Acts
7:8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant
of circumcision.
Rather
the sign of our new covenant is baptism:
Col
2:11-12 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the
sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but
with the
circumcision done by Christ,
having
been buried with him in baptism
and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who
raised him from the dead.
So
in summary:
1)
Jesus indicates that he instituted a ‘new covenant’ (contrasted
with the old Mosaic covenant of Law) with the cross:
Luke
22: 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying,
“This cup is the
new covenant in my blood,
which is poured out for you.
2)
And the book of Hebrews says our covenant is not only new – but
better than the Mosaic covenant:
Heb
7:22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a
better covenant.
3)
So while we have a distinct “new and better” covenant, the
church has still received the specific promise of the Abrahamic
covenant that was made to “all nations of the earth” (i.e.
Abraham’s spiritual sons in faith as opposed to Abrahams physical
descendants).
The
necessity of blood
Just
as a contract without signatures is not legally binding, so God's
covenants with man (except the Edenic because of innocence) are all
sealed with a "blood signature”. Blood contains the essence
of life, and for this reason God forbids Noah and his descendants to
consume it.
Genesis
9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof,
shall ye not eat.
This
was one of the few regulations that was carried through in the New
Covenant as indicated by the letter from the Council at
Jerusalem to the Gentile believers.
Acts
15:28-29 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden
you with anything beyond the following requirements: You
are to abstain from
food sacrificed to idols, from
blood,
from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You
will do well to avoid these things.
From
the beginning we see that the shedding of blood was necessary to
clothe man’s spiritual nakedness. After the Fall in Eden man
attempted to clothe his nakedness (type of sin) with fig leaves
(type of “good works”). God, however, clothed them with garments
of skin, which would have necessitated the shedding of blood of an
animal (type of Jesus’ sacrifice).
Likewise
Cain's sacrifice of the fruit of his labour (which speaks of good
works) was not acceptable, while Abel's sacrifice of fat portions
from the firstborn of his flock was (the blood of the innocent being
shed for the guilty). Even at this stage it appears that the
significance of the blood pointing to future redemption by the “seed
of the woman” was accepted by the righteous through faith.
Hebrews
11:4 By
faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice
than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when
God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even
though he is dead.
Noah
sacrificed animals when God established His covenant with him, as
did Abraham. The blood of the Passover lamb “covered” or
protected those who sprinkled it on their doorframes from God’s
wrath.
Exodus
12:13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are;
and when
I see the blood, I will pass over you.
No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
Notice
that charismatic religious fetishes like "pleading the blood"
over places are on a par with lucky rabbit's feet and good luck
charms. The
blood in the Scripture is never to protect us from Satan’s wrath
but from God’s wrath.
Remember the Passover when God's destroyer passed over the houses
when he saw the blood; likewise God “passes over us” when he
sees the blood of Christ.
The
Covenant with Israel was a “blood covenant”.
Exodus
24:8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said,
“This is the
blood of the covenant
that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
The
Law required that the blood of animals be sprinkled on the altar for
a sin offering, indicating the substitution of the victim’s blood
for that of the sinner.
Hebrews
9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed
with blood, and
without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
To
bring about atonement and to establish the New Covenant it was
necessary for Jesus to shed His blood.
Luke
22:20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying,
“This cup is
the new covenant in my blood,
which is poured out for you.”
COVENANT
|
BLOOD
|
Adamic
|
Animals
killed for garments
|
Noachic
|
Sacrifice
of clean animals and birds
|
Abrahamic
B
|
Sacrifice
of heifer, a goat and a ram, along with a dove and a young
pigeon.
|
Abrahamic
C
|
Sacrifice
of the ram in Isaac’s place
|
Mosaic
|
Blood
of lambs, bulls and goats
|
New
|
Jesus’
blood on the cross
|
Figure
2:Blood covenants
The
covenant sign
A
covenant sign was a visible seal and reminder of covenant
commitments. The rainbow was the sign of the covenant with Noah.
Genesis
9:12-16 And God said, “This
is the sign of the covenant I
am
making
between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant
for all generations to come:
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the
covenant between me and the earth.
Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in
the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all
living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a
flood to destroy all life, Whenever the rainbow appears in the
clouds, I
will see it and remember
the
everlasting covenant between
God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”.
Circumcision
was the sign of the covenant with Abraham, and the Sabbath was the
sign of the covenant with Israel at Sinai. Both of these practices
have been contentious issues in the church. However as they
are remnants of previous covenants, it is important to remember that
legally a more recent covenant supersedes previous ones.
This explains why neither of these apply to the those who partake of
the New Covenant.
The
sign of the Abrahamic Covenant is circumcision.
Genesis
17:9-11 Then God said to Abraham, "…This is my covenant with
you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep:
Every male among you shall be circumcised. You
are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant
between me and you..”
But
Paul writes to those partaking of the New Covenant:
Galatians
5:6 For in
Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
COVENANT
|
SIGN
|
Noachic
|
Rainbow
|
Abrahamic
|
Circumcision
|
Mosaic
|
Sabbath
|
Davidic
|
A
son
|
New
|
Baptism,
the table
|
Figure
3:The covenant sign
The
sign of the Mosaic Covenant is the Sabbath.
Exodus
31:13 "Say to the Israelites `You must observe my Sabbaths,
This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come…”
But
Paul writes to those partaking of the New Covenant:
Colossians
2:16-17 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or
drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon
celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that
were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
The oath
As
was typical of covenants of parity, the covenant between Abraham and
Abimelech was sealed with an oath.
So too were the covenants between Isaac and Abimelech,
and Jacob and Laban.
The oath made the covenant binding.
Hebrews
6:16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath
confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.
Jacob
insisted on Esau swearing an oath when he covenanted to give him the
birthright.
Genesis
25:33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an
oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
Jehoida’s
covenant with the commanders ,
and David’s covenant with Jonathan
were also sealed with oaths. The oath was seen as a ratification of
the covenant, as evidenced by Joshua’s treaty with the Gibeonites.
Joshua
9:15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live,
and the leaders of the assembly ratified
it by oath.
So
too God confirms his covenants with an oath.
Deuteronomy
4:31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or
destroy you or forget the
covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Abraham
tells Eliezer about God’s oath:
Genesis
24:7 "The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my
father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and
promised me on oath,
saying, `To your offspring I will give this land'
Moses
emphasises to Israel that their covenant is sealed with an oath from
God:
Deuteronomy
29:12-15 You are standing here in order to enter into a covenant
with the LORD your God, a
covenant the LORD is making with you
this day and sealing
with an oath,
to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God as he
promised you and as he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. I am making this
covenant, with its oath,
not only with you who are standing here with us today in the
presence of the LORD our God but also with those who are not here
today.
The
Davidic covenant was bound with the surety of an irrevocable oath:
Psalm
132:11 The
LORD swore an oath to David,
a sure
oath that he will not revoke:”
One of your own descendants I will place on your throne…
When
Jesus is appointed the high priest of the New Covenant forever, God
guarantees this with an oath.
Hebrews
7:20-22 And it
was not without an oath!
Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with
an oath when God said to him:” The Lord has sworn and will not
change his mind: You are a priest forever.' " Because
of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
We
too as the “heirs of what was promised” in the New Covenant have
our covenant confirmed by God’s oath.
Hebrews
6:17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose
very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with
an oath.
The
covenant meal
In
the ancient Middle East there was often a covenant meal, celebrating
the sealing of the covenant. Hence we read regarding the treaty
between Isaac and Abimelech:
Genesis
26:26-31 Let us make a treaty with you …. Isaac then made a feast
for them, and they ate and drank.
When
Jacob and Laban entered into a covenant we also read of a covenant
meal.
Genesis
31:43-54 Laban answered Jacob, "…Come now, let's
make a covenant,
… So Jacob
took an oath
in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. He
offered a sacrifice
there in the hill country and invited
his relatives to a meal.
The
first Passover and all subsequent ones were associated with a
covenant meal.
Exodus
12:3-11 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of
this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each
household. ….That
same night they are to eat the meat
roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made
without yeast. …. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak
tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in
your hand. Eat it in haste; it
is the LORD's Passover.
Jesus
used his last Passover meal with his disciples as a covenant meal to
institute the New Covenant in which he would be the Passover lamb.
Thus the bread and the wine have become the symbols or sign of this
covenant
John
13:1-2 It was just
before the Passover Feast.
Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go
to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now
showed them the full extent of his love. The
evening meal was being served,
…
Luke
22:20 In the same way, after
the supper
he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new
covenant
in my blood, which is poured out for you.
At
his last Passover meal, Jesus referred to his body as bread and to
his blood as wine--he was the Passover Lamb who was symbolically
eaten by his disciples as a
covenant meal.
Covenant
mediators
A
mediator is someone who acts as a negotiator
between 2
or more parties
either to settle a dispute, or to bring about a settlement or
agreement. A covenant mediator belongs to the latter group.
A
covenant
mediator
is someone who arbitrates
between the covenant parties to bring
about agreement
on the covenant terms.
Galatians
3:20 A
mediator, however, does not represent just one party;
but God is one. Since the promise God covenanted with Abraham
involved commitment only from God's side, no mediator was involved.
Thus
a royal grant requires no mediator, while a Suzerain-Vassal does.
Once
more Joshua assembled the tribes at Shechem to call Israel to a
renewal of the covenant. It was his final official act as the Lord's
servant, mediator of the Lord's rule over his people. In this he
followed the example of Moses, whose final official act was also a
call to covenant renewal--of which Deuteronomy is the preserved
document.
Following
is the dialogue of Joshua acting as mediator between Israel and God
for the covenant renewal.
Joshua
24:19-27 Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve
the LORD, He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive
your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve
foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end
of you, after he has been good to you."
But
the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD."
Then
Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you
have chosen to serve the LORD."
"Yes,
we are witnesses," they replied.
"Now
then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are
among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel."
And
the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and
obey Him."
On
that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and then at Shechem
he drew up for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these
things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and
set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD.
"See!"
he said to all the people. "This stone will be a witness
against us, it has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It
will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God."
The
2 central mediators in the Bible are:
Mediator
of the Old Covenant (Testament): Moses
Mediator
of the New Covenant (Testament): Jesus
John
1:17 For the Law
was given through Moses;
Grace
and Truth
came through Jesus
Christ.
The
Mosaic covenant was a formal arrangement of mutual commitments
between God and Israel, with Moses
as the mediator
between the
Israelites
and the
angels
who put the covenant into effect.
Acts
7:53 … you who have received the law that was put into effect
through angels…
Galatians
3:19 …The law was put into effect
through angels
by a mediator.
With
the New Covenant between God and all mankind, Jesus
acted as mediator
between God
and men:
1
Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one
Mediator between God and men,
the man
Jesus Christ.
Hebrews
9:15 ...CHRIST is the MEDIATOR of a NEW COVENANT
The Seed
Adamic
Covenant
From
the time of the Adamic Covenant when the seed was promised, all
future dispensational covenants have reference to this original
promise of the “seed of the woman”. God promised to Adam and Eve
that mankind’s
redemption
and Satan’s
destruction
will be brought about by the “seed of the woman”. Consequently
Satan consistently tried to destroy whoever he thought might be the
promised seed. As Abel was the seed of Eve he incited Cain to murder
him. God therefore allowed the seed to come through Seth:
Genesis
4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called
his name Seth: For God,
[said she], hath
appointed me another seed instead of Abel,
whom Cain slew.
Noachic
Covenant
Because
of Abel’s murder God, in the following Noachic covenant, forbids
murder and institutes capital punishment to ensure the “preservation
of the seed”. In fact the reason God brought about the flood is
because Satan tried to corrupt the seed through fallen angels
intermarrying with woman. The reason the entire population was
destroyed with the exception of Noah, was because Noah’s family
alone had not been directly or indirectly affected by this, and
future intermarriage by Noah’s line and the line of the corrupted
seed would preclude the possibility of a redeemer for man.
Genesis
6:8-10 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These [are] the
generations
(Hebrew:toledah)
of Noah: Noah
was
a just man [and] perfect
in his generations (Hebrew:toledah),
[and] Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham,
and Japheth.
Noah
was “perfect in his generations”, not “perfect in his
generation” as is commonly assumed when reading the passage. In
the context the Hebrew for generations toledah
is a reference to the offspring of Noah (Shem, Ham and Japheth) and
not his contemporaries. This seems to reinforce the fact that Noah
alone had not been affected by this corruption of the seed.
The
following passage indicates that it was this exact series of
incidents regarding the corruption of the seed which prompted God to
take this seemingly severe form of action of destroying virtually
all mankind.
Genesis
6:1-7 When men began to increase in number on the earth and
daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters
of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then
the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever,
for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also
afterward--when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had
children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. The
LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and
that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the
earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, "I
will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the
earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground,
and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them."
Some
who find the supernatural hard to accept, have attempted to equate
the “sons of God” with the line of Seth and the “daughters of
men” with the line of Cain, but William Whiston
in his translation of Josephus’s “Antiquities of the Jews” in
1737 notes on the equivalent section:
This
notion, that the fallen angels were, in some sense, the fathers of
the old giants, was the constant opinion of antiquity.
The
term “sons of God” ( Hebrew - bene
'elohim)
is used of angels in the Old Testament not only in Genesis but also
in Job (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7) and Psalms (Psalms 29:1; 89:6) where it
clearly refers to angelic beings.
Job
1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God (bene ‘elohim) came
to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among
them.
Psalm
89:6-7 For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is
like the LORD among the heavenly beings? (bene ‘elohim). In the
council of the holy ones (bene ‘elohim) God is greatly feared; he
is more awesome than all who surround him.
There
are certain passages where the term bene
‘elohim
could also refer to men (Deuteronomy. 14:1; 32:5; Ps. 73:15; Hosea.
1:10). In Genesis, however, the Jews interpreted this to be angels,
as evidenced by the Jewish historian Josephus whose account of this
in the 1st
century (93 A.D.) seems to verify the attempt to corrupt the seed.
…for
many angels of God accompanied with women, and begat sons that prove
unjust, and despisers of all that was good, on account of the
confidence they had in their own strength, for the tradition is that
these men did what resembled the acts of those whom the Grecians
called giants. But Noah was very uneasy at what they did; and, being
displeased at their conduct, persuaded them to change their
dispositions and their acts for the better; - but, seeing that they
did not yield to him, but were slaves to their wicked pleasures, he
was afraid they would kill him, together with his wife and children,
and those they had married; so he departed out of that land. Now God
loved this man for his righteousness; yet he not only condemned
those other men for their wickedness, but determined to destroy the
whole race of mankind, and to make another race that should be pure
from wickedness
Josephus
makes the observation that Greek mythology contains numerous
corrupted versions of this original truth in their accounts of the
“gods” marrying woman and producing super-human offspring. Such
was the case with the mighty Hercules
who was reputed to be the offspring of a mortal woman Alcmene and
the “god” Zeus. How, to some interpreters, the line of Cain
could produce giant offspring seems unclear.
Immediately
after God determines to destroy the world we read:
Genesis
9:8-9. And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed
after you
Abrahamic
Covenant
The
covenants with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob indicated the lineage
or
ancestral
line of the seed.
God promises to:
Abraham
Genesis
22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Isaac
Genesis
26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven,
and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
Jacob
Genesis
28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt
spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to
the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the
earth be blessed.
Satan
has thus tried on numerous occasions to prompt wicked men like
Pharaoh and Haman to destroy the Israelites. Much of anti-Semitism
is not racial, but inspired directly by Satan who knows that if he
could destroy the Israelites he could invalidate the covenant
promises to Abraham.
Mosaic
Covenant
The
Mosaic Covenant saw the institution of sacrifices that would typify
the sacrifice “the seed” would make.
Once
again Satan attempts to thwart God’s plan. The original account of
the Nephilim (Hebrew - "fallen ones") in Genesis 6
indicates that this happened again in the same manner as before.
Genesis
6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also
afterward--when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had
children by them.
If
the Nephilim were offspring from Cain it poses a problem in that
they appear once again after the Flood, bearing in mind that the
line of Cain was destroyed by the Deluge. Thus the Canaanites appear
to have corrupted their seed, with giant offspring resulting once
again. This is borne out by the testimony of the spies sent to
Canaan by Moses.
Numbers
13:31-33 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't
attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they
spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had
explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living
in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the
Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We
seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to
them."
Again
this explains God’s seemingly severe instructions to the
Israelites to utterly annihilate the Canaanites off the face of the
earth in order to prevent intermarriage and corruption of the seed.
Deuteronomy
7:1-3 When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are
entering to possess and drives out before you many nations--the
Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and
Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—and when the
LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated
them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them,
and show them no mercy. Do not intermarry with them.
This
corruption of the seed by the Canaanites also explains the curse
placed by Noah on the descendants of Canaan.
The
Anakim
and the Rephaim
were related to the Nephilim. The Israelites destroyed the giant
king Og of Bashan
who was one of the last of the Rephaim.
Caleb destroyed the Anakim chiefs at Hebron
who had been there from the time of the spies.
Although Israel did not destroy all the Canaanites as they were
instructed, Joshua totally destroyed the corrupted seed line of the
Anakim, a remnant remaining only in Philistia.
Joshua
11:20-22 For it was the LORD himself who hardened their hearts to
wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally,
exterminating them without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites from the hill
country: from Hebron, Debir and Anab, from all the hill country of
Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally
destroyed them and their towns. No Anakites were left in Israelite
territory; only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod did any survive.
Davidic
Covenant
It
was from this remnant in Gath that the 9-foot Philistine giant
Goliath came.
The covenant with David included the promise that the lineage of the
seed would come through his descendants, and part of the reason
could well be that it was David himself who destroyed Goliath, one
of the last of the corrupted Nephilim seed.
2
Samuel 7:12-13 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep
with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall
proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He
shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of
his kingdom for ever.
The
constant battle between the line of the “seed of the woman” and
the “corrupted seed” is thus perpetuated in the battle between
David and Goliath. This battle continues when the Rephaim (i.e.
descendant from Rapha) giant Ishbi-Benob then vows to kill David,
but is killed by Joab’s brother Abishai:
2
Samuel 21:16-17 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha,
whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels and who was
armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. But Abishai son of
Zeruiah came to David's rescue; he struck the Philistine down and
killed him. Then David's men swore to him, saying, "Never again
will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will
not be extinguished."
David’s
men battled continuously against the Philistines, killing the
remnants of the Rephaim, including Goliath’s brother Lahmi.
1
Chronicles 20:4-5 In the course of time, war broke out with the
Philistines, at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed
Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines
were subjugated. In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son
of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a
spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod.
David’s
nephew killed another of the Rephaim from Gath.
1
Chronicles 20:6-7 In still another battle, which took place at Gath,
there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on
each foot--twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha.
When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David's brother,
killed him.
The
Hebrew word rapha’
translated deceased or dead, has the same root as raphah
which is translated Rephaim. Some believe that the following
passages in Psalms and Isaiah indicate that the Rephaim will not be
resurrected.
Psalm
88:10. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead ? shall the dead (Strong’s
ref 7496) arise [and] praise thee? Selah .
Isaiah
26:14 [They are] dead, they shall not live; [they are] deceased
(Strong’s ref 7496), they shall not rise: therefore hast thou
visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
The
word translated deceased (Isaiah 26:14) or dead (Psalm 88:10) has
the following definition in the Strong’s:
7496
rapha' {raw-faw'} -
from 7495
in the sense of 7503; TWOT - 2198c;
n
m pl
The
word translated Rephaim has the following definition in the
Strong’s:
7497
rapha' {raw-faw'} or raphah {raw-faw'} - from
7495
in the sense of invigorating; TWOT - 2198d; n pr gent
Both
have the same root, which is a verb:
7495
rapha' {raw-faw'} or raphah {raw-faw'}
Rapha’
<7496> is a noun but in Isaiah it appears as a verb in the
English translation. The use of a noun could mean a reference to the
Rephaim.
Isaiah
26:14 [They are] dead, they shall not live; [they
are] deceased <07496>, they shall not rise:….
New
Covenant
The
promises regarding the seed were all fulfilled in Jesus the “son
of David”, who crushed the serpent’s (Satan) head through his
redemptive death on the cross.
Galatians
3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith
not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which
is Christ.
Galatians
3:19 …What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because
of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had
come.
The
virgin birth was a fulfilment of the prophecy that the redeemer of
mankind would be the “seed of the woman".
Matthew
1:20-23 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do
not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a
son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save
his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what
the Lord had said through the prophet:” The virgin will be with
child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"
--which means, "God with us."
The
“last Adam” Jesus established a new line in opposition to the
line of the first Adam.
Isaiah
53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to
grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall
see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the
LORD shall prosper in his hand.
This
new line of Jesus was not corruptible like Adam’s line. We can
partake of this incorruptible new line by being “born again”.
1
Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for
ever.
This
seed of God in us gives us the power to overcome sin.
1
John 2:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed
remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Adamic
Covenant
|
The
seed is promised
|
Noachic
Covenant
|
Preservation
of the seed
|
Abrahamic
Covenant
|
lineage
of the seed
|
Isaachic
Covenant
|
lineage
of the seed
|
Jacobic
Covenant
|
lineage
of the seed
|
Judahic
Covenant
|
lineage
of the seed
|
Mosaic
Covenant
|
Institution
of sacrifices that would typify the sacrifice the seed would
make
|
Davidic
Covenant
|
lineage
of the seed
|
The
New Covenant
|
The
promise fulfilment, the seed of the woman comes to crush the
serpents head
|
Table
3:The references to the seed
Edenic
covenant
The
covenant in Eden was fairly basic. Man was given dominion over
creation.
Genesis
1:27-30 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and
said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth
and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the
air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then
God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the
whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will
be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the
birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the
ground--everything that has the breath of life in it--I give every
green plant for food.” And it was so.
Adam’s
part of the bargain was only one condition i.e. not to eat from the
forbidden tree.
Genesis
2:15-17 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden
to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man,
“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not
eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you
eat of it you will surely die.”
The
Scriptures plainly teach that the serpent deceived only Eve.
1
Timothy 2:14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who
was deceived and became a sinner.
Adam
wilfully sinned by choosing to obey the will of his wife rather than
the will of God. This is why God says “Because you listened to
your wife…Cursed is the ground…”.
As the covenant had been made with Adam, he was held responsible for
the “breach of contract” or Fall.
Hosea
6:7 Like Adam, they have broken the covenant--they were unfaithful
to me there.
Romans
5:14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time
of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as
did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
Although
Eve “became a sinner”
through Satan’s deception, Adam as the God-appointed head of the
human race and earthly creation, made all his descendants sinners
through his wilful act of disobedience.
1
Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die…
Besides
spiritual death (separation from God), the termination of the Edenic
covenant through breach on man's part brought about a curse.
Genesis
3:16-19 To the woman he said; “I will greatly increase your pains
in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your
desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” To
Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the
tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through pain and toil you
will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and
thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field, By the
sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the
ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust
you will return,”
In
the original languages of the Bible death never means cessation of
existence, but rather “separation”. Thus physical death is
separation of the spirit and soul from the body, while spiritual
death is the separation of man’s spirit from God. Eternal death
(the second death) is eternal separation from God, and not the
cessation of existence as some teach.The curse included:
cursed
ground (thorns & thistles)
cursed
serpent for being Satan's instrument (crawl on belly)
Woman
to have labour pains
Man
to earn living by the sweat of his brow
man's
mortality (return to dust)
Enmity
between Satan and man
2
parties
|
God
and Adam
|
Type
|
Suzerain-vassal
(conditional)
|
Dispensation
|
Innocence
|
Man’s
privileges
|
populate
the earth
subdue
the earth
exercise
dominion over the animals
vegetarian
diet (animals as well)
take
care of the garden of Eden
eat
the fruit of all trees but one
|
Man’s
conditions
|
abstain
from eating the fruit of the “tree of knowledge of good and
evil”
|
Penalty
clause
|
Spiritual
death if man disobeyed (separation from God)
|
Terminating
Judgement
|
Judgement
of man and serpent
|
Table
4:The Edenic covenant
Adamic
covenant
With
the demise of the Edenic covenant God immediately establishes a new
covenant with man, or more specifically with “the seed of the
woman”.
Genesis
3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between
your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you
shall bruise him on the heel.
As
Adam was given dominion over the earth, it is quite likely that he
could have “redeemed” the woman had he not sinned.
Ephesians
5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the
church and gave himself up for her” - Jesus loved the church
redemptively and husbands are instructed to love their wives in the
same manner.
As
we have seen it was not Eve but Adam who was held responsible for
the Fall of the human race. Because of this God chose to bring
redemption for all mankind through the “seed of the woman”.
Immediately after promising the seed, God speaks of the woman’s
childbirth pains. From the context it indicates that the seed was
referring to the woman’s offspring.
This
may explain what many have found to be a difficult verse:
1
Timothy 2:15 But women will be saved through childbearing…
This
obviously does not mean, as it might seem at first reading that
women have to bear children in order to be saved, as this is
contrary to the doctrine of salvation through faith in Christ. What
it means is that indirectly salvation came about through the
childbearing act of woman i.e. the “seed of the woman”.
It
is interesting that this promise of the "seed of the woman"
was made by the one (Jesus) who would later fulfil it, because all
incarnations of God in the Old Testament were Jesus .
Genesis
3:21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and
clothed them.
The
shedding of the blood of this animal to provide a covering for their
nakedness was God’s way of teaching Adam and Eve about the
necessity for blood to atone for sin. That God expected them to
understand this and to teach it to their children is apparent in
God’s handling of Cain and Abel, where only the blood sacrifice of
the firstborn of Abel’s flock was acceptable to God. The blood was
also the seal or signature on this first blood covenant.
There
are no conditions attached to this covenant so it is most like a
royal grant. However it was not earned through the faithfulness of
man, but rather granted through the future faithfulness of the
promised seed.
2
parties
|
God
|
the
seed of the woman
|
Type
|
Royal
Grant
|
|
Dispensation
|
Conscience
|
|
Royal
Grant & reason
|
Serpent’s
head would be crushed by the “seed of the woman” (Messianic)
|
future
faithfulness of the “seed of the woman”
|
Reference
to the “seed”
|
The
“Seed” is promised
|
|
Blood
covenant
|
animals
killed for garments
|
|
Terminating
Judgement
|
The
flood
|
|
Figure
4:The Adamic covenant
Noachian
Before
God establishes His covenant with Noah, He gives him some
preconditions.
Genesis
6:14-21 “So make yourself an ark of cypress wood: make rooms in it
and coat it with pitch inside and out, …I am going to bring
floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens,
every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on
earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and
you will enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your
sons’ wives with you, You are to bring into the ark two of all
living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two
of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of
creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept
alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and
store it away as food for you and for them.”
2
parties
|
God
and Noah
|
Man’s
privileges
|
lives
spared from flood
|
Man’s
conditions
|
make
an ark
bring
into the ark 2 of all living creatures
take
food and store it away as food for the humans and animals
|
Table
5:Pre-conditions to the Noachian covenant
After Noah had fulfilled
these pre-conditions, and experienced the subsequent benefit of
having his own life and the lives of his family spared during the
flood, God establishes a covenant with Noah after he leaves the ark.
Genesis
8:20 - 9:13 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of
all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings
on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart:”
Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though
every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never
again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. As long
as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer
and winter, day and night will never cease.”
Then God blessed
Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in
number and fill the earth.. The fear and dread of you will fall upon
all the beasts of' the earth and all the birds of the air, upon
every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of
the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and
moves will be food for you, just as I gave you the green plants, I
now give you everything. But you must not eat meat that has its
lifeblood still in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand
an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And
from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his
fellow man, Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood
be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. As for you, be
fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase
upon it.” Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him:” I now
establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you--the birds, the
livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the
ark with you--every living creature on earth.. I establish my
covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the
waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the
earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am
making between me and you and every living creature with you, a
covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the
clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the
earth.”
The
rainbow was a new sign because it did not rain before the flood.
Genesis
2:5-6:When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens--and no shrub
of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field
had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth
and there was no man to work the ground; but streams came up from
the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.
The
sanctity of human life as viewed by God is revealed here. Capital
punishment predates the Mosaic Law and is part of an everlasting
covenant (“for
all generations to come”)
with
Noah and his descendants, namely all members of the human race.
Abrahamic
God
sequentially expanded on the covenant to Abraham:
Abramic
(A)
God
first appears to Abram while he is still in Ur.
Genesis
12:1-3 The LORD said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people
and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I
will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make
your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who
bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on
earth will be blessed through you."
In
return for stepping out in faith and leaving his hometown to go to a
place later designated by God, Abram receives the following promises
from God:
God
would make him into a great nation - fulfilled by his descendants,
the Israelites
God
would bless him - Abraham prospered both spiritually and
materially as evidenced by the Genesis account.
God
would make his name great - Abraham was not only revered by the
Jews of Jesus day but is still known to us as a champion of faith.
God
would make him a blessing - to his contemporaries and future
generations.
God
would bless those who blessed him, and curse those who cursed him -
the witness of history shows that all world Empires who persecuted
the Jews have encountered God’s judgement.
All
peoples on earth will be blessed through him - This is a Messianic
prophecy fulfilled in Jesus who was the seed of Abraham.
2
parties
|
God
|
Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob & their descendants
|
Type
|
Suzerain-vassal
(conditional)
|
|
conditions
(must do)
|
Make
him into a great nation
Bless
him
Make
his name great
Make
him a blessing
Bless
those who bless him, and curse those who curse him
All
peoples on earth will be blessed through him
|
Leave
his country, his people and father’s household and go to the
land God would show him
|
Table
6:Abramic covenant (A)
Abramic (B)
God
not only re-affirms the original covenant but adds promises of land
and confirms it with a blood covenant.
Genesis
15:1-21 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:”
Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward, "
But Abram said; "0 Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I
remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer
of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no
children; so a servant in my household will he my heir." Then
the word of the LORD came to him:” This man will not be your heir,
but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took
him outside and said; "Look up at the heavens and count the
stars--if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So
shall your offspring be. " Abram believed the LORD, and he
credited it to him as righteousness. He also said to Him, "I am
the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you
this land to take possession of it." But Abram said, "0
Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"
So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram,
each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."
Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the
halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in
half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove
them away. As The sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and
a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the LORD said to
him "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers
in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated
four hundred years, But I will punish the nation they serve as
slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.
You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and he buried at a
good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come
back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full
measure." When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a
smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the
pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said;
"To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt
to the great river, the Euphrates-- the land of the Kenites,
Kenizzites, Kamonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites,
Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”
Genesis
15:18 - made a covenant, Literally, "cut a covenant,"
referring to the slaughtering of the animals (the same Hebrew verb
is translated "made" and "cut" in Jeremiah
34:18).
Passing
between the pieces of the slaughtered animals had the following
significance. In ancient times the parties solemnised a covenant by
walking down an aisle flanked by the pieces of slaughtered animals.
The practice signified a self-maledictory oath:” May it be so done
to me if I do not keep my oath and pledge." Note the following
example of this in Jeremiah:
Jeremiah
34:18-20 The men who have violated my covenant and have not
fulfilled the terms of the Covenant they made before me, I will
treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its
pieces. The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the
priests and all the people of' the land who walked between the
pieces of the calf, I will hand over to their enemies who seek their
lives. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the earth.
"How
can I know that I will gain possession of it ", was the
question posed by Abraham. God enters into a blood covenant to
guarantee His royal grant.
2
parties
|
God
|
Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob & their descendants
|
Type
|
Royal
grant (unconditional)
|
|
Reference
to the “seed”
|
lineage
of the “seed”
|
|
Dispensation
|
Patriarchal
|
|
Royal
Grant & reason
|
promise
of a natural heir
offspring
like the stars
To
his descendants the land, from the river of Egypt to the
great river, the Euphrates
|
His
faith (Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as
righteousness)
|
Blood
covenant
|
sacrifice
of heifer, a goat and a ram, along with a dove and a young
pigeon.
|
|
Table
7:Abramic covenant (B)
Abrahamic (C)
God
once again reiterates his promises and changes Abram’s name to
Abraham which was a statement of faith for a childless man, meaning
“father of many nations”.
Genesis
17:1-16 When Abraham vas ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to
him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and he
blameless. I will confirm my covenant between Me and you and will
greatly increase your numbers." Abram fell facedown, and God
said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will
be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram;
your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many
nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you,
and kings will come from you. I will establish My covenant as an
everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after
you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your
descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are flow
an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to yon and your
descendants after you; and I will be their God." Then God said
to Abraham, "As for you. you must keep my covenant. you and
your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my
covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you
are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to
undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant
between me and you.. For the generations to come every male among
you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born
in your household or bought with money from a foreigner--those who
are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought
with your money. They must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh
is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has
not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people;
he has broken my covenant." God also said to Abraham, "As
for Sarai your wife you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name
will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by
her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations;
kings of peoples will come from her".
God
establishes an everlasting covenant with Abraham of which
circumcision is the sign.
Acts
7:8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision.
Romans
4:16-17 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by
grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to
those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of
Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written:” I have
made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the
sight of God, in whom he believed…
2
parties
|
God
|
Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob & their descendants
|
Type
|
Suzerain-vassal
(conditional)
|
|
Reference
to the “seed”
|
lineage
of the “seed”
|
|
conditions
(must
do)
|
father
of many nations
descendants
as numerous as the stars in the sky
All
peoples on earth will be blessed through him and his offspring
(Messianic)
|
walk
before God and be blameless
Every
male to be circumcised
|
Blood
covenant
|
Sacrifice
of the ram in Isaac’s place
|
|
The
sign
|
Circumcision
|
|
Table
8:Abrahamic covenant (C)
The covenant is once again
confirmed with Abraham when he is prepared to offer Isaac on the
altar:
Genesis
22:15-18 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a
second time and said; "I swear by myself declares the LORD,
that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your
only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as
numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.
Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their
enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be
blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
Why
did God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac when human sacrifice is
consistently forbidden by God himself? It was to test Abraham’s
faith in God's loyalty to his covenant. God had previously said “my
covenant I will establish with Isaac”
and “it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned”.
Abraham's faith in God keeping his terms of the covenant was such,
that when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac, he believed that God
would be obliged to raise him from the dead in order to fulfil his
promises.
Hebrews
11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested Him, offered Isaac as a
sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice
his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is
through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham
reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking,
he did receive Isaac back from death.
Isaachic
Covenant
God
had insisted that the covenant would be established with Sarah’s
son, even though Abraham originally tried to convince God that it
would be simpler to establish it with Ishmael instead.
Genesis
17:17-22 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself;
"Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah
bear a child at her age of ninety?" And Abraham said to God,
"If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" Then God
said; "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you
will call him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an
everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for
Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him
fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the
father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to
you by this time next year." When he had finished speaking with
Abraham, God went up from him.
When
Abraham was perturbed at the friction between Isaac and Ishmael, God
assures him that he will make Ishmael into a great nation
(forefather of most of the Arabic races), but that the Messianic
promises regarding the seed (or “offspring” i.e. Jesus) would be
fulfilled in Isaac.
Genesis
21:8-13 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was
weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom
Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to
Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that
slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son
Isaac." The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it
concerned his son. But God said to him, "Do not be so
distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever
Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring
will be reckoned. I will make the son of the maidservant into a
nation also, because he is your offspring."
God
subsequently appears to Isaac himself and re-affirms the Abrahamic
covenant.
Genesis
26:2-5 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to
Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land
for a while and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you
and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm
the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them
all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth
will be blessed, because Abraham believed me and kept My
requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws."
Jacobic
Covenant
Jeremiah
49:10 But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places,
and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and
his brethren, and his neighbours, and he [is] not.
Even
before the birth of her twins Esau and Jacob, God tells Isaac’s
wife Rebecca:
Genesis
25:23 "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from
within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the
other, and the older will serve the younger."
Traditionally
the birthright belonged to the eldest son (i.e. Esau). However the
scheming Jacob convinces Esau to sell the birthright for some lentil
stew, confirming it with an oath.
Genesis
25:31-34 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright."
"Look,
I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the
birthright to me?"
But
Jacob said, "Swear to me first."
So
he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob
gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and
then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
At
the heart of the birthright were the covenant promises that Isaac
had inherited from Abraham.
“Esau
despised his birthright” and in so doing proved himself to be
"godless", since he despised God's covenant with his
father and grandfather.
Hebrews
12:16-17 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like
Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the
oldest son. Afterward; as you know, when he wanted to inherit this
blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind,
though he sought the blessing with tears.
Either
Isaac was unaware of the “lentil soup” transaction between Esau
and Jacob, or he hoped to disregard it because of his fondness for
Esau. He thus prepares to impart the covenant blessings to Esau.
Rebecca overhears Isaac’s instruction to Esau and in response
prompts Jacob to deceive the blind Isaac into transmitting that
heritage by way of a legally
binding bequest.
Genesis
27:33 Isaac trembled violently and said, "Who was it, then,
that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came
and I blessed him--and indeed he will be blessed!"
Although
the ancient world believed that blessings and curses had a kind of
magical power to accomplish what they pronounced, this is not what
is being demonstrated here. Rather Isaac, as heir and steward of
God's covenant blessing, acknowledged that he had legally
transmitted the covenant promises to Jacob with his verbal bequest,
somewhat equivalent to our modern legal status of a “verbal
agreement”. Isaac regarded the blessing as irrevocable and offers
Esau a lesser blessing.
Hebrews
11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their
future.
When
Jacob prepares to leave for Paddan Aram, Isaac once again blesses
him, knowingly this time, but now seems resigned to the fact that
the covenant blessings will go to him.
Genesis
28:1-4 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded
him:"… May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and
increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. May
he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so
that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an
alien, the land God gave to Abraham."
God
is not bound by men's traditions (e.g. the inheritance must go to
the older son), but chooses those who value his covenants. Jacob,
despite his other failings, valued God’s covenant so much so that
he was prepare to do anything in order to receive the covenant
blessings. At Bethel God himself thus re-affirms the Abrahamic
covenant with Jacob.
Genesis
28:10-15 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he reached
a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set.
Taking one of' the stones there, he put it under his head and lay
down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on
the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God
were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood The LORD,
and he said:” I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and
the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on
which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the
earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the
north and to the south, All peoples on earth will be blessed through
you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you
wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not
leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Although
Jacob should have left the matter to God by virtue of the earlier
promise to his mother, he resorted to deceit to acquire the
promises. God uses Laban in his deceitful treatment of Jacob
regarding his daughters
to teach Jacob that the end does not justify the means, in other
words deception should not be used to acquire God’s promises.
Nevertheless
God makes Jacob the recipient of the Abrahamic covenant, not because
of his deceit but rather despite it, because he placed high value in
God’s covenant. God’s foreknowledge had caused him to elect
Jacob over Esau, as evidenced by his promise to Rebecca. In covenant
contexts the terms "hate" and "love" were
conventionally used to indicate rejection of or loyalty to the
covenant Lord. This sheds light on what has always been viewed as a
controversial passage.
Malachi
1:2-3…”Was not Esau Jacob's brother" the LORD says. "Yet
I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated,…”
The
terms hate and love are thus used as contrast as can be seen by
comparing the 2 following parallel passages, which show that the
love a man has for his relatives should not be greater when
contrasted with his love for God:
Luke
14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and
mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even
his own life--he cannot be my disciple.”
Matthew
10:37 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not
worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is
not worthy of me”
Jacob
was a man determined to get God’s blessing. When he wrestles with
God
and has his hip wrenched, he still refuses to let go and says:
Genesis
32:26 "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
Like
his grandfather Abraham, Jacob now receives a new “covenant name”.
Genesis
32:28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob,
but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and
have overcome."
Judahic
Covenant
The
portion of the Abrahamic covenant regarding the lineage of the seed
is re-affirmed with Judah, as evidenced by Jacob’s final blessing
to Judah:
Genesis
49:10 The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s
staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and
the obedience of the nations is his.
This
was a Messianic prophecy indicating that Judah would be the royal
tribe, and that the Messiah would come through his descendants.
Isaiah
65:9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an
inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my
servants shall dwell there.
Abrahamic
covenant applicable to church?
Are
all the promises made to Israel now applicable to the church? No!
Although by faith we are of the “seed of Abraham" and can
partake in the blessings that result from walking in faith. We also
saw in Galatians how, along with “all nations of the earth”, we
have received the blessing of the promise of Abraham’s seed –
which was Jesus our redeemer.
However
the promises to Abraham also include very precise allocation of land
that can only be applicable to his physical seed and not his
spiritual seed. God has not abandoned these promises to Israel (land
and restoration of faith).
Romans
11:1-27 I ask then: Did God reject His people? By no means! I am an
Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of
Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you
know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he
appealed to God against Israel:” Lord they have killed your
prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they
are trying to kill me" ? And what was God's answer to him? "I
have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee
to Baal." So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen
by grace… Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond
recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression,
salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if
their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means
riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness
bring! I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers,
so that you may not be conceited. Israel has experienced a hardening
in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so
all Israel will be saved; as it is written:” The deliverer will
come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this
is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
The
promises pertaining to Abraham and his seed were a royal grant and
cannot be “set aside” or added to. They are fulfilled in “one
person”, namely Christ.
Galatians
3:15-16 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as
no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly
established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to
Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to
seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed,"
meaning one person, who is Christ.
In
Galatians Paul tells the Gentile church that “those who believe
are children of Abraham” and “are blessed along with Abraham”.
Galatians
3:6-9 Consider Abraham:” He believed God, and it was credited to
him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe
are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would
justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance
to Abraham:” All nations will be blessed through you." So
those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of
faith.
Paul
tells the Gentiles in Rome that Abraham is also their father and
they too are heirs to the promise:
Romans
4:13-17 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring
received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through
the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law
are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because
law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no
transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may
be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not
only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the
faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: “I
have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the
sight of God, in whom he believed--the God who gives life to the
dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
However
if we read the above passage in context, we find that the blessing
we share with Abraham is not the material blessing, but rather the
justification that comes by faith.
If we have faith, like Abraham the man of faith, God credits our
faith as righteousness and we
receive the blessing
of those “whose
transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered”
and
“whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
Romans
4:4-12 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a
gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work
but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as
righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the
blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from
works:” Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose
sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never
count against him." Is this blessedness only for the
circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that
Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what
circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or
before? It was not after, but before! And he received the sign of
circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while
he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who
believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness
might be credited to them. And he is also the father of the
circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the
footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was
circumcised.
Those
hoping to claim the material promises of the Abrahamic covenant
should bear in mind the material sign of the covenant i.e. physical
circumcision. We do not need to hang on to older covenants as we
shall see that we have a better
covenant with better promises
than any of the preceding covenants.
Phinehas's
covenant
God
gave Phinehas a royal grant of lasting priesthood for his
descendants because of his zeal for God’s honour.
Numbers
25:10-13 The LORD said to Moses, "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the
son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the
Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honour among them,
so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them. Therefore tell him
I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants
will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous
for the honour of his God and made atonement for the Israelites."
Table :Phinehas's covenant
2
parties
|
God
|
Phinehas
and his descendants
|
Type
|
Royal
grant (unconditional)
|
|
Royal
Grant & reason
|
covenant
of lasting priesthood for him and his descendants
|
zeal
for God’s honour
|
Mosaic
covenant
Tri-part
covenant
This
covenant was given to Moses on Mount Sinai shortly after leaving
Egypt. It ushered in the Dispensation of Law and may be divided into
3 parts:
The
Moral Law (Exodus 20:1-26) i.e. the 10 Commandments
The
Civil Law (Exodus 21:1 - 24:18)
The
Ceremonial Law (Exodus 25:1 40:38). i.e. the tabernacle, the
priesthood and the order of service.
Exodus
lays a foundational theology in which God reveals his name, his
attributes, his redemption, his law and how he is to be worshipped.
It also reports the appointment and work of the first covenant
mediator (Moses) describes the beginnings of the priesthood, defines
the role of the prophet and relates how the ancient covenant
relationship between God and his people came under a new
administration (the Sinai covenant).
The
priest represented the people to God, while the prophet represented
God to the people. The sign of this covenant is the Sabbath.
Exodus
31:12-13 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites
`You must observe my Sabbaths, This will be a sign between me and
you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD,
who makes you holy.
2
reasons for this sign are given:
Having
completed his work of creation God "rested on the seventh day"
(v. 11), and the Israelites are to observe the same pattern in
their service of God in the creation;
the
Israelites must cease all labour so that their servants can also
participate in the Sabbath-rest--just as God had delivered his
people from the burden of slavery in Egypt (see Dt 5:14-15).
The
Decalogue
Exodus
34:27-28 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words,
for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you
and with Israel." Moses was there with the LORD forty days arid
forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on
the tablets the words of the covenant--the Ten Commandments.
The
10 commandments or Decalogue are the moral law given to Israel. The
first 4 commandments deal with man's relationship with God, and the
last 6 with man's relationship with man. Before establishing the
covenant God says:
Exodus
20:2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out
of the land of slavery.”
The
Decalogue was written on 2 tablets of stone by God.
Is
there any significance to the fact that the Ten Words are inscribed
on two tables rather than one? Traditionally the "two tables"
were thought to refer to two sections: our duty to God and our duty
to man. Recent knowledge of ancient covenant forms has shown that
the stipulations of the covenant--the laws imposed by the
covenant-lord-- were written in duplicate. The covenant-lord
retained one copy and deposited the other in the sanctuary of the
god of the people on whom he was imposing his covenant. In the case
of the Decalogue, Yahweh is both Covenant-Lord and also God of
Israel. He, therefore, takes both copies into his care: the whole
care, continuance, and maintenance of the covenant relationship
rests with him.
The
"ark of the covenant" (or testimony) was also a testimony
to the covenant between God and Israel. It contained the tablets of
stone with the covenant stipulations. It also had the mercy seat on
top, pointing forward to the New Covenant of grace.
Exodus
contains the Book of the covenant which is a legal document between
God and his people. The outline of the covenant document is as
follows:
A.
The Covenant Proposed (ch. 19)
B.
The Decalogue (20:1-17)
C.
The Reaction of the People to God's Fiery Presence (20:18-21)
D.
The Book of the Covenant (20:22-23:33)
1.
Prologue (20:22-26)
2.
Laws on slaves (21:1-11)
3.
Laws on homicide (21:12-17)
4.
Laws on bodily injuries (21:18-32)
5.
Laws on property damage (21:33-22:15)
6.
Laws on society (22:16-31)
7.
Laws on justice and neighbourliness (23:1-9)
8.
Laws on sacred seasons (23:10-19)
9.
Epilogue (23:20-33)
E.
Ratification of the Covenant (ch. 24)
The
covenant was sealed by blood:
Exodus
24:8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said,
"This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with
you in accordance with all these words.''
Table :The Mosaic Covenant
2
parties
|
God
|
Israel
|
Type
|
Suzerain-vassal
(conditional)
|
|
Reference
to the “seed”
|
Institutional
of sacrifices that would typify the sacrifice “the seed”
would make
|
|
Dispensation
|
Law
|
|
conditions
(must
not do)
|
Curses
|
All
that forbidden by the Law
|
conditions
(must
do)
|
Blessings
|
All
that permitted by the Law
|
Blood
covenant
|
People
sprinkled with blood, perpetuated by continual animal sacrifices
|
|
Mediator
|
Moses
|
|
The
sign
|
The
Sabbath
|
|
What was
the purpose of the Law (Old covenant)?
Moses
realised that there was another one coming who would supersede him:
Acts
3:22-25 For Moses said, The Lord your God will raise up for you a
prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to
everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be
completely cut off from among his people. "Indeed, all the
prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these
days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made
with your Fathers, He said to Abraham, “Through your offspring all
peoples on earth will be blessed.”
John
5:45-47 "But do not think I will accuse you before the Father.
Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed
Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do
not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"
The
law is not bad in itself, but is weakened by our sinful nature:
Galatians
3:21-22 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God'?
Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life,
then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the
Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so
that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ,
might be given to those who believe.
The
law makes us aware of our sinful nature:
Romans
7:7-12 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin'? Certainly not!
Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law.
For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had
not said, "Do not covet." But sin, seizing the opportunity
afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous
desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from
law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I
found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life
actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by
the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to
death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy,
righteous and good.
By
making us aware of our sinful nature, the law would indirectly lead
us to Christ:
Galatians
3:23-25 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law,
locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in
charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now
that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the
law.
The
law was an interim measure, until the promised seed came.
Galatians
3:19 What, then. was the purpose of the law'? It was added because
of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had
come.
Davidic
covenant
2
Samuel 7:4-16 That night the word of the LORD came to Nathan.
saying:” Go and tell my servant David; This is what the LORD says:
Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in
a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to
this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as My
dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever
say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people
Israel, "Why have you not built Me a house of cedar? Now then,
tell my servant David; This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took
you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over
my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I
have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your
name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth And I
will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so
that they can have a home of their own and no longer he disturbed.
Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the
beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over
My people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies"
`The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a
house for you; When your days are over and you rest with your
fathers, 1 will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will
come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the
one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the
throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be
my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men,
with floggings inflicted by men But my love will never be taken away
from him, as 1 took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before
you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your
throne will be established forever."
This
covenant was given to King David, through Nathan the prophet at
Jerusalem. The covenant contains 3 promises:
A
Davidic house - the prosperity of David shall never be destroyed.
There is a beautiful play on words here where God says that David
is not to build him a house (temple) as he had requested; but that
rather, God will build David a house (royal dynasty) that will last
forever.
A
Davidic throne-the kingdom of David shall never be destroyed.
Although at present the earthly throne is in cessation, this
promise has been fulfilled in Jesus. When Israel's chastisement in
the Tribulation is over, Jesus will receive the kingdom when the
time comes to restore it to David's son. David's son is to have an
earthly "sphere of rule." It will be over the Millennial
kingdom.
It
shall be an unending covenant - This covenant extends to the end of
time.
Psalm
72:1-20 is a prophetic psalm of Solomon's that allures to the future
king from David's dynasty and His millennial rule:
Psalm
72:2-19 He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted
ones with justice. ...He will endure as long as the sun, as long as
the moon, through all generations .... He will rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth... For he will deliver
the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help … All
nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.
Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be
filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.
2
parties
|
God
|
David
|
Type
|
Royal
grant (unconditional)
|
|
Reference
to the “seed”
|
lineage
of the “seed”
|
|
Royal
grant & reason
|
make
David’s name great
give
David rest from his enemies
allow
his son to build his temple
not
take the throne away from his descendants
give
him an eternal kingdom (Messianic)
|
David’s
was a faithful servant of God
|
The
sign
|
a
son
|
|
Table
11:The Davidic Covenant
The Davidic covenant had
but one condition, based on disobedience, which would lead to
chastisement and postponement of the promise, but not it's
abrogation. Remember that a royal grant was normally perpetual and
unconditional, but the servant's heirs benefited from it only as
they continued their father’s loyalty and service. Even though
David's descendants did not all continue his loyalty to God, God
still honoured the covenant promise to David.
1
Kings 11:9-13 The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart
had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared
to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other
gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD's commands. So the LORD said to
Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my
covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most
certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your
subordinates. Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I
will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hands
of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but
will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the
sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen."
Despite
the unfaithfulness of David’s offspring God still honoured the
covenant to David regarding the lineage of the seed.
John
7:42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of
David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
Coniah
(or Jeconiah) the last descendant of David to rule before the
Babylonian exile displeased God so much that he vowed that the
lineage of the seed will not be through him.
Jeremiah
22:28-30 [Is] this man Coniah a despised broken idol? [is he] a
vessel wherein [is] no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and
his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? O earth,
earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD, Write
ye this man childless, a man [that] shall not prosper in his days:
for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of
David, and ruling any more in Judah.
… Matthew
follows the line of Joseph (Jesus' legal father), while Luke
emphasises that of Mary (Jesus' blood relative). Although tracing a
genealogy through the mother's side was unusual, so was the virgin
birth. Luke's explanation here that Jesus was the son of Joseph, "so
it was thought" (v. 23), brings to mind his explicit virgin
birth statement (1:34-35) and suggests the importance of the role of
Mary in Jesus' genealogy.
It
is interesting that the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew which traces
Joseph’s line includes Jeconiah and Solomon). As Joseph was the
legal father of Jesus, it is through Jeconiah and Solomon that Jesus
had the royal lineage.
Matt
1:6-16 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of
Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,…and Josiah the
father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to
Babylon…..and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of
whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
However
because of Jeconiah’s wickedness, Jesus’ natural ancestry did
not come through either Jeconiah or Solomon, but rather through
David’s son Nathan. As Jesus was the seed of the woman by virtue
of the virgin birth, the genealogy in Luke which traces Mary’s
lineage
indicates the true fulfilment of the Davidic Covenant.
Luke
3:23-31 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began
his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son
of Heli,…the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha,
the son of Nathan, the son of David,
New
and better Covenant (Testament) in Christ
The
word “Testament” which indicates a specific type of covenant
(e.g. will & testament) in which a single party stipulates all
the conditions of an inheritance, is aptly applied to God's
covenants.
Hebrews
7:20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without
any oath, [21] but he became a priest with an oath when God said to
him:” The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a
priest forever.' " [22] Because of this oath, Jesus has become
the guarantee of a better covenant.
Hebrews
6:17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose
very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with
an oath.
The
prophet Jeremiah spoke of a New Covenant:
Jeremiah
3:31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house
of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their
forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, "
declares the L,ORD. "This is the covenant I will make with the
house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD "I
will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts I will
be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach
his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, “Know the LORD,
because they will all know me, from the least of them to the
greatest," declares the LORD, "For I will forgive their
wickedness and will remember their sins no more,"
The
sign
Colossians
2:10-12 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the
sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but
with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in
baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.
In
the Old (Mosaic Covenant), circumcision was a sign that the
individual stood in covenant relation with God. While the above
passage is the only reference where circumcision is associated with
baptism, some see the passage as implying that, for the Christian,
water baptism is the parallel sign of the covenant relationship.
2
parties
|
God
|
All
men
|
Type
|
Suzerain-vassal
(conditional)
|
|
Reference
to the “seed”
|
The
promise fulfilment, the seed of the woman comes to crush the
serpents head
|
|
Dispensation
|
Grace
|
|
conditions
(must
do)
|
Law
written on our hearts
better
dispensation
better
relationship with God (heirs with Christ)
better
access into God’s presence
better
worship
better
Sabbath (rest)
A
better place awaits us after death
|
admit
our sinful state
repent
(turn our backs on sin)
accept
Christ’s sacrifice
confess
our sins
Follow
(disciples)
|
Blood
covenant
|
Jesus’
blood on the cross
|
|
Mediator
|
Jesus
|
|
The
sign
|
The
table, Baptism
|
|
Table
12:The New Covenant (Testament)
However Jesus introduced
the table of remembrance as a sign of our Covenant “until he
comes” again. The Passover looked back to the Fall and forward to
the cross. The table of remembrance looks back to the cross and
forward to the 2nd
coming.
1
Corinthians 11:23-26 For I received from the Lord what I also passed
onto you; The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
and when He had given thanks, he broke it and said; "This is my
body, which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This
cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this whenever you drink it,
in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and
drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Covenant
head greater (better) than all previous covenant heads
Jesus
is greater than all the previous covenant heads, because in him the
fulfilment of all the previous promises regarding the seed were
embodied. However we are also reminded time and again that our
Covenant head is better than all previous ones.
Jesus
greater than Adam
Adam
broke his covenant through disobedience,
Jesus brought into effect another covenant through obedience.
Romans
5:18-19 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was
condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of
righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For
just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made
sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will
be made righteous.
Jesus
greater than Noah
Noah
was instrumental in physically saving a few, while Jesus was
instrumental in spiritually saving many.
1
Peter 3:20-22… In the days of Noah while the ark was being built.
In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and
this water symbolises baptism that now saves you also--not the
removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience
toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who
has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels,
authorities and powers in submission to Him.
Jesus
greater than Abraham
To
the religious leaders of Jesus’ day who took pride in their
heritage from Abraham, Jesus’ claim to be greater than Abraham was
tantamount to blasphemy. However Jesus states out that Abraham died,
while he was eternal and pre-existent.
John
8:52-57 At this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you are
demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say
that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. Are you
greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets.
Who do you think you are?" Jesus replied; "…Your father
Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was
glad."
"You
are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and
you have seen Abraham!"
"I
tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was
born, I am!"
Abraham
understood at some stage (either on earth or afterwards) the full
implications of the promises to him regarding the seed. That is why
Jesus told the Jews:” Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought
of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."
Jesus
greater than Jacob
Jesus
is greater than Jacob because he gives us “living water”.
John
4:11-14 "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to
draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and
drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and
herds?" Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water
will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will
never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a
spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Jesus
greater than Moses
Moses
was a faithful servant, but Christ is the Son over His own house.
Hebrews
3:3-6 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses, just
as the builder of a house has greater honour than the house itself.
For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of
everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house,
testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is
faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold
on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Jesus
greater than David
David
prophetically calls him "Lord" even though he is his
descendant.
Matthew
22:42-45 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?"
"The
son of David," they replied
He
said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the
Spirit, calls Him Lord? For he says, "The Lord said to my
Lord:” Sit at My right hand until I put your enemies under your
feet. If then David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?"
New
Covenant brought about fulfilment of previous covenants
Fulfilment
of Adamic covenant
Genesis
3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between
your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will
strike his heel."
To
be the "seed of the woman", Jesus had to be born of a
virgin:
Luke
1:34-35 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since
I am a virgin?"
The
angel answered; "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be
born will be called the Son of God.
This
covenant promised that the "seed of the woman" would
crush Satan's head.
Colossians
2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a
public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Fulfilment
of Noachic covenant
Genesis
8:5 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be
shed; for in the image of God has God made man."
This
covenant was for the preservation of the seed. Jesus to the
religious leaders:
John
8:44 "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to
carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the
beginning."
This
was because Satan had also tried to destroy the woman's seed, and
was now inciting the religious leaders to kill Jesus for the same
reason. He had previously incited Cain to kill Abel, and attempted
to corrupt the seed in the days of Noah through fallen angels
inter-marrying with woman (Genesis 5:1-3).
The
prophetic nature of this covenant showed that the one who shed the
blood of man (the seed: Jesus) would himself be destroyed by this
man (the seed: Jesus).
1
Corinthians 2:6-8 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among
the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this
age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom,
a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory
before time began, None of the rulers of this age understood it, for
if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Fulfilment
of Abrahamic covenant
Galatians
4:21-31 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware
of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons,
one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by
the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the
free woman was born as the result of a promise. These things may be
taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One
covenant Is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be
slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia
and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in
slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free,
and she is our mother. For it is written: “Be glad; 0 barren
woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who
have no labour pains; because more are the children of the desolate
woman than of her who has a husband," Now you, brothers, like
Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born in the
ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It
is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of
the slave woman and her son, for the slave women’s son will never
share in the inheritance with the free woman's son." Therefore,
brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free
woman.
Genesis
22:18… and through your offspring all nations on earth will be
blessed...”
The
offspring of Abraham" through whom all nations would be blessed
was Jesus.
Acts
3:24-26 "Indeed; all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as
have spoken, have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the
prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to
Abraham, “Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be
blessed.' When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you
to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."
Galatians
3:14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham
might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we
might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Through
the same faith that Abraham had, we can receive the blessing of
Abraham's son, Jesus.
Galatians
3:6-9 Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to
him as righteousness," Understand, then, that these who believe
are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would
justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance
to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you." So
those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of
faith.
Fulfilment
of covenant to Isaac, Jacob & Judah
Matthew
1:1-2 A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David,
the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the
father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers...
Both
Matthew and Luke trace Jesus' lineage through these 3 men, snowing
God's faithfulness to His covenant promises to them.
Fulfilment
of Davidic covenant
The
people of Jesus' day recognised that the Messiah would be the Son of
David, as evidenced by just some of the following extracts:
Matthew
9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him,
calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"
Matthew
12:23 All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be
the Son of David?"
Matthew
21:9 The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed
shouted; "Hosanna to the Son of David!"
The
Pharisees recognised that the Christ (Messiah) would be David's Son.
Matthew
22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
[42] "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?"
"The
son of David." they replied.
Zechariah
declared the fulfilment of the covenant promises to David and
Abraham when he prophesied:
Luke
1:69-72 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house a
his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long
ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate
us--" to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy
covenant.
The
never-ending kingdom promised to David would be fulfilled in Jesus:
Luke
1:29-33 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what
kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do
not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be
with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name
Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he
will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never
end."
Jesus
was the recipient of the blessing of the Davidic covenant, including
the resurrection.
Acts
13:32-37 "We tell you the good news:What God promised our
fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up
Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:" `You are my Son;
today I have become your Father. The fact that God raised him from
the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: “I will give
you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.' So it is stated
elsewhere:" `You wilt not let your Holy One see decay.' "For
when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell
asleep; he was buried with His fathers and his body decayed. But the
one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
The
resurrected and glorified Jesus speaks of himself in the following
way:
Revelation
22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony
for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the
bright Morning Star."
Fulfilment
of Mosaic covenant
Matthew
5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.
The
Mosaic covenant brought about the institution of forms and
ceremonies that were typical of the actual way in which the promised
“seed” would bring redemption. They were a shadow of what was to
come:
Revelation
10:1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are
coming--not the realities themselves.
The
royal grant to Abraham was not superseded by the Law, and these
were not conditions appended to his covenant regarding the seed.
(i.e. The "seed' promises were not "Suzerain-vassal"
promises).
Galatians
3:15-18 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as
no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly
established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to
Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to
seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed,"
meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law,
introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant
previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For
if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on
a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a
promise.
The
Greek word for covenant used in the above passage normally indicates
a last will or testament, which is probably the legal instrument
Paul is referring to here. But in the Septuagint (the Greek
translation of the OT) it had been widely used of God's covenant
with his people, so Paul's choice of analogy was apt for his
purpose.
The New
Covenant compared to the Old Covenant
Moses
and Joshua were mediators of the Old Covenant, and Jesus is declared
to be better than both. The priests represented the people to God.
while the prophet represented God to the people. Jesus is shown to
be better than the prophets and to have a better priesthood.
Galatians
3:15-20 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as
no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly
established, so it is in this ease. `The promises were spoken to
Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to
seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed,"
meaning one person, who is Christ, What I mean is this: The law,
introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant
previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For
if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on
a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a
promise. [19] What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added
because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise
referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a
mediator, [20] A mediator, however, does not represent just one
party; but God is one.
A better
covenant
Hebrews
7:22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a
better covenant.
It
is more glorious:
2
Corinthians 3:7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was
engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the
Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of
its glory, fading though it was, [8] will not the ministry of the
Spirit be even more glorious? [9] If the ministry that condemns men
is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings
righteousness! [10] For what was glorious has no glory now in
comparison with the surpassing glory. [11] And if what was fading
away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which
lasts!
The
types or shadows are now fulfilled in realities (no more veil).
Hebrews
10:1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-not
the realities themselves...
2
Corinthians 3:14 But their hands were made dull, for to this day the
same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been
removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. [15] Even to this
day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. [16] But
whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
A better
mediator
Our
mediator is:
greater
than the prophets
greater
than the angels
greater
than Moses
greater
than Joshua
greater
than Aaron
The
reason the writer of Hebrews uses these comparisons is because each
of these held a place of great importance in the religion of the
Jews. They were the framework of their worship, and it must be
proved that someone better had taken their place, if their followers
are to transfer allegiance.
The
book of Hebrews progressively shows that Jesus is a better mediator.
The
Lord Jesus is greater than any human leader (prophets)
Hebrews
1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at
many times and in various ways, [2] but in these last days he has
spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and
through whom he made the universe. [3] The Son is the radiance of
God's glory and the exact representation of, his being, sustaining
all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification
for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Jesus
is greater than the prophets because:
He
is God's Son
He
is the heir of all things
He
created the world
He
is Himself God
He
upholds all things
He
cleansed us from sin
He
is seated at the right hand of God
Jesus
is greater than the angels
He
has a more excellent name of Son
Hebrews
1:4-5 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has
inherited is superior to theirs. For to which of the angels did God
ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"?..
Angels
worship Him
Hebrews
1:6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he
says, "Let all God's angels worship him."
The
angels are servants of God, but Jesus is the eternal God
Hebrews
1:7-8 In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels
winds, his servants flames of fire." But about the Son he says,
"Your throne, 0 God, will last for ever and ever, and
righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom.
The
angels are created, while Jesus is the Creator
Hebrews
1:10 He also says, "In the beginning, 0 Lord, you laid the
foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your
hands.
He
is the ruler of the coming age:
Hebrews
1:13 To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right
hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet" ?
[14] Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who
will inherit salvation?
Hebrews
2:5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come,
about which we are speaking, [6] But there is a place where someone
has testified: “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son
of man that you care for him? [7] You made him a little lower than
the angels; you crowned him with glory and honour [8] and put
everything under his feet." In putting everything under him,
God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do
not see everything subject to Him. [9] But we see Jesus, who was
made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and
honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he
might taste death for everyone.
Jesus
is greater than Moses
See
Hebrews 3:1-19.
As
we have seen already, Moses was a faithful servant, but Christ is
the Son over His own house (the Heir).
Faith
not works:
Romans
10:5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the
law: “The man who does these things will live by them." [6]
But the righteousness that is by faith... [9] That if you confess
with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Yoke
of legalism gone:
Acts
15:5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the
Pharisees stood up and said' "The Gentiles must be circumcised
and required to obey the law of Moses." ....[10] Now then, why
do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a
yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? [11]
No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are
saved just as they are."
Forgiveness
not just condemnation: The law could only condemn; it could not
empower men to keep it, because of our sinful nature.
Romans
3:3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by
the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of
sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful
man, [4] in order that the righteous requirements of the law might
be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature
but according to the Spirit.
Acts
13:38 "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through
Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. [39] Through him
everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be
justified from by the law of Moses.
Note
the following example of the Law versus grace
John
8:5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do
you say?"... [10] Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman,
where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
[11]
"No one, sir," she said,
"Than
neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and
leave your life of sin."
Jesus
gives Living bread:
John
6:32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses
who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who
gives you the true bread from heaven. [33] For the bread of God is
he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
Jesus
is greater than Joshua
Joshua
was a great leader. He led the Hebrews into the Promised Land, but
he did not lead the people into rest. What he failed to do, the Son
accomplished. Jesus is greater, for He alone gives real rest.
Hebrews
4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken
later about another day. [9] There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for
the people of God; [10] for anyone who enters God's rest also rests
from his own work, just at God did from his. [11] Let us, therefore,
make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by
following their example of disobedience.”
Jesus
is greater than Aaron
Jesus
has a better priesthood
He
is a better High Priest (sinless, and does not have to atone for
His own sin)
He
serves in a better temple
He
had a better sacrifice
A
better priesthood
Hebrews
7:11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical
priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people),
why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the
order of Melchizedek not in the order of Aaron?
Christ
was a priest in the order of Melchizedek:
Hebrews
7:17 For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order
of Melchizedek."
Royal
priesthood: Both were kings of peace and righteousness:
Hebrews
7:1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High.
Universal
priesthood.
Priesthood
was based on merit, not on ancestry: Without father or mother.
Hebrews
7:16 ...one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation
as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an
indestructible life.
Eternal
priesthood:
Hebrews
7:21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to Him:”
The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest
forever.'”
Hebrews
7:23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death
prevented them from continuing in office; [24] but because Jesus
lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. [25] Therefore he is
able to save completely those who come to God through him, because
he always lives to intercede for them..
A
better high priest
Priesthood
was based on an oath from God:
Hebrews
7:20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without
any oath, [21] but he became a priest with an oath when God said to
him:” The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are
a priest forever.' "[22] Because of this oath, Jesus has become
the guarantee of a better covenant.
He
was sinless:
Hebrews
7:26 Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless,
pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. [27] Unlike
the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day
after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the
people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he crucified
himself. [28] For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak;
but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has
been made perfect forever.
Hebrews
4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the
faith we profess. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is
unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has
been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
A
better temple
The
Old Covenant used a temple that was a copy, the new covenant used
the real temple in heaven.
Hebrews
8:3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and
sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have
something to offer. [4] If he were on earth, he would not be a
priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by
the law. [5] They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy of what is in
heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the
tabernacle; "See to it that you make everything according to
the pattern shown you on the mountain."
The
earthly temple was a copy of the real temple in heaven, even as far
as the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant are concerned.
Revelation
11:19 The" God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his
temple was seen the ark of his covenant....
Hebrews
9:23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things
to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these. [24] For Christ did
not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the real one;
he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence.
Hebrews
8:1 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high
priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty
in heaven, [2] and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle
set up by the Lord, not by man.
Jesus
would not let Mary touch him when he was first raised, as he had not
yet entered the temple in heaven and presented himself to the
Father:
John
20:17 Jesus said, "Do not hold onto to me, for I have not yet
returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, I
am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
Hebrews
9:11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are
already here, he went through the greater and more perfect
tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this
creation.
A
better sacrifice
Jesus
was both the priest and the sacrifice! The Old Covenant used a
sacrifice that could not take away sin, while the New Covenant had
a sacrifice that could atone for sin. The sacrifice was an atonement
for sins, but:
Hebrews
10:4... it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take
away sins
Jesus'
blood could take away sin:
John
1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look,
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Hebrews
9:23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things
to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Under
the law the sacrifice had to be without blemish or defect
Deuteronomy
17:1 Do not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep that has
any defect or flaw in it, for that would he detestable to him.
This
speaks of the sinlessness of Jesus
1
Peter 1:18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such
as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life
handed down to you from your forefathers, [19] but with the precious
blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
The
Old Covenant used a sacrifice that had to be repeatedly made, while
the New has a sacrifice that was made once for all.
Hebrews
10:l The law is only a shadow of the good things that are
coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never,
by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make
perfect those who draw near to worship. [2] If it could, would they
not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been
cleansed once for all and would no longer have felt guilty for their
sins. [3] But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,
Hebrews
9:26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the
creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the
end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Better
blood of the covenant
We
have a blood covenant that was sealed with the very blood of the Son
of God.
Matthew
26:26 While they were eating Jesus took bread gave thanks and broke
it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this
is my body." [27] Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered
it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. [28] This is my
blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins. [29]I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit
of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you
in my Father's kingdom."
1
Peter 1:18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such
as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life
handed down to you from your forefathers, [19] but with the precious
blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Hebrews
9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that
those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance
--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins
committed under the first covenant. [16] In the case of a will, it
is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, [17] because
a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes
effect while the one who made it is living. [18] This is why even
the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. [19] When
Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people,
he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and
branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.
[20] He said, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has
commanded you to keep. [21] In the same way, he sprinkled with the
blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies.
[22] In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed
with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness.
Hebrews
9:12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but
he entered the Most Holy place once for all by his own blood, having
obtained eternal redemption. [13] The blood of goats and bulls and
the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially
unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. [14] How
much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences
from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Ephesians
2:11-13 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by
birth and called uncircumcised" by those who call themselves
"the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of
men)-- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ,
excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants
of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now
in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near
through the blood of Christ.
Better
promises
Hebrews
8:6 But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as
the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and
it is founded on better promises. [7] For if there had been nothing
wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for
another. [8] But God found fault with the people and said: “The
time is coming, declares the Lord when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. [9] It will
not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took
them by the hand to lead them out of, because they did not remain
faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the
Lord. [10] This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their
minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they
will be my people. [11] No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or
a man his brother, saying, `Know the Lord,' because they will all
know me, from the least of them to the greatest. [12] For I will
forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
[13] By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first
one obsolete; and what is obsolete and ageing will soon disappear.
Law
written on our hearts
2
Corinthians 3:3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the
result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of
the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human
hearts. [4] Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before
God. [5] Not that we are competent in ourselves to change anything
for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. [4] He has made us
competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of
the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
A
better dispensation (No curse)
John
1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came
through Jesus Christ.
Truth
exposes all, while grace covers all. The law, on the contrary, could
only condemn.
Romans
8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit
of life set me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the
law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful
nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man
to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, [4] in
order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met
in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according
to the Spirit.
Galatians
3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a
curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung
on a tree."
A
better relationship with God
Hebrews
12:18 You have not come to a mountain that can he touched and that
is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm, [19] to a
trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard
it begged that no further word be spoken to them, [20] because they
could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the
mountain, it must be stoned. " [21] The sight was so terrifying
that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear." [22] But you
have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the
living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in
joyful assembly, [23] to the church of the firstborn, whose names
are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men,
to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, [24] to Jesus the
mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a
better word than the blood of Abel.
Abel's
blood cried out for justice and retribution (Genesis 4:10), whereas
the blood of Jesus shed on the cross speaks of forgiveness and
reconciliation (Col 1:20; John 1:7).
Hebrews
7:18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and
useless [19] (for the law made nothing perfect) and a better hope is
introduced, by which we draw near to God.
God
who seems unapproachable in the Old Testament, now allows us to call
him "Father"
John
3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we
should be called children of God! And that is what we are.
Jesus
calls us friends:
John
15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know
his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends...
Romans
8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again
to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry,
"Abba, Father." [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our
spirit that we are God's children. [17] Now if we are children, then
we are heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed
we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his
glory.
Better
access into God's presence
Previously
only the High priest could enter God's presence in the Holy of
Holies, and that only once a year, and not without blood. We however
can freely enter God's presence whenever we wish, by virtue of the
better blood of Jesus which protects us from God's wrath.
Hebrews
10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the
Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way
opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since
we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near
to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having
our bodies washed with pure water.
The
veil in the temple was torn when Jesus died, showing that the way
into the Holy of Holies was opened.
Luke
23:44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the
whole land until the ninth hour, [45] for the sun stopped shining.
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Being
torn from top to bottom indicates that this was done by God not man.
Better
worship
Hebrews
9:1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an
earthly sanctuary.
The
place and regulation are no longer important as we can worship in
spirit and truth.
John
4:20 Our fathers worship- on this mountain, but you Jews claim that
the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." [21] Jesus
declared "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will
worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22]
You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do
know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] Yet a time is coming and
has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in
spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father
seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in
spirit and in truth."
Better
Sabbath (rest)
Hebrews
3:11 So I declared on oath in My anger, `They shall never enter my
rest.' "[12] See to it, brothers, that none of you has a
sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. [13]
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so
that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. [14] We
have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the
confidence we had at first. [15] As has just been said: “Today, if
you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the
rebellion." [16] Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were
they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? [17] And with whom was he
angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose
bodies fell in the desert? [I 8] And to whom did God Swear that they
would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? [19] So we
see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
Hebrews
4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands,
let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of
it. [2] For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they
did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because
those who heard did not combine it with faith. [3] Now we who have
believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared
on oath in my anger, they shall never enter My rest.' " And yet
His work has been finished since the creation of the world. [4] For
somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And
on the seventh day God rested from all his work." [5] And again
in the passage above He says, "They shall never enter my rest."
[6] It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who
formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of
their disobedience. [7] Therefore God again set a certain day,
calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as
was said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your
hearts." [8] For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not
have spoken later about another day. [9] There remains, then, a
Sabbath-rest for the people of God; [10] for anyone who enters God's
rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. [11]
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no
one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
A
better place awaits us after death
Jesus
went to Paradise when He died:
Luke
23:4. Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will
be with Me in paradise."
and
paradise was then in the "heart of the earth":
Matthew
12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a
huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in
the heart of the earth.
However
Paul was caught
up
into paradise:
2
Corinthians 12:3 And I know that this man--whether in the body or
apart from the body I do not know, but God knows- [4] was caught up
to paradise...
Between
the death of Jesus, and the time of Paul's ministry, Paradise was
relocated. Jesus when relating the account (not a parable) of
Lazarus and the rich man showed that Hades had 2 compartments,
paradise and hell, between which there was a chasm.
Luke
16:22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels
carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was
buried. [23] In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw
Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. [24] So he called to
him, `Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the
tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony
in this fire.' [25] "But Abraham replied, `Son, remember that
in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus
received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in
agony. [26] And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm
has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you
cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
However
Jesus emptied paradise because of His redemptive work; and it was
re-located in heaven. This was because under the old Covenant the
sins had merely been "covered" by the sacrifices, and not
atoned for.
Ephesians
4:8 This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, he led
captives in his train and gave gifts to men." [9] (what does
"he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the
lower, earthly regions? [10] He who descended is the very one who
ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole
universe.)
Without
the New covenant we would not have gained entrance into heaven.
Matthew
16:18.. upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell
(Hades) shall not prevail against it.
This
is not a reference to the Church fighting Satan, but Jesus saying
that under the New Covenant the church would not have to go to
Hades. Satan does not live in hell but in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians
6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark
world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
realms.
Satan
is:
"..
the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work
in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2)
In
fact Jesus calls him:
“...the
prince of this world..." (John 14:30)
The
ancients believed that Hades had a series of gates. The church of
Jesus would never pass through these gates by virtue of his better
sacrifice, and thus the "gates of Hades will not prevail
against us". Under the old covenant we see even Abraham going
to Hades, because sin had not been atoned for. With our better
covenant the price for sin has already been paid, and believers can
go straight into God's presence, with no waiting period in between.
2
Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to
be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Greater
responsibility
After
showing that Jesus is greater than the angels, we are given a
warning:
Hebrews
2:1 We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have
heard, so that we do not drift away. [2] For if the message spoken
by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received
its just punishment, [3] how shall we escape if we ignore such a
great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the
Lord; was confirmed to us by those who heard hint. [4] God also
testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of
the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
We
are not to treat the sign of the covenant lightly:
1
Corinthians 11:27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the
cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning
against the body and blood of the Lord. [28] A man ought to examine
himself before he eats of the broad and drinks of the cup- [29] For
anyone who eats and drinks without recognising the body of the Lord
eats and drinks judgement on himself. [30] That is why many among
you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. [31]
But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgement. [32]
When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we
will not be condemned with the world.
Consequences
for disobedience under the Old covenant:
Deuteronomy
17:2 If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the LORD
gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God in
violation of His covenant, [3] and contrary to my command has
worshipped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon
or the stars of the sky, [4] and this has been brought to your
attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true
and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in
Israel, [5] take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to
your city gate and stone that person to death. [6] On the testimony
of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one
shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. [7] The
hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting him to death,
and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from
among you.
After
showing that Jesus is greater than the angels, we are given a
warning about the consequences of despising the New Covenant, by
habitual sin (thus despising God's grace):
Hebrews
l0:26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the
knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, [27] but only
a fearful expectation of judgement and of raging fire that will
consume the enemies of God. [28] Anyone who rejected the law of
Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
[29] How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be
punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated
as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him,
and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? [30] For we know him who
said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again. “The
Lord will judge his people.” [31] It is a dreadful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God.
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