And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you(Gen 9:9,KJV)
I have entitled this article How Many Covenants because contrary to the popular notions of Churchianity, and our ever stretching “truth” there is technically no such thing as The Old and New Covenants. God’s covenant promise is always the same and can be seen recorded back in the book of Genesis. And ending in the book of Revelation. There is the odd context in Scripture, where a “new covenant” is mentioned but it is only called “new” because it’s typically something that the people concerned have never done before. Gods message of salvation never changes from Old Testament to New Testament. Much like the “new commandment of love” that Jesus reminded His hearers of in the New Testament, He knew that for His disciples, it was very new, since they had never done that before. That “new commandment” is also found in Lev 19:18.
Jesus once said:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34, NIV)
When you think of it, how could this be literally a “new commandment” as in a different or revised gospel message of some kind? Scripture tells us how that “God never changes,” “God never lies,” “God never contradicts Himself,” We may rejoice that this very same commandment can be found way back in Leviticus and further:
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” (Lev 19:18)
There is something sometimes called “The Old Covenant” simply because its something that people have tried to do that is not a part of the “everlasting” covenant on the shed blood of Christ. As humanity we tend to seek ways and means of doing God’s will in our own strength and wisdom, even though God gives us plenty of reminders that He wants to do it through us. As they said in the Old testament, “all that you have said God WE WILL DO.” And God has to keep reminding by saying “I WILL write my law on your hearts. God has always wanted to be there for us and do what we can never do in our own strength or supposed wisdom. In our opening text God says I WILL ESTABLISH my covenant.” So there is always this tug of war between I WILL or God Will. That is why the Bible says “Christ in you THE HOPE in glory.” (Col 1:27)
A Covenant is simply a promise or undertaking resting on certain conditions, with a sign or token attached to it. The bow in the cloud, the Lord’s Supper, etc are signs and seals of their respective covenants. We should never witness a rainbow without remembering that as God hath sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so He will not withdraw His loving kindness.
“To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (Isa 54:9-10, NIV) here, the Covenant is called “everlasting.” From beginning to the end in the Bible, ‘everlasting’ is the favorite word used to describe the covenant. “From the foundation of the world” means “everlasting.”
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev 13:8)
“From the foundation of The World” means ‘everlasting.’ Another verse does call the blood of Christ “the everlasting covenant.”
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,(Heb 13:20)
It is not Biblically correct to just say “Jesus Himself is the “everlasting covenant,” for a covenant by it’s very nature is an agreement about something by two parties. There is a covenant, or agreement between God and His people about the shed blood of Christ. The cross is the only thing in our earthly realm that can be called “everlasting.” No other belief or event can be called “everlasting.” Thats why the gospel is called simply wonderful and wonderfully simple.
“OLD” COVENANT
Made when Israel came from Egypt. This is what God says about what we tend to call an “Old Covenant”
For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will establish with the people 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. (Heb 8:7-10, NIV)
It is more accurate to just call them the first covenant, and the second covenant, but not “the old” or “the new.” The reason it’s not a literal “new covenant” is because once again, it was just something that the people had not done before:
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors 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 LORD. “This is the covenant I will make with the people 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. (Jer 31:31-33)
First promise to obey by the people, Exodus 19:5-8. Second promise, Exodus 24:3. Third promise, Exodus 24:4-7.
This covenant was broken by our human efforts to keep it. Jer 31:32.
As humanity we have always promised to obey in our own strength and failed. It is always and only in Christ’s strength can anyone keep their covenant with God. Thats why John 14:15 says
Scripture says that the covenant made by God with the people was then ratified by blood, Exodus 24:8; Heb 9:17-21
This is called the first covenant, not because it was the first one made, or because its a different gospel, but because it was the first covenant ratified by blood. By the blood of Christ. By the blood of the Lamb, “slain from the foundation of the world.” Thats what makes “the covenant” EVERLASTING.
“NEW” COVENANT
Law of God the basis for the new Covenant. As with what we call “the old covenant,” The New Covenant was simply an agreement about the law between God and His people. Jer 31:33; Heb 8:10. What we now call The New Covenant was actually initiated very early in the Old Testament and will continue until the second coming of Jesus. Otherwise how can it be an “everlasting covenant” as scripture calls it? Forgiveness of sins are a central part of the covenant. Jer 31:34. ONLY Christ’s blood cleanses from sin, 1 John 1:7. Christ is the lamb slain “from the foundation of the world”, Rev 13:8; therefore, the new covenant began in the beginning and extends until sin is destroyed forever at the second coming.
Obedience to the law of God through the blood of Christ is the object of the everlasting, or new covenant, Heb 13:20-21. Technically speaking, it is only called “new” because as people learn about it they realize through The Holy Spirit that it is a way of life in Christ they have never done before. As humanity, we tend to always think “we can do that,” (Exodus 19:8) yet God, in His infinite love, mercy, and grace, tenderly reminds us that “I will do that.” (Jer 31:33, Heb 8:10)
Upon the first promise of a Savior, Gen 3:15 God promised that He alone would establish enmity between His people and the Devil. The Lord pledged the new, or everlasting covenant, to Noah and his posterity, Gen 9:9-17. The rainbow was given as a pledge of the covenant, Gen 9:13-16. This same covenant was pledged to Abraham and his children, Gen 17:2-7; Gen 17:21; and to Abraham’s seed, Gal 3:16; Gal 3:19.
A covenant is very much the same as a will, or a last testament. (Gal 3:15, margin; Heb 9:16-17). The death of testator seals the will, or covenant/testament made , Heb 9:16. Christ’s death sealed or ratified what people often call the new covenant, John 19:28-30. But as we have already seen, the covenant re the blood of Christ is everlasting, being called that “from the foundation of the world.” A person’s will cannot be broken after the death of the testator, Gal 3:15. Therefore, nothing can be added to Christ’s covenant after His death. Nothing else is needed in addition to the shed blood of Christ! (Gal 6:14, Eph 2:13) For that reason Jesus instituted baptism and the Lord’s supper,- HIS divinely appointed memorial of His death and resurrection. Even though Jesus was resurrected on Sunday, Sunday is not THAT memorial. Sunday is simply “the first day of the week” in Scripture.
Christ has, however, reaffirmed the Sabbath commandment before His death, Mat 24:20.
Pray that it will not be winter or the Sabbath day when these things happen and you have to run away,
The strongest advocates for Sunday observance give nothing earlier than the first day of the week upon which Christ arose from the dead as evidence for Sunday observance; but Sunday is on the wrong side of the cross to be included in the everlasting, or new covenant. Nothing can be added to the new covenant after Christ’s death. Scripture provides us with the following illustration of living under what some call the new covenant:
Moses said to the LORD, “You told me to lead these people, but you did not say who you would send with me. You said to me, ‘I know you very well, and I am pleased with you.’ If I have really pleased you, then teach me your ways. I want to know you. Then I can continue to please you. Remember that these people are your nation.” The Lord answered, “I myself will go with you. I will lead you.” Then Moses said to him, “If you don’t go with us, then don’t make us leave this place. Also, how will we know if you are pleased with me and these people? If you go with us, we will know for sure. If you don’t go with us, these people and I will be no different from any other people on the earth.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will do what you ask. I will do this because I am pleased with you and because I know you very well.” Exodus 33:12-17. Moses depended on God continually. Christ exemplified dependence on God fully in His life and ministry too
Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. John 8:28
“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. John 5:30.
The one who walks by faith, trusting in God for help continually, lives under the new/second covenant. The individual who walks by sight, trusting in their own strength, lives under the old/first covenant.
Under which covenant are you living today?
The LORD said to Moses
“I am coming to you in a storm cloud so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always believe you.” Moses told the LORD what the people had said. (Exodus 19:9, GW)
The cloud that guided Israel, stood over the tabernacle. The glory of the cloud emanated from Jesus Christ, who from the midst of the glory talked with Moses, as He had talked with him from the burning bush. The brightness of God’s presence was enshrouded in the darkness of the cloud which He made His pavilion, that the people could endure to look upon the cloud, as seeing Him who is invisible. This is God’s plan whereby He might approach humanity today. Rev 1:7 tells us that Jesus will come again on a cloud. (Rev 1:7) In all the dark clouds of our experience today, Jesus is there. Jesus is the “light of the world” (John 8:12)in every cloud.
Jesus talked to the people again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never live in darkness. They will have the light that gives life.” (John 8:12)
“That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” The world has had its great teachers, men of giant intellect and wonderful research, men whose utterances have stimulated thought, and opened to view vast fields of knowledge; and these men have been honored as guides and benefactors of their race. But there is One who stands higher than they.
“As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.” “No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” John 1:12, John 1:18.
We can trace the line of the world’s great teachers as far back as human records extend; but the Light was before them. As the moon and the stars of the solar system shine by the reflected light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true, do the world’s great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Every gem of thought, every flash of the intellect, is from the Light of the world. In these days we hear much about “higher education.” The true “higher education” is that imparted by Him “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” Col 2:3; John 1:4. “He that followeth Me,” said Jesus, “shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” {DA 464.4}
In the words, “I am the light of the world,” Jesus declared Himself the Messiah. The aged Simeon, in the temple where Christ was now teaching, had spoken of Him as “a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” Luke 2:32. In these words he was applying to Him a prophecy familiar to all Israel. By the prophet Isaiah, the Holy Spirit had declared, “It is too light a thing that Thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.” Isa 49:6, R. V. This prophecy was generally understood as spoken of the Messiah, and when Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” the people could not fail to recognize His claim to be the Promised One. {DA 465.1}