|
COVENANT: |
|||||||||||||||||
| ABRAHAMIC COVENANT ~1900BC |
MOSAIC COVENANT ~1445BC |
NEW COVENANT 605-586BC => ~33AD |
|||||||||||||||
|
To whom was this covenant cut (Ge 12:1, 2, 3)? Abraham Who else was Abraham's Descendants What did God promise Abraham? Nation Who is the seed according to (Gal 3:16)? Seed = How long was the land promised to Abraham (Ge 13:15, 17:8)? Forever What were the conditions of the Abrahamic Covenant (Ge 15:12, 18)? Unconditional What happened when Abraham was promised the a seed like the stars? He believed and was declared righteous. How did Abraham enter into this Covenant? (Ge 15:6) By faith What was preached to Abraham when God presented the promises of this covenant? (Gal 3:8) The Gospel Who did Abraham ultimately believe in (Gal 3:16)? The Messiah Abrahamic Covenant: Unconditional Everlasting Never invalidated Declares God's promises of a… Nation These promises are still valid for they have NEVER been abrogated. Remember that anyone who lived prior to the coming of Messiah was saved in the same way Abraham was… by believing in the promise of the Seed (cf Habakkuk 2:4, cp Ro 1:17). Believers in the OT looked toward the Cross, whereas NT believers look back to the Cross. ><> ><> ><> SUMMARY Abrahamic: To Abraham/seed Old Covenant To Israel so Israel would be holy New Covenant To Jews first Not remember sin Return to the land God their God They His people fear in hearts give one way Everlasting Unconditional Put Spirit within Cause to walk in His statutes Includes Gentiles because Jesus broke down dividing wall: The Law. |
Where and when was the Old Covenant (OC) given (Ex 19:2)? Mt Sinai After Israel had been delivered from Egypt (400/430 years after the Abrahamic Covenant) Who was the OC given to (Ex 19:3, 4)? Nation of Israel Through whom was the OC given (Ex 19:7, 8)? What is the term for his role? Moses What type of covenant was the OC, unconditional or conditional (Ex 19:5, 6)? Conditional What were the conditions OC (Ex 19:5, 6)? IF… THEN “If you obey my commands and covenant then you shall be my possession” What did God command Israel not to do regarding the people in the Land ? (Ex 23:32, 33) Do not cut covenant with them or their gods Do not let them live in the land Why not covenant with them? What was the response of the people to the OC conditions ? We will do all! Gave their oath How would you sum up the problem with the OC? It could direct their conduct but not change their character
Where was the OC written (Ex 24:12)? Tablets of stone What was the purpose of the tabernacle (Ex 25:8? God might dwell among them Now look at Deut 28-30 where God amplifies the conditions and promises of the Old Covenant
What is God's primary charge to Israel in (Dt 28:1)? Diligently Obey How does this correlate with what God called Israel to be? Ex 19:5, 6? God's possession God desires - (cf Lev 11:43, 44, 45, 1Pe 1:14-note, 1Pe 1:15, 16-note, 1Pe 1:17-note) What did God promise Israel for obedience (Dt 28:2, 63)? All the blessings (read Dt 28:2-14) would come upon them God would delight to prosper & multiply them (Dt 28:63)
What did God promise if they disobeyed (Dt 28:63, 64, 65, 66)? He will delight to Torn from the land Scattered Made to serve false gods No rest Eyes would fail Trembling heart Despair of soul No assurance of life (Note most of chapter speaks of judgments) What does this show about God? What was the message of Deut 29? God reminds them He had been faithful to Covenant for their 40 years in the wilderness (food, clothing, protection, etc) & He calls them to "keep the words of this covenant to do them, that you may prosper in all that you do" (Dt 29:9) What does He warn them of? Of the dangers of turning away from God to serve the gods of the nations. What is the cause of the judgment to the land (Dt 29:25, 26, 27, 28)? Forsook God of the Covenant and sought after other gods What did God reiterate regarding the land if they disobeyed? Uproot from the land What promise does God give in the midst of His prophecies of judgment (Dt 30:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)? Restore, gather, bring back to the land - the key = He will circumcise their hearts (a prophetic picture of the new heart in the New Covenant) (See Circumcision - Internal vs External) What was Jehovah's desire for and clear instruction to Israel in (Dt 30:19, 20)? He set before them Life & death Choose Life |
Let's look briefly at Israel's history for context… At Solomon’s death, what happened because of his sin (cf 1Ki 11:11, 12, 13)? 10 North = Israel 2 South = Judah What happened to Northern 10 tribes (cf 2Ki 17:6ff) ? Why were the 10 Northern tribes taken into captivity (cf 2Ki 17:7ff)? Disobedience to Old Covenant Sin against God Worshipped idols Curses of Deuteronomy Jeremiah 31 When was Jeremiah prophesying?
What did God promise in the midst of pouring out His wrath (Jer 31:31-note)? A New Covenant To whom was the NC promised (Jer 31:31,33-note)? House of Israel What does the Hebrew word “New” mean? What are God's NC promises (Jer 31:33,34-note)? Law on heart God their God They His people All know the Lord Forgive iniquities Remember sins no more What happened to Judah in 586BC? Jerusalem fell And yet what had God promised Abraham? A Nation How did the NC address Israel's longevity as a nation (Jer 31:35, 36, 37-note)? Israel would never cease to be a nation What assurance was given with this promise? (Jer 31:35, 36, 37-note) If the fixed order of the moon and stars departed then Israel would not be a nation If heavens could be measured, then Israel would be cut off as a nation. Israel has never and will never cease to be a nation What is God’s promise concerning THE LAND (Jer 32:37, 41)? 37 Bring them back to the land & in safety 41 Faithfully plant them in the land. Where did promise of THE LAND originate and how long was the promise valid? (Ge 13:15, 17:8, 48:4, 2Chr 20:7) Abrahamic Covenant Everlasting How long Not everlasting NOTE: Abrahamic Covenant guaranteed "Title" of the LAND to Israel. The Old Covenant added regulations [obedience] to show Israel how she could possess the LAND promised to Abraham [Ge 15:18, Ex 23:31] Israel will never cease to be a nation & will one day possess the LAND when their heart is circumcised [Dt 30:6, Ro 2:28, 29-note] enabling them to obey God's law. When? In the Millennium What did God promise in (Jer 32:38, 39, 40)? They His people God their God Give 1 heart, 1 way to fear Him always Everlasting covenant Will not turn away Put fear in hearts > will not turn away (Godly fear functions to cause us to turn away from sin - Pr 3:7, 8:13, 14:27, Neh 5:15, Job 1:1, 28:28, Ec 12:13,14, 1Pe 1:17 cp Ge 39:9) How did Jeremiah describe Judah's heart in Jer 17:9, 10? Deceitful Desperately sick Since the heart of every problem is the problem of the heart, let's look at how God addresses the "heart issue" in Ezekiel 11 Ezekiel 11 597BC Captive to Babylon
What did he ask God when one of the leaders died as Ezekiel prophesied (Ezek 11:13-note)? What was God's response? (Ezek 11:16, 17, 18-note) Gather scattered tribes & give the land & they would remove detestable idols How would they be able to remove all the detestable things? What is God's promise (Ezek 11:19, 20-note)? Gives one heart, a new spirit within Not ruled by a deceitful heart Ezekiel 36
What did the NC promise in Ezek 36:24-note? (Context: Jehovah will do this to prove Himself holy) God will… Take, gather, bring Israel from nations into their own land What is God's promise in (Ezek 36:25-note)? Sprinkle clean water on & cleanse from all filthiness & idols
|
What wonderful NC promise does God give in (Ezek 36:26, 27-note)? God will… Put new spirit in Remove heart of stone Give heart of flesh Put His Spirit within > cause them to walk in His statutes What would be the people's responsibility (Ezek 36:26, 27-note)? Be careful to observe His ordinances What was the promise of the NC in (Ezek 36:28-note)? Live in the land (given to forefathers) Be God's people He their God (Oneness of covenant) What is the New Covenant of grace? The Gospel of Christ - The good news of Jesus Christ How does Ro 1:16 (note) amplify this truth? Gospel is power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew 1st & also Greek Why the Jew first? (Jn 1:11) Jesus came to His own but they did not receive Him.
What did Jesus say to the Canaanite woman in (Mt 15:22, 23, 24 )? "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" But if we keep reading, we note she keeps pleading (Mt 15:25, 26, 27) and finally Jesus heals her (Mt 15:28) which shows He came to save not only Jews, but Gentiles. See below for the more specific way Gentiles shared in the New Covenant that was initially given to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Ephesians What was problem with Gentiles? 1) Separate from Christ 2) Excluded from commonwealth of Israel 3) Strangers to the covenants of promise - including the New Covenant promises! 4) Having no hope 5) Without God in the world
How are they brought near? (Eph 2:13- note) How did Jesus rectify this sad state? See Eph 2:14-note; Eph 2:15-note) Jesus broke down the barrier of the dividing wall He abolished in His flesh the enmity = the Law What was the dividing wall or barrier a picture of? What did barrier do? What was the mystery revealed (Eph 3:6 - note)? Gentiles are fellow heirs & fellow members of the body (church) & fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus thru the gospel.
What truth do many Gentile believers not understand regarding our relationship to Jews? Gentiles are grafted into the promise of life in Jesus thru the Jews, who were the only members of the early church for the first 8 years. Thus Gentiles should not be arrogant regarding the Jews.
Hebrews 8 How does Heb 8 pull this together? Who is our High Priest according to (Heb 8:1,2-note)? What comparisons are made in this chapter? How did Moses erect the tabernacle (Heb 8:5-note)? Earthly = shadow & copy What is the comparison between the ministry of Moses and Jesus in (Heb 8:6-note)? Why the difference? Jesus > excellent Better promises Why was a second covenant necessary (Heb 8:7 note)? First was not faultless Where did the fault lie -in the Law or in the people? (Heb 8:8, 9-notes) (disobedient & followed other gods)
How did God respond (Heb 8:9-note)? Did not care for them What is God's "solution" (Heb 8:10-note)? What is the capstone of the NC prophesied in Jeremiah (Heb 8:12-note)? God would show mercy and (literally) "not at all, no never" remember their sins!
What is the condition of the OC in light of the revelation of the NC (Heb 8:13-note)?
What great truth in the NC made the OC obsolete? (Clue: Where was each written?) OC: tablets of stone God's Law is now written on our hearts - Are we free to live lawlessly? Absolutely Not! Have you entered into the NC so that His law is written on your heart causing you to walk in His statutes? |
||||||||||||||
SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
Relationship of Church to the New Covenant:
The Bible Knowledge Commentary has an excellent summary which addresses the question…
How is the church related to the New Covenant? Is the New Covenant being fulfilled in the church today? Ultimately the New Covenant will find its complete fulfillment during the Millennium when Israel is restored to her God. The New Covenant was made with Israel (Jer 31:31,33-note) just as the Mosaic Covenant had been (Jer 32:32). One key element of the New Covenant is the preservation of Israel as a nation (Jer 32:35, 36, 37) (Ed note: Remember God's promise to Abraham to make him a "great nation" in Ge 12:1, 2, 3). However, though the ultimate fulfillment of this covenant awaits the millennial reign of Christ, the church today is participating in some of the benefits of that covenant. The covenant was inaugurated at Christ’s death (Mt 26:27, 28 Lk 22:20), and the church, by her union with Christ, is sharing in many of the spiritual blessings promised to Israel (cf. Ro 11:17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27; Eph 2:11,12; 13; 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22) including the New Covenant (2Cor 3:6; Heb 8:6, 7; Heb 9:15; Heb 12:22, 23, 24). But though the church’s participation in the New Covenant is real, it is not the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise. The fact that believers today enjoy the spiritual blessings of the New Covenant (forgiveness of sins and the indwelling Holy Spirit) does not mean that spiritual and physical blessings will not be realized by Israel. That still awaits the day when Israel will acknowledge her sin and turn to the Messiah for forgiveness (Zech 12:10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Zech 13:1). Some Bible scholars, however, take a slightly different view. They see one covenant (a covenant of grace), which God will apply to Israel in the Millennium and is now applying to the church in this present age. In both views the New Covenant is made possible by the blood of Christ. (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., et al: The Bible Knowledge Commentary. 1985. Victor or Logos) (Bolding added)
STUDY THE PROPHETIC PROMISES OF
THE NEW COVENANT TO ISRAEL
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Below are OT Passages that describe or foreshadow the New Covenant God promised to Israel in Jeremiah 31. Note that time phrases are highlighted in bold green letters. Note also that this list of allusions to the New Covenant in the Old Testament is not intended to be exhaustive.
See Walter Kaiser's article - The Old Promise and the New Covenant - Jeremiah 31:31-34
NEW COVENANT IN DEUTERONOMY 30:3-6
Deuteronomy 30:3 (See in depth Deuteronomy 30 Commentary) "So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you (the final fulfillment of the "curse" will come about during the three and one-half year period that Jesus declared would be "The Great Tribulation" = "The time of Jacob's Distress" Jeremiah 30:7-note (cp Great Tribulation in Mt 24:15,21, Indignation Da 11:36-note, Is 26:20, Time of distress Da 12:1-note), see also the chart on the seven year period that immediately precedes Messiah's return = Daniel's Seventieth Week -- see Great Tribulation, see Timeline of Jewish & Gentile History according to Daniel) and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you (the Jews today are dispersed throughout the whole world), (See related in depth study of Daniel 9:24; 25; 26; 27)
Deut 30:2 and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart (because they have a new heart from the New Covenant!) and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons
Deut 30:3 then (when Messiah returns) the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you.
Deut 30:4 If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back (including those in the so-called 10 lost tribes that went into captivity in Assyria in 722BC).
Deut 30:5 And the LORD your God will bring you into the land ("The Land" which was promised forever {Ge 13:15} to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers (in May, 1948 the nation of Israel was miraculously reborn {witness this incredible story for yourself in the DVD Israel - A Nation Is Born} but this is only a partial fulfillment of the Deuteronomy 30:1-6 prophecy. The perfect fulfillment will occur in the 1000 year or Millennial Reign of the Messiah - see map of Israel in the Messianic age).
Deut 30:6 Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants (a reference to the New Covenant God revealed more clearly some 800 years late by Jeremiah in Jer 31:31, 32, 33, 34-note. The fulfillment of this prophecy parallels Rev 19:11, 12, 13, 14, 15ff [see notes] - Paul described this in Romans 11:25, 26, 27 - see notes Ro 11:25; 26; 27) when Messiah returns at the end of the 3.5 year Great Tribulation and brings His chosen people, those Jews who have received a "heart transplant" into their promised land, the land of Israel, to possess it in during the 1000 year Millennium thus bringing about the fulfillment of Jehovah's covenant promises to Abraham), to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live. (chay = Hebrew for "To have life" = this has always been the Father's heart for Israel. See his desire and charge in Deuteronomy 30:19, 20)
NEW COVENANT IN PSALMS
PSALM 105:8
Psalm 105:8 He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,
Spurgeon comments on Psalm 105:8 in Treasury of David…
He hath remembered his covenant for ever. Here is the basis of all his dealings with his people: he had entered into covenant with them in their father Abraham, and to this covenant he remained faithful. The exhortation to remember (Ps 105:5 - See Spurgeon's note) receives great force from the fact that God has remembered. If the Lord has his promise in memory surely we ought not to forget the wonderful manner in which he keeps it. To us it should be matter for deepest joy that never in any instance has the Lord been unmindful of his covenant engagements, nor will he be so world without end. O that we were as mindful of them as he is.
The word which he commanded to a thousand generations. This is only an amplification of the former statement, and serves to set before us the immutable fidelity of the Lord during the changing generations of men. His judgments are threatened upon the third and fourth generations of them that hate him, but his love runs on for ever, even to "a thousand generations." His promise is here said to be commanded, or vested with all the authority of a law. It is a proclamation from a sovereign, the firman of an Emperor whose laws shall stand fast in every jot and tittle though heaven and earth shall pass away. Therefore let us give thanks unto the Lord and talk of all his wondrous works, so wonderful for their faithfulness and truth.
John Calvin comments on Psalm 105:8 that…
s a long series of years had elapsed between the promise and the performance, the prophet uses the word "remember," intimating that the Divine promise does not become obsolete by length of time, but that even when the world imagines that they are extinguished and wholly forgotten, God retains as distinct a remembrance of them as ever, that he may accomplish them in due season.
PSALM 106:45
Psalm 106:45 And He remembered His covenant for their sake, And relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.
Spurgeon comments on Psalm 106:45 in Treasury of David…
And he remembered for them his covenant. The covenant is the sure foundation of mercy, and when the whole fabric of outward grace manifested in the saints lies in ruins this is the fundamental basis of love which is never moved, and upon it the Lord proceeds to build again a new structure of grace. Covenant mercy is sure as the throne of God.
And repented according to the multitude of his mercies. He did not carry out the destruction which he had commenced. Speaking after the manner of men he changed his mind, and did not leave them to their enemies to be utterly cut off, because he saw that his covenant would in such a case have been broken. The Lord is so full of grace that he has not only mercy but mercies, yea a multitude of them, and these hive in the covenant and treasure up good for the erring sons of men.
PSALM 111:9
Psalm 111:9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name.
In Treasury of David Spurgeon comments on God's covenant in Psalm 111:9…
He hath commanded his covenant for ever. His divine decree has made the covenant of his grace a settled and eternal institution: redemption by blood proves that the covenant cannot be altered, for it ratifies and establishes it beyond all recall. This, too, is reason for the loudest praise. Redemption is a fit theme for the heartiest music, and when it is seen to be connected with gracious engagements from which the Lord's truth cannot swerve, it becomes a subject fitted to arouse the soul to an ecstasy of gratitude. Redemption and the covenant are enough to make the tongue of the dumb sing. (Spurgeon's Note)
In Morning and Evening Spurgeon has the following comments on Psalm 111:9…
The Lord’s people delight in the covenant itself.
It is an unfailing source of consolation to them so often as the Holy Spirit leads them into its banqueting house and waves its banner of love.
They delight to contemplate the antiquity of that covenant, remembering that before the day-star knew its place, or planets ran their round, the interests of the saints were made secure in Christ Jesus.
It is peculiarly pleasing to them to remember the sureness of the covenant, while meditating upon “the sure mercies of David.” They delight to celebrate it as “signed, and sealed, and ratified, in all things ordered well.”
It often makes their hearts dilate with joy to think of its immutability, as a covenant which neither time nor eternity, life nor death, shall ever be able to violate—a covenant as old as eternity and as everlasting as the Rock of ages.
They rejoice also to feast upon the fulness of this covenant, for they see in it all things provided for them.
God is their Portion,
Christ their Companion,
The Spirit their Comforter,
Earth their lodge, and
Heaven their home.
They see in it an inheritance reserved and entailed to every soul possessing an interest in its ancient and eternal deed of gift.
Their eyes sparkled when they saw it as a treasure-trove in the Bible; but oh! how their souls were gladdened when they saw in the last will and testament of their divine Kinsman, that it was bequeathed to them!
More especially it is the pleasure of God’s people to contemplate the graciousness of this covenant. They see that the law was made void because it was a covenant of works and depended upon merit, but this they perceive to be enduring because grace is the basis, grace the condition, grace the strain, grace the bulwark, grace the foundation, grace the top stone.
The covenant is…
a treasury of wealth,
a granary of food,
a fountain of life,
a store-house of salvation,
a charter of peace,
and a haven of joy.
NEW COVENANT IN ISAIAH
ISAIAH 32
Isaiah 32:15-20 Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high (the New Covenant, cf God giving them His Spirit in Ezekiel 36:26), and the wilderness becomes a fertile field and the fertile field is considered as a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness will abide in the fertile field. 17 And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever. 18 Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation, and in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places; 19 And it will hail when the forest comes down, and the city will be utterly laid low. 20 How blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters, Who let out freely the ox and the donkey.
ISAIAH 43
Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am the one who wipes out (blots out so as to eliminate the record of) your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins." (These promises are fulfilled in the New Covenant - see Jeremiah 31:34 below)
ISAIAH 54
Isaiah 54:9 "For this is like the days of Noah to Me; when I swore that the waters of Noah Should not flood the earth again. So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, Nor will I rebuke you. (This oath is reflected in the terms of the New Covenant promised to Israel and Judah)
10 "For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake (the unshakeable nature of God's oath in the New Covenant), but My lovingkindness (hesed is God's loyal, faithful love which is often used in the context of covenant) will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken," Says the LORD Who has compassion on you.
11 "O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, Behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and your foundations I will lay in sapphires.
12 "Moreover, I will make your battlements of rubies, and your gates of crystal, and your entire wall of precious stones.
13 "And all your sons will be taught of the LORD (this is one of the promises of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:34); and the well-being of your sons will be great.
14 "In righteousness you will be established. You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; and from terror, for it will not come near you." (This idyllic description is fulfilled for the nation of Israel during the 1000 year reign of Messiah, the Messianic Age, the Millennium)
ISAIAH 55
Isaiah 55:3 "Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen (second time He told them to "listen" = this is important!), that you may live (in contrast to that described in Isaiah 55:2); and I will make (cut) an everlasting covenant with you (cp Heb 13:20-note), according to the faithful mercies shown to David. (NET Bible renders this verse "Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David" -- this "covenant" the New Covenant, although note that some feel it is a reference to the Davidic Covenant = 2Sa 7:16. The NET Bible rendering allows for this to be a reference to both of these covenants)
4 "Behold, I have made Him a Witness (in context this is the Messiah) to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 "Behold, you (redeemed Israel composed of Jews who have entered the New Covenant by grace through faith) will call a nation you do not know, and a nation which knows you not will run to you, because of the LORD your God, even the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you."
ISAIAH 59
Isaiah 59:20 "And a Redeemer will come to Zion (Paul described this in Romans 11:25; 26; 27 - see notes Romans 11:25; 26; 27), and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," declares the LORD.
21 "And as for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the LORD: "My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring," says the LORD, "from now and forever."
ISAIAH 61
Isaiah 61:1-commentary The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me (MESSIAH), because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news (THE GOSPEL) to the afflicted. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners;
2 To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD (MESSIAH'S FIRST COMING), and the day of vengeance of our God (MESSIAH'S SECOND COMING); to comfort all who mourn,
3 To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
4 Then (after the return of the Messiah and during the Millennium, the 1000 year reign of Christ) they will rebuild the ancient ruins. They will raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.
5 And strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.
6 But you (BELIEVING ISRAEL) will be called the priests of the LORD. You will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land. Everlasting joy (BENEFIT OF THE EVERLASTING NEW COVENANT) will be theirs.
8 For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; and I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant (New Covenant - cp Heb 13:20-note) with them.
9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations (GENTILES), and their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring whom the LORD has blessed.
NEW COVENANT IN EZEKIEL
(See Table above for Ezekiel 11 and Ezekiel 36)
Ezekiel 16:60-note "Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth (most probably a reference to the Abrahamic Covenant since it was everlasting and God's favor was bestowed without merit on those who entered it - His remembrance in the present context is clearly an act of undeserved lovingkindness), and I will establish an everlasting covenant (this is the New Covenant - cp Heb 13:20-note) with you. 61 "Then (in the Millennial Kingdom) you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; and I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant. 62 Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD (the same promise of the New Covenant outlined by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 31:31, 32, 33, 34) 63 in order that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done (because of the New Covenant which as Jesus explained "is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness [Greek word aphesis means an action causing a separation = a secular legal term meaning to cancel a debt] of sins." Mt 26:28) " the Lord GOD declares.
Ezekiel 18:30 ""Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! (referring to the New Covenant) for why will you die, O house of Israel? (This is a clear invitation from Jehovah to sinful Judah to repent ["cast away"] and enter the New Covenant [by grace through faith] for it was the only means provided for sinful man to obtain a brand new spiritual heart. It was unnecessary for them to die in their sins [and then to die the second death in the Lake of fire] when they could turn from their transgressions and unto the New Covenant, as God had promised earlier in Ezekiel 11:19, 20, and truly live, not just physically but spiritually). 32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live."
Ezekiel 20:33-40 foretells the future judgment of the Jews, who are still alive at the termination of the Great Tribulation, recording
"As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out (refers to the Great Tribulation, a time of purifying when 2/3's of Israel will not come through the fire), I shall be king over you. And I shall bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered (predicts a worldwide regathering of Israel, a regathering we have been witnessing since the birth of the nation of Israel in May, 1948), with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; and I shall bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I shall enter into judgment with you face to face. As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt (alluding to the judgment in which most of the Jews who came out of Egypt were not allowed to enter into the Promised Land of Canaan because of unbelief), so I will enter into judgment with you," declares the Lord GOD.
"And I shall make you pass under the rod (By means of the judgments during the Great Tribulation judgments, the rebellious Jews who refuse to believe in Messiah will be purged out, but 1/3 will be regenerated, the so-called faithful remnant), and I shall bring you (God Himself engineers this spiritual transaction, which speaks of His grace and mercy) into the bond of the covenant (an allusion to the New Covenant not the Old Covenant of Law - cf Jer 31:31, 32, 33, 34-note) and I shall purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I shall bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel (part of the 2/3's who are purged - see Zech 13:8, 9. Walvoord states "This is to be interpreted as a judgment of physical death, and they will be raised from the dead at the judgment of the great white throne after the millennium to participate in the destiny of all the wicked."). Thus you will know that I am the LORD. (The Jews who are regenerated will turn away from seeking to establish their own righteousness and will seek the righteousness of God through Jesus the Messiah and that will bring about their national regeneration. It is going to be a new nation, a regenerate nation that will enter the Millennial Israel under King Messiah. Notice that the description given does not mention any resurrection from the dead and it may be assumed in view of the fact that regathering is a prerequisite to the judgment that this applies only to the living Israelites in the world at the time of the second coming.)
"As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD, "Go, serve everyone his idols; but later, you will surely listen to Me, and My holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols. For on My holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel," declares the Lord GOD, "there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land; there I shall accept them, and there I shall seek your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your holy things. (Ezekiel 20:33-40) (See related study The Millennium 2)
Ezekiel 37:21-commentary "And say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations (THE GENTILES) where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land (FULFILLING THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB); 22 and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations, and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms. 23 And they will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God (THE PROMISE OF THE NEW COVENANT). 24 And My servant David will be king over them (LITERALLY THIS READS "DAVID" AND THE MOST NATURAL INTERPRETATION IS DAVID IN HIS RESURRECTED BODY OF COURSE WILL RULE OVER ISRAEL IN THE MILLENNIUM AND MESSIAH WILL OF COURSE BE OVER HIM. SOME THINK THIS REFERS TO MESSIAH THE SON OF DAVID WHO WILL CLEARLY REIGN OVER ALL PEOPLES FROM JERUSALEM), and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes, and observe them. 25 "And they shall live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons, and their sons' sons, forever; and David My servant shall be their prince forever. 26 "And I will make (cut) a covenant of peace (this is God's New Covenant with Israel) with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them (cp Heb 13:20-note). And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. 27 "My dwelling place also will be with them (THIS IS THE PROMISE OF THE NEW TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM DURING THE MILLENNIUM WHICH IS DESCRIBED BEGINNING IN Ezekiel 40:5 through Ezekiel 48) and I will be their God, and they will be My people. 28 And the nations (GENTILES) will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies (SETS APART, MAKE HOLY) Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever."
NEW COVENANT IN JEREMIAH
Jeremiah 24:7 'And I will give them a heart to know Me (NEW HEART IN THE NEW COVENANT), for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.
Jeremiah 31:31-commentary "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.
33 "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
34 "And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
35 Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day, And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name:
36 "If this fixed order departs From before Me," declares the LORD, "Then the offspring of Israel also shall cease From being a nation before Me forever."
37 Thus says the LORD, "If the heavens above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done," declares the LORD.
38 "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the city shall be rebuilt for the LORD from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.
39 "And the measuring line shall go out farther straight ahead to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah.
40 "And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, or overthrown anymore forever."
Jeremiah 32:39-commentary and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good, and for the good of their children after them. 40 "And I will make (cut) an everlasting covenant (NEW COVENANT-cp Heb 13:20-note) with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.
41 "And I will rejoice (translated "delight" in Dt 28:63 WHERE HE DELIGHTED TO DO THEM HARM BECAUSE OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE) over them to do them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.
42 "For thus says the LORD, 'Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them.
43 'And fields shall be bought in this land of which you say, "It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans."
44 'Men shall buy fields for money, sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the Negev; for I will restore their fortunes,' declares the LORD."
Jeremiah 50:4 "In those days and at that time," (AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF THE MESSIAH) declares the LORD, "the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as they go, and it will be the LORD their God they will seek.
5 "They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces in its direction; they will come that they may join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant (NEW COVENANT - cp Heb 13:20-note) that will not be forgotten.
NEW COVENANT IN HOSEA
Hosea 2:18 "In that day (what day? When Messiah returns in Revelation 19:11, 12, 13, 14, 15ff to fulfill all His promises to Israel) I will also make (cut) a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds of the sky, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and will make them lie down in safety.
19 "And I will betroth (engage for matrimony and in the Ancient East was equivalent to and as binding as the actual marriage vow) you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in lovingkindness (His loyal love reflecting His unswerving commitment - a covenant word) and in compassion (tender affection),
20 And I will betroth (Don't miss the repetition of betroth which speaks of the intensity of the Father's love for and desire to restore His "wife" Israel - in Jer 31:32-note JEHOVAH DECLARED "I WAS A HUSBAND TO THEM") you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know (this word speaks of an intimate knowing even as a husband would be intimate with his wife) the LORD (this is the New Covenant God promised to Israel in Jeremiah 31).
21 "And it will come about in that day (TIME OF THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF MESSIAH -see Millennium) that I will respond," declares the LORD. I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth,
22 And the earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine, and to the oil, and they will respond to Jezreel.
23 "And I will sow her for Myself in the land. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' (here the New Covenant promises are prophetically spoken to the Jews for in their rebellion they were not God's holy people. In the New Testament Paul takes this same verse and applies it not to the unbelieving Jews but to the unsaved Gentiles in Romans 9:24, 25, 26 (See notes Ro 9:24; 25; 26) as does Peter in 1Pe 2:10 (note), both quoting from Hosea 2:23) And they will say, 'Thou art my God!'" (Glory!!!)
NEW COVENANT IN ZEPHANIAH
Zephaniah 3:9-commentary "For then (when Messiah returns to defeat the kings and nations gathered against Him in Revelation 19) I will give to the peoples purified lips, (for as Jesus explained the lips reflect the heart condition declaring in Matthew 12:34 "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart") That all of them may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder. (Read the verses that follow Zephaniah 3:9 describing the Millennial reign of Messiah. Fascinating!)
NEW COVENANT IN ZECHARIAH
Zechariah 12:10-commentary "And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, (in the New Covenant, compare God cleansing them from all their filthiness in Ezekiel 36:25 and giving them His Spirit in Ezekiel 36:26, 27) so that they will look on Me (their Messiah) Whom they have pierced and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.
Zechariah 13:1-commentary "In that day (what day? when Messiah returns at the end of the Great Tribulation) a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity.
Zechariah 13:8-9-commentary "And it will come about in all the land," Declares the LORD, "That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it (part of the spiritual "remnant" of national Israel). 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God. (This is one of the aspects of the New Covenant in Jer 31:33-note)"
><> ><> ><>
THE NEW COVENANT INAUGURATED & RATIFIED
An understanding of the internal work (in their heart, metaphorically speaking) that was clearly spoken of in the Old Testament Scriptures helps one understand what Jesus meant when he addressed the "externally clean" but hypocritical Pharisees…
You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it (without heart cleansing, the external is a lie, a spiritual "facade") may become clean also. (Matthew 23:26)
In the Gospels Jesus' inauguration of the New Covenant effectively terminated the Old Covenant (see Heb 8:13-note; cp Mark 7:19; Ro 10:4; 14:14). At the last Passover Jesus' announced that the New Covenant in His blood would be inaugurated by the shedding of His blood. The actual inauguration and ratification of the New Covenant occurred on the Cross when He suffered and shed His blood -- the blood of the New Covenant.
MAJOR FEATURES OF
THE NEW COVENANT
Frederick Diven summarizes the major features of the New Covenant as recorded in the Old Testament…
1. The covenant was made with the nation of Israel (Jer. 50:4,5)
2. The covenant is in contrast to the Mosaic Covenant, which depended on the obedience of Israel for its fulfillment (Jer. 31:32-note).
3. The major portion of the covenant will be fulfilled after the Great Tribulation (Jer. 30:7-note).
4. The New Covenant will take the place of the Mosaic Covenant and will be written “in their hearts” instead of on tablets of stone (Jer. 31:33-note).
5. The New Covenant will feature great spiritual blessings for the people of Israel (Ezek. 36:26, 27, 28, 29, 30-note).
6. The New Covenant will reveal the glory of God so that it will no longer be necessary to witness to others (Ps. 72:19; Jer. 31:34-note).
7. The New Covenant will feature forgiveness, grace, and blessings (Jer. 31:34-note).
8. In the covenant God promised the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Ezek. 36:27-note; Joel 2:28, 29).
9. There will be universal knowledge of Jehovah among the people of Israel (Jer. 31:34-note).
10. The covenant includes a promise that Israel will obey God and have a right attitude toward Him forever (Jer. 32:39, 40). (Israel My Glory : Volume 51 Issue 4. 1999)
Related Resources
Multiple Studies on the Covenants
Dr. S Lewis Johnson
Titus 1:1-4; Ro 9:1-15 Covenants - Everlasting & Historical
Genesis 2:8-17 The Edenic Covenant
Genesis 6:18, 9:8-17 The Noahic Covenant
Abrahamic Covenant
Genesis 12:1-3, 15:7-21 The Abrahamic Covenant - Pt 1
Romans 11:1-10 The Abrahamic Covenant - Pt 2
Romans 11:11-27 The Abrahamic Covenant - Pt 3
Genesis 9:1-17 The Universal Covenant
Genesis 12:1-3 Abrahamic: Fundamental Covenant
Genesis 15:7-21 Ratification of Abrahamic Covenant
Genesis 17:9-27 Sign of the Abrahamic Covenant
Genesis 17:1-8 The Sealing of the Covenant
Mosaic Covenant
Exodus 19:1-8, 24:1-8 The Mosaic Covenant
Palestinian Covenant
Deuteronomy 29, 30 The Palestinian Covenant
Davidic Covenant
2 Samuel 7:1-11 The Davidic Covenant - Pt 1
2 Samuel 7:12-17 The Davidic Covenant - Pt 2
Isaiah 11:1-12 Davidic Covenant and OT Prophecy
Acts 15:13-18 Davidic Covenant NT Fulfillment
2 Sa 7:1-17 Ps 89; Lu 1:26-33 Davidic Covenant - I
Rev 3:7, 5:5, 22:16; Acts 13:26-37 Davidic Covenant- II
New Covenant
Jeremiah 31:31-34 New Covenant and Prophecy - Pt 1
Matthew 26:26-29 New Covenant and Prophecy - Pt 2
Hebrews 8:1-13 New Covenant and Prophecy - Pt 3
Romans 11 New Covenant and Prophecy - Pt 4
Miscellaneous Articles - Free
The Old Promise And The New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31-34 by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. - In this article Kaiser identifies 16-17 major OT passages that relate to the New Covenant.
The New Covenant with Israel - John F. Walvoord
The New Covenant with Israel - John F. Walvoord
Irony in Jeremiah’s Prophecy of a New Covenant - Wilber B. Wallis
The New Covenant And New Covenant Theology - Larry D. Pettegrew
The New Covenant - Larry D. Pettegrew
The New Covenant And New Covenant Theology - Larry D. Pettegrew
The New Covenant and the Church - Homer A. Kent, Jr
What is the Relationship of the Church to the New Covenant? - Andy Woods
What Is the New Covenant “Law” in Jeremiah 31-33 - Femi Adeyemi
New Covenant Theology And The Old Testament Covenants - William D. Barrick
Miscellaneous Articles
The Theological Journal Library on galaxie.com
An annual $50 or monthly $5 subscription (click here) is required to view the entire article but will give you access to literally thousands of conservative articles. Click the following links to search by topic, author, or bible reference.
The Church’s Relationship to the New Covenant - Rodney J. Decker
The New Covenant- Its Problems, Certainties and Some Proposals - Carl B. Hoch, Jr
The Relationship of the Church to the New Covenant - Russell L. Penney
A Theology Of The New Covenant- The Foundations Of New Testament Theology - Ronald E. Diprose
A Comparison Between The Old Covenant And The New Covenant - Richard W. Gray
How Does the Church Relate to the New Covenant? - Richard Daniels