Covenant Principle
This is an oral or written agreement between
mankind and God. Some are conditional,
in which they depend upon man’s fulfillment of it. Some are Unconditional, in which it only
depends on God’s fulfillment on it. Four
have signs from God, but three do not.
There are seven total covenants.
In today’s terms a covenant is a
contract. A legal agreement between God
and man. They have been drawn up by God,
in His Grace, with different people, at different periods, and for different
purposes. It is important for the Bible
student to learn of these contracts, their provisions, parties involved, and
their purpose.
Eden’s
Covenant: This covenant is found in Genesis 1:28-30 and 2:15-17. This covenant orders life in the Garden of
Eden and Adam’s relationship with God.
This covenant is conditional; it depends on Adam being obedient. This covenant was current from the creation
of Adam to the expulsion from Eden. It
is no longer in force today.
“And God
blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish
the earth, and subdue it: and have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every
living thing that moveth upon the earth.
And God
said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face
of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding
seed; to you it shall be for meat.
And to
every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that
creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb
for meat: and it was so.
And the
Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to
keep it.
And the
Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat:
But of
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in
the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
Here are the contents and requirements of
Eden’s covenant:
1. Produce a lot of children (Genesis 1:28).
God’s first command to Mankind was to have a lot of children. A command we today routinely ignore. To “multiply” means to have a great
number. God did not say to not have
children or even to add. God commanded
us to multiply! Instead today we take a
little man-made pill to close the womb that God have opened for us. This is rebellion against God’s Word and His
Will! Today we would rather spend our
money on luxury items, and vacations, on ourselves than to spend it on a large
family as God commanded us.
2.
Subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28).
God commanded us to subdue the earth and all of its life forms for the
benefit of mankind. Man was created
spiritually superior to all other life on the earth and therefore it is ours to
subdue.
3. Have
dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28).
We were created in God’s own image (Genesis 1:27), not any of the
animals or even the earth itself.
Therefore, it is for us to have dominion over the earth and its
creatures.
4. They are to be vegetarians (Genesis
1:29). God gave mankind all of the fruit
from the trees and plants of the earth to eat.
God did not give animals to eat at this time, but He will add animals to
our diet in Noah’s covenant. This also
went for the animals as well (Genesis 1:30).
Animals could only eat fruit and plants, not other animals or man.
5. Adam
must dress the garden (Genesis 2:15).
Adam was commanded to dress the garden and to make it looking nice and
to keep it functional. Even thou it was
the Garden of Eden, I’m sure the trees still needed to be trimmed and so
forth. Men were designed to work and
Adam was no exception.
6. Adam
must keep the garden (Genesis 2: 15). It
seems that Adam was also to keep the garden safe and in his possession. To keep it physically or spiritually, or from
whom, we really do not know.
7. Adam
must not eat of the tree of good and evil (Genesis 2: 17). The first six contents of the covenant were
for Adam to do. The last thing God
mentioned was one thing he could not do.
I am very sure this last item got Adams attention more than the
others. Especially since God in His good
humor, put this “forbidden tree” smack in the middle of the garden! I’m very certain the fruit of this tree
probably looked very delicious! The
first six things Adam did very well, but unfortunately, he also eventually did
the last one too. God had said if he did
eat of the tree of good and evil, he would certainly die. This was true. Adam died physically and also
spiritually. The Apostle Paul would
later write, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Adam rejected this gift and chose death
instead!
Eden’s covenant began with Adam and Eve in the
Garden of Eden enjoying eternal life with God.
The covenant ended with sin introduced into the world which brought
physical and spiritual death.
Adam’s
Covenant: This covenant is found in Genesis 3: 14-19. This is an unconditional covenant, which
means the God will fulfill all of the requirements. It consists of many curses for disobedience
but one great promise of redemption.
This covenant is current from the expulsion from Eden until the end of
the current world. So, it is still in
force today.
“And the
Lord God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed
above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou
go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
And I
will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed;
it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Unto the
woman he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast
eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat from it:
cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all
the days of thy life; Thorns also and
thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the
field;
In the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for
out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou
art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Adam ‘s covenant consists of fourteen curses
and a great promise for the future.
1. The
serpent is cursed above all creatures (Genesis 3:14). This is still true even today. Most human beings are afraid of snakes, or
any reptile for that matter, instinctively.
The only exceptions are people who are raised with snakes at childhood,
like the snake people of India. Even
harmless grass snakes that only eat insects and don’t even have teeth put ear
into the average person.
2. The
serpent must crawl on its belly (Genesis 3:14).
From the textual context here, it is implied that serpents had legs. Snakes probably had four legs like other
reptiles.
3. The
serpent shall eat dust (Genesis 3:14).
Snakes today spend there entire lives crawling around in the dirt. They are bound to eat a lot of dust if only
by accident.
4. The
serpent and women shall be enemies (Genesis 3:15). Almost all women around the world are afraid
of snakes and most or all reptiles. This
is pretty much a universal trait for women.
This is an instinct that God has placed on the hearts of women.
5. The
serpents and woman’s descendants will be enemies (Genesis 3:15). Eve was never afraid of serpents before, that
is why she so freely spoke to one. All
of her descendants are now naturally afraid of serpents. This fear goes all the way back to the Garden
of Eden.
6. The serpent shall be crushed by the woman’s
seed (Genesis 3:15). This is prophecy of the coming of Jesus
Christ. Satan has always been
characterized as a serpent. Jesus Christ
freed mankind from the
bondage of sin at Calvary and defeated Satan forever. Satan has been crushed!
7. The serpent shall fight and lose the woman’s
seed (Genesis 3:15). Jesus Christ was of
the seed of a woman, which was Mary. The
woman’s seed fought and overcame the serpent, which is Satan.
8. The
woman will have painful childbearing (Genesis 3:16). When Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden
of Eden, they began producing children.
As any woman will tell you, it is a very painful experience birthing a
child.
9. The
woman’s desire will be for her husband (Genesis 3:16). While Adam and Eve were in the Garden of
Eden, they lived together in harmony with God.
They were not married to each other and they had a platonic
relationship. Adam and Eve both lived
for God together and equality. After the
expulsion from Eden, Eve had to depend not on God, but now she depended on Adam
for most of her needs. Women’s desire
now was for their husbands instead on God.
10.
The woman loses her independence (Genesis 3:16). While Adam and Eve were in the Garden of
Eden, they were both equal to one another.
After the expulsion Eve depended on Adam for food and shelter and
protection. Life was easy in Eden. From now on life for both of them is much
more difficult. Women from now on are much
more dependent on their men.
11. The
ground is cursed (Genesis 3: 17). In the
Garden of Eden, the land was rich and fertile all of the time. Weeds and thistles never grew; only good
thing to eat grew in abundance. Life was
easy. All Adam and Eve had to do was to
pick and eat and be full. After the
expulsion from Eden life was much more difficult. Weed grew instead of vegetables. Thistles grew in abundance instead of fruit.
12. Adam must eat from the field (Genesis
3:19). If man wanted to eat from now on
Adam will have to plant the crops and eat whatever he could grow. Sometimes the crops would grow and sometimes
they would not grow.
13. Adam must work (Genesis 3:19). As any farmer will tell you crops do not grow
by themselves! They have to be planted
by hand, weeded, fertilized; birds and small animals need to be run off. Then the crops need to be harvested. They do not pick themselves and just jump
into the bucket. Adam had to do all of
this himself and work for his living.
14.
Adam will die and return to the cursed ground (Genesis 3:19). Adam and
Eve had eternal life. They did not grow
old and did not die. That is now
over! Now we live a short life and
die. Our dead bodies are then buried in
the ground. The bodies then rote and
break apart and return back unto the earth.
Noah’s
Covenant: This covenant is located
in Genesis 8:20- 9:17. This covenant is unconditional to man. This covenant does have a sign that we all
know and love. The rainbow we see after
a good rain. It is current from the
Flood unto the end of the current world.
So, it is still in force today.
“And
Noah builded an alter unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of
every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the alter.
And the
Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in His heart, I will not again
curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is
evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as
I have done.
While
the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and
winter, and day and night shall not cease.
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said
unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
And the fear of you and
the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of
the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the
sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Every
moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have, I
given you all things.
But
flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
And
surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will
I require it, and at the hand of every man; at the hand of every man’s brother
will I require the life of man.
Whoso
sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for the image of God made He man.
And you,
be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply
therein.
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;
And with
every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of
every living beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to
every beast of the earth.
And God
said, this is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and
every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
I do set
My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and
the earth.
And it
shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be
seen in the cloud:
And I
will remember my covenant, which is between Me and you, and every living
creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy
all flesh.
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I shall
look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and
every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
And God
said unto Noah, this is the token of the covenant, which I have established
between Me and all flesh that is upon all the earth.”
Here are the
contents and requirements of Noah’s covenant.
1.
God vowed never to curse the ground (Genesis 8:20-21). The first thing that Noah did when he left
the ark was to set up an alter to the Lord and make a sacrifice. Noah was thankful and had a good heart
towards God. So, God vowed never to
curse the ground (flooding) again.
2. God
vowed never to kill all living creatures again (Genesis 8: 21). Just because man’s heart is evil from his
youth, why should all other creatures die?
From now on man will be judged for his own sins.
3. God
commanded Noah and his sons to have a lot of children (Genesis 9:1). God blessed Noah and his family and commanded
them to multiply. God did not say to add
to themselves, but to multiply! This is
the same command God gave Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28. This command has never been
changed or countermanded. It is for us
even today!
4. The
fear of man was put into all animals (Genesis 9:2). As any biologist will confess, all animals
have an instinctive fear of mankind. Why
is this? The Flood.
5. All animals are delivered into our hands
(Genesis 9:2). Mankind has the mental
capacity to kill or capture all and any animal on this planet.
6. All
animals as well plants are food (Genesis 9:3).
God told Adam that they can eat all plant life for food. Now God is adding all animal life (except
with the blood) to our diet. For the
Israelite God will add some restrictions to this, but that will only apply to
the Jews during the Law of Moses. But
for non-Jews there have never been any restrictions since this time.
7.
No one may eat blood (Genesis 9:4).
We are forbidden to eat blood. Blood is to be shed for a
sacrifice and not to be eaten (Acts 15).
Christ would shed His Blood for the redemption of our sins. Blood is an important symbol and is not to be
cheapened.
8. We
may not murder our fellow man (Genesis 9:5-6).
If we murder man we will be murdered by man. In other words, we will reap what we will
sow. This also established the principle
of Capital Punishment; God will no longer deal with murders but no man will police
himself.
9. God
will never flood the earth again Genesis 9:11-17). The rainbow is the sign of the covenant. Every time it rains and the rainbow comes
out, God looks upon it and remembers His covenant with all living things to
never flood the earth again.
Abraham’s
Covenant: This covenant is located
in Genesis 12:1-3. But God clarifies
this covenant three more times in 13:14-17; 15:1-18; 17:1-8. This is a conditional covenant for Abram, He
had to be obedient and leave to this new land. The animal sacrifice in Genesis
15:8-15 and walking between them was the ancient way to seal an everlasting
agreement. Today we get a lawyer and
sign paper contracts. Back then it was
much more personal. Abraham fell asleep
(Genesis 15:12) and it was only God who walked between the animal sacrifice.
This is because God vowed to protect and take care of Abrams future
descendants, but He did not want to confuse Abram of future events.
This covenant does have a sign that was added
later to the covenant. The sign is
circumcision of all males on the eighth day. This sets them apart as a marked
people. It was a mark of separation, purity, and possession. This sign is located in Genesis 17:9-14.
This covenant concludes when this world is
over and until the new heavens and new earth is made. Here is Abram’s Covenant as written in Genesis
12:1-3. So, it is still in force today.
“Now the
Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred,
and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I
will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I
will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in the shall all families of the earth be
blessed.”
1.
Leave your country (Genesis 12:1).
God told Abram to leave his nation and people. He needed to give up the protection that a
country can supply its people. From now
on if Abram gets into trouble he will not have an entire nation to protect
him. God asked Abram to leave all this
and just rely on Him alone.
2. Leave your extended family (Genesis
12:1). Unlike American families, these
families stayed together in one area. A
family would grow, ten to twenty children per woman, and would stay in the same
village, town, or area. Sometimes they
would eventually form a tribe or even a nation.
This family network would provide jobs and work for everyone. God asked Abram to abandon this network and
to rely on Him alone.
3. Leave your father’s house (Genesis
12:1). The father here meaning, family patriarch. It is the family patriarch that provided
direct protection and financial assistance to the immediate family. He was
called father because almost always the family patriarch was the oldest male in
the immediate family. God is in effect
telling Abram that He will be his direct protector.
4. I
will give you land (Genesis 12:1; 13:14-17; 17:8). No promise could be more meaningful then that
of land and children in that day. This
was a big promise to Abram. Even though
the land was empty in that day it is very doubtful that Abram owned
anything. Land was seldom owned, but
controlled by the family patriarch or tribal leader. If they were nomadic then no one owned anything. This promise was a big reward for the faith
Abram would need to fulfill the first three requites by the Lord.
5.
I will give you a lot of descendants (Genesis 12:2; 13:16; 15:5; 17:2,
4-8). As before, no promise could be
more meaningful then that of land and children in that day. In that day children meant security in old
age. It could even mean your very survival. It also was a sign from God that you are
blessed and you are walking rightly before Him.
This last belief is of course incorrect,
but nevertheless, that was the wide spread belief.
6. I
will bless you (Genesis 12:2). God
promised Abram that He would bless him.
To have God bless the works of your hands is a very comforting
promise. It means guaranteed
prosperity. Today Abraham's name is only
next to the name of Jesus Christ, and occurs some three-hundred times in
Scripture.
7. I
will make you a great man (Genesis 12:2).
God said no matter what happens or were I lead you, you will be greatly
respected by the people around you. Men
need and crave respect. It is an
important part of being a man. God
promises Abram respect and honor in life.
8. You
will be a blessing (Genesis 12:2). In
Abram’s mind this meant that God will make him a family patriarch. And indeed, he most certainly was a great
patriarch. The family patriarch was the
one who controlled all of the money and land and he did all of the blessing
that was bestowed on others.
9.
Abrams friends will be blessed and his enemies will be cursed (Genesis
12:3). Other nations are mentioned
throughout Scripture only when they come in contact with the Israelites. England and America have traditionally
welcomed and protected the Jews and have been blessed accordingly. Europe has traditionally cursed the Jews and
has been plagued with wars and disease.
10. All families of the earth will be blessed
through you (Genesis 12:3). This is in
reference to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, the redeemer of all
mankind. In Christ all of the
inhabitants of the earth have been blessed.
Jesus Christ is a descendant of Abram both through the mother, Mary
(Luke 3: 23-38), and Joseph (Matthew 1:1-17).
The blessing is access to God through faith and eternal salvation by the name of all names, Jesus
Christ.
Moses’
Covenant (Law of Moses): As Abraham
was the father of a people, Mosses’ was the founder of the nation. Mosses’ Covenant was given to the Israelite
through Mosses. When Mosses discovered
that he was a Hebrew, he decided to worship the God of the Hebrews. This meant giving up his life of privilege,
and honor, and wealth to live like a slave with his people. Moses’ Covenant is also called the “Law of
Moses.”
This covenant is located in Exodus
20:17-23:19; 25:1-40; 38; Leviticus 11-15; 17-20. This covenant is very large in comparison to
all of the former covenants therefore I will outline it differently.
Moses’ covenant is a conditional covenant for
man. There is a promise of blessing if
the Law is obeyed (Exodus 19:5-6; Leviticus 26:3; Deuteronomy 28:1-4,
29:9). But there is a promise of judgment if Israel did not obey
(Leviticus 26:14-26; Deuteronomy 11:10-17, 28:15-68).
This Covenant has a sign, the Sabbath Day.
This sign was given to the nation of Israel before the Advent of Christ, not to
Gentiles or Christians (Romans 2:12-14; Exodus 20:12,20; 31:12-18; Deuteronomy
5:12-15). The Sabbath was part of the
Law of Moses which was done away with in Christ. Christ did not change the Sabbath but it just
passed away with the Law of Moses.
Moses’ Covenant concluded with the coming of Christ (Galatians
3:19). The Sabbath to the Jews was a day
of rest. Today we rest in a Person,
Jesus Christ, not a day.
1. Moral Laws.
These are the Ten Commandments.
They are located in Exodus 20:1-17 and is repeated in Deuteronomy
5:1-22. Without obeying these ten laws
all of the others are powerless! Nine of
these ten laws are eternal laws and are still in effect today. Only the law to keep the Sabbath has been
discontinued at Calvary.
1. Civil Laws: These were laws to govern the social life of
Israel. These laws are found in Exodus
21-23; Leviticus 11-15, 17-20. These
include laws governing slaves, Exodus 21:1-11. Buying and letting go free,
slave children, and volunteering for slavery.
Laws about violent acts, Exodus
21:12-27. Murder, striking your parents,
stealing slaves, cursing your parents, fighting, striking slaves, striking
pregnant women, and bodily damage.
The responsibilities of owners of
oxen, Exodus 21:28-36. If your ox kills
another, damage done to an ox or by an ox.
Laws about the repayment of stolen animals, Exodus 22:1-15. Repayment and restitution, damages.
Assorted moral and religious laws, Exodus
22:16- 23:9. Sex crimes, witches,
bestiality, idolatry, treatment of strangers, widows, lending money.
Sabbatical day and year, Exodus
23:10-14. Letting the poor eat, no
working.
The three great festivals, Exodus
23:14-19. The feasts of unleavened
bread, harvest, and in gathering.
Animals that may be eaten, Leviticus 11. Which animals were clean or unclean for
eating.
The Purification of woman after childbirth,
Leviticus 12. Ceremonies for women after
childbirth.
Laws concerning skin diseases, Leviticus
13:1-46. Different ways to spot leprosy.
Laws concerning mildew, Leviticus
13:47-59. Cleaning and burning items
with mildew.
Purification
after having skin diseases, Leviticus 14:1-32.
Sacrifice and ceremony.
Mildew in houses, Leviticus 14:33-57. Cleaning and repairing houses with mildew.
Unclean bodily discharges, Leviticus
15. Washing everything that is touched by mochas, blood
or puss.
The sacredness of blood, Leviticus 17. Laws concerning blood of people and animals.
Forbidden sexual practices, Leviticus 18. Public nudity, adultery, sacrificing
children, and homosexuality.
Laws of holiness and justice, Leviticus
19. Holiness, idolatry, offerings,
gleanings for the poor, stealing, sex, swearing, treatment of workers, deaf and
blind, respect of persons, gossiping, hating, revenge, unclean breeding, sex
with slaves, fruit trees, eating blood, witchcraft, cutting hair, tattoos,
prostitution, wizards, and treatment of strangers.
Penalties for disobedience, Leviticus
20. Sixteen laws that required the death
penalty.
2.
Ceremonial Laws: These are laws to
govern the religious life of Israel.
These laws are found in Exodus 25:1-40; 38.
The Ark, Exodus 25: 10-22. Measurements and materials in its
construction.
The table for a bread offering, Exodus 25:
23-30. Measurements and materials in its
construction.
The Lamp Stand, Exodus 25: 31-40. Measurements and materials in its
construction.
The Tabernacle, Exodus 26 Measurements and materials in its
construction.
The Alter, Exodus 27: 1-8. Measurements and materials in its construction.
The Court of the Tabernacle, Exodus 27:
9-19. Measurements and materials in it’s
construction.
Taking care of the Lamp, Exodus 27:
20-21. Oil and operation.
The Garments for the Priests, Exodus 28:
1-14. Who wore these garments and why? Which materials were used to make them?
The
Breastplate, Exodus 28: 15-30.
Measurements and materials in its construction.
The other
priestly garments, Exodus 28: 31-43.
Measurements and materials and engravings and who wore them.
Instructions for ordaining Aaron and his sons
as priests, Exodus 29: 1-37, and wave offering and ceremony with anointing.
Daily offerings, Exodus 29: 38-46. Lamb offerings in the morning and evening.
Altar for burning incense, Exodus
30: 1-10. Measurements and materials in
it’ construction. When to burn incense.
Tax for the Tabernacle, Exodus 30:
11-16. Half a shekel from every person.
Bronze Basin, Exodus 30: 17-21. Where to put it.
Anointing Oil, Exodus 30: 22-33. Recipe for the oil and how to use it.
Incense, Exodus 30: 34-38. Recipe to make it.
Sabbath Day, Exodus 31:12-18. Penalty for
defiling, a sign.
Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16:1-19;
23:26-32. Sin and burnt offering,
sacrifices, scapegoat, and the ceremony.
The Scapegoat, Leviticus 16:20-28. Putting sins upon it and setting the goat
free, then themselves washing.
Observing the Day of Atonement, Leviticus
16:29-34. When and why.
The holiness of the priests, Leviticus
21. They and their families must live a
holy lifestyle, and the penalty for disobedience.
The holiness of the offerings, Leviticus
22. Keeping it ceremonial clean and
inspection of sacrificial animals.
The religious festivals, Leviticus
23:1-4. Proclaims the Sabbath then
introduces the rest.
Passover and unleavened bread, Leviticus
23:5-14. The fourteenth day of the first
month, seven days celebration. Education.
Wave, lamb and meat offerings.
No working.
Harvest festival, Leviticus 23:15-22. Time of the year. Meat, wave, burnt, and drink offerings. Sacrifices.
Gleanings for the poor. No
working.
New year festival, Leviticus 23:23-25. Time of the year, no working.
Festival of Tabernacles, Leviticus
23:33-44. Time of the year, seven
days. Gifts and vows. Living in booths.
Taking care of the Lamps, Leviticus
24:1-4. Oil and location.
The bread offered to God, Leviticus
24:5-9. Cake ceremony with the priests
eating them.
An example of just and fair punishment,
Leviticus 24:10-23. God uses a situation
to set an example for all Israel.
The seventh year Sabbath, Leviticus 25:1-7;
18-22. No farming to let the land rest
for a year.
The year of Jubilee, this has also been
called the year of Restoration, Leviticus 25:8-17; 23-34. No farming for a year. Returning land and possessions to their
original owners. Freeing Jewish slaves.
Loans for the poor, Leviticus 25:35-38. No usury was to be charged.
Release of slaves, Leviticus 25:39-55. Take no Jewish slaves, but pay them to work
until the year of Jubilee. Keeping
foreign slaves. A rich foreigner that
sells a poor Jew into slavery can be redeemed by a relative.
Blessings of obedience, Leviticus
26:1-13. Rain in season, land will
increase, plenty of food, safety and peace, victory in battle, many children.
Punishment of disobedience, Leviticus
26:14-46. Disease, heartbreak, famine
and drought, defeat in battle and occupation, wild beasts will kill children
and animals, scattered among the heathen.
Laws concerning gifts to the Lord, Leviticus
27. Making vows of money unto the
Lord. The priests shall estimate persons
or property.
David’s
Covenant: This covenant is located
in 2 Samuel 7:8-19. David’s Covenant was
made with David, thru the prophet Nathan, five-hundred years after the era of
Moses. This covenant was made by God and
is unconditional and eternal (2 Samuel 7:14).
This Covenant has a sign in Luke 2:11-12, “For unto you is born this
day, in the city of David, a savior, which….”
The covenant is in two parts. The
first part is what God has already has done for David. The second part is what God will do for
David. Here is the covenant.
“I took
thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people,
over Israel:
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have
cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name,
like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
Moreover,
I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may
dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of
wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
And as
since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have
caused thee to rest from all thine enemies.
Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
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
forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him
with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it
away from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
And
thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy
throne shall be established forever.”
What God has already done:
1. I took you from the sheepcote (2 Samuel
7:8). A sheepcote is a very small,
temporary shelter for sheep. God reminds
David of his very humble origin in which God has called David from. Shepherd’s like David had to sleep at night
with his sheep in such a shelter. Just
in case it is all starting to go to David’s head!
2. I
made you ruler over Israel (2 Samuel 7:8). Just a little reminder that it was really God
that has installed David to the throne of Israel. God was working behind the
scenes to make it all happen.
3.
I was with you (2 Samuel 7:9).
God has placed his Spirit upon David (Psalm 51:11). God was with David
the entire time of his journey to the throne of Israel. Just like today, without the Spirit of God in
our lives we can do nothing.
4. I
defeated your enemies (2 Samuel 7:9). It
was really God the whole time that directed the fighting. David had been outnumbered the whole time.
5. I
made you a great man (2 Samuel 7:9).
Clearly, without the Holy Spirit David would not have achieved so
much. And this had given David a great name among the people.
6.
I will appoint a place for Israel (2 Samuel 7:10). The people will remain in the Promised Land
by the hand of God. They are there today.
What God will do:
7. The
wicked will not afflict Israel (2 Samuel 7:10).
As long as they stay obedient, God will not let other peoples hurt or
dominate the people of Israel. Israel
stayed the dominate power in that are for the next eighty years.
8. I
will make your descendants rulers of Israel (2 Samuel 7:11-12). David’s descendants will continue to rule
over Israel, as long as they remain obedient.
Jesus Christ is a direct descendant of David.
9. Your
son will build God’s Temple (2 Samuel 7:13).
King Solomon did in fact build the Temple. David collected the material’s ad Solomon had
it built.
10. Your throne will be eternal (2 Samuel
7:13,16). Jesus Christ is the descendant
of David through his father and mother.
Jesus Christ is eternal, so the throne of David is eternal.
11. God will have a close relationship with
David’s descendants (2 Samuel 7:14).
This is historically correct. God did work with the following
king’s after David.
12.
Their sin will be punished by man (2 Samuel 7:14). God uses man to do His will. This is the case with most things.
13. God’s Mercy will never be taken away from
David’s descendants (2 Samuel 7:15). We
still have it today though the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ!
The New
Covenant: This Covenant is located
in Jeremiah 31:31-34. It is later
fulfilled in Acts 2, and explained in Hebrews 7-9. It has no conditions and is eternal. The covenant began in Acts 2 and is here
today. Here is the New Covenant.
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took
them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they
brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
But this shall be the covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my
law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
And they
shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying,
Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the
greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will
remember their sin no more.”
This is the great promise from God to Israel
of a coming New Covenant that will be much greater than Moses’ Covenant that
the Israelis just could not keep. Even
though this covenant was promised to the Jews, God had promised from the very
beginning that He was going to graft into Israel, the Gentile nations (Exodus
4:22; Hosea 11: 1). Later, when the New
Covenant was created, they were grafted into this new Kingdom (Romans 9:4; 2
Corinthians 6:18; James 1:18).
This prophecy
was made to Israel by the mouth of Jeremiah only a few short years before the
Jews are taken away into captivity in about 606bc. The people know was is
coming, but they will not repent to the LORD of their sins if
disobedience. Jeremiah gave some of the Jews hope of a coming day of
salvation in the midst of their dire situation.
Here is the promise that was spoken by Jeremiah.
1. A future covenant (Jeremiah 31:31). This covenant will not be now, but in the
future. “…the days come…” Jeremiah
is very clear that this is a prophecy of the future. It was prepared by Christ and began upon His
death on the cross, and was fulfilled in Acts 2.
2.
This covenant is with the Jews (Jeremiah 31:31). It is clear that this covenant is with the
house of Israel and Judah. But remember
Christians have been grafted into these houses.
3. A new
covenant (Jeremiah 31:32). This is not
Moses’ Covenant or a continuation of the same. This will be a completely new
covenant.
4. Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33). God said that He would put this new law into
our hearts and our inward parts. Later
in Acts 2 we see the fulfillment of this with the coming of the Holy Spirit in
the lives of Christians.
5. They
shall know me (Jeremiah 31:34). Everyone
today knows who the LORD is and is all about.
In Jeremiah’s time this was not the case. Only Jews, or someone who knew a Jew had an
understanding of their God. Today
everyone knows the LORD. But we
Christians know Him in a deeper way upon receiving the Holy Spirit. We read the Word to learn of Him, but to know
God is to be filled with His Spirit.
The covenant of Moses, or the Law of Moses, is
now obsolete now that Christ has come (Hebrews 8:13). It has been made obsolete because Christ has
made a better covenant with us (Hebrews 7:19; 8:6-7). Moses’ Covenant originated on earth in Mt.
Sinai (Galatians 4:24-25), but the New Covenant originated in heaven from New
Jerusalem above (Galatians 4:26-27). Moses’ Covenant was totally impossible
to obey (Romans 8:3) and brought nothing but death and condemnation (2
Corinthians 3:7-9). But the New Covenant
brings life (Ephesians 2:1-13) and was fulfilled perfectly by Christ (Luke
22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). Moses’
Covenant they were required to bring annul atonement for their sins (Hebrews
9:7-8; 10:1-4) and this restricted their access to God (Hebrews 9:7-8). But the New Covenant removed sin once and for
all in our lives (Hebrews 9:12; 10:2,22) and opened up our access to God
(Hebrews 9:15-16).
William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.
