OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT
When looking at the historical
context one must go back to the Abrahamic Covenant. This was an eternal
covenant that was dependent on God not man. It is an unconditional covenant,
and there are certain parts that are important to the discussion of the new
covenant. “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will
curse; and all peoples on earth will be
blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3). Not just would his descendants be blessed
through him, but all the peoples of the earth which is all consuming. "...they [Israel] were also
commanded to sacrifice 70 bullocks during the feast [Num. 29:12-38]. Why?
Because the number of the original nations of the earth was 70 [they are listed
in Gen. 10], and the feast celebrated the ingathering of all nations into God's
Kingdom; thus atonement was made for all.”[1]Israel
was to be a representative of God through all the earth. They were to be a
kingdom of priests, a holy nation. The problem that existed was that they were
born with a sin nature as all are.
Within
the linage of Christ, one finds the gentiles represented by Ruth, Rahab, Tamar, and
Bathsheba who may or may not have been a gentile as the wife of a Hittite.
These women converted to Judaism, and were worthy of being part of Christ’s
linage. “Some
Old Testament references to the New Covenant do anticipate the involvement of
Gentiles. Isaiah
55:5 says that Israel "will summon nations" and those Gentiles
"will hasten to you [Israel] because of the Lord your God" (v. 5).”[2]
Rodney J. Decker asked
the question, “If a covenant has not yet been ratified or inaugurated can
additional provisions be added to older promises of the covenant?”[3] He looks
at the process that God used in the making the Abrahamic Covenant. From the
first time that God talks to Abraham about the covenant that he will make with
him to the ritual there are several changes made. The process of the new
covenant could be similar. The difficulty with this is that it was consummated
with Christ resurrection. God does not always give us all the details we would
like to have. Before Christ was taken up into heaven he gave the “Great
Commission”, so we understand what we are to do. We are to further His kingdom
here on earth. Part of this is being conformed to the image of Christ. These
would apply to the new covenant as seen in the New Testament.
The
words New Testament in Greek would be new covenant. Christ laid down his life
for mankind. “This is my blood of the new
covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt.
26:28). The New Testament opens for mankind the life, ministry, and
Christ’s role as Messiah. It is through these writings that he is revealed, and
man can find redemption.
“Therefore, Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that
those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that he
has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first
covenant. In the case of a will, it is necessary to establish the death of the
one who made it, because the will does not take effect until the one who has
made it has died; it cannot be executed while he is still alive” (Hebrews 9:
15-17).
Jeremiah
31:31-33 speaks of a new covenant that will bring spiritual healing. God loves
his people Israel. He may discipline, but he also heals. Israel was never
faithful to the Mosaic covenant, and so there will be a new covenant. The
Mosaic covenant depended on both Israel and God to be faithful. God always
upheld his side, but Israel failed constantly. Christ set man free from the law
of sin and death (Romans 8:1-3). Man needed God’s Word written on his heart, so
it was internalized, and he could live and walk in it.
Jeremiah establishes a future occurrence by stating “days
are coming.” The kingdoms of Israel and Judah had broken both the Mosaic and
the Deuteronomic Covenants by worshipping other gods, and refusing God’s Word.
The people were not able to keep the requirements of the covenants which put
them at odds with God. The history of Israel was filled with worship of pagan
gods. There were only short times of devotion and worship of the one true God.
The people just could not maintain a continual worship of God, but God was
always faithful to them.
We see this in the book of Judges where the people would go
into, idolatry, but when things got intolerable it was not their false gods they
called on, but the one God. They knew His power and His strength. He would send
a judge to help them, and bring them back to Him, but when the judge was gone
they would go back to their idols.
God
would institute a new covenant which would be accomplished through the life,
death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “…I
will put My law in their mind, and write it on their hearts; and I will be
their God, and they shall be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33b). “In 2
Corinthians 3:6-18 the Apostle Paul contrasted two covenants: The Mosaic
Covenant, and the New Covenant. On the one hand there are the tablets of stone,
the letter, a ministry of death and fading glory. On the other hand, there are
tablets of flesh (human hearts), the Spirit, a ministry of life, and surpassing
glory. The first has passed away. The second is now reigning. Paul claimed to
be a minister of this New Covenant.”[4] If Paul and the other
disciples are ministers of the new covenant then the new covenant would have to
be in effect, but not fulfilled. When looking at Jeremiah and Ezekiel it is
difficult to connect the church to the new covenant. The church may walk under
the blessing of God, but the New Covenant would appear to be meant only for
Israel and Judah. This is where the issues arise.
INTERPRETATION
There are different takes on the new
covenant. Some feel that the church replaces Israel, and fulfills the new
covenant now. Others feel there is a new covenant for the church and another
for Israel. They feel that while the church is fulfilling their new covenant,
Israel will not fulfill theirs until the final events occur at Christ's return.
Still another group feels the new covenant is only for Israel, and will be
fulfilled at some future date. There are others, but the one that makes the
most since is “the church presently participates in the new covenant
while national Israel fulfills the
new covenant in the future.”[5]
The
new covenant is unending and immutable. Christ was connected to Israel through
his lineage which is laid out in the Gospels, and it is through the new
covenant that Israel will be restored and find a permanent relationship with
her God. The Old and New Testament testify to this. It is through Abrahams seed
that all nations of the earth are blessed (Genesis 22:18). It is through
Abrahams line that Christ came who is the Savior of the world. It is through
Christ that the whole world was and is blessed. Christ was part of the
fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant.
Christ
lived, died and was resurrected to redeem all men whether Jew or gentile, and
the converts after Christ death were both Jew and gentile. Paul was
specifically sent to the gentiles to bring them to salvation. “For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Whosoever
covers everyone. Salvation is offered to anyone who will receive Christ. “Believers
in the present age participate in the forgiveness of sins, they are recipients of
the Spirit’s ministry, and they enjoy the benefits of Christ’s high priestly
ministry. These are directly related to the new covenant which Christ has
ratified in His death.”[6]
“Walvoord
has also conceded that there is one covenant with application to Israel and to
the church and to anyone saved by the death of Christ. In Scripture the
application of the New covenant is explicitly to the church in the present age
and to Israel as a nation in the future as far as millennial blessings are
concerned The New covenant is also the basis for a new rule of life according
to the dispensational setting of those involved. Such a New covenant has
already been brought in by the death and resurrection of Christ. Both Israel
and the church derive their salvation and spiritual blessing from the same covenant,
that is, the covenant of grace made possible by the death of Christ.”[7]
Ezekiel 36:24-28 speaks of a future
time, and what would be the equivalent of a new covenant. In verse 24 God
speaks of gathering His people from all the nations and countries, and bringing
them into their own land. God speaks of their profaning his name in all the
nation’s and he will do these things because of his holy name, and He will
sanctify his name among the nations, and the nations will know that “I Am the
Lord”. God speaks through Ezekiel, and it is powerful. God will cleanse them
and give them a heart of flesh. “This promise is repeated in 36:26, in the
context of forgiveness of the sins that had caused expulsion from the land, and
of renewed blessing in the land”[8] These
things are like the new covenant spoken of in Jeremiah. God will not only heal
them physically but spiritually as well, so they will be His people. Romans
12:1 and 2 speak of the living sacrifice and in Ezekiel we see the people as a
living sacrifice to God. Gentiles are not included in this except that they
will see what God does for His people and they will know that he is God. To
know that He is God is to desire Him.
PAUL’S TEACHING ON THE TOPIC
The new covenant is mentioned in
Jeremiah with a promise that God would achieve for his people what the old
covenant had failed to do. The New Testament which interprets the new covenant
reveals Christ, and the work he did for the redemption of mankind. “Likewise,
He took the cup after supper saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which is shed for you” (Luke 20:22). The new covenant was a better covenant.
There are three areas that Paul discusses that shows the contrast between the
old and new covenant. The old covenant was written on stone, and it was
glorious, but it would pass away. “Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh
will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans
3:20). Through the law no one will be declared righteous. The law exposes the
sin, but cannot eradicate it. The law can lead us to the path of righteousness, but
because we have a sinful nature the law can only bring death. “For if those who
are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is of no affect,
because the law brings about wrath, for where there is no law there is no
transgression.
The second area Paul discusses is
that of justification and sanctification. When an individual comes to God
through the work that Christ did through his life, death, and resurrection God
declares him righteous. The Holy Spirit empowers the person to be able to live
according to the will and purpose of God. Everything God does is with a
purpose. The law that was given to Moses was necessary, and it served a
purpose. In the prior paragraph the purpose of the law was discussed. The law
was not just a Jewish thing, but a mankind thing. If one looks at the ten
commandments the reality is mankind recognizes that these things are wrong
whether they want to call it sin or just something that is going to cause
disharmony with their fellowman. They are as important today as when they were
given to Moses. Paul’s ministry was and is as relevant today as it was when it
was written, because it leads man to God. Salvation is not dependent on man’s
ability to keep the law, because he will fail every time. “Therefore, let it be
known to you, brethren, that through this man(Christ) is preached to you the
forgiveness of sin; by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things
which you could not be justified through the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-39). The
law simply cannot save. If it could have Christ would not have needed to die.
The law brought condemnation. “There is therefore no condemnation to those who
are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to
the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).
The third area Paul discusses is the
fact that the old covenant was passing away, and the new covenant was now in
place. The old covenant was glorious, but what Christ had done was even more
glorious. Moses’ face would shine after spending time with God. “So, when Aaron
and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin on his face shone,
and they were afraid to come near him” (Ex. 34:30). It is interesting that in 2
Cor 3:13 Paul suggests that Moses puts the veil over his face to keep the
people from seeing what was passing away. There is no suggestion in Ex. 34 that
the shekinah glory was fading from Moses’ face. It is difficult to compare this
section of Scripture with what is said in Exodus. Duane Garrett commented on
the fact that scholars treat this as though it has little to do with Exodus 34,
because of Paul’s way of dealing with it. “Paul transfers the veil from Moses' face to
his opponents' hearts at verse 15. According to many translations of verse 14,
moreover, the veil is some kind of inability to understand Torah that can only
be removed "in Christ."[9] This is used to show that there was a veil over the hearts of the
people to keep them from being aware that the old covenant was passing away. When
Moses would go to speak with God he would remove his veil. This can be
significant for Christians as we can come before God through the blood of
Christ. What a glorious experience, but the people had to have someone to be
there intercessor before God. The new covenant allows the Christian access to
God. Paul says, “Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of
speech- unlike what was passing away” 2 Cor. 3:12). We can look to Christ who
is the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb.12:2a).
APPLICATION FOR CHRISTIANS TODAY
The wonderful thing is that though
there has been no change in the law our connection to the law is changed. We
are His children and he is our Father. He takes care of us, and we work here on
earth to further His Kingdom. As Paul called himself a bondservant to Christ,
so are we. We love to serve him. We are in relationship with Him. We can come
boldly before the throne of grace. “Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Our sins are all forgiven. “If the
Son therefore shall make you free, you are free indeed” (John 8:36). “There is
therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). We can rest in his love,
and in fact spread His love where ever we go. People need the love of God. He
gives us a new heart, and we are in a strong relationship, and our relationship
with him gives us strength, guidance, and wisdom. We have the Holy Spirit
indwelling in us to guide us and direct us. We do not have to worry, because we
know that “all things work together for good to them who love God, and are
called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). In the Father there is peace,
love, and “joy unspeakable and full of glory”
“The New Testament (covenant!) documents thus should be looked at
as instructions as how to live out the new covenant in the present age.”[10] In the
world today people are very busy, but busy becomes much easier to endure when a
person is running on Word and prayer power.
CONCLUSION
It is true that the new covenant and
the church do not alter the fact that Israel is chosen of God, and that they
will one day recognize Christ as their Messiah. “And I
will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they
have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourn for his only
son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness
for his firstborn” (Zachariah 12:10). They rejected Christ as their
Messiah. They wanted someone to free them from their earthly bondage not their
spiritual bondage. Very often in our humanness we forget that God’s concern is
with our spiritual growth, and for some reason we often learn better in hard times
then in easy times. God has not forgotten Israel. They are beloved of Him, and
they will come into their own.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[2] Rodney J. Decker.
“The Churches Relationship to the New Covenant”. Bibliotheca Sacra 152 (July-September 1995) 290-301, (accessed
December 11, 2017), 295.
[7]Rodney
J. Decker. “The Churches Relationship to the New Covenant”. Bibliotheca Sacra 152 (*October-
December 1995) 431-56, (accessed December 11, 2017), 433.
[8] Lasor, Hubbard,
and Bush. The Survey of the Old
Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
1996, 367.
