Moreover, what
is generally overlooked by many Christian teachers is the fact that there
are SEVERAL covenants!
1. The first
covenant is G-d’s covenant with Abraham in order to create a people unto
Himself, of
which circumcision is the SIGN[16].
2. The second
covenant is the inheritance of a land, a literal geographical area, made
irrevocable by a
divine oath.
3. The third
covenant is the one known as the “old testament” and is based on Torah.
This is the first
blood
covenant for it was ratified by Moses with the sprinkling of animal blood
on the people.
4. The fourth
covenant is with King David, irrevocably established with G-d’s oath by
His own holiness,
that David’s throne shall endure forever, with a Son of His loins sitting
on it, and that David’s line,
house, children would continue before the L-RD.
5. The fifth
covenant is the one known as the “new testament”. This new blood covenant
was
instituted by Yeshua in His own blood. The blood of Messiah effectively
annulled the “animal blood”
foundation of the first covenant as well as the lordship
of Torah.
G-d’s plan
with the first covenant was to call forth a people who would be His own
people. They would be His people and He would be their G-d. Through this
people and by this covenant, G-d created a “root” - called
"Sion"[Y]
- which would give rise to a new, cultivated olive tree whose purpose was
to conceive a new race of man, immortal, no longer subject to the law of
sin and death.
This first
covenant in effect created “a womb”, Israel, for the Promised Seed of salvation,
G-d’s own Son, Yeshua the Messiah. At the appointed time, G-d sent His
Promised Seed into this “womb” prepared within the righteous parameters
of Torah.
G-d’s Seed
appeared within this “womb” as the Anointed One, the awaited Savior
of G-d’s people. The Body of this Seed would likewise grow inside
this womb as believing Jews and Gentiles were grafted into it[17].
Like an embryo grows in its mother’s womb so does the Body of Messiah grow
inside Israel until full “gestation” or growth has been reached.
When the time of birth comes, the womb will begin to contract.
It is obvious
to all that the womb – Israel - has entered into her birth pangs.
The “sign”
of this covenant signals the immortal, eternal nature of Abraham’s ultimate
descendants who will walk in the "circumcision of Messiah" as a new creation
through faith and baptism, the former nature of mortal, sinful flesh having
been "circumcised".
The circumcision
of this covenant is on that body organ which emits the “seed” and furthermore
takes place on the 8th day, which points to a new beginning – Bereshit/Genesis
III - of a new heaven and earth, to be inhabited by a new race of immortal
men who are neither Jew nor Gentile but the true seed of Abraham still
called “Israel.”
After Abraham
“sowed” the promised “seed”, his son Isaac of supernatural birth, into
G-d’s promise of making him the father of a multitude, G-d confirmed the
covenant concerning Abraham’s descendants with an oath[18],
which altered the covenant made in the flesh into an ETERNAL one. The fulfillment
of this covenant is Messiah, that Promised Seed of supernatural birth,
in Whom the sinful nature is discarded through baptism as is the foreskin
in circumcision. For the “old” man shall not inherit in the Kingdom of
G-d[19].
The second
covenant G-d made with Abraham, also called through Isaac and Jacob, was
the promise of Land inheritance upon entrance into Canaan[20].
This
covenant was confirmed with G-d’s OATH. While the first covenant was conditional
upon Abraham’s performance, this second one had no such terms.
This covenant
of promised land G-d sealed with heavenly fire and a pot of glowing,
smoking coals from G-d’s heavenly altar[21].
This “geographical” area termed “My Own Land” by G-d stretches from the
great river Euphrates to the Egyptian river, the Nile.
The cross has
not abolished this covenant. Scripture labels this “geographical” area
also “the pastures of G-d”[22] Who has not
by any means relinquished them: Judea is His “Sceptre,” and Samaria alias
Ephraim His “helmet.” Furthermore, G-d has spoken by His holiness that
“with exultation[23] He will divide up Shechem,”
which is known today as the “Palestinian” town of Nablus; “and portion
out the Vale of Succoth,” which is the large valley surrounding and running
from Shechem and the hills where Jacob and all his household had encamped,
and from where one could see the Tabernacle at Shiloh[24].
G-d caused
His Land to have a Sabbatical of almost two millennia, with the rightful
heirs of the Land scattered abroad among the nations. But He also promised
in numerous Scriptures that He would bring the literal, natural descendants
of Jacob, the offspring of Israel BACK into their OWN Land.
This Land is
like a “tithe” from the whole earth, which G-d separated unto Himself to
be His own possession. He repeatedly refers to it as “My” Land, “My OWN”
Land, and that He has given it to Jacob and his descendants after him as
an everlasting possession. Hence, it is THEIR OWN LAND.
The salvation
of G-d is more than stated by Milo, for whom all comes to a climax at the
cross. For while the cross obliterates the Old blood covenant based on
the works of the Law; brings to an end the system of atonement through
animal sacrifice and the power of the devil over sin and death, it signals
the BEGINNING – Bereshit/Genesis II - of G-d’s new creation.
Yeshua’s shout
from the cross, “IT IS FINISHED!”, indicated that the first phase
of what G-d the Father was raising up was accomplished. The completion
of the second phase is announced with another “It is finished!”
following the 7th bowl of divine judgment of this present age and the Babylonic
system. A third “It is done!” is uttered after the second resurrection
and the great white throne judgment when the new heaven, i.e. another galaxy
with a new earth will have materialized[25],
the old Milky Way spiral having rolled up with a terribly loud noise and
gigantic flames into an extremely dense, immeasurably heavy, mere “spot”[26].
This will be
the time when ALL shall have been accomplished.
G-d judged
sin
on the cross, nailed the lordship of the old blood bond with its
legal demands and curses to it, and by it stripped the devil
of his power, which is death[27]. By the cross
G-d disarmed the principalties and powers, making a public spectacle
of them and triumphing over them[28].
On the cross Yeshua atoned for sin and died unto sin, delivering
whosoever believes on Him from the power of sin[29].
The Son of G-d came to destroy all the works of the evil one and this He
accomplished on the cross for whosoever receives Him[30].
Those who believe
not remain in the power of the devil, subject to sin and death and the
judgment of the Great White Throne. The victory of the cross does not benefit
them.
The cross,
Yeshua’s shed Blood and broken Body, water baptism[31]
and baptism with the Holy Spirit opens the DOOR into the Presence of G-d[32].
We enter not only His courts but also His Sanctuary.
“I AM the Way,
the Truth and the Life,”[32U]
Yeshua said. For all who believe, the cross transformed these words into
new life.
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