Old Covenant . . . New Covenant

Jeremiah 31:31-32 says, "The time is coming," declares The Lord,  "When I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke My covenant, though I was a husband to them."

In our last five messages we have learned:

What Is A Covenant?

How Was The Old Blood Covenant Established?

The Old Blood Covenant Started As An Unconditional Covenant.

Jehovah God Changed It To A Conditional Covenant At Mt. Sinai.

God's Covenant People Could Not Keep The Conditional Covenant.

There was a problem with the Old Blood Covenant. Notice what Hebrews 8:7 says, "For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another." Additionally, Hebrews 10:3-4 says, "But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

What was the exact problem with the Old Blood Covenant? The sacrificing of animals was only a reminder of sins. It did not clear one's conscience of their sins and was not forgiveness of sins. As a result, Jehovah God says in  Hebrews 8:10, "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be My people."

Next week we will start studying how Jehovah God established the New Blood Covenant and how we can all become partakers of the New Blood Covenant! Bless His Holy Name!

May The Lord Bless You This Day And Every Day,

Frank 

Old Covenant . . . New Covenant

Our continuing study comparing the Old Blood Covenant with the New Blood Covenant has shown that the Old Blood Covenant started as an Unconditional Covenant with God making numerous promises to Abraham and his descendants that are all being fulfilled. Any kind of response by His people was not necessary. Then when God's people arrived at Mt. Sinai, God changed the covenant to a Conditional Covenant meaning God's people will have to obey the Ten Commandments and an additional 613 laws to keep the covenant.

The message this week will show whether God's people obeyed the requirements of the Conditional Covenant. Exodus 32:1-4 says, "When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, 'Come, make us gods who will go before us' Aaron answered them, 'take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing and bring them to me.' So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool."

It did not take very long for the people to break the Conditional Covenant and they broke it in the most offensive way before God. While Moses was still on Mt. Sinai with Jehovah God, Aaron and the people decided to set up a false god to worship in the form of a golden calf. They immediately broke the first commandent that says, "Thou shall have no other gods before me."

There are consequences to not obeying God and His Conditional Covenant. However, we learn that as part of the Conditional Covenant, when one of God's people sinned, then they could sacrifice an animal before receiving God's judgement. This is clearly explained in Leviticus 1:1-4. The animal sacrifice atones for the sin but is not "Forgiveness Of Sins."

Next week we will learn why there was a need for a New Blood Covenant. Please stay tuned!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank

  

Old Covenant . . . New Covenant

We are in the process of a detailed study comparing the Old Blood Covenant with the New Blood Covenant. The study has shown the early stages of the Old Blood Covenant illustrating Jehovah God making numerous unconditional promises to Abraham and his descendants which He has kept. This was known as an Unconditional Covenant. However, God changes the Old Blood Covenant to a Conditional Covenant at Mt. Sinai.

Exodus 19:1,3,5 says, "In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt - on the very day - they came to the Desert of Sinai . . . Then Moses went up to God and The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, 'This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel . . . Now if you obey Me fully and keep My Covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession.'"

How did God change the Old Blood Covenant to a Conditional Covenant? Notice in verse 5 God says to His people in order to keep My Covenant "You must fully obey Me." The people responded to this new directive from Jehovah God saying "We will do everything The Lord has said."

Then Jehovah God called Moses to come up to the top of Mt. Sinai and God spoke to Moses the words of the Ten Commandments. {Exodus 20:1-17} Why did God change the Covenant to a Conditional Covenant based on His people obeying the Ten Commandments? Exodus 20:20 shows Moses responding to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."

Exodus Chapters 21,22 and 23 show an additional 613 laws which God gave to Moses for the people to also obey. How did the people respond to these additional laws? Exodus 24:3 says, "Everything The Lord Has Said We Will Do."

Next week's message will answer the following question, "Did God's People Fully Obey The Conditional Covenant?

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care Each Day,

Frank

Old Covenant . . . New Covenant

Our last two messages have started a study comparing the Old Blood Covenant with the New Blood Covenant. These messages revealed Jehovah God contacting Abraham and explaining that He will establish the Old Blood Covenant through Abraham and his descendants. Last week's message illustrated how God actually established the Old Blood Covenant.

We will now explain how God continued the Old Blood Covenant through Abraham's son Isaac. Genesis 17:1,2,7,8 says, "When Abraham was ninety-nine years old, The Lord appeared to him and said, 'I am God Almighty, walk before Me and be blameless. I will confirm My covenant between Me and you and will greatly increase your numbers . . . I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendents after you for the generations to come to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.'"

Jehovah God is again telling Abraham that He is establishing the Old Blood Covenant through Abraham and his descendants and that He will greatly increase their numbers. Notice also God states this covenant is "Everlasting" and He says again He is giving Canaan (Israel) to Abraham and his descendants.

Then in Genesis 17:15,16,17,19 God explains to Abraham how the Old Blood Covenant will be continued, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her . . . Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?' . . . Then God said, 'yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you will call him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.'"

Is anything too difficult for Jehovah God? Just as Jesus was miraculously born through the virgin Mary, God birthed a son through 100 year old Abraham and 90 year old Sarah. God clearly stated the Old Blood Covenant will continue through Isaac and his descendants!

Next week we will study how the Old Blood Covenant changes from being Unconditional to Conditional. Stay tuned!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank