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A Fulfilled Covenant is a Finished Covenant

At the cross, the covenant between God and Israel was declared void. Jesus declared the bilateral covenant between God and Israel, with all its commandments and regulations, null and void. Consequently, God abandoned the nation of Israel because of their persistent unfaithfulness. This is why Jesus pronounced this final benediction upon Israel. “Behold your house is left unto you desolate.” (Matthew 23:38, {KJV} what did He mean with these solemn words? The Jews regarded the temple at Jerusalem as God’s dwelling place. They believed they were (a) the apple of God’s eye, and (b) safe from the threat of any nation. (Deuteronomy 28; Jeremiah 7:4; Luke 21: 5,6) Israel did have an opportunity to be the apple of God’s eye, but they forfeited this great opportunity by rebellion. They could have been safe from the threat of other nations, but they chose to rebel. “The Great I Am” came and lived in their midst, but they rejected Him. So, what did Jesus mean when He said, “Your house if left unto you desolate?” He meant that “never again” would His presence enter that temple. Their house of worship (the centerpiece of their religion) was declared an empty hollow building. A desolate house is an empty house and the Shekinah would never return to it. John says, “He came unto His own and His own received Him not.” (John 1:11, {KJV} In A.D. 70 Jesus sent the Romans army to destroy Jerusalem. He fulfilled the terms and conditions set forth in the blood covenant through His death on the cross. Not only did He shed His blood to fulfill the covenant, He demanded their blood for unfaithfulness. (See Deuteronomy 28:44,45 and Daniel 9:26,27) When the Roman army burned Jerusalem, no two stones of the temple were left standing together. (Matthew 24:2) The Romans pulled the temple apart looking for the gold that melted in the great calamity. Jesus decreed an end to the temple that bore His name and contrary to what many Christians believe, it will not be built again. To ensure His decree remains perpetual, Jesus moved the Moslems to build the Dome of the Rock on that site.

Two Covenants Fulfilled

The blood shed at Calvary fulfilled the unilateral covenant given to Adam and Eve, as well as the bilateral covenant between God and the nation of Israel. A fulfilled covenant is a finished covenant. The animal offerings required under the blood covenant pointed forward to Jesus’ death. When He died, the covenant ended because Jesus’ blood had been shed-the shadow was replaced with reality! (Colossians 2:17) God designed the blood covenant (the Mosaic covenant) from the beginning to be a “tutor” or schoolmaster to explain the wonderful dimensions of the Plan of Salvation. If Israel had properly understood the object lessons of salvation, it would have had an endless supply of wonderful themes to share with the whole world. (Galatians 3:24-26, {KJV} Incidentally, the Mosaic covenant was not designed as something that belonged exclusively to Israel. While they were the trustees of salvation and the first in line to benefit from it, God promised to bless all nations through Abraham by allowing Gentiles to partake of the wonderful provisions of this covenant. (See Isaiah 2 and 56.) This is why God called Abraham the father of many nations! (Genesis 17:4)

The New Covenant in the New Testament

Because the bilateral covenant with Adam and Eve and the Mosaic covenant were coming to an end, Jesus initiated a new covenant just before His death. Luke writes, “In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’” (Luke 22:20) When Jesus said to His disciples. ‘This cup is a new covenant in my blood, which is poured out to you.” He initiated a bilateral covenant, a better covenant than what He offered to Israel at Mt. Sinai. (2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 7:22; 9:15) A new blood covenant became necessary because the Kingdom of God could not be established as originally planned. Israel had rejected God for the last time. Consequently, God opened the door of opportunity to the Gentiles. (Luke 21:24) “Whosoever will,” let him come and be my people. (John 3:16; Revelation 22:17) Jesus offered a bilateral covenant to everyone who would believe He was the Messiah. There are two essential differences between the new covenant based on Christ’s blood and the old covenants based on animal blood. First, the old covenant required the use of teaching aides (such as sacrificial lambs, ceremonies), whereas the new covenant is based solely on a study of the life of Christ. Second, God gave the old covenant to the biological offspring of Abraham whereas He extends the new covenant to anyone in any race who puts his or her faith in Jesus! In both covenants, the means to salvation is the same, namely, obedient submission to the will of God-an experience known as “living by faith.”

God entered into the old covenant with a nation of people who is were carnal and rebellious from the start. God enters into the new covenant with people of all nations who are willing to be “born again.” Israel was initially awed into submission at the display of His glory and power at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19; Galatians 4:24,25), but their hearts remained unconverted. Bible history faithfully records their failures beginning with the golden calf at the base of the Mt. Sinai! In every case, Israel’s hard heart led to failure. (Ezekiel 2,3) The Israel that entered into the Mosaic covenant at Mt. Sinai was the Israel that died in the desert because of rebellion. (Hebrews 3:16)

No Anti-Semitism

I am not bashing the Jews for their failures. Instead, I am reporting the contents of Scripture. I am confident that if God had chosen any other race of people, the same results would have occurred. The story would be the same, only the names would change. The story of Israel is the story of human nature. Israel’s rebellion at the corporate level is no different from all nations who have come and gone. Israel’s rebellion at the individual level is no different from our personal rebellion against God. The problem with Israel and the problem with all nations is the power of sin!

New Covenant

Unlike the old covenant, the new covenant exists only between God and a self-selecting group of people who receive Jesus as their Savior. No longer does God favor one nation as trustees of the Plan of Salvation. Both the old and the new covenants are similar in one way; both are based on faith. This faith means a complete surrender to God’s will. However, the second covenant is based on the life and death of Jesus – a much better blood covenant than that of animals. (Hebrews 8:6; Romans 5:10) His offer of salvation is extended to everyone, first to the Jew and then to the Gentile, on the basis of spiritual rebirth and regeneration. (John 3:3-16; Romans 8:3,4; 11:19-23) Paul says the new covenant is available to the Jew first, then the Gentile. He makes this distinction because He thought the Jews would be quick to grasp the significance of this better covenant. The Jews were much better acquainted with God’s ways. Paul knew the Gentiles would have to start from the beginning to understand the big picture. The bottom line for Jew and Gentile though, is the same. Instead of entering into a blood covenant with a nation of carnal-hearted people who would not understand God nor live according to His ways, god now offers a new covenant to a self-selecting group of people. These are the people who will receive Jesus as Lord and Master and choose to live by faith in Him. Anyone who wants salvation on God’s terms can have it! This is the good news!

What Obligations Carry Over?

People often ask me if Christians are under any obligation stemming from the Mosaic covenant – including tithing, abstaining from unclean foods, the observance of feast days, My response in general, and about feast days in particular, this is: How can the specifications regarding the feast days be satisfied without doing the things required on the feast days? In other words, how can a person observe Passover and not kill the paschal lamb? I have heard the response that observing the date of Passover is not to be confused with the Mosaic ceremonies required at Passover. I disagree. This is similar to the idea of observing Sunday by doing the things required on Sabbath. In the Mosaic covenant, the sacrificial ceremony and the appointed time to observe the feast were inseparable parts of the package. The Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks of Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles were services concluded under the auspices of the Aaron priesthood. Ever since the cross, we do not live under the laws of that priesthood. Those laws have been declared null and void. Our High Priest comes from the tribe of Judah, not Levi! Jesus does not preside over any of the Aaronic feasts. This would be illegal. Paul makes it very clear in Hebrews 7 that with a change in the priesthood, also comes a change of law (a different bilateral covenant). Paul says that since the descendants of Aaron can no longer be high priests. Levitical laws (including requirements such as tithing) are no longer valid. (See Hebrews7) Therefore, we are no longer obligated to keep any of the requirements of the Mosaic covenant.

In Paul’s day, many of the Jewish believers could not let go of their Mosaic baggage. They diligently tried to enforce feast observances on new Gentile converts in Galatia. Paul wrote a strong denunciation to the Gentiles who were following in the footsteps of Jewish converts saying, “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But know that you know God – or rather are known by God – how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.” (Galatians 4:8-11)

To underscore the transition from the Mosaic covenant to the “new covenant with Jesus, “Paul used the illustration of tithing (verses 5-10). He wrote, “For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. He {Jesus} of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the alter. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to the tribe Moses said nothing about priests.” (Hebrews 7:12-14, emphasis mine.) The significance of Paul’s statement is profound. How could the Levites demand tithe when the law that gave them authority to collect the title has been abolished? How could the old order under the animal blood covenant be intact if Jesus, from the tribe of Judah, is now our High Priest?

Before you jump to the conclusion that God wants us to keep all of our money for personal use, we need to consider the next point. Even though the Levitical code and its commands have been made null and void, there is divine wisdom and great beauty in the Mosaic covenant that God presented through Moses at Mt. Sinai. God did not offer Israel a shabby covenant. It is one of the most interesting and valuable illustrations of a ministry of Jesus that has ever existed. If Israel had combined the Mosaic covenant with faith in God, they would have received more blessings that they could count! (Malachi 3:10,11) The world would have been astounded by the nation of Israel, for it would have been the head, and not the tail! Instead of ant-Semitism, there would have been pro-Semitism! (Deuteronomy 28:13) Remember, it is God’s desire that we mature in the faith experience. God wants carnal, self-centered people (the human race) to have a change of heart. He wants us to step out in faith and obey Him. In this light, the Ten Commandments represent a starting place for spiritual growth. The content of the Ten Commandments is simple and direct. The fourth commandment is a testing commandment. To the carnal mind, the Sabbath is a waste of time. To the spiritual mind, it represents a wonderful rest. It all depends on our perspective of God and our attitude toward His laws. The Sabbath commandment challenges our faith by telling us to “let go and let God” every seventh day. It challenges us to stand still and see God’s salvation. The Sabbath was made for man, “but the devil has led the people of the world to consider it with contempt by making it appear to be Jewish or legalistic. It is interesting that the fourth commandment is the only commandment of the ten that requires us to do nothing! To honor God, we just have to rest at the right time each week.

God’s standard of righteousness is not less today than it was yesterday. God has not changed nor have the Ten Commandments been made void. What has changed is God’s approach. Israel’s example has proven that righteous laws do not make people righteous. Rather, people become righteous when they inwardly submit to god’s Word and obediently follow the leading of the Spirit. (John 14:16,17; Hebrews 12:14) Under the current “new covenant” that Jesus established, God has not imposed the rules and obligations of the Levitical covenant. However, the requirements for faith and the struggle to do God’s will remain the same. This suggests to me that God certainly expects a high level of character development from all who claim to be Christian!

Some people claim that tithing is still obligatory even though they agree the Levitical covenant was nailed to the cross. My response is this: Where does the obligation of tithing originate? Is it through law? No! Abraham tithed long before there was a Levitical requirement to do so. Furthermore, there is no record that God commanded Abraham or anyone else prior to the Mosaic covenant to tithe. Abraham tithed because he came to the place in his personal experience with God where he realized that everything he owed was a gift from God. So, through faith, Abraham voluntarily gave 10 percent of his income to God in recognition of God’s ownership of everything that he had. He acted, not according to law, but according to the Spirit. In fact, when a person obeys the Spirit, he or she will conform to God’s law because that law is written in the heart.

Holy Spirit Conviction

As the Holy Spirit convicts us of God’s will and truth, we must obediently follow just like Abraham. If the Holy Spirit convicts you to tithe, then follow the Spirit’s leading. You will be blessed – not because of the money you gave – but the faith you exercised. God’s eternal wisdom and limitless love is wonderfully illustrated in the Mosaic covenant that He made with ancient Israel. Many Christians want nothing to do with the Old Testament for fear they will lose their freedom. This is not true. God gave Israel many principles that are incredibly brilliant and few people appreciate the wisdom that God has revealed. Surely, by reviewing the laws God gave to Moses, we can learn much about the principles of life, as well as the ways and blessings of God. The key is to allow the Spirit to lead you into a deeper understanding and application of God’s principles in your life and you will be richly blessed. God’s wisdom is always beneficial to His creatures.

One note of caution regarding the freedom that God grants under the new “believers covenant.” God grants us the freedom to follow a Spirit-led conscience. He gave no one the authority to impose their convictions upon you or condemn you because you disagree with them. (Romans 14) The exception to this is promiscuous or immoral behavior and its destructive effect within the corporate body of Christ. In such situations, the body of Christ is required to pass judgment because of the harmful impact that sexual misconduct produces. (See 1 Corinthians 5 and 6.) Remember, in matters of diet, dress, culture and lifestyle, some people may not agree or have the same level of conviction you may have in these areas. (Romans 14:1-10) The Holy Spirit knows our heart and tests each of us in different ways and at different times. Each person matures spiritually at his or her own rate and we are on different rungs of the spiritual ladder. Some people are babes in the Lord, while some may have had ten years of spiritual maturity. (Unfortunately, some are still babes, even in their tenth year!) However, remember the truth. Although Israel voluntarily entered into the Mosaic covenant, the results were a dismal failure because they were unwilling to surrender their hearts to the Holy Spirit. When the apostles finally understood that the Mosaic covenant had been nailed to the cross, their joy knew no bounds. (Romans 8:2; 2 Corinthians 3:6) At last, Paul concluded, everything is permissible, even if it is not beneficial. (1 Corinthians 6:12) The disciples were free from the guilt and condemnation of the Pharisees! Free to listen to god’s Spirit! They were free to grow up in Christ rather than being watched and criticized by people who had a legalistic mentality. They were free to respond to god out of love, receiving Christ’s righteousness that satisfied God’s requirements for man’s salvation. The truth will set you free, but it may also set you free from your family, friends, church and possibly, your job. Remember the illustration about Benjamin at the beginning of this study?

It is imperative that we submit to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Failure to surrender can lead to the unpardonable sin. (Matthew 12:31) Paul wrote, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” (Hebrews 10:26,27, emphasis mine.) In fact, failure to surrender our will ultimately causes us to rebel against God! Do not forget, when the Holy Spirit speaks to you, He speaks with the authority of God. To refuse Him is too refuse God.

One last Covenant

Thus far, we have experienced six unilateral and three bilateral covenants:

Unilateral

1. “Do not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.”

2. The Ten Commandments.

3. “I will put enmity between the serpent and the woman and will one day send a Savior.”

4. “I will demand an accounting for each man’s life. Murderers are to be put to death.”

5. “I will not destroy the world again with a flood.”

6. To Abraham:  “Through you, all nations will be blessed.”

                            “I will make you the father of many nations.”

                             “I will give you and your descendants this land.”

Bilateral

1. “If you will be my people, I will be your God.”

2.  “If you will be my people, you will be a kingdom and nation of priests.”

3. New: “This is the new covenant in my blood…”

For reasons stated earlier in this chapter, the first bilateral covenants were nailed to the cross. The good news is that a time is coming when all of these covenants will be made null and void as well! At the end of sin, Jesus is going to declare one final unilateral covenant. Paul knew it was coming. Notice, “‘this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, ‘declare the Lord. ‘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. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, “Know the Lord, “ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’ By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8: 10-13, italics mine.)

When this covenant is put into effect, there will have been a total of seven unilateral and three bilateral covenants. The seventh unilateral covenant will sustain the redeemed throughout eternity. Notice how this covenant is stated near the close of Revelation: “He said unto me: ‘it is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.’” (Revelation 21:6,7) This is the final covenant. It brings all others to an end. I long to hear these words with my own ears!

Summary

I hope this study has brought you a new appreciation for what was nailed to the cross. In a sentence we can the bilateral covenant given to Adam and Eve and the Mosaic system was nailed to the cross. The Levitical laws are part of a covenant that was temporary and the authority given to the descendants of Aaron, the high priests, has been made null and void. Ever since the death of Jesus on the cross, we have the privilege of accepting a covenant based on the blood of Jesus, our High Priest, who sits at the right hand of the Father. The Ten Commandments remain intact; they are a unilateral covenant. There were not nailed to the cross. The Ten Commandments are eternal, timeless and universal. Even if we do not understand everything about God’s covenants, we can know we are on the right track if we can say to Jesus, “I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8) This is an attitude that pleases God, because the last unilateral covenant given in the Bible contains this promise. “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. 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.” (Hebrews 8:10)

Quiz:

1. What is the difference between a unilateral covenant and a bilateral covenant?

2. Explain the understanding of dispensationalism?  Is it true theology?

3. What day in the week is the true Sabbath day?Can you prove it by the Scriptures?

4. When Jesus was on the Earth, did He give the disciples a new commandment?

5. What is the “Sunset Clause” that was studied in this lesson?

6. In Matthew 23:38 KJV It states: “Behold, your house is left to you desolate.”

What does this text mean?

7. What is Anti-Semitism and do we still have it around today?

Notes:

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