STUDY TIP: Understanding of this series of pages will be greatly aided by first reading The Law.
EVERYONE IS CONFUSED
Even though God has much to say about the costs of breaking his everlasting covenant, covenants do not enter into practical theology for either Jews or Christians. Jews have their own doctrinal view of Biblical covenants, and Christians have another view, but the concept of covenant does not figure much into everyday life for either religion in ways that suggest that it is as important to them as it is to God.
Evidence of confusion exists within Christianity where we see different opinions about which of the Old/First covenants apply to whom and when they apply. Plus there are Christians that hold to a dual covenant theology which says that the Old/First Covenant applies only to Jews while the New Covenant applies only to gentiles. Since they all base their doctrines on the Bible and on the words of God who is not confused about covenant, it is clear that all religions err in their understanding of God’s idea of covenant.
STUDY TIP: For articles with lists of covenants developed by other authors, we refer readers to these links:
| ♦ Comparison of Two Biblical Covenants ♦ Covenant: Why the New is Better ♦ The Covenants ♦ The Covenants of Scripture ♦ Dispensationalism Commentary on Dispensationalism: People who say that different parts of the Bible only pertain to people who live in periods of specific dispensational times, deny the truth that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” In other words, their doctrines excuse them from paying attention to those parts of the Bible that, in their opinion, only apply to people who lived in other chronological periods. This is totally wrong thinking that is based on a wrong understanding of Biblical references to Time, Hours, Days, Weeks and Ages. These suggested links come with this caveat: We agree with very little of what these authors have written. These and all other writings about covenant are written from an Old/First Covenant perspective which is based on literal interpretations of the Bible. That means that the authors understand only what they read in the literal words of the Bible. Trained by religion to use only their natural eyes and ears to understand the Bible, they fail to listen with their hearts so they might hear God’s voice explaining mysteries to them. Remarkably, even though they are all reading the same literal words, there is little agreement about what God really means when he discusses covenants. Since God is not confused, the authors are the ones confused. That means the authors are all wrong because they limit their understanding of what they can glean from the literal Bible. None of them listen to God’s voice to explain the spiritual meanings of the literal words. Nevertheless, we offer these links to the writings of others to help readers understand why there is so much confusion about covenants. But, these links are offered only for comparison purposes — not as spiritual truth. |
When we study the Bible carefully and listen for God’s voice to reveal the spiritual meaning of the literal text, we learn (i.e. hear) that there are really only two covenants:
The conclusion that there are only two covenants recognized by God is confirmed in the following scriptures:
Hebrews 8:1-13: Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.
COMMENTARY: The true tabernacle/sanctuary is the heart of man. All religious structures are man-made.
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “SEE,” He says, “THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN.
COMMENTARY: It is common to interpret scriptures about a “high priest” as though they always refer only to Aaron or Jesus. This is wrong thinking because all New Covenant disciples minister to God in their personal sanctuaries/tabernacles (i.e. hearts). This is true because the hearts of all New Covenant disciples are sanctuaries/tabernacles of God where he makes his home.
To be a disciple means to be a learner. Learners know that they don’t know it all. Learners live in a constant state of curiosity. Like little children, they are always asking questions.
New covenant disciples are disciples because they learn by listening to God’s spoken voice. When they don’t understand something in the Bible, they ask God to give them understanding instead of asking a human teacher. Listening to God’s voice is how they acquire knowledge and faith because faith comes by hearing God’s voice — not by listening to false prophets. There are three ways to hear God’s voice.
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- One is quietly listening in your heart. This is the example Jesus provides when he went alone to the Mountain of God.
- Two is listening while studying the Bible.
- Three is listening to, or reading the teachings of True Prophets.
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But disciples do not just ask questions and listen. They also speak to report what they have heard God say to people who cannot hear God’s voice. They, in effect, speak for God as anointed true prophets, angels, messiahs, high priests, witnesses, and warriors. They take very seriously God’s command to love your neighbor as yourself.
It can be rightly said that the mark of a true disciple is that he/she lays down his/her life as a warrior of God. Jesus modeled this willingness when he suffered persecution and death.
STUDY TIP: See Second Death for understanding of Jesus’ death.
The true disciple’s pattern of learning contrasts with Old/First Covenant disciples who learn by listening to (i.e. eating evil soulish food) served by false prophets. God calls this eating fruit of trees of knowledge of good and evil.
The pattern which was shown on the mountain refers to the heart which is the true tabernacle. The mountain refers to God. God showed the pattern by speaking to Moses’ heart. God shows us the pattern when we hear his voice speaking to our hearts.
6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.
COMMENTARY: This clearly says that the New Covenant is better than the Old/First Covenant.
8 For finding fault with them, He says, “BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; 9 NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD. 10 “FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 11 AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’ FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. 12 “FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.”
COMMENTARY: These verses are a direct quote from Isaiah 31:31-34. The same idea is presented in many other scriptures with language that is sometimes obscure but which always promises forgiveness of the sin of practicing Old/First Covenant religion for those who turn away (i.e. repent) from practicing Old/First Covenant religion based on the literal Law of Moses.
COMMENTARY ON VERSE 12: This verse seems out of context unless we understand that God regards Old/First Covenant religion as sin and that the New Covenant is the standard of righteousness. In other words, verse 12 promises a New Covenant that replaces the Old/First Covenant that, as it says in verse 13, is obsolete, old and disappearing. If the Old/First Covenant was not sin, there would be no reason for it to disappear and be replaced with the New Covenant. Or, to put it another way, the New Covenant represents salvation from Old/First Covenant sin.
It is useful to apply the following reasoning to understand why God regards religion as sin for which forgiveness is necessary:
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The logic of these comments will not be self-evident to religious people. But, people with hearts open to hear will “get it” sooner or later when God gives them a heart to know. Only then will they be able to interpret and apply all mysterious scriptures, including scripture about covenants, to their personal lives. Only then will they see the fallacy of religious teaching that says going to heaven after physical death is the only evidence there is that their sins have been forgiven.
13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.
COMMENTARY: The Old/First Covenant becomes obsolete and disappears only for unique individuals who have chosen life over death by ceasing to follow other gods and by ceasing the practice of religion so they can become New Covenant disciples. This transition happens one person at a time and is not a global event that affects a large group all at once such as is taught by dispensationalists.
The main difference between the old and new covenants is this: Whose voice do you listen to? Old/First Covenant religionists always listen to False Prophets (i.e. Pharaohs, Judas, Balaam, Kings, Queens and Princes, Pharisees and Scribes, Serpent, Devil, Satan, Adversary, Demons, Evil Spirits, Anti-Christs, foolish, worthless, stupid shepherds.) New Covenant disciples always listen to God’s voice, whether directly or as spoken through true prophets, angels, messiahs, high priests, witnesses and warriors.
Galatians 4:21-26: Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
COMMENTARY: The first thing we notice in this scripture is that we should “listen” to the law. The idea of listening to the law may seem out of order here because we usually think in terms of “reading” the law when we study the Bible. The way this is written however, makes the very important point that we should be listening to God’s voice while we read the Bible. If we only read and process with our natural eyes and intellectual minds, we are in the category of people who have dull hearts that handicap them from listening to God’s voice. The principle here is that we must listen with our hearts in order to have the law written on our hearts.
Those who are able to listen while reading will understand that the basic message of these verses is that people are either slaves to the laws of religion or they are free from religion. This is Biblical shorthand for Old/First Covenant religion (i.e. slavery) and the New Covenant (i.e. freedom).
Surprisingly, Hagar, who was an Egyptian woman, is associated with Mt. Sinai which is the place where the Law of Moses was given. This association contrasts with usual associations of Mt. Sinai being a good, positive place. But here we see that God says that Mt. Sinai is associated with slavery. The reason it is associated with slavery is that Mt. Sinai is the place where the literal law of Moses was given.
We draw the following conclusions from this scripture:
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