Bible Study The Old Covenant: A Blessing

[Nathan12]

PART I
Christians have generally failed to see that the Old Covenant (the Law of Moses) was a blessing given to Israel directly by God. It is contained in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible, also known as the books of Moses).
1. God personally chose Israel to be a *peculiar treasure* (a treasured possession)
2. God personally visited Israel to make a covenant with them
3. God personally gave Israel the Ten Commandments
4. God personally told Israel that the Old Covenant would be a blessing
5. God personally told Israel that He would dwell in their midst
6. God warned Israel that there would be dire consequences for disregarding His covenant.

1. God personally chose Israel to be a *peculiar treasure* (a treasured possession), a kingdom of priests, a holy nation
EXODUS 19
3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
LEVITICUS 18
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.
3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.
4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.
5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

 

[Nathan12]

PART II
2. God personally visited Israel to make a covenant with them
EXODUS 34
10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

3. God personally gave Israel the Ten Commandments
EXODUS 20
9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.
10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
DEUTERONOMY 4
12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.
13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:..
DEUTERONOMY 5
1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.
4 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,..
31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.
32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

 

[Nathan12]

PART III
4. God personally told Israel that the Old Covenant would be a blessing
DEUTERONOMY 4
1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.
2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you...
39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.
DEUTERONOMY 5
33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
DEUTERONOMY 6
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might...
24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
DEUTERONOMY 7
7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:
13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
15 And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.
5. God personally told Israel that He would dwell in their midst
LEVITICUS 26
11 And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
13 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright...
LEVITICUS 20
7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.

6. God warned Israel that there would be dire consequences for disregarding His covenant
LEVITICUS 26
14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;
15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.
18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

We know from other Scriptures that Israel failed to give heed to God s covenant, but God already knew they would fail. Therefore He gave the promise of the New Covenant through Christ, and that went into effect on the day Christ died. It is called “a better covenant”, and every Christian must understand through the epistle to the Hebrews why the New Covenant is a better, more excellent, and everlasting covenant.

 

[for_his_glory]

2 Chronicles 7:12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; 18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.

Under the new covenant of grace God no longer dwells in Temples made by hands as those of faith are the Temple where God dwells and Christ is our ruler as He rules within us. God still waits patiently for all to come back to Him so He can heal their land, but the time is drawing near when that door of God's salvation will be closed forever when Christ returns.

 

[Chopper]

Nathan12. Bravo my friend. That, by far, is the best presentation of the value of a regular study of the Torah every morning as we start our day. This has been my practice each day, so I wouldn't suggest something I don't do personally.

I shall save your presentation so that I can study it often. Thank you for your spiritual insight. May Yahweh our Elohim richly bless you for teaching all of us.

 

[Nathan12]

16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever:

We must take that as a literal promise. While it is true that presently God does not dwell in any earthly Temple, and that Christ is our High Priest in the Heavenly Temple/Sanctuary (while the Church is also the Temple of God), it is equally true that when God redeems and restores Israel under the New Covenant, and AFTER the Second coming of Christ, there will be a Temple in Jerusalem to fulfill the above promise of an eternal temple.

EZEKIEL 37
21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.
26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
EZEKIEL 45
Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about. Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof. (Ezek 45:1,2)

This is an amazing prophecy regarding the redemption and restoration of the kingdom of Israel under Christ, with David as their prince, and a Temple in Jerusalem. We do not know how God will reconcile this with the finished work of Christ, but the secret things belong unto the Lord our God.

 

[for_his_glory]

We must take that as a literal promise. While it is true that presently God does not dwell in any earthly Temple, and that Christ is our High Priest in the Heavenly Temple/Sanctuary (while the Church is also the Temple of God), it is equally true that when God redeems and restores Israel under the New Covenant, and AFTER the Second coming of Christ, there will be a Temple in Jerusalem to fulfill the above promise of an eternal temple.

EZEKIEL 37
21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.
26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
EZEKIEL 45
Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about. Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof. (Ezek 45:1,2)

This is an amazing prophecy regarding the redemption and restoration of the kingdom of Israel under Christ, with David as their prince, and a Temple in Jerusalem. We do not know how God will reconcile this with the finished work of Christ, but the secret things belong unto the Lord our God.

Ezekiel 45 is a vision given to Ezekiel about the restoration of Israel after Nebuchadnezzar II laid siege to Jerusalem around 589BC. It's also prophetic of the final siege of Jerusalem when the son of perdition takes his seat in Jerusalem and after Christ returns and destroys the beast and the this false prophet Israel will for the last time be restored as God ushers down the New Jerusalem from heaven and there we will be with the Lord forever as we are both Jew and Gentile are one being Israel.

 

[Nathan12]

Ezekiel 45 is a vision given to Ezekiel about the restoration of Israel after Nebuchadnezzar II laid siege to Jerusalem around 589BC.

That is incorrect. Nothing is Ezekiel's prophecy has been fulfilled. When the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity they settled only in Judea, whereas Ezekiel's prophecy is about the 12 tribes occupying the land between the Nile and the Euphrates (as promised to Abraham, see Ezekiel 48). Today the nation-state of Israel occupies probably 1/10th or less of that area.

...as God ushers down the New Jerusalem from heaven...

1. The New Jerusalem does NOT descend to earth. It is the size of a continent (1500 miles x 1500 miles x 1500 miles) and since it is a cubic city, you could say that it has multiple layers of continents.

2. The New Jerusalem will descend from Heaven and remain as a heavenly body above the earth, giving light to the earth (since the sun, moon, and stars will have vanished away). See Revelation 21:22-24.

3. The New Jerusalem will descend only AFTER the New Heavens and the New Earth are established. However, redeemed and restored Jerusalem (after the Second Coming of Christ) on earth will have the Temple described by Ezekiel: My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

4. The Church is not Israel, and Israel is not the Church. The New Jerusalem is the eternal home of the Church, whereas Greater Israel on earth is the eternal home of regenerated Israel.

And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein,even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. (Ezek 37:25)