Time with Jesus - 19 Nov 2013
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| High Priest at the Mercy Seat |
The Old Covenant is best understood by
realising that God did not cut covenant with man. He cut covenant with Himself.
The smoking furnace (God) and a flaming torch (God) that passed between the walls
of blood in Genesis 15:17 was God Himself. None of us are “fit” to cut a
covenant with God. In the New Covenant, Jesus (God) cut covenant with Himself
(God) on our behalf. It is impossible for you or me to keep the covenant. Old
or New! We have to trust Him to empower us to do the impossible! 26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly
speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything
is possible." Matt 19:26 NLT
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| The Ark of the Covenant |
Much of what follows has been taken
from information generally available on e-Sword. It was in 1982, at Bible School,
I started to understand covenant. It is a huge topic and Phyllida and I are
still learning about it. If those who read today’s meditation get a vision for
digging into this topic, our prayers will have been answered!
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| Marriage is a Covenant We belong to the One we have been promised to - Jesus |
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| Handshake Origin Rubbimg Palms of Hands Cut with Blood |
This word is most probably derived from an Akkadian root
meaning "to fetter"; it has parallels in Hittite, Egyptian, Assyrian,
and Aramaic. Berit is used over 280 times and in all parts of the Old
Testament. The first occurrence of the word is in Gen
6:18: "But with thee [Noah] will I establish my
covenant."
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| Covenant with Noah Note the Rainbow |
The KJV translates berit fifteen times as "league" e.g.
in Joshua: 6 And they went to Joshua
unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be
come from a far country: now therefore make ye a
league with us. Joshua 9:6 KJV These
are all cases of political agreement within Israel or between nations (1 Kings15:19). Later Bible translations sometimes
use "covenant," "treaty," or "compact”.
In Judges 2:2, the KJV is
translated: "And ye shall make no league with
the inhabitants of this land...." The Lord commanded the Israelites
the same thing in Ex. 23:32; Ex. 34:12-16; and Deut.
7:2-6.
The word is also used of the "agreements between men,"
as Abraham & Abimelech (Gen. 21:32):
"They made a covenant at Beer-sheba...." Also, David and Jonathan
made a "covenant" of mutual protection that would be binding on David's
descendants forever (1Sam18:3; 1Sam 20:8, 1Sam
20:16-18, 1Sam 20:42). In these cases, there was "mutual agreement confirmed by oath in the name of the
Lord." |
| God's Covenant is Forever |
King Ahab defeated the Syrians: 34 And Ben-hadad said to him, "The cities that my
father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for
yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." And Ahab said, "I
will let you go on these terms." So he made
a covenant with him and let him go. 1 Kings 20:34 ESV The king of Babylon did much the
same with King Jeconiah. In Ezekiel we are told,
12 "Tell this house of rebels, 'Do you get it? Do you
know what this means?' "Tell them, 'The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem
and took its king and its leaders back to Babylon. 13 He took one of the royal
family (Zedekiah) and made a covenant with him, making him swear his loyalty. The king of Babylon took all the top leaders into exile.
Ezekiel 17:12-13 MSG In such "covenants,"
the terms were imposed by the superior military power; they were not mutual
agreements.
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| From the Covenant with Noah |
In Israel, the kingship was based on "covenant". 3
So there at Hebron, King
David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel. 2 Sam. 5:3 NLT The "covenant" was based
on their knowledge that God had appointed him. Thus they became David's
subjects.
The great majority of occurrences of “berit” are of God's
"covenants" with men. See Genesis 6:18 above
(Noah and God).
The verbs used are important: "I will establish my
covenant" (Gen 6:18) i.e. "cause
to stand" or "confirm." "I will
make my covenant" (Gen17:2). "He declared to you his
covenant" (Deut. 4:13). "My covenant which I commanded
them..." (Joshua 7:11).
In spite of all else, the Lord will not forget the covenant He
has made with His people. We see in
Exodus
5 You can be sure that I have
heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of My covenant with them. Exodus 6:5 NLT and 44 "But despite all this, I will not utterly reject or despise
them while they are in exile in the land of their enemies. I will not cancel My covenant with them by wiping them out, for I am the LORD their God. 45
For their sakes I will remember My ancient
covenant with their ancestors, whom I
brought out of the Egypt in the sight of all the nations, that I might be their
God. I am the LORD." Lev 26:44-45 NLT
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| Jesus Cut Covenant with Himself so that We may marry Him and be His forever, |
The most common verb is "to cut [karat] a covenant,"
which is always translated as in Genesis 15; 18 So the LORD made a
covenant with Abram that day and said,
"I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border
of Egypt to the great Euphrates River. Gen
15:18 NLT This use comes from the ceremony described in Genesis15:9-17, in which God appeared as "a
smoking furnace, and a burning lamp [flaming torch] that passed between those
pieces" Genesis15:17. These verbs make
it plain, God takes the sole initiative in covenant making and fulfilment. (All in Italics above from e-Sword)
It’s interesting to note, the terms
of the covenant with the Jews were written on tablets of stone and were kept in
the Ark of the Covenant. Please observe that God does not break covenant.
Christians are blessed by being part of the New Covenant. However, this does
not mean that the Old Covenant has been abolished. Men may break covenant, but
God never will.
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| If we persist in deliberate sin we may be "Cut Off" |
If God broke the Old Covenant when the New was established, we
could have no eternal security. If He broke it with the Jews, what right have
we to say He will not break it with us. The author of the book of Hebrews
brings this out clearly. 17 When God wanted
to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee- 18 God
can't break his word. And because his word
cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every
reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. Heb 6:17-18 MSG
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| Old Covenant Procedure Not done because no Jewish Temple |
Thank God for His Covenant! It’s
one of the few “avenues” available to man whereby we might know that His love
for us will never change.
Shalom
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 20 Nov 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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COVENANT
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For as long as I can remember the Bible was
divided into two parts. The Old and New Testament. Then I started hearing
people talk about the Old and New Covenant. What it was and what the
difference was between a Testament and a Covenant was unknown. In those days
we would use words without really knowing what we meant. It made us look good
as a child and that was far more important than anything else. I had a sort
of vague understanding that it was something like a legal contract but more
binding. It also had something to do with marriage!
It was only when I went to Bible School, I started
to get an understanding of the term. I found that it was an unbreakable
agreement or contract made between people or families which was forever
binding through the centuries! The meaning became clear when I looked at marriage.
Here two unrelated people were joined to start a new family. From being unrelated,
marriage changed the couple into being each other’s next of kin. Then I
learned, men also entered into covenant with other men, for mutual support. Like
David made a covenant with Jonathan.
Apart from marriage, Westerners have little understanding
of covenant. On the other hand the indigenous people of Africa, South America
and the Far East, seem to understand it better than we do. Its origins go
back to antiquity. Abraham was familiar with cutting (making) covenant.
Little boys sometimes make a commitment to each
other. They prick their fingers and rub the bleeding areas together, while
swearing they will be lifelong friends. They say they are now “blood
brothers”. Usually it lasts at least until Mom calls them for supper! The boys
were correct in one respect. A covenant demands the shedding of blood, hence
the expression, “Blood Covenant”.
There is not space here to go into the details of
the meaning and ritual of “cutting covenant”. Abraham was familiar with it!
We see it set out in what happened when Abraham asked God how he would know
God would give him the land. What God did, provided proof beyond a shadow of
a doubt. The animals were killed and laid out in the “covenant” way. Next,
God recited the terms of this “binding agreement”. God then “walked” between
the dead “walls of blood”. Abraham knew that a covenant was unbreakable. So
when The Lord carried out the covenant ritual, it was Abraham’s guarantee
that God would give him the land.
Two thousand years later, on mount Calvary, Jesus
cut covenant. This was the New Covenant made by God for the salvation of
humanity. There on that mountain, the Son of God cut covenant with the Son of
Man. They were the same person. Then He shed His blood and died. It is His
guarantee that all who come to Him will be saved!
Jim &
Phyllida Strickland
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15 For there is only one God and one Mediator who can
reconcile God and humanity--the man Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5 NLT
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We have a mediator but He did it on His own.
He didn’t need assistance and He was all alone.
It was a brand new covenant which Jesus came to cut.
Had He been unsuccessful, no if, or and, or but,
The people He created, forever would be lost.
That’s why He came and did it, despite the frightful cost.
We saw it first with Abraham in Genesis fifteen.
We read and then we wonder, what is this strange routine?
God said he’d have children; that he would own the land.
“How can I know I’ll get it? In ways I understand?”
Abraham requested. The Sovereign Lord agreed;
And there He cut a covenant in action and in deed.
Bring Me a three year heifer, a female goat and ram.
A turtle dove and pigeon said God, the Great I am.
Kill and split the animals in half and let them lay,
Side by side together and placed in such a way,
That men can walk between them, declaring upon oath,
That they will love each other like husbands pledge their
troth.
“If I should ever break it, do this to me and more.
This is our firm commitment enforceable by law”.
Then as the sun was setting and night began to fall,
The promises of covenant the Lord began to call.
Then a smoking fire-pot depicting God Most High;
And a flaming torch portraying Him Who cannot die,
Walked between the carcasses, confirming this will be.
I, the Lord, have done this, it will last eternally.
Abraham could only watch, for He was in a dream.
A terrifying darkness underscored the theme.
And by this special ritual, a covenant Divine,
Was made by the Almighty until the end of time.
There was no mediator. A creature wouldn’t do.
God Himself was swearing He would be ever true.
No further proof was needed; it was His guarantee
That what He had just stated, forevermore would be.
Then upon Mount Calvary, the Saviour did the same.
But Jesus was the sacrifice. He would take all the blame.
And as His precious blood ran down and trickled to the ground.
Forgiveness for all sinners in Him now could be found!
Jim Strickland
Written
20th November 2012
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4 Israel, listen to me. The LORD is our God. The LORD is
the one and only God.
Deuteronomy 6:4 NIrV
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20 Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must
reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when He gave
His promise to Abraham.
Galatians 3:20 NLT
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6 We have sinned, just as our people of long ago did. We
too have done what is evil and wrong. 7 When our people were in Egypt, they forgot about the
LORD's miracles. They didn't remember his many kind acts. At the Red
Sea they refused to obey him.
Psalms 106:6-7 NIrV
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23 So He declared He would destroy them. But Moses, His
chosen one, stepped between the LORD and the people. He begged Him to turn
from His anger and not destroy them.
Psalms 106:23 NLT
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1 And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and
are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus
whom we declare to be God's messenger and High Priest. 2 For He was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as
Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God's entire house.
Hebrews 3:1-2 NLT
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6 But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry
that is far superior to the old priesthood, for He is the One who mediates
for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.
Hebrews 8:6 NLT
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11 And
they shall not teach, each one his neighbour and each one his brother,
saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them
to the greatest. 12 For I will be
merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no
more."
Hebrews 8:11-12 ESV
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