Sabbath: The New Covenant
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 5:17-28; Hosea 2:18-20; Isaiah 56:6-7; Hebrews 8:7-8; Hebrews 10:4; Matthew 27:51.
Memory Verse: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31, RSV).
A cartoon in a magazine years ago showed a business executive in an office standing before a group of other executives. He was holding a box of detergent in his hands, showing it to the other men and women. He proudly pointed to the word New that was displayed in large red letters on the box, the implication being, of course, that the product was new. The executive then said, “It’s the ‘New’ on the box that is new.” In other words, all that changed, all that was new, was simply the word New on the box. Everything else was the same.
In a sense, one could say that the new covenant is like that. The basis of the covenant, the basic hope that it has for us, the basic conditions of it, are the same as what was found in the old covenant. It has always been a covenant of God’s grace and mercy, a covenant based on a love that transcends human foibles and defeats.
The Week at a Glance: What parallels exist between the old and new covenants? What role does the law play in the covenant? With whom were the covenants made? What does the book of Hebrews mean by a “better covenant”? (Hebrews 8:6). What relation is there between the covenant and the heavenly sanctuary?
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, June 5.
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I used to give Carmel flowers for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. Nowadays I am more likely to give her a living plant in a pot. Cut flowers ultimately die and are thrown out and have to be replaced but a living plant grows and develops when we water and feed it. It is like a self-renewing flower arrangement. With a bit of luck, it will last a long time (grin).
Maybe, we should think of the new covenant in the same light. It is not a new covenant as such but a renewing covenant that we are to water and grow spiritually.
Paul likes the concept of renewal. This is what he says to the Ephesians:
Sounds like a plan!
I think that the allusion to a false advertising cartoon about a box of detergent and God's great covenants is unfortunate. If you say that nothing changed in terms of the law and what is expected of man before and after the crucifixion then we should still be following the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. Acts 15 clearly teaches that continuing to keep the ceremonial laws of the Jews is no longer necessary.
I don't see where the Bible says the covenant was tied to the ceremonial laws
After Christ's death, the cerimonial law that clearly made no sense anymore was the sacrifice of animals, which were supposed to point out to the death of Jesus Himself! The Ten Commandments were never cerimonial, they represent an aliance between God and those who want to have faith on Him, by freedom of choice.
Deut 11:1
You shall therefore love the LORD your God and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments.
Gen 26:5
Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.
I believe that the Principles behind all the LORD's instructions of whatever kind are still valid in the 2nd renewed Covenant with His people and therefore applicable to us. I have challenged myself to discover the Principles behind each of the instructions in the 1st Covenant and compare them to the parallel guidelines in the 2nd renewed Covenant.
This is an intriguing journey and involves discovering how the Word of the LORD reveals the applications of both of His Covenants.
What I have found helpful is Jesus Christ's statement where He quotes Deut 6:5-6 and Lev 19:18 and then says they are the principles behind all the LORD's instructions.
Jesus declared, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Mat 22:37-40
If find God's final Covenant with man to be the culmination of God's spirit establishing His Righteousness in the heart and mind of man. I think all of His Covenants ultimately aimed at renewing man’s mind and heart. The Covenant at Sinai was made with Israel at a time when they needed the right foundation, God's Law, to successfully build their new life as individuals as well as a nation in order to testify to God's Power in the lives of man.
They had been a People without a homeland, strangers in a strange land, had not governed themselves, and could not draw from experience how to lead a people and live as a nation. God established their nation for them through His Commandments, statutes, and ordinances to show the world His Glory.
The Law of God, the Ten Commandments, provided them with the basic foundation to establish their civic and governmental rules to guide their people as a nation.
What it could not do was to establish Faith in their God; though God called them to faithfulness through their observance of His laws. Faith was left in the hands of the individual as they lived by the law the best they could, applying the rules in their civic life and governmental positions.
The New Covenant puts God’s law directly in our minds and writes it on our hearts; same spirit, different application. This way of living is between man and God; only He knows the heart amdn mind of man and judges him accordingly.
Hosea 2:19-20KJV – ”And I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.
I see the New Covenant fulfilling the promise to bring the believer into the presence of God through faith; being saved by His Grace as we love Him with all our heart and do not lean on our own understanding; living the life of the Faith of Christ Jesus, His Son - the Father's Gospel to save all mankind.
I agree, Brigitte. I think it was always God's intention for the New Covenant to be a reality in the lives of His followers. But it took them a long time to realize that they were dependent on Him to follow the law. In reality, the obedience that God gives is much better than anything we can generate. I wish it was promoted more in the church.
Yes, Christina - betrothed means to be enagaged to be married. What a wonderful relationship we enjoy having been betrothed to the Creator in righteousness, judgment, loving-kindness, and in mercies; He even betrothed us unto him in faithfulness - that we shall know the LORD.
According to my knowledge- the covenant given to Adam and Eve before sin entered into this world was communication between the Lord and human not by a scroll but directly. This was a knowledge/mind centered. No parchment, rolls, paper etc were present. Cain, Abel and all the men of old also did not had any papers to read from. The Lord spoke to them either by dreams, visions, impressions, etc. After some time, the Lord started using Moses and allowing him to write his words on a scroll. This 'old' covenant that the Lord used to communicate with his people pre Moses is the same 'old' covenant written on paper presently. So then, the 'new' covenant is the same 'old' covenant but instead of it written on paper and we continuing to read it from paper, the Holy Spirit will write it on our hearts and minds. Which is, he the Holy Spirit will be dwelling in our/Christians hearts and minds.
It is finally explained, clearly. Thank you sis Lyn.
Paulette- thanks, it is my desire to make many understand the scriptures as they allow the Holy Spirit to draw them nearer to him. It is the Lord desire to dwell once again in us, walk with us and talk with us as he did with Adam and Eve before the fall in Eden.
What is a "new covenant" from God? There is still the same God, same covenant, and the same need in every sinner, but for every successive generation, it is presented new/fresh to them. There has ever been only ONE way to be saved from sin, and the failed covenant of previous generations has never affected the ability of God to save, nor have these failures exposed some serious flaw in the covenant, for the only flaw will come with the fallen nature when void of faith. Unbelief was/is the problem which only faith can cure. The covenant of the Lord will be offered "fresh"(chadash) to every sinner(Titus 2:11), though Christ's fulfillment of the types/shadows has changed some of the specifics in practice, but not in principle(e.g. we now partake of bread and wine instead of sacrificing lambs).
Much like the "new commandment" Jesus gave, which was nothing new, only a new example of what had always been the meaning of the Law. Before Jesus, no one with a fallen nature had lived a perfectly obedient(sinless) life, or demonstrated love in such a selfless manner.
I don't understand the illustration at the top of the page. It looks like someone being struck by lightning.
Jesus stands between us and the wages of sin.
The old and new covenant is the same everlasting covenant where God promises to be our God if we promise to be his people. The problem with the old covenant had to do with the people promising to fulfill their end of the agreement in their own strength "All that the Lord had said, 'we' will do". They broke the covenant by worshiping the golden calf and declared it as the god that had brought them out of Egypt. Under the new covenant, and it has always been the case, God is the one who transforms the sinner into his image through the power of sanctification. Righteousness has always been though faith not by works. God always keeps his end of the bargain, and promises to give us power to keep our end of the bargain.