The Faith of Abraham Pt 7 - Covenants

 Covenants.  Have you ever entered a covenant with anyone?  That's a slightly unusual word isn't it, covenant. 

Definition of covenant 

1: a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement

2: a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action the deed conveying the land contained restrictive covenants

A formal, solemn, binding agreement. A written agreement, promise… 

Most of us have entered covenants, some legal, some not, some that we hold dear and others we've broken without much of a thought.  One covenant people enter commonly is the marriage covenant. I won't go into any long detailed explanation of keeping and breaking that particular covenant, I merely mentioned it because it's one we can understand readily as existing in our lives and the lives of people around us.

The covenant between man and God is one we need to comprehend. Some believe that any covenant between man and God before our Savior was born, lived, ministered and died for us only to rise again, have all been made null and void. This is a belief that is untrue and we need to comprehend this as God intends. If you desire truth, and seek to know the deep things of God, you can study the following, and the previous studies leading up to this one. Or, you can study as God leads you otherwise, just do not neglect the study of the Word of God for all the truth. May the Lord bless and keep us in HIM and all HIS truth, through our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, now and forever! Amen!!!!!!!

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The Faith of Abraham Pt. 7 

CHAPTER VI. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION SETTLED

'Jesus was on his way into Galilee, and as he came to Sychar, being weary, he sat down by Jacob's well. A woman of Samaria came to draw water, and she was surprised when the stranger, whom she perceived to be a Jew, asked her to give him water to drink. The Samaritans were a mixed people, and had introduced the practices of their several nations into their worship. 2 Kings 17:24-41. Therefore the two nations were at variance, and the Jews had "no dealings with the Samaritans."

In her conversation with Jesus, the woman soon discovered that he was no ordinary man; and when he, a Jew, and an entire stranger, showed to her that her life was known to him, she confidently declared that he was a prophet. And then there immediately arose to her mind a question that had long vexed the people, and she said:--

"Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." John 4:20.

This was a declaration intended as a question.

The woman had shared in the anxiety of the godly of her nation, to have this question settled. As a question Jesus received it, and in reply he laid down a principle which corrected the erroneous ideas of both parties, both Jews and Samaritans. But in defining this principle he did not set aside any facts which had been developed concerning the plan of salvation. He very distinctly declared that "salvation is of the Jews." Not that the Jews were better than other people, or that they needed salvation more than other people, or that they of themselves had anything to confer on other people which was necessary to salvation. But it was necessary in the development of God's promise to Abraham that his posterity should be kept a separate people, for the manifestation of Messiah to the world, and salvation by Abraham's seed must come through them. 

Paul, speaking of the Israelites, said:--

"To whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came." Rom. 9:4, 5. 

All the things here enumerated were committed to them, and whosoever partakes of these blessings must receive them as coming through that channel. To them were committed the oracles of God. Rom. 3:1, 2.

Rom 3:1  What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 

Rom 3:2  Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

And not for their own sakes alone were these oracles committed to them. Stephen, in that memorable sermon which cost him his life, said that Moses, who stood in behalf of the people, "received the lively oracles to give unto us." Acts 7:38. 

Act 7:38  This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us

But these facts do not exhaust the subject, nor do they make necessary the perpetuation of the forms and ceremonies which were given to them. As has been seen, the great object of the hope of the people of Israel was the manifestation of the Messiah to the world, and the law of ceremonies was to illustrate his work; but the Messiah having come, the time had arrived when the principle above referred to could be declared. 

Therefore Jesus answered the woman of Samaria thus:--

"The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." John 4:21.

He certainly did not mean that the Father should not be worshiped in those places; but he did mean that it was not necessary to go to those places to worship the Father, for thus he continued:--

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." John 4:21, 23.

And this was the settlement of the question thus far; the worship of God is no longer to be considered a matter of localities, nor of nationalities. In all places, and by all peoples, he may be worshiped to acceptance, wheresoever and by whomsoever he is worshiped in spirit and in truth.

But in the minds of some, the question may arise: How can it be that this is not a question of nationalities, if it remains true that salvation is of the Jews? 

Now whatever shape this query may assume, we must continue to insist that salvation is of the Jews, for the facts in reference to them can never be set aside. The Messiah came of them, and the new covenant was made with them, according to the promise. But as Jerusalem has ceased to be the special place where the Father must be worshiped, their national system must also of necessity have ceased, for they could present their offerings in no place but Jerusalem. Lev. 17:1-6.

Lev 17:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 

Lev 17:2  Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying, 

Lev 17:3  What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, 

Lev 17:4  And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people: 

Lev 17:5  To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD. 

Lev 17:6  And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 

No one who believes the gospel will dispute the fact that that covenant has passed away. But we must always bear in mind that, as the making of that covenant did not annul the covenant with Abraham, so its abolition had no effect upon anything that was peculiar to the Abrahamic covenant. 

That covenant stands secure.

And inasmuch as their covenant has passed away, and their national system of worship is abolished, and Jerusalem is no longer the place where men must go to worship the Father, we cannot possibly believe that any special promises or blessings are in reserve for the Jews as a nation; neither promise nor blessing remains for them, except such as are common to all the children of Abraham by faith in Christ. And they can inherit the promises on the same condition and in the same manner that other children of Abraham shall inherit them, and in no other. 

We will notice some of the facts which lead us to this conclusion.

To be continued…