Our Covenant is: “A Covenant by Sacrifice NOT the New Covenant”
From our studies thus far we have learned that the New Covenant is to become fully operational by the close of this Gospel Age, when once the Mediator (the Christ, Head and Body) is made complete, and that it is this covenant under which restitution blessings are to come to the world of mankind.
This was pointed out to us as the Keturah Covenant--separate and distinct from the Hagar Covenant, under which natural Israel was developed, typified by Ishmael and separate and distinct also from the original Abrahamic Covenant, typified by Sarah, whose seed Isaac typified The Christ, Head and Body.
We saw that the antitypical Isaac--The Christ, Head and Body--is the Melchisedec Priest, of which Jesus is the Head and the Church his Body--the great Priest under whom the New Covenant is to be made effective to Israel and to the world of mankind through Israel.
We also saw that the elect Church of this Gospel Age, a "Royal Priesthood," must all offer sacrifice; as the Apostle declares, "Every priest is ordained of God to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin." That our Lord Jesus is the great High Priest of our profession and that he offered himself in sacrifice and that he requires that all who would be with him in his Throne must likewise walk in his steps (sacrificing themselves)—this only after being justified through faith in his blood, that they might present a sacrifice holy and acceptable to God (Rom 12:1).
We saw that this is what is referred to in the Scriptures as the Covenant by sacrifice, "Gather my saints unto me, those who have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice." (Psa 50:5) We associated this sacrificing of the earthly nature by all those who would be partakers of the divine nature with the Apostle's exhortation of Heb 9:23.
“It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”
Our attention was called to the fact that the word sacrifices is in the plural and refers not only to the most important sacrifice made by our Lord and Redeemer, but that it applies also to the sacrifices of all those whom he accepts as his members of the Royal Priesthood.
These are the "better sacrifices," which were typified by the bulls and goats of the typical Atonement Day (the “Bullock” and the “Lord’s goat”). We saw and mentioned that the Church as priests, while under the Covenant of Grace, the primary Covenant, the Sarah Covenant, have a work to do in connection with the New Covenant.
As the Apostle says, "We are able (or qualified) ministers (or servants) of the New Covenant." But we see more clearly now than we did at the beginning just how we serve the New Covenant--that as members of the Body of the Mediator of that Covenant, we are associated with him in making preparation for its inauguration. We are serving it in the sense that he served it, only in an inferior degree and not individually, but in him, as "members of the Body," members of the "Royal Priesthood," to whom "old things have passed away and all things have become new."
We see now more clearly than ever the meaning of our precious relationship to God in Christ as members of the antitypical Isaac, through whose mercy Israel and the world shall obtain mercy, under the provision of the New Covenant put into operation as soon as the Royal Priesthood shall have completed the appointed work of sacrifice. (Rom 11:27-30).” R4681
Continued with next post.
From our studies thus far we have learned that the New Covenant is to become fully operational by the close of this Gospel Age, when once the Mediator (the Christ, Head and Body) is made complete, and that it is this covenant under which restitution blessings are to come to the world of mankind.
This was pointed out to us as the Keturah Covenant--separate and distinct from the Hagar Covenant, under which natural Israel was developed, typified by Ishmael and separate and distinct also from the original Abrahamic Covenant, typified by Sarah, whose seed Isaac typified The Christ, Head and Body.
We saw that the antitypical Isaac--The Christ, Head and Body--is the Melchisedec Priest, of which Jesus is the Head and the Church his Body--the great Priest under whom the New Covenant is to be made effective to Israel and to the world of mankind through Israel.
We also saw that the elect Church of this Gospel Age, a "Royal Priesthood," must all offer sacrifice; as the Apostle declares, "Every priest is ordained of God to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin." That our Lord Jesus is the great High Priest of our profession and that he offered himself in sacrifice and that he requires that all who would be with him in his Throne must likewise walk in his steps (sacrificing themselves)—this only after being justified through faith in his blood, that they might present a sacrifice holy and acceptable to God (Rom 12:1).
We saw that this is what is referred to in the Scriptures as the Covenant by sacrifice, "Gather my saints unto me, those who have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice." (Psa 50:5) We associated this sacrificing of the earthly nature by all those who would be partakers of the divine nature with the Apostle's exhortation of Heb 9:23.
“It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”
Our attention was called to the fact that the word sacrifices is in the plural and refers not only to the most important sacrifice made by our Lord and Redeemer, but that it applies also to the sacrifices of all those whom he accepts as his members of the Royal Priesthood.
These are the "better sacrifices," which were typified by the bulls and goats of the typical Atonement Day (the “Bullock” and the “Lord’s goat”). We saw and mentioned that the Church as priests, while under the Covenant of Grace, the primary Covenant, the Sarah Covenant, have a work to do in connection with the New Covenant.
As the Apostle says, "We are able (or qualified) ministers (or servants) of the New Covenant." But we see more clearly now than we did at the beginning just how we serve the New Covenant--that as members of the Body of the Mediator of that Covenant, we are associated with him in making preparation for its inauguration. We are serving it in the sense that he served it, only in an inferior degree and not individually, but in him, as "members of the Body," members of the "Royal Priesthood," to whom "old things have passed away and all things have become new."
We see now more clearly than ever the meaning of our precious relationship to God in Christ as members of the antitypical Isaac, through whose mercy Israel and the world shall obtain mercy, under the provision of the New Covenant put into operation as soon as the Royal Priesthood shall have completed the appointed work of sacrifice. (Rom 11:27-30).” R4681
Continued with next post.
