New Covenant -- Old Covenant - Removing The Fog of Religion

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New Covenant -- Old Covenant

STUDIES & DOC


The Covenants
By your servant, Dan L Baxley


Old and New Covenant and Another Covenant?
In this corner we have the Old Covenant and in this other corner we have the New Covenant and this this corner we have – well, we can get into that a little later, just keep in mind that there are more than just two covenants, but for the Believers professing YaHshua as Messiah we will approach the Covenant signed by His Blood, a Blood Covenant, a New Covenant to be sure, but not the New Covenant the Old Covenant declares will be, or is to be made with all of Israel/Judah. At the end of this study we will cover some of the other Covenants, not in so much detail, but as Honorable mentions. For now we will look at the Covenant made most recently, the one recognized as the New Covenant. You will see, as you go, that there is still a New Covenant to be made with all of Israel/Judah, and that that Covenant is not the Covenant offered to the Gentiles, and, of course, any Jew or Israeli that would confess YaHshua and enter into His blood covenant with Him. Let me see if I can explain any of this, in a way that can be understood.

  If you are a person of Jewish decent and you practice the Jewish religion then you have a certain understanding what about covenants and what they are, after all, yours is a covenant religion, led by customs and traditions tied to a Covenant relationship with the God of the Torah. I doubt you or any Israeli call it the OLD Covenant, though it is quite old. To Christians, however, it is called the Old Covenant because they see it as having been replaced by a New Covenant, the one promised in the OC writings. There may be some confusion here, but we are going to straighten it out, just be patient.

This New Covenant is not the invention of Gentiles (non-Jews or Israelis), but the creation of a Jewish Movement that took place sometime in the first century, somewhere around 28 to 34 AD. This New Covenant was to be ushered in by a Messiah, a Messiah that the Old Covenant seemed to say was coming, a prophesied Messiah. The idea that the coming King is to rule the whole world, is a Christian idea. Somewhere along the line, say, during the time Constantine, when this Roman Emperor turned Christianity into the States Religion. Following this, sometime around 384 AD, a struggle ensued between two capitals, one in the West, Rome and the other in the East, Constantinople. Emperor Constantine ruled from Constantinople until his death in 327 AD. As history demonstrates, The Constantine turned the Christian religion into the Sponsored State religion of the Empire. Constantinople, is where Constantine wanted the Roman Empire to rule from and to be the religious center of the Empire. However, Constantinople gave way to Rome as the center of Christianity. To bring this about the Western part of the Empire and the Eastern part, represented by the two cities, Rome and Constantinople, went to war, a war that lasted some 100 years and ended with Rome becoming the center of the Western Empire of and the Christian Church of Rome the center of the Roman religion. The Eastern part of the continuing but not at the level of the West, becoming the Eastern Greek Christian Church.

   Today Constantinople is dominated by the Muslim religion, pushing most Christian believers and institution out or into hiding. This Eastern leg of the once great Roman Empire is rich in first and second century Christian history, but has deteriorated under the pressures of Islam.

    Rome, on the other hand, began mission work to convert to the whole world. A mission to convert lands discovered or invaded into the Roman concept of Christianity. Force was used on pagans and citizens alike, as the Roman Church were able to gain rule over the Kings and Queens of lands converted. This, however, is not what the Jews taught, they did not seek to overcome and rule the world. Once in the lands deeded to them by our Creator, YaHWeH, were possessed there were no plans for expansion beyond those boarders founded from river to river -- Genesis 15:18 -- and that is a subject for another time. Our Savior, YaHshua, did not teach world domination by force conversion, no, He taught that believers were to be at peace with everyone, or at least try, even if the world would not be at peace with them. Where is that Church in history? Where is that Church today? Where is that Church that has entered into a Covenant of Peace? It must be invisible.

(Heb 12:14) Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
(Note: the word holiness is not the pious, humble attitude of a priest, but, as the Greek Dictionary makes clear, it means to be committed in a pure mind -- dedicated in a pure attitude and mind, clean, if you will in your efforts to be at peace with all mankind and God Himself)

The Jewish teaching, which happens to be Biblically correct, is that the Law would go forth out of Jerusalem, that people would seek out this truth and that the coming Messiah would cause people to turn from war to peace. Read Isaiah Chapter 2, for a picture of what is to come, not just for the Jew but for all the world. This will be the time a New Covenant will be made with Israel/Judah.
   If you look at some of the things contained in the promises made within the Covenant that the religious Jews and Israelis accept, you will see why they do not accept the Christian Covenant, or the New Covenant, as it is called. By calling it New, the Christians acknowledge where they get this Covenant -- from the Tribe of Judah, the OLD Covenant -- you cannot have a NEW Covenant if there is not an OLD Covenant first, determined by which follows which -- by claiming a New Covenant the Old is made, well, "old" in the eyes of those claiming the Gospel Covenant.  But, is that the New Covenant, really?  The Gospel, that tells us about this Covenant, brought to us at the Cross of The Christ YaHshua, is certainly a Covenant of The Promise.

The acceptance of this New Covenant is pretty simple, or should be, but not for the Jew, this New Covenant, among those calling themselves Christians lays claim to JESUS, the Christian accepted Messiah and Savior as a God. After all, a son of God would then be a God too. This is abhorrent thinking to a committed Jew or Israeli of the Jewish religion. Why? Because the Old Covenant writings from Moses to the last of the Prophets writings, speaks clearly of ONE GOD, or Elohim, and only ONE.  But, it is interesting to note that the term, ELOHIM, is not singular, but is plural.  Much like we would say, God, or Gods.  The first being singular, the second is plural, of course and means more than one.  The term, El, or el, is singular, while the term, Elohim, or elohim is plural.  They have many excuses, and they are not alone -- other none Jewish or Israeli, groups, of religious publishers and teachers of every kind, turn the plural into singular.  This them becomes and great thing among some endeavouring to uncover the truth -- Elohim becomes a "name", much like the term, "LORD", neither of which are names at all.  Elohim is equivalent to the English term, gods, while El, is a term for god, any god.  These are not names.  Some are offended at people using these as names, as such, they can be traced back to the Canaanites as names for their pagan gods.    

(Malachi 2:10) Have we not all one father? has not ONE God (el) created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

We could quote many more verses but this one chapter and one verse from Malachi says it all and is also confirmed in a conversation our Lord had with the religious leaders of that day.

Mar 12:29  And  YaHshua answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

(Mark 12:32) And the scribe said to him (YaHshua), Well, Master, you have said the truth: for there is ONE God; and there is none other but He:

It is very difficult for a committed person of the Jewish belief, committed to bearing the Covenants made with their forefathers, and to go against the ONE (singular) GOD teaching, would be, and is near impossible.  The Christians, not all but most, these days, complicate things even more by saying or teaching a Trinity of Gods -- one God but in three parts, actually -- three personalities. It would seem the Christians are trying to win the argument by having three gods all wrapped up in one god, something not only the religious Jews object to but also those of Islam, as well. The Jews following the prophetic word of the Old Covenant are not attempting to convert the world, they do not see this as their mission but the as the mission of the coming Messiah, a Messiah they do not recognize as having come to this date. This view, of course, does not include those of the Messianic movement among the Jews themselves. Yes, some do accept YaHshua, whom they call, Yeshua or Y’shua as the promised Messiah and do still look forward to His return to establish the city Jerusalem as City of the Law. The New Covenant, as we know it today, was rejected by old Israel/Judah, as a nation, and went on to be a Covenant made with the whole world, not exclusive to one race or religion.

   This New Covenant was introduced by the death of a certain Jew the Christian mistakenly identify as JESUS, a name that never existed until about 400 years ago. the True Christ was named YaHshua (Old English JOSHUA). This is a huge mistake on the part of modern Christianity, a deception, or, perhaps, a delusion. This New Covenant came into being at the Cross of the Christ. Prior to the Cross of our affliction the Old Covenant was still in effect and ruled the day during the whole ministry of our Savior, YaHshua. If YaHshua had been accepted, by the Jews and Israelis as the promised Messiah, a part of the Old Covenant promises, things would have been different. But, as a nation they rejected Him. While He had a large following during His life in the flesh, that following was moved primarily by His miracles, His teachings were secondary and flew in the face of the religious leaders of the day. This ends up being a New Covenant for Jew and Gentile alike. There is still another New Covenant to come, a New Covenant to be made with the new Judah and Israel at the return of our Savior. We will discuss this more, as we continue in this article.

   This New Covenant made with YaHshua began with the Jews but eventually gravitated to the Gentiles too. I say eventually Gentiles too because the first decade or so this New Covenant message went out only to Jews and scattered Israelis. The first converts, baptized into this New Covenant were all Israelis and Jews, some 3,000 converts baptized into this New covenant the week of Pentecost, 47 days after our Lord’s Resurrection. We are told that 120 were gathered during this time (Acts 1:15). These disciples created a commotion, drawing a lot of attention from other Jews present for the Pentecost feast. Some wondered at how these uneducated people were all speaking in languages they could all understand? Apparently these Jews were from various parts of the Roman Empire and many spoke other languages besides Aramaic. The tongues were actually a mixture of other languages so everyone present heard the message in their native or homeland tongue, that is language.

    Delivering the New Covenant offering upset some but cut others to the heart. What had happened to YaHshua was not a secret, and it is certain many, upon hearing the out come of this man YaHshua, that many coming to Jerusalem for Pentecost were already trouble by what had happened to this totally innocent man. Now this demonstration, drawing many closer, Peter stood up and quoted from the Book of Joel, chapter 2, after this demonstration and message and warning right out of the Old Covenant, the question arose, What must we do? That is when 3,000, as mentioned earlier signed the New Covenant by a show of water baptism. The Disciples of this New religion went on a few days later to bring 2,000 more into the fold and all of this activity AFTER the crucifixion and death of the man who started it all. It all started at the Ministry of YaHshua, but while He was still alive the Old Covenant was still alive, too many forget that, but when He went to the Cross and shed His Blood once and for all a New Covenant was offered, first to the Jew and then to the Gentiles.

   Because of Israel’s failure to accept YaHshua, the way was opened up for the Gentile. You see, the Old Covenant was not called the OLD Covenant, but the Covenant of YaHWeH and this Covenant is binding so long as it remains intact, but the people of Israel made the final break in this covenant when they refused the offering of YaHshua, as PROMISED by the Covenant of YaHWeH. This final breaking of the Covenant with YaHWeH, effectively terminated the Old Covenant and ushered in this New Covenant with YaHshua. This rejection and breaking of the final promise in the Covenant made with Israel and Judah then called for a change and it is this change that even some of the Jewish Brethren had a real problem with, even some of the original disciples, as we will see later. Notice what the Apostle Paul is trying to tell the Hebrews, those coming out of the Old Covenant.

(Heb 7:26-27) For this is the kind of High Priest proper for us: holy, harmless, undefiled, and separated from sinners, and having become higher than the heavens; who has no need, as do the high priests, to offer sacrifices day by day, first for His own sins, then for those of the people. For He did this once for all, offering up Himself.

Then, and only then was the world introduced to this New Covenant of promise, and this at the time of Pentecost, some 50 days after YaHshua dies on the crucifixion cross. With this background, the man of miracles, called a King, crucified by His own people, and then seen alive, resurrected from the dead. Some as eye witnesses -- first His disciples, men and women. Not just witnesses in the Garden but in the upper room as well, on that first day of the week, for an additional forty days.

(Act 1:3) To whom also he showed Himself alive after His passion (suffering) by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

This means that YaHshua was with His original disciples and others right up to the time of the Pentecostal event, some 50 days after His death on the cross. Plenty of eye witnesses to confirm His resurrection. With this setting in mind, and with the flood of Jews coming into the city for Pentecost we can see, then, how the exhibit of the Holy Spirit would lead to wonderment in the eyes and ears of those having heard all of the rumors bout this fellow YaHshua, raised from the dead, and then being preached in all of the various languages of the Roman Empire, would and could lead to a mass baptism of new believers.

(Act 2:7) And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?

Simple men proclaiming the Message of the New Covenant, the Coming and Resurrection of the promised Messiah – hearts and minds moved and changed, as the listeners, all Jews/Israelis heard with their own ears the Gospel message from unlearned men as though they were highly educated, with authority and in multiple languages.

(Act 2:41) Then they that gladly received his (Peter’s) word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

(Act 4:4) But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

As the week progressed another 2,000 were added to those who believed. 5,000 converts in a week – now that would kick start a new movement, no doubt. The whole of the new converts were present for the Feast of Pentecost, all Jews or Jewish converts and Israelis from various provinces of the Empire. There is absolutely no record that once any of these Law (Torah) abiding Jews became believers and accepted YaHshua as Messiah and Savior were ever told to give up Torah observances. It was not clear, right out of the box, that this New Covenant was going to replace anything. Once this became apparent many Jewish brethren balked at the Message, but as time progressed and finally at the total destruction of the Temple it became clear, there was a New Covenant, there had to be, without the Temple the Old Covenant falls apart. They did not and were not encouraged to abandon their religion, only to accept YaHshua as the Messiah promised. Yes, later in the writings of the Apostles we find a refinement in what is understood to be a Follower of YaHshua, and this coming or happening as more and more Gentiles are baptized into His Name, not only Gentiles but Samaritans too.
  Within the leadership of this first Jewish Church of followers, professing YaHshua as Messiah, we find leaders and people of influence including Elders and Pharisees.

(Act 15:5) Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses."

Read all of Acts 15 and you will see how the conflict had developed between the Jewish brethren and the Gentile converts. Clearly you will see how the Old Covenant was still intact and how the Jewish leadership was requiring all that came into the New Covenant of accepting YaHshua as Messiah were to come under the rule of the Old Covenant, or Torah. It is also, however, in this very record found in Acts, chapter 15, where the Holy Spirit guides a decision that would eventually break the Old Covenant rule over believers coming to YaHshua under a New and better Covenant, a Covenant originally made with Abraham, and not the one made with Israel/Judah. Even though the decision was made, many in the fledgling church were not happy with a NEW Covenant that included Gentiles and Samaritans. The Old Covenant was still the rule of the day among the Jewish elite who became believers. This alone tells us that no one not even the Messiah, while teaching about the Coming Kingdom was telling the Jews to abandon Moses. The coming Kingdom was being preached, YaHshua as the coming King was being preached but it took the gradual revelation by the Holy Spirit of the Father to make known the CHANGE, the NEED for a NEW COVENANT, a Covenant that would include gentile too. But the prejudice against their gentile brethren in the Messiah grew. At one point even Peter separated himself from the gentile brethren when those of the Jewish side would show up at the meetings.

(Gal 2:11-13) When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. NIV

Why didn’t YaHshua, before He ascended into Heaven to sit next to our Father in Heaven, just tell everyone how it was going to be? Because they were not ready for it. It was enough to find out that those dirty Gentiles were going to be allowed Baptism into His Name, but to be told that the Old Covenant, under Moses, was about to be change? Already the Jewish brothers and sister, families, of those who believed YaHshua to be the promised Messiah had stepped out on a limb and were receiving persecution and taunts from those of the Jewish leadership that did not believe. This is, of course why the Apostle Paul, before being made and Aposlte had been given a paper of authority from the Jewish religious leaders to go around and take prisoners and even, in some cases, put to death any of their own kin who might be professing YaHshua as the promised Messiah. Paul was on his murderous journey when our Lord turned him around and made him the Apostle to the Gentiles. Why Paul? For one thing it is just the opposite of what men would do, and this would most certainly confuse and befuddle those who sent Paul out to do their evil. But one of the biggest reasons, a reason overlooked by just about everyone -- the Apostles were not taking the Gospel to the Gentiles. Even though Peter baptized the whole house of Cornelius, all Gentiles, Peter had to stand up and defend his actions.

(Act 11:2-3) So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them."

Peter explains and had witnesses to vouch for him and he explained the vision he had received. All of this making is clear that Gentiles were to be accepted. But, as we have already read, later, Peter separates from the Gentile brethren for of the brethren of the circumcision, the Jewish brethren, and all of this after the Holy Spirit demonstration. Someone had to be raised up to fulfill this duty, to make clear the New Covenant, a covenant that would exist for everyone, not just the few.
  Even though the decision would be made the Jerusalem council the prejudiced from the Jewish side could not be overcome and at some times, Paul stood alone as the Apostle to the Gentiles, and not Peter, as some teach. Who would dare argue against the words and revelation of our Lord?

(Act 9:14) And he (Paul) has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your Name."
(Act 9:15-16) But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is My chosen instrument to carry My Name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My Name."

From the mouth of our Lord, Paul is going to be the one called to go to the Gentiles, not Peter. Even later, Peter and James and John all shake the hand of Paul and Barnabas that they should go to the Gentiles while they, the other Apostles will go to Israel.

(Gal 2:8) For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. NIV

There it is, the agreement that Paul and Barnabas should go to the Gentiles. NOT Peter, as is taught by many. In fact, there is one very large Gentile Church that takes Peter as their first POPE. This is a lie, as you have just read, Paul, also known as Saul, is and was the Apostle to the Gentiles. What about Barnabas? At one point he and Paul had a falling out over the Gentile only question and from that point on we do not hear much from Barnabas.

  We need to remember that this was the first time a everyone living within 60 miles of Jerusalem had heard of or witnessed the astounding miracles performed by this man, YaHshua. There had been other Messiahs, but this one, His miracles were instantaneous, by a command, a simple word and the sick and the lame were healed. Not like the healers we see today, virtually begging their god to perform for them – no, with this one, there was no brow beating nor did he do the usual screaming and shouting, no, only quiet words like, Get up and walk, or a simple command for a demon to leave a possessed person – even those who knew about miracles were astonished when they uttered these words, Even the demons obey Him.    By year three of His ministry, most had heard or participated in the welcoming of this man into Jerusalem by the East Gate, shouting, Hosanna – read about this account and what spurred it on and how the religious authorities of that day planned ways to kill Him – John 12:9-19. This event takes place only a few days before the Passover, but this act by our Messiah riding into the City on a donkey and the people waving palm leaves and shouting Hosanna it a type of signing, or acknowledgement by the people, but would it last?

  Only a few days before the Passover, one of the busiest Feast Weeks, a time to remember how the people of Israel were delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. This acknowledging Him as King lasted only for the day, now it was time to get serious and prepare for the Passover Feast and the Days of Unleavened Bread. And, of course, Lazarus or no Lazarus raised from the dead or not it was time to prepare for the Passover. The excitement of all this had been great fun but now it was time for get back to the things of the world. Little did they know what was truly about to take place.

   A covenant was about to be signed in blood, the blood of the one whom they had greeted through the East Gate as king would be crucified, not just for them but for the whole world. This Covenant would not be exclusive to the Jew/Israeli, as had been the first Covenant made with Israel. This Covenant would be a continuation of the Covenant made with Abraham. This Covenant was a covenant made with a man, virtually a man’s covenant, extended to all of humanity, signed, sealed and delivered by the Blood of YaHshua

(Gal 3:14) … that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through the messiah YaHshua; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

This, however, is not the NEW COVENANT that our Lord and Savior, is going to make with the people of Israel, a covenant made at His return. We see another Covenant mentioned further into the future. It might be a misnomer to say or call the Abrahamic Covenant, ratified by YaHshua and His Sacrifice for all mankind as the New Covenant. It is a Covenant that has been renew to include all people. Yes, this Covenant has been expanded under Moses and became ANOTHER Covenant made with only the House of Israel/Judah. The Covenant our Lord made, through His own blood, would go back to Abraham and be available for signing by anyone who would or could accept it, accept Him as Messiah promised, one and only Savior, King over all – by our Confession, the fruit of our lips, we sacrifice to Him as the only Begotten, First Born, come in the Flesh. The New Covenant to be made with Israel/Judah, however, is exclusive to them and this New Covenant has not been presented yet and will only take place at our Lord YaHshua’s return.

  In those days superstition was part of life, omens were part of life, and this seemed to strike fear into the hearts of many. But, then, nothing happened, life as usual, that is, until the Day of Pentecost, when these fishermen and farmers and tax collectors stood up and began speaking in every language of the Roman Empire and Jews from all of different the provinces heard the Gospel (good News) about this resurrected Messiah. From this background some 5,000 souls were baptized.

(Act 4:4) Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

Why not all of the Jews, why just 5,000? If a Messiah was promised in the Covenant made with Judah and Israel and this was the Messiah then why only this number, so many but so few?

  The Promised Messiah, as the people understood this promise had to do with this Messiah coming in great power and conquering all enemies of Israel and Judah. Essentially making Israel the rulers of all the world, or at the least, to make Israel the safest place on all the Earth to live. Their expected Messiah would rule out of Jerusalem and people would come from all over to learn the Torah, the Law from the Jews. But this did not happen, not as they supposed, still, that is what the covenant writings they had been taught said. So, do they?

(Zec 8:23) Thus says YaHWeH of Hosts: "In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, 'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.' "

Do we see this today? No, if anything all the nations, except for a couple, want to do harm to the Jews, their immediate neighbors chant death to the Jews, and death to anyone that helps them. The Jews have never experienced this or other Read again, “…in those days…”, and what days would those days be?

(Zec 8:3) Thus says YaHWeH: "I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem (YaHshalayim). Jerusalem (YaHshalayim) shall be called 'The City of Truth;' and the mountain of YaHWeH of Hosts, 'The Holy Mountain.' "

The religious Jews and Israelis were all expecting the coming of YaHWeH but not in the way He came. They were and still are expecting their Messiah to come in power and to destroy all enemies opposed to Israel and establish the Heavenly Kingdom on this Earth with the Jewish nation as the capital of the world. Some with Jewish background have, however, accepted the YaHshua of the New Covenant – the Messianic Jews. There is a fierce inner struggle between the Messianic Jews and the Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jews of Israel. The religious Jews of Israel and other parts of the world feel besieged by the Christians and the Messianic traitor, as they see them, and search for ways to defend themselves against this continual barrage of material and arguments against their Jewishness. But, there is this movement, called the Hebrew Root Movement, that is a professing Christian groups attempting to restore the Old Covenant, as already mentioned, these groups, like the Sacred Names Movements make the assumption that because our Lord was born a Jew and has a Jewish Name and the First Church organized under the Apostles was all Jewish that we then, all professing YaHshua as Messiah and Savior, must come under the Old Covenant. In fact, they seem to teach more about the Old Covenant than they do the New Covenant. They have compelling arguments, but are only surface paint that can easily be sanded away to reveal the shiny New Covenant underneath. Not that you can’t learn from the Old Covenant, you can, and should make a study of to see why it failed and at the same time it reveals the personality of likes and dislikes of our Creator. The Old Covenant is also a map for how our Creator God intended a Nation living in the midst of pagan Idolatry should themselves live. But when our Messiah, YaHshua, arrive and began His ministry He came into a world on the edge of change – a time of relative peace.

The religious Jews of today are still waiting and their wait will be rewarded with the Coming of the Messiah, just as they envision it, in Power and Glory and the defeat of the Beast and the False Prophet. The Beast of the False Prophet, spoken of in the Book of Revelation, from the New Covenant writings are also depicted in the Old Covenant, in the Book of Daniel. This, then, is what the religious Jews see as the false Christian leadership assaulting their religion. It is not difficult to see why it would literally take an act of God to change their mind about the true Identity of the Messiah. But it will happen, even from their own writings we see and are told this very thing is going to happen –

(Zec 12:10) "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on Me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. ESV

If you are a supporter of the New Covenant then you are most likely a Christian, but some Jews too. Too many Christians teach that the Old Covenant has been done away. The problem with that is that our Messiah, YaHshua, said that He did not come to abolish, or do away with the Law, nor the writings of the Prophets. This is what He said.

(Mat 5:17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
(Note: According to Strong’s Greek/Hebrew Dictionary (G4137), the word fulfil means to satisfy, to fill up, to level off, to verify, to execute etc.)

  Our Lord YaHshua went on to say even more about this, He did not stop there, He wanted to make a point about His position concerning the Law, the Law and the Prophets, because later the religious leaders of that day would be accusing Him of being a Law Breaker and worthy of stoning. He would make it clear, His support for the LAW.

(Mat 5:18) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
(Mat 5:19) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

There is coming a time when this Heaven and this Earth will pass away. This Passing Away is to happen sometime AFTER the 1,000 year rule of our Messiah, after the millennium rule and after the Judgment and the second death of Revelation.
(Rev 21:1) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
  So, you see, there is coming a time when the Covenant made with Judah and Israel will be finished. I say finish because had not been finished. The prophetic words within the Hebrew writings have not all been fulfilled or satisfied yet.

Old Covenant Not Abolished -- A New One is on the Way For Israel

(Jer 31:31-34) Behold, the days come, says YaHWeH, that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My Covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says YaHWeH. But this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says YaHWeH: I will put My Law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people: and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know YaHWeH; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says YaHWeH: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.

Take notice of the highlights about what is being said. This is YaHWeH talking, not only to Jeremiah but to us as well, to anyone reading these recorded words, His Words. He is very specific about the New Covenant He is going to institute between Himself and Israel/Judah, and this is NOT the Covenant He originally made with them. In the Christian New Covenant, for lack of a better word, the Covenant He made with them after bringing them out of the land of Egypt, is referred to as the Law of Moses, or, the Torah of Moses. Why, because certain changes were made after YaHWeH spoke

(Jer 3:25) Let us lie down in our shame, and let our confusion cover us; for we have sinned against YaHWeH our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day; and we have not obeyed the voice of YaHWeH our God.

What is called the Old Covenant will not be off the books, no, because the prophetic words of that Covenant will not have completed until after the Millennial rule and only then will it be complete and then -- a New Heavens and a New Earth, Revelation 21.
  The New Covenant to be made with Israel and Judah, as one, is yet future and will only become active in those days AFTER our Lord YaHshua has returned. This is also the Covenant the Apostle Paul references --
We have already read the prophecy in the Old Covenant Writings, now confirmation from an Apostle of YaHshua to the Hebrew Christians:

(Heb 8:8-9) For finding fault with them, he said, "Behold, the days come," says YaHWeH, "that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they didn't continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them," says YaHWeH.

(Heb 8:10-11) "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days," says YaHWeH; "I will put my laws into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people. They will not teach every man his fellow citizen, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know YaHWeH,' for all will know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.

Please take the time to read all of Jeremiah (YeremYaH) chapter 3, for the days that will be. It is not now, because we can see what is described is not the people of the return to Modern Israel -- there is no peace in Modern Israel and it is reported that Modern Israel is 90% sectarian and only 10% religious, according to the Jerusalem Post. Only recently the Gay Pride parade was celebrated in the streets of Tel Aviv Israel, and most of those in the religious quarters are Jewish cults of one sort or another, depending upon which country they emigrated to Israel from. There is more to come before that DAY all Israel will call on YaHWeH and all Israel is at peace -- that Day is not now, that Day will not be AFTER YaHshua has returned.

The Marriage Covenants
Too many confuse the Covenant with Israel as THE Covenant -- this is where the Hebrew Roots people and Sacred Names people go off track. The Covenant made with the people of Israel was, for all intents and purposes, a marriage covenant between themselves and their God, YaHWeH. The broke this covenant many times, and He forgave them many times. He then, after many abuses began to require penalties, He tried to correct them. Still, they kept taking up with the pagan nations around them. It seemed that only when things got really bad they would turn to their loving Husband and God, YaHWeH. After some time, however, and it became clear they were too hard headed and stiff necked and possessed hearts of stone that He divorced them.

(Jer 3:7) I said after she had done all these things, She will return to Me; but she didn't return: and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. I saw, when, for this very cause that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorce, yet treacherous Judah, her sister, didn't fear; but she also went and played the prostitute.

If we understand that this marriage covenant made with Israel and also with her sister Judah, and the they continued to play the adulterous wife we can see how their God, after so many attempts to turn them back to Him, would then divorce them -- putting them away. But wait, we find out later that He had a pretty good idea this would happen anyway, for the hardness of their hearts, and while all mankind are liars, cheats and thieves, in the eyes of eternity, it would and will take an act of God Himself to change them. He could have done it then but divorced them instead, why? So that we night be invited into the New Marriage, the New Covenant.

(Rev 19:9) He said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' " He said to me, "These are true words of God."

Now, here is the irony of the whole thing about these covenants. Both are marriage Covenant, both are with the SAME GOD. Remember, YaHshua, in His previous Glory was YaHWeH, the God and husband of Israel/Judah. And Judah, executed their God and Husband on the Cross, effectively then, Breaking the marriage Covenant He had with them. For in a marriage covenant if one or the other dies, then then one or the other is free to marry another. In YaHshua's case, He is brought back to life and now free to Marry another.  This is the Covenant, everyone called the New Covenant that we are under in our union with Him. But this is not the end, there is more to come, much more.

  NOW, still, there is another Covenant to be made, another NEW Covenant is to be made with Israel and Judah. He is going bind Israel and Judah together as one and is going to change their hearts and minds and enter into a New Marriage agreement with them in the Millennium Rule and for them this will be a New Covenant.  While Israel and Judah may have failed it was never in our God's plan for them to fail, nor for us to fail. But they and we must first be allowed total freedom of choice, and then when correction comes and blessings come we know and can see why, not by our power but by His, not by our hands, but by His. The New Covenant He is going to make with them is NOT the Covenant we are currently under. People, teachers, priesthoods all get this confused, and why? Because they do not believe the Word already delivered -- the truly inspired words are foolishness to them, so they make up things that sound good, that people like to hear and everybody is happy.  Of course, we are told this very thing and warned to be aware of it.

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

If this were true during the time of that writing, then how much more is this true of today? If a time were approaching the Church then when sound doctrine would no longer be enough and the lust of the flesh desired to be soothed with smooth words and lies to make you feel better, fleeing from the truth and taking on fables that excite the imagination, then how much more today.

  Take notice, however, the context to what is being said. They heap, or raise up to themselves teachers ... This is not about the teachers and the preachers so much as it is about the people getting exactly what they pay for. It is about the people professing their goodness and giving power to those who tell them what they want to hear. This is something that should not be happening among the Covenant people of YaHshua.

  The preaching and teaching about consequences for your actions against the Word and its truth has become less and less as the soothing words of the flesh are spoken. Everyone is good and everyone is rich, if not in goods then in spirit. Sound familiar?

(Rev 3:17) Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;

The Last Era of the Church is pictured as being full of itself, self absorb, kidding themselves into thinking they are full of the Spirit, clothed in holiness. Seeing itself as wonderful and rich in every way. Ask any of the people attending the Mega Churches on down to the small charismatic churches and they all proclaim their richness in the spirit. What you notice is very little discussion about the Covenant that is the Doctrine of the Christ, YaHshua.

(1Jn 1:8-10) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven't sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
(2Jn 1:9) Whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, has not God (The Father). He that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son.

This New Covenant, as it is called, is collectively the Doctrine of the Christ. Remember, the word Christ means, Anointed, to say The Christ is to say, the Anointed, and that would mean the Anointed of the Father. YaHshua is the Anointed of the Heavenly Throne, having come down from Heaven as the Lamb to be sacrificed for Jew and Gentile both, making way for a new way and that new way is the Doctrine of the Anointed, which, again, is none other than YaHshua and not other.

  Sadly, however, we find many who have discovered, or been shown the true Identity of our Lord and Savior, have it in their minds to resurrect and restore the Old Covenant, or pieces and parts of it, that very same Covenant made with Israel, that Covenant that failed to save anyone, and some are trying to restore this Covenant with some calling it a return to our Jewish roots, what insanity is that? This would be tantamount to crucifying the Anointed again and again. Those doing this count the OC of Israel as the only Doctrine of God. The sound of this appeals to some. Certainly this OC doctrine is truth and revealing and has a lot to teach us, and will not be put away until entirely complete and that will not be until sometime after the Millennial rule of YaHshua. Why? Because the OC writings contain the prophetic words for the people of Israel and the world and until all of those words are fulfilled the prophetic words will still be active, alive, filled with the Spirit of the one who inspired them. So, they are partly right but mostly in error in their application, especially in their attempts at finding their Jewish roots. Too many, turning to the OC restorations, attempt to model themselves after what they perceive a true Jew or Israeli is like, in dress and in custom. In many ways these people try to model themselves after their teachers, and the teachers attempt to dress and act like Jews, or dress in a manner that suggest Hebrew or Jewish priestly dress. Long beards, funny hats, tassels hanging from their clothing, vests, and shawls for covering their heads in prayer -- a clear violation found in the New Covenant Doctrine of the Christ.

(1Co 11:34) But I would have you know that the head of every man is the messiah (the Christ, the Anointed), and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of the messiah is the FATHER . Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.

It is not only the Hebrew Roots people selling prayer shawls but other in the Evangelical communities as well. There are messianic groups, Jews claiming JESUS/Yeshua selling and encouraging the use of male head coverings in the form of Prayer shawls. They are encouraging men of god to dishonor his Head which is YaHshua, the Head of every man, as it is written.

  This is not something new and not exclusive to the Christian religion or religious people either, but it should not be this way among those professing YaHshua as First Born of the Living God. He is the Head of every man professing Him as Savior and Messiah, as the promised Son of the Living God. They disrespect the very one they claim to profess, and it is amazing how many so called religious leaders encourage this conduct, and make it easy for those falling for their false way by selling specially blessed head covering shawls.

  Yes, I buy their books, know the enemy, I guess, but as I read them I have my bible open and go to the verses quoted to support or reject their teachings -- what I find is a mixture of lies and truth, verses taken out of context, or misquoted, or deliberate twisting. I am not judging them in this way, but the Word already delivered is. I do this with everyone who sends me corrections or links to look at. Sometimes an interested reader will ask if I have seen or heard this or that and will give me a webs, or book to read. Some do this thinking a certain opinion will straighten me out, or some, mostly, just to see what I think. It is never what I think, as I see it, but what I see and hear the Word is saying. We, as believers, real believers in His Word and the Words of His Apostles are not looking to get stroked and get the itch scratched, or to be told how good we are and how good we can be, pet, pet, pet, praise, praise, and stroke, stroke, stroke, as we hear and see so many television Evangelist doing, telling the majority what they want, or in some cases, feel they need to hear, words of comfort, not warnings. Smooth words can be disguised in various ways. Some want to hear how the evil are going to be ruined while they escape, not realizing how close they are themselves to be ruined. We need to be vigilant and realize the wolves are among the sheep, pretending to be what they are not. Over 2,000 years of wolves going after the sheep in various ways and in ways as simple as getting people to think men should pray with their heads covered, just the opposite of what the New Covenant teaches. But this will continue, even to the end.

  Realizing that when the Two Witnesses arrive they will not be liked. All you have to do is read about them and you see they are not liked, they are, in fact hated and when they are killed the world rejoices. These Two Witnesses will not be saying thing people are comfortable hearing but will be calling them to start acting differently, to Repent. They will be true representative of the Living God and our Christ YaHshua, and when they are killed the world, it seems, will rejoice, even exchanging gifts in celebration of their death.

(Rev 11:6) These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
(Rev 11:7) And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
(Rev 11:8) And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
(Rev 11:9) And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
(Rev 11:10) And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

Does this sound like a Bible Message the world wants to hear? These Two, mighty and powerful witnesses of our God and Savior, will have power like no other, more powerful and dynamic than any television preacher and yet they will not be heading up any Mega Church, not representing any great Cathedral or Priesthood or Religious school or College. No, they will hated by everyone in the the world, especially those people and nations surrounding Jerusalem. People will cheer and hand out presents to each other in celebration of their deaths.  

  This is hard to understand, as we see the world today. If someone were to come on the scene and perform great wonders and signs you would think they would be accepted. apparently the Beast with the False Prophet will be able to perform great wonders and false miracles, and it seems the world is fine with their presentations, but the Two Witnesses, not so much. This may be due to the miracles performed by the False Prophet are pleasing while the miracles of the Two Prophets are not so pleasing, like -- no rain for anyone for over three years. Everyone loves the smooth talking messenger while everyone hates the messenger telling the truth, the messenger trying to wake you up.

Out of all of this a remnant of Israel/Judah
I know this is quite a lot but I do believe I have described the Covenants in such a way that you can see that there is a difference, and that Israel is not lost. In fact, as a side note, Israel is to be resurrected -- all of Israel -- almost like a second chance or do over for them, because He did not call them to fail, but He knew they had to fail in order to make way a clear path for the rest of the world. Had Israel not been created, and actually part of the Abraham Covenant (not the other way around as some accidentally teach) then the Earth would again have come under total annihilation, as the world before the Flood. A path had to be cleared for the coming of a Savior worthy of the price of all mankind, all who had ever lived. Only God Himself could do this.

The Covenants Part 2

Covenants that Count: Certainly all of the promises and Covenants from our Creator count, but what I want to cover are the Covenants that matter for all Israel/Judah and all people, as they are connected or not to the Covenant or Covenants. Many times promises are made to individuals, like individual kings and persons, as YaHWeH deals internally with those of influence among the population. I want us to look at the Covenants that have a national scope and a whole world scope -- Covenants that impact us all, and how there are Covenants for a particular people. These Covenants are proof to the reality of a Creator God, a proof that He is not like other (false) gods, He is a Covenant God, and either His Covenants are true and faithful or He is not different from other gods. What other god or gods makes Covenants of agreement with any people? None. There is but one Covenant God, first introduced to the people before the Great Flood and then personally to Noah. Make no mistake, the people before the Great Flood knew who YaHWeH was.

(Gen 4:26)  And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of YaHWeH. (Special note: Adam and his descendants surely knew who YaHWeH was, but those outside, where Cain was driven, those men and women only became aware at this time in history)

We have no record of YaHWeH making any covenants with mankind. The first covenant from YaHWeH to the world, comes thorough an Earth shaking event, the Great Flood, with only Noah and his family surviving. The irony is clear, before the worldwide flood, our Creator made no promises, and by not having made any promises there was nothing to keep the Creator of all things from making some changes, from altering the course of man’s future. After the Great Flood our Creator begins to make promises, to create Covenants to which He, YaHWeH, has bound Himself as faithful and true, even when men are not truthful nor faithful in the flesh. He sees the weakness of mankind, the desire may be there but the will is weak. That old saying, the world is filled with good intentions, but our Creator decided a Covenant relationship, even with those not capable of honoring a life long covenant would fail, He would still be committed to the fulfillment of whatever Covenant He would make with man. It is only by these Covenants that we still exist. The record of Noah is a record of just how close we came to becoming extinct.

#1 Covenant with Noah
#2 Covenant with Abraham
#3 Covenant with Jacob/Israel, a Covenant added to and renewed more than once.
#4 Covenant Offered to the World. Called The New Covenant by most
#5 Covenant with Judah and Israel. A New Covenant with Israel and Judah

Covenant #1 is the Promise, or Covenant made with Noah never to flood the world again, signed by the evidence of a Rainbow. This would seem to indicate that the conditions for a rainbow to appear in the sky before this were not in place. Some have said the environment of the Earth before the Flood may have been completely different from the environment we now have. Today we take the Rainbow, usually visible after of during rainy periods, for granted. Science explains how light moving through water droplets creates this rainbow of colors, but they cannot explain why we even have water on this Earth, nor can they explain why the rainbow displays all of the spectrum of color we enjoy while living on this planet of color. Why color? The moon is colorless, Mars is a red hue, but Earth is color upon color and pleasing to the eye, all the colors of the Rainbow. Rainbows are quite magical, actually, shouting out a promise and a Creator, Gen 9:12-14.

Covenant #2 is a covenant made with Abraham. This Covenant is a one way Covenant, a Promise YaHWeH makes with no requirements from Abram whatsoever. This Covenant is a promise never to make an end of his descendants but to actually cause them to be without number, and as we find in the Covenant made with Believers after the Cross the Promised fulfillment is not merely of the flesh only, but into eternity.
  A Covenant by which the mere believing in it, believing the words of YaHWeH as the absolute truth, in only a promise, without any evidence, and Abraham believed and accepted this offer. This Belief in YaHWeH as a truthful God is counted as the ultimate righteousness for Abraham. A mere human of the flesh, counted as worthy to participate in such a Covenant, a FOREVER Promise, a FOREVER Covenant. A Covenant that is not finished. A Covenant that would eventually become part of Covenant #4. Before we talk about Covenant #4 we will go to #3, the Covenant made with Israel.

This Covenant #3 is a covenant made with a certain, an historical people called Israel, not with the world, this covenant, similar to the one made with Abraham, is also written in the blood of animals. While the Covenant made with Abraham contained blessings, this Covenant also contains many blessing but also Curses, or lack of a better word. This Covenant becomes a complex Covenant containing the direct Commandments of God, the God YaHWeH, commandments written by His own hand. Then to this are added Statutes and Judgments and Civil laws. This Covenant repeated from generation to generation.

(Deu 29:1) These are the words of the covenant which YaHWeH commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the Covenant which He made with them in Horeb.
(Deu 29:29) The secret things belong to YaHWeH our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

(Lev 26:44-45) Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them; for I am YaHWeH their God; but I will for their sake remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am YaHWeH.' "

There are other covenants, to be sure. For example, the renewing of the Original Covenant made with the people of Israel, first by Moses, Exodus 24:7-8, and again by Joshua (YaHshua), just before his death, Joshua. Maybe these could be called Covenant #3, and then Covenants #3a and #3b? Covenant #3 would be the presentation of the Laws, and Ordinances, and statutes in a legal form, written out in stone, then ratified by the sprinkling of blood, signed, as it were in blood, and accepted by both parties, the people of Israel and YaHWeH.

In Covenant #3a, Moses reiterates (repeats) this original Covenant with the people, a full generation later, the generation about to enter the Promised land. A very interesting point, missed by nearly everyone is that this Covenant was NOT made with the fathers of Israel but with those people standing there at that moment, in that time, the actual descendants of Israel taking possession of the Land Promised. The original people of Israel delivered from Egypt were all dead, save for a very very few, like Joshua, and Caleb. This was a re-commitment of the new generation to enter the promised kingdom.

(Deu 5:2-3) YaHWeH our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. YaHWeH made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

Coming to Covenant #3b we notice something different. This could actually be called The Covenant with Joshua, as you will see. This is reminder of the Original Covenant but more, it is an acknowledgment as to whom one swears allegiance, in this case, YaHWeH. This Covenant is to the serving of YaHWeH as God, the only God, and with this comes dire warning for breaking this covenant, if accepted. This new blood, this fresh generation of Israelis all swore the same with Joshua, as he and his family swore their allegiance to serve only YaHWeH, and so this new generation swore the same. Soon after this Joshua died. They all pledged to serve YaHWeH and only Him. They had sincere intentions but what if they were to fail in this renewed pledge? Read all of Joshua Chapter 24 and see for yourself, in the end this is a warning as well as a blessing and a reminder about how serious it is to make this Covenant with our Creator, and they all agree to it, both the curse and the blessing. And so it is recorded that that day YaHshua (Joshua) made this covenant AND set the Statutes and Ordinances in Shechem.
(Joshua 24:25) So YaHshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

There is another Covenant, a Covenant within a Covenant, the Sabbath Covenant, a Covenant not many want to talk about. Why? Because it is a Covenant that carries the death penalty, a penalty among the Israelis. But, today, this is ignored, still it is worth noting. Why? Because it is a demonstration of how the original Old Covenant with Israel is broken. The Temple is gone, and the death penalty for not keeping the exact demands of the Sabbath Law is ignored. For a New Covenant believer this has no power of us, but it still should have power over the Israelis and Jews, but does it? No, but still it is the Law.

(Exo 31:14-16) You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to YaHWeH. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

Covenant #4, A Covenant offered to the World, by the Blood or our Savior, YaHshua. The Covenant of the Cross.

(Act 11:18) When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Remember, the very first converts to the confession of YaHshua as the First Born, having come in the Flesh from Heaven, were all Jewish. It took time for the Jews of that time to absorb the fact that Salvation was not only for Jews or Israelis only.

(Rom 9:7-8) Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall your seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Who are the descendants of Abraham? The children of the promise, and that would be us, not the Jews or Israelis. They are the seed of Isaac and by this are connected to Abraham but we are the SEED of the Promise, with YaHshua being the First Born of many. The seed of Isaac are of the Law, the flesh, we are of Abraham, the Promise and the Promise is accomplished through YaHshua and His sacrifice on the Cross for us.

  Make no mistake, the Jews and Israelis all claim Abraham as their father as do the Muslim, the children of Ishmael, half brother to Isaac. And they are all wrong. No matter the race, or the pedigree of a people, only those who will confess YaHshua as having come in the flesh, from our Heavenly Father can be called the true seed. Ironically, both Jew and Muslim deny YaHshua as the Son of the Living God.

(Mat 11:27) All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.
For us, can it be any plainer? You cannot have the one without the other, period.

Covenant #5 A better Covenant to be made with Israel and Judah. This Covenant is still in the future. The New Covenant of the Cross is like that made with Abram, before he became Abraham. The following should make this clear. There is still a Covenant to be made with Judah and Israel, and it too is called a New Covenant.

(Heb 7:12) For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
(Heb 8:8-9) For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, says the Lord.

A New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not with Gentiles. The Covenant made with the world, with gentiles nations and people is from the Cross of our Messiah, His sacrifice for us, but Israel and Judah have refused this Covenant, and extension the Covenant made with Abram.

  There remains a Covenant, another New Covenant to be made with Israel and Judah. The Covenant we have with YaH YaHshua is for all men and women who will accept YaHshua as the First Born. For Israel and Judah a day is coming when they will be bound together as one and after that they will see their Redeemer and weep, and their hearts will be change, as were ours, change forever. Then this New Covenant will be made with them, not like the one they have claimed to follow but have broken many times.
Proving this is true is really easy, all we have to do is read the rest of Chapter 8 to the Hebrews.

(Heb 8:10-12) For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
(Heb 8:13) In that he say, A new covenant, he has made the first old. Now that which decays and waxes old is ready to vanish away.

The last of these verses speak of this particular Covenant as ready to pass away, as in a state of decay, waxing old, not gone. The New Covenant we have with YaH YaHWeH, in our acceptance of YaHshua as the First Born, in our Confession to our God in Him as our Savior, is different from that made with Israel and Judah. Those words, written to the Hebrews, makes it clear that their covenant is still in effect, with them, but is fading away and ready to vanish.

We need to understand that this writing was decades after our Savior went to the Cross for us and sealed us, and or, covered us with His Blood, the Blood of A new Covenant offered to one and all, including the Jews and Israelis, as an offer, if accepted, and this is a Covenant before the New Covenant to be made in the future with all of the peoples of Israel and Judah the world over. Today the Israelis do not accept the Christian Covenant, much less a Covenant replacing the Covenant they still try to honor, a Covenant that dates back to their release from Egypt as a people. When this New Covenant, replacing the Old that is waxing away, is made it will be made with a new Israel, one where Judah and Israel are united as one, and our our Lord is here, returned to make peace, with them and the world. And the Old Covenant Writings testify to this truth as well.

(Jer 3:16) And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, say YaHWeH, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of YaHWeH: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
(Jer 31:31) Behold, the days come, say YaHWeH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

It would benefit the believer to read all of Jeremiah chapter 31, it is in this book of YeremYaH, that we find out what is to happen with Israel, not just the present but the future. Modern Israel is there because they had to be there for the prophetic word to be true. What a test of the Word. Israel wiped out, removed from the land by the Romans, never to be possessors of the land again. But wait, if prophecy it true and there is still a future for Israel they had to return, and return they did, but wait, again, they are not in the conditions of peace and safety the prophetic word demands. What a conundrum; no Israel, no prophecy, Israel had to return to the land so the prophetic word could prove itself to be true. Now with Modern Israel in place the prophetic word can and will continue.

  This Modern Israel cannot be the Israel that is living in peace and harmony, that is living under the protection of YaHWeH. How can it be. The Israel of the future declares YaHshua as King and Savior. The Israel of the future is repentant and accepts the returned YaHshua as Messiah and King.

  There is another Covenant coming, one made with Judah and Israel as a single, united people. The following writings from the OC tell us of a different nation in the land of Israel than we see today. Today’s Israel is not living as this prophecy states, but they will one day, in a time after the Resurrection and restoration of all Israel, and, believe it or not, King David will be raised to rule again. This will also be the time our Lord YaHshua will be ruling from Jerusalem.

(Eze 37:22-23) and I will make them one nation in the land, on 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; 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 dwelling places, in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

(Eze 37:24) My servant David shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My ordinances, and observe My statutes, and do them.
(Eze 37:25) They shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they shall dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children's children, forever: and David My servant shall be their prince for ever.

The Gentile Covenant, or the Covenant of the Cross of YaHshua
How this Covenant came about is explained by the Apostle Paul and specifically address to the Gentile converts. This is found in a letter to the Romans. It explains how Israel and Judah have been cut out, but only for a time, and that they have been partly made blind but only for a time, and this has happened to them for a purpose, and that purpose was to allow the Gentiles (all none Israelis) access to the true source of Life. That source is presented as an allegorical Olive Tree, from which the people of Israel and Judah are pruned away, or broken off, making room for those of the wild tree, the Gentiles to be grafted into this Original tree and its feeding roots. Let’s take a look at what the Apostle Paul is teaching the Romans.

(Rom 11:13-14) For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry; if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

Paul has tried preaching the Gospel to his own kin, to his brethren, with little success. He understands that He has been called to be an Apostle to the Gentiles but his underlying desire is that even in this mission some of his beloved kin, his people of the flesh, will respond when they witness how greatly the Gentiles respond to this Gospel message concerning the Jewish Messiah whom they had rejected. Perhaps, if only moved by jealousy, some would respond in the positive, Paul would be happy. From here he explains how this has all come about, that even Gentiles are able to enter the Kingdom.

(Rom 11:15) For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
(Rom 11:16-18) If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you (gentiles), being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree; don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.

(Rom 11:19) You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."
(Rom 11:20) True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear; for if God didn't spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
This explains what has happened to the Jews for our sake, so that we might be grafted into the Root of Life which is the Father and Son. But there is also a warning: If we do not continue in Him, if we turn away in our belief as they did, then we too are subject to being cut off.

(Rom 11:23) They also, if they don't continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
(Rom 11:24) For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

We are warned not to lord it over the Jew who is cut out from the Good Tree because of their unbelief. We are not to hold this against them because this is all part of the Good Plan, allowing us access to the Good Tree of Life.
From Strong’s Greek Dictionary we see this truth: This tree is called an Olive Tree and when you look up the word for OLIVE you find that it is saying something by definition it is saying elaia, pronounced El ah Yah, or Eliyah (Elijah), which is to say, My God is YaH. This is the tree of Life, the Good Tree, the Eliyah Tree.

(Strong’s: Transliteration: Elaia - Phonetic: el-ah'-yah).

Important Note: If you do not understand His true Identity this may be confusing to some, but once you accept YaHshua’s Birth Name then this all becomes clear.  His name is not, and never has been, JESUS.  His birth Name is, as delivered to Mary and Joseph to name Him is, and always has been YaH-shua.  Old English presented this as Joshua, originally pronounced as Yaoshua, a very close transliteration and this name was then replaced with Iesvs, later to, Jesus, not even close to the Name He was Name by His Heavenly Father.  Important?  You bet it is -- Acts 4:12, and many other verses prove this to be true.  

(Rom 11:25-27) For I don't desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant to them, when I will take away their sins."

We are to take care in our approach and treatment of Israel and Judah, collectively called the Jews today. It is because of their failure we have been granted access to the Father and the Son, to the Tree of Life. The prophetic nature of what the Apostle Paul is saying is wrapped up in the Deliverer, YaHshua. So far this has only been accomplished in part, allowing for the Gentiles to enter, but one day out of Zion the Deliverer will come and remove all ungodliness from the people of Jacob. This has not happened in fullness yet. A New Covenant is to be made with the people of Jacob, of Israel, just as Jeremiah (Jeremyah) 31:31 tells us. And this after our Lord returns in power and Glory, this time not to be denied. The partial blindness and deafness we find the Jews in today is not because of them, entirely, but because or our Creator’s desire to make a pathway for those outside of Israel, to complete a Promise made to Abraham, not because of Abraham but because of the mercy and love our Creator has for all of us. Israel was to be an example but they failed to deliver, so they became a different kind of example and by their failure we have been brought in by election, and by adoption to be His sons and daughters too. Still, His plan is not to let the people continue in their failure. Once His purpose is fully complete all of the people of Israel, those seen and those hidden will be saved. He will remove their blindness and unstop their ears and they will see Him whom they rejected and cry out in repentance. We do not see that today, do we? But that day will come.

(Rom 11:28-29) Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

They are made enemies so we, who are gentiles and even some who are of Israeli decent unknowingly, may enter into a Covenant relationship with our Redeemer, who is their Redeemer as well. They are loved, still, to this day by our Heavenly Father and He did not call them to fail. He let them fail, allowed them to fail, as a lesson for all of us, and as a way by which we too could be adopted into the Kingdom. His Calling is irrevocable, meaning they were called to be a people for Him and by Him and they will not fail in this calling once the blindness is removed. We are also called to Him, to YaHshua and our Father in Heaven, and our calling is also irrevocable, it cannot be taken back. We can, however, ignore or abandon this calling, and that is where we are warned to endure unto the end because to abandon this calling by denying YaHshua, once we have enjoyed this revelation is impossible from His point of view and this then would lead to us deny the Holy Spirit, which would then be the unforgivable sin, not against the Son but against the Father, who is the Holy Spirit. Deny the Son and you deny the Father as well. Can one repent from such a rejection or denial? Only our Father in Heaven knows. Can a sin be forgiven, yes. Can a sin be forgiven against the Holy Spirit? No, but what is the penalty for that? We only assume it is death, but this may not be the case, this is entirely up to our Heavenly Father, in such a case.

(Rom 11:30-32) For as you in time past were disobedient to the FATHER , but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy. For the FATHER has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
(Rom 11:33) Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of the FATHER ! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
(Rom 11:34) "For who has known the mind of the FATHER? Or who has been his counselor?"
(Rom 11:35) "Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?"
(Rom 11:36) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen. YSRB

email comments to: dan@servantsofyahshua.com
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