Welcome to A Journey through the New Testament! In this series, we will systematically journey through every chapter in the New Testament, unveiling the marvelous insights that can be found in the scriptures.
The two previous Sunrises laid the groundwork for this one, aiming to unravel the fulfillment of the law through Jesus. To grasp this, let's first establish the meaning of the term "covenant."
COVENANT - a written agreement or promise, between two or more parties, for the performance of some action.
When delving into the Old Covenant, it's essential to understand the roles each party played. This covenant originated through promises—first to Abraham and then to the Israelites through Moses. The people promised to obey God based on the offers He made, forming a covenant rooted in the promises of both parties.
God promised:
Land (Canaan) and an everlasting Kingdom ruled by a coming Messiah.
To be their God.
Natural blessings of wealth and protection.
In Abraham’s seed, all nations would be blessed (referring to Christ blessing the nations through the Holy Ghost).
Resurrection (Isaiah 26:19).
The Jews promised:
To keep the law.
To adhere to the prophets—the spoken word of God.
Now, Jesus signified the transition from the Old Covenant to the New, as outlined in the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 8:7-8
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 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:
A New Covenant was necessary because the terms of the previous one were broken—Israel didn't hold up their end of the deal.
Jeremiah 31:31-32
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 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 brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
Considering Israel's widespread disobedience, they technically should not have received anything more from God. Yet, God, being just and unwilling to punish the children for the sins of their fathers (Ezekiel 18:19-20), decided those who disobeyed the law wouldn't be saved, while those who continued in the law would be spared through resurrection. However, they would still have to wait in the lower parts of the earth until the time for their resurrection (Luke 16:22-26).
God fulfilled the first and second promises, giving the land of Canaan to the Jews as an everlasting possession and dedicating Himself to them. However, the Jews' disobedience disqualified them from the third (natural blessings). By the time Jesus arrived, the other promises were yet to be fulfilled. Let's explore how Jesus fulfills these remaining promises.
In thy seed shall all nations be blessed:
Jesus, through sacrificing Himself on the cross, blessed the nations by shedding His blood for their sins. His sacrifice gave the world a chance to repent and return to true fellowship with God through the Holy Ghost. Now, the Holy Ghost is the blessing of Jesus Christ that abides within.
Resurrection:
Jesus, by conquering sin and death through His resurrection, gained the power to resurrect others. Anyone who obeys Him qualifies for resurrection. So, at His resurrection, He descended to the lower parts of the earth and resurrected the Jews who had died before Him, granting them new bodies. Matthew 27:52-53 gives us a glimpse—52 And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
As Job declared, "For I know that my Redeemer lives and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God" (Job 19:25-26). Job did witness Jesus at His resurrection, and now he is with Him in glory as a member of the resurrected called—The Great Cloud of Witnesses (Hebrews 12:1).
The Old Covenant is fulfilled. We now await His return when He shall rule with not only the resurrected house of Moses, but also with the resurrected Church! Hallelujah!
Written by Kareem Flowers, Sunrise with Jesus
REFERENCE SCRIPTURE - (We will teach this tomorrow)
Job 14:12-15
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
The above is a devotional about Old Testament Promises Fulfilled
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