New Covenant Obedience

Andrew Murray writes:IN making the New Covenant, God said very definitely, "Not after the covenant I made with your fathers." We have learnt what the fault was with that Covenant: it made God's favour dependent upon the obedience of the people. "If ye obey, I will be your God."Listen to the words in Ezekiel 20:Ezek. 20:5 “Say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD: “On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God.’ 6 On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, “flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands. 7 Then I said to them, “Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ 8 But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, “I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’ 9 But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt. Ezek. 20:10 “Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, “which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ Do you see that God first established His covenant with the people while they were still in Egypt. While in Egypt they rebelled and did not put away their false gods. Therefore the Lord was angry and thought to destroy this people. Yet He relented for the sake of His name in the witness of the Gentiles. He then brings Israel out of Egypt and then gives the Law to the people. Do you see the progression here?12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. The nation of Israel migrated to Egypt and lived there 400 years. The decendents of Abraham "were born," in Egypt and they shared in the same promise as Isaac did. In ChristJeff

Andrew Murray writes:N making the New Covenant, God said very definitely, "Not after the covenant I made with your fathers." We have learnt what the fault was with that Covenant:"Not after the covenant I made with your fathers," obviously pretains to the day that God gave His law to Moses on Mount Sinai. Listen again to Ezekiel 20:But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, “I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’ 9 But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt. Listen now to for the provision that God gave to them on that day at the base of Mount Sinai.Ezek. 20:10 “Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, “which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ 12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. So God gave them His statutes and said the famous words that we hear so often, “which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ This is the precept that Andrew Murray points too when he sites, ""Not after the covenant I made with your fathers." But now listen to His provision in the next verse in Ezekiel. 12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. Do you see His provision. It is contained in the gift of the Sabbath. Now according to Scripture who is the Lord of the Sabbath?Matt. 12:8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”Now bear with me. What famous verse do we often site when speaking of the provision of the Law? Gal. 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Do you see what is said in Ezekiel, the law is given and also the gift of the Sabbath? Now Paul states that the law was a tutor that would bring us to Christ. For those in the OT who sought after the gift of the Sabbath, faith came. You see we are all saved by grace through faith. The Sabbath provided the grace so that they might believe. In Christjeff

These two verses speak of the same precept, listen and hear.Ezekiel 2012 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.Revelation 318 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. In ChristJeff

Jeff, Could you please explain what you are tyring to say? I know this is something that i need to know. I am not good at interpreting old testament scripture unless the holy Spirit is trying to reveal something to me. Can you put it in laymans's terms for me? i would much appreciate it. :-)In His love, Chanin

Dear Sister:Ezekiel 2012 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.In Ezekiel 20, we hear of how God was still with each generation of the nation of Israel that lived in Egypt. Remember when God sent Joseph to Egypt, and then because of the famine, God sent Jacob and the rest of his family to live in Egypt with Joseph. Well, this family grew in number to over 2 million in the 400 years that they dwelt in Egypt. God was their provider in the land of Goshen. Well during the first 40 years of the life of Moses God began to hear the cries of His people because of the presecution from the Egyptians. During this time God also commanded that His people cleanse themselves of the idol worship that they had learned from their Egyptian neighbors. In Ezekiel 20, it gives us testimony that the people refused. This made God very angry. So he thought to give His people over to destruction, but He said because of His name sake He would continue to be their God. 8 But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, “I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’ 9 But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt. So God then said that He would take them out of Egypt, He would seperate His people from the Egyptian heathen. Scripture teaches us that when He brought them out of Egypt that He gave them His statutes which He knew they could not obey. Ezek. 20:10 “Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, “which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ What does Paul teach?Rom. 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. No one could obey God's law, not then and not now. But listen to what Paul writes next about the only way that man can be reconciled to God.Rom. 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Now look closely, going back to Ezekiel 20:After God had given Moses the law written on stone, I am refering to verse: 11 And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, “which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ Now look carefully at the next verse: 12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.Listen for God's provision contained in these words: "that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them." The Sabbath was God's provision to His people. The grace of God was given in the Sabbath. This is what the Lord gave to those who kept the Sabbath. First that they may know the Lord, and secondly that they may experience santification that comes from God. Do you see that God never expected man to obey His statutes. Man is depraved, he cannot please God. Yet what do we see here? God provided the grace through the Sabbath that would enable all to overcome the world. His promise is that He would santify them. Now Jesus said to the Pharisees Matt. 12:8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”Do you see Jesus being Lord of the Sabbath in the OT? Do you see the Father's provision for His people? Now what does it mean to keep the Sabbath? God only gave, I believe, 5 commands out of 613 of the written law pretaining to the Sabbath. Remember, that while Jesus was on earth, the Pharisees always condemned Jesus for breaking the laws on the Sabbath? Jesus did not break His laws, He kept the Sabbath perfectly. Yet the Pharisees condemned Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. You see by this time in history the Jews had written the Talmud, a set of man made laws that represented their own attempt to keep the Sabbath. They relied on their carnal minds and put cofidence in their own flesh. The laws that they conjured up these are the ones that Jesus broke. The Sabbath is spiritual and Jesus was the Lord of the Sabbath. Only by following Jesus through the Holy Spirit could man keep the Sabbath in the OT. Now listen to Jesus's offer to His church in Revelation 3.18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Listen to His offer, meditate on these words, "I counsel you." These 3 words gives us the key that opens the door of the kingdom of God. "I counsel you!" Without His counsel you cannot know God. Without His counsel you cannot learn to love God and one another. Without His counsel one is dead in his sins. Now listen for the promise of what His counsel offers. "... to buy from Me gold refined in the fire,.." Do you see that we are given a choice to purchase from Him, gold refined in the fire? What is this treasure that He speaks of? What Scripture comes to mind? Zech. 13:9 \tI will bring the one-third through the fire,\tWill refine them as silver is refined,\tAnd test them as gold is tested.\tThey will call on My name,\tAnd I will answer them.\tI will say, “This is My people’;\tAnd each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God."Also1Pet. 1:7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, Do you hear what Jesus has to give us? We are saved by grace, (His counsel), through faith. Jesus works to produce a faith that is genuine and pure. Faith comes by hearing His counsel. He will gives us His life. As we abide in Him, we will learn from Him. As we abide in Him, we will see that it is He who sanctifies us who believe. Faith does not come from us, it is produced in us by the Holy Spirit. Listen to whose faith it is, listen to the words of Jesus.13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.Do you see "My Faith?" God provides for all generations through His Son's Faith. In ChristJeff

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”I was reading in Isaiah 48 this morning, listen to the work of God that was done in those who returned from captivity from Babylon. 12 \t“Listen to Me, O Jacob,\tAnd Israel, My called:\tI am He, I am the First,\tI am also the Last. 13 \tIndeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth,\tAnd My right hand has stretched out the heavens;\tWhen I call to them,\tThey stand up together. 14 \t“All of you, assemble yourselves, and hear!\tWho among them has declared these things?\tThe LORD loves him;\tHe shall do His pleasure on Babylon,\tAnd His arm shall be against the Chaldeans. 15 \tI, even I, have spoken;\tYes, I have called him,\tI have brought him, and his way will prosper. 16 \t“Come near to Me, hear this:\tI have not spoken in secret from the beginning;\tFrom the time that it was, I was there.\tAnd now the Lord GOD and His Spirit\tHave sent Me.” Please meditate on these words, "Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoke in secret from the beginning From the time that it was, I was thereAnd now the Lord GOD and His Spirit Have sent Me."Not only is this a proof of the existence of the trinity in the OT, it is also proof the Jesus was sent to the OT saint. Listen to the next words of Scripture, listen for the works of Christ and how He ministered to those in the OT.Isaiah 48:17 \tThus says the LORD, your Redeemer,\tThe Holy One of Israel:\t“I am the LORD your God,\tWho teaches you to profit,\tWho leads you by the way you should go. 18 \tOh, that you had heeded My commandments!\tThen your peace would have been like a river,\tAnd your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Do you see the work of Jesus, do you hear His heart? "Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Listen again for His offer? 18 I COUNSEL YOU to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Jesus refered to Himself in Scripture as being sent by the Father. His work is to declare Him whom sent Him. He asks us to purchase gold refined by fire. He has always been the treasure. Listen to the teaching in this parable.Matt. 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.Matt. 13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.Jesus gives to us His faith that is more precious that gold and silver. To receive His faith means to be one in Him and one in the Father. Listen to His promisePsalm 69: 29 \tBut I am poor and sorrowful;\tLet Your salvation, O God, set me up on high. 30 \tI will praise the name of God with a song,\tAnd will magnify Him with thanksgiving. 31 \tThis also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull,\tWhich has horns and hooves. 32 \tThe humble shall see this and be glad;\tAnd you who seek God, your hearts shall live. 33 \tFor the LORD hears the poor,\tAnd does not despise His prisoners. Who are His prisoners? Romans 6:Rom. 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. In ChristJeff

Andrew Murray writes:We have learnt what the fault was with that Covenant: it made God's favour dependent upon the obedience of the people.How many times have you teached this message or have heard someone else teach this message? Paul himself taught this message. Listen to his words. Roman 3:19-20"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for the law is the knowledge of sin.Do you see that it was God's intent to teach man what sin was. It was God's intent to teach man that he could not keep the law. So when God gave the law to Moses on Mount Sinai, His intent was to teach His people about sin. Remember from what we learned in Ezekiel 20. God had commanded His people living in Egypt to seperate themselves from the worship of the idols of Egypt. Yet most disobeyed. Remember that God thought to destroy His people, but He relented for His own names sake. So then He brougth them out of Egypt and then gave them this covenant. This covenant was meant to teach His people that they could not obey His laws in the flesh. This covenant was given to them to teach them that they needed God's mercy and grace. This covenant was given to them to lead them to Christ. Remember God took no pleasure in the sin offerings. Just imagine yourselves placing your hand on the head of a animal to be sacrificed for your sins. Imagine the quivering of the animal as the priest slit it's throat. Imagine the blood that spilled out. Imagine the smell of death. Imagine the feelings one had as he or she experienced this sacrifice. How would you feel about your sins at this moment? Would you cry out to God to deliver you from your sin? Or would you become callous to the whole thing and have the sacrifice become a tradition instead?Now having said this, understanding that this covenant given on Mount Sinai was meant to condemn His people what does that say about the nature of God? Most teach only only of this precept and nothing further. Have you ever thought that there is something missing in this teaching. Are we teaching with stammering lips? Do you not sense confusion?God says in Ezekiel 33:11. "Say to them: 'As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?"This truth rings thoughtout the generations. God wants all to come to salvation. So how does the teaching of the dispensationalist lack in understanding the nature of God. So by what means does God deliver His people?In ChristJeff

Br. freecd wrote:The New Covenant is an everlasting Covenant, never to be broken, it makes sufficient provision for securing the obedience of those who enter it.You are absolutely correct in how God provides for those He calls. Nothing like sighting OT Scripture to demonstrate the love God has for those He calls in all generations.In ChristJeff

Br. freecd quoted Scripture pretaining to the New Covenant:But this shall be the covenant that I will make with you; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in your inward parts, and write it in your heart; and I will be your God, and you shall be mine. I was reading in Isaiah this weekend and came across this Scripture.Is. 51:7 \t“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,\tYou people in whose heart is My law:\tDo not fear the reproach of men,\tNor be afraid of their insults. Do you see that God place His law in their hearts? You see once you yourself know how God does this thing with you, you also understand how He does it with all others. Scripture teaches us that there has always been those who God has called. There is always a remnant. There is alway the tree with it's many branches that are supported by the Root of Jesse. In ChristJeff

Here is another thought pretaining to the New Covenant, that I found reading in Isaiah this weekend. Is. 52:11 \tDepart! Depart! Go out from there,\tTouch no unclean thing;\tGo out from the midst of her,\tBe clean,\tYou who bear the vessels of the LORD. These people, the faithful people were the vessels of the Lord.What did the vessels contain?In ChristJeff

Hebrews 8:10 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 in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, “Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”These verses describe the results of the New Covenant. Listen for the promise in the following Scriptures. Isaiah 4422 \tI have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,\tAnd like a cloud, your sins.\tReturn to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 51:7Is. 51:7 \t“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,\tYou people in whose heart is My law:\tDo not fear the reproach of men,\tNor be afraid of their insults. To know righteousness is to know God. God gave His people the Sabbath so that, "they might know that I am the Lord who santifies them. 12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. Do you see that God's promises have existed in all generations? Probably the oldest Scriptures found in the book of Job speak of His grace. Listen to what the Scriptures say, let him who has ears hear!Job 38:7 \tHe does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;\tBut they are on the throne with kings,\tFor He has seated them forever,\tAnd they are exalted. 8 \tAnd if they are bound in fetters,\tHeld in the cords of affliction, 9 \tThen He tells them their work and their transgressions—\tThat they have acted defiantly. 10 \tHe also opens their ear to instruction,\tAnd commands that they turn from iniquity. 11 \tIf they obey and serve Him,\tThey shall spend their days in prosperity,\tAnd their years in pleasures. 12 \tBut if they do not obey,\tThey shall perish by the sword,\tAnd they shall die without knowledge. 13 \t“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath;\tThey do not cry for help when He binds them. 14 \tThey die in youth,\tAnd their life ends among the perverted persons. 15 \tHe delivers the poor in their affliction,\tAnd opens their ears in oppression. 16 \t“Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress,\tInto a broad place where there is no restraint;\tAnd what is set on your table would be full of richness. Do these Scriptures say about the promises of God? Listen once more for God's promise.Job 38:7 \tHe does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;\tBut they are on the throne with kings,\tFor He has seated them forever,\tAnd they are exalted. They are exalted forever. His word will accomplish that for which He sent it out. In ChristJeff

I came across this thought moments ago. Paul writes: Rom. 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): This Scripture was taken from Deuteronomy 30:1414 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. Here the Holy Scriptures declare that God has placed His word in the hearts of those He is speaking to in the OT. Please remember that is a New Covenant promise. Heb 8:10 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 in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.If God places His word in your heart, He will have circumcised your heart to receive it. This is the work of God and not man.In ChristJeff