Overview of the Covenants
The following pages contain the basic outlines of the old and new agreements with national Israel and the Sovereign Father's agreement with the elect during the Gospel age of salvation.
THE FIRST AGREEMENT WITH NATIONAL ISRAEL
TYPE OF AGREEMENT
The first agreement was an exclusive agreement between God and the individuals who comprised national Israel. Moreover, this agreement was open-ended and included the ten commandments, obedience to whatever God asked of them, and the practice of the sacrificial system. Deut.29:1.
Exclusive
The agreement was made exclusively with the nation of Israel, but other people could participate in the agreement if they met its terms and conditions.
National and Individual
The agreement was made with the nation of Israel and each individual Israelite. See the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy for details of the national and individual terms and conditions of the agreement.
Open-ended
The agreement could be added to or subtracted from by God, but not by the Israelites (Ex.19:5-6).
MAJOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The Israelites to obey God (Ex.19:5-6; chps.20-23).
The Israelites to worship only the Creator God (Ex.20:1-7, 25).
God was to bless and protect the Israelites.
Benefits For Israel
God provided physical benefits and the opportunity to participate in the first resurrection.
Benefits For God
The Israelites would be his treasure as a kingdom of priests and an example of the benefits that would come from obedience to his way of life (Ex.19:5-6).
DURATION
The agreement was a perpetual agreement that would last as long as national Israel kept their part of the agreement (Ex.31:16; Lev.23:14, 21, 31,41; 24:5-8; Deut.28:15).
RATIFICATION
The agreement was written in stone and in a book; then, it was attested to orally and sealed with the blood of a sacrificial animal (Ex.24: 3; 24:12; 34:1-5; 24:8).
THE AGREEMENT WITH RE-GATHERED ISRAEL
At the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, two major things happened that concern the old and new agreement with national Israel:
The old agreement was canceled.
The new agreement was ratified with the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ. This new agreement is now awaiting the re-gathering and reestablishment of Israel as a sovereign nation after the return of Jesus Christ. It is at this time that the new agreement with national Israel will come into force.
TYPE OF AGREEMENT
The new agreement will be made exclusively with the re-gathered tribes of Israel as a whole; it will be an exclusive agreement between God and the individuals who will comprise national Israel. Moreover it will be a closed agreement.
Exclusive
The agreement will be made exclusively with re-gathered Israel (Ezk.20:33-38; 36:24-28), but other people will be allowed to participate in the agreement if they meet its terms and conditions.
National and Individual
The agreement allows both Israelites and non-Israelites to worship God and have the opportunity for eternal life (Zech.14:16-19; Acts 10: 34-35; Rev.21:1-7, 24-27). Moreover, each person who comes under this agreement will be dealt with on a personal level (Jn.6:44,65; Ezk.20:35).
Closed
The agreement cannot be added to or subtracted from by either party (Heb.8:8-10; 10:16).
MAJOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Individuals must repent of past sins (Ezk.20:35; Acts 2:38).
Individuals must worship the true God.
Individuals must keep the terms and conditions of the agreement.
God will give individuals called to salvation during this age of salvation spiritual tools to help them perform their part of the agreement (Jer.31:31-33; Heb.8:8-10).
BENEFITS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
God will provide physical benefits and the opportunity to have eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
BENEFITS FOR GOD
The Israelites will be priests of God and an example to all nations of the benefits that come from obedience to God's way of life.
AGREEMENT DURATION
The physical aspects of this agreement will last until the end of the harvest of humanity into the Kingdom and Family of God, but its spiritual aspects will last for eternity (Heb.13:20; Jer.31:34,37; 32:40; Rev.21:3-7).
DIFFERENCES
The following are some major differences between the first and second agreements with national Israel:
Under the first agreement, only Israel was required to practice God's laws, precepts, and principles and go to the place where God placed his name to worship him and offer sacrifices.
Sacrifices
Under the new agreement, Israel, as well as all other nations are required to practice God's laws, precepts, and principles, and come to Jerusalem to worship God and offer sacrifices.
THE SCHOOLMASTER
In his letter to the elect at Galatia, the apostle Paul gives much insight into God's law which includes the sacrificial system. Paul writes that the law was the schoolmaster (i.e., the instructor/method) through which Christ and justification through him can be understood:
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith is come, we are no longer under the schoolmaster. For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal.3:24-26 KJV).
Paul shows that there was nothing wrong with the law and the covenant, which included the sacrificial system, because it was a tool by which one could learn the ways of God and come to an understanding of how to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ.
The School Master Returns
Animal sacrifices will be performed as a part of the new temple worship system after Christ returns, but will not be used for the atonement for sin. Because, it is only through the sacrifice of Christ that a person can obtain forgiveness of sin. The sacrificial system after the return of Christ will have a similar function to the one under the agreements with the Patriarchs and ancient Israel, in that sacrifices will be offered to make it possible for people to access, worship, and be taught by God at the temple.
Ezekiel's prophecies clearly reveal that a temple for the worship of God will exist after Christ's return and that various observances and sacrifices that will be performed there. Moreover, Paul and others of the early church offered sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem. Therefore, it can be safely assumed that there is nothing wrong with the sacrificial system of worship and that it will again be used as a tool to teach people the way of God and bring them to an understanding of how to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ.
The following are the primary lessons taught through offering a blood sacrifice for the atonement of spiritual and moral violations of God's law:
The violation of the law of God separates a person from God and all of the benefits of this relationship.
The penalty for the violation of the law of God is the death of the law breaker (Rom.6:23).
Because the violation of the law requires the death of the law breaker, the only way to heal the breach between a person and God without that person dying for their sin is for a superior sacrifice to be made in their place.
People who live after the return of Christ will live under a sacrificial system of worship for the followings reasons:
It is the way God has always led people to salvation and his way of life.
It will be used to teach the way to eternal life through the meaning of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
It will be used to teach God's laws and way of life.
It will allow people to practice and learn God's way of life through experience.
It will allow people to come into the presence of Jesus Christ in his glorified form.
Individuals who fulfill their part of the new agreement will have the indwelling of the holy spirit (Acts 1:4-8; 2:38; Heb.8:10), and will receive eternal life as sons of God (Rev.21:1-7; 22:14).
THE GOSPEL AGE AGREEMENT
Those who are called to salvation during the gospel age have an agreement with God the Father that is different from the first and second agreement with national Israel in many ways, because they have been given different promises, benefits, terms, and conditions that are a part of their special calling.
TYPE OF AGREEMENT
Individual Agreement
The agreement with the elect of God during the gospel age is made between God the Father and each individual (whether he or she is an Israelite or non-Israelite) that he specifically calls to salvation (Jn.6:44,65; Acts 2:39,47).
Closed Agreement
The agreement cannot be added to or subtracted from by either party (Heb.8:10;10:16-18).
MAJOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Individuals must repent of past sins, be baptized, and receive God's holy spirit (Acts 2:38).
Individuals must worship and keep the terms and conditions of the agreement (Heb.6:4-8).
God gives those called to salvation during this age the tools to help them perform their part of the agreement (Jer.31:31-33; Lk.24:49; Heb.8:8-10).
BENEFITS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
Each receives physical benefits, the opportunity to participate in the first resurrection, be king and priest in the Kingdom and Family of God, and be given immortal life as a son of God.
BENEFITS FOR GOD
God shares eternity with his immortal spirit sons.
AGREEMENT DURATION
The agreement will last for eternity once the individual fulfills his part of the bargain (Heb.13:20).
AGREEMENT RATIFICATION
The agreement is overtly committed to by the individual upon being baptized in water. God then seals the agreement by placing his spirit into the individual's mind and spirit, and thereby, he infuses his laws, precepts, and principles into that person's thought process (Jer.31:31-33; Acts 2:38).
DIFFERENCES
The following are some major differences between the first and second agreements with national Israel and the agreement made with those in the gospel age:
A change has been made from the physical Aaronic/Levitical priesthood to the spiritual Melchisedec-Christ priesthood (Heb.4: 15; 5:1-10; 6:20; 7:1-17).
Animal sacrifice for the atonement of spiritual sin and physical defilement is no longer necessary under this agreement because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Heb.10:4-18).
The temple worship system is not necessary for people under this agreement because the spirit of God dwells within them and they are a temple of God (Acts 1:1-8; 2:38; 2:1-4; 1.Cor.3:16-17; 6:19; Heb.8:10).
Individuals other than Israelites are also called to participate in this agreement (Gal.3:26-29; Eph.2:11,13,19).
Individuals called during the gospel age have direct access to God the Father through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Eph.2:18; Heb.4: 15-16).
Rewards for Service
Individuals who fulfill their part of the agreement will receive the following rewards for fulfilling their calling and diligent service to God the Father and Jesus Christ:
They will be eternal and immortal spirit-beings (1.Thes.4:13-17; 1.Cor.15:1-58; Rev.20:4-6; 22:14).
They will be co-heirs of all things with Jesus Christ (Rom.8:17; Eph.3:6).
They will be Kings and Priests in the Kingdom of God (Rev.2: 26; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4-6).
They will be immortal sons of God in the Family of God (Rom.8: 14,16-17; 1.Cor.15:39-54; 1.Jn.3:1-2).
By B. L. Cocherell and Vernon O. Jones b4w13