Living the Covenant*

The word "covenant" is used 272 times in scripture. The first mention of covenant comes in the story of Noah. As God told Noah His plan to flood the earth because the intent of men's hearts was only evil, He also said: "But with thee will I establish my covenant (berit - alliance, agreement, friendship; divine ordinances and laws with divine signs); and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy son's wives with thee." (Gen. 6:18, 9:8-10). Noah had found grace with the LORD, and he and some animals from every living thing of all flesh would be saved in the ark. The LORD also promised Noah as part of His covenant that He would not destroy flesh by waters of a flood again (Gen. 9:11). He gave Noah and man a sign of this promise: "...This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth...when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: and I will remember my covenant...the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth." (Gen. 9:12-17). The everlasting covenant of God was not just with Noah, but with all living creatures of flesh, and with the earth. God also made a covenant with Abraham. Abraham fell on his face before the LORD, and received this promise from God: "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (Gen. 17:7-8). The current crisis that we see oer the land which was called Canaan, is over the requirement of this covenant that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was and is to be their God. There are those in the area of conflict, who are the seed of Abraham after the flesh, for he eventually had many children. However, God's everlasting covenant requires that He, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is their God, and not another god. Jesus said that God could raise children of Abraham up from the stones. There was also another requirement of Abraham in this everlasting covenant with God. All members of his household must be circumcised by the time the child is eight days old: "...my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant." (v. 10-13). Science has since confirmed what God already knew: the clotting factor in blood is not fully developed until the eighth day of life. When Abraham's son Isaac was miraculously born in Sarah's old age, the LORD made clear that His covenant would continue with Isaac, although Abraham also loved Ishmael: "But my covenant shall I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year...I will establish my covenant with him, and with his seed after him." (v. 17-21). Later, after the children of Israel were delivered out of the slavery of Egypt, the priests would have a requirement to fulfill in God's covenant with them. They would be required to keep the lamp of the LORD, that was in the tabernacle, burning with pure olive oil as a statute forever. They were to make and place twelve new cakes on the pure table before the LORD in the tabernacle every sabbath: "Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant." (Lev. 24:1-8). Today, there are those in Israel making plans to construct a third temple so that they may keep this covenant with God, as He commanded. We have a role that is required to be fulfilled in the covenant also. When Moses and the people were in the wilderness, the men of Israel had joined themselves with the women of Moab and Midian in idol worship. A plague broke out among the people because of the anger of God. Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron the priest, killed an unrepentant Israelite and his idolatrous foreign wife with his javelin, and the plague was stopped. Because of the zeal of God in Phinehas, the LORD made a covenant with him and with his seed after him: "Behold I give unto him my covenant of peace...the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel." (Num. 25:11-13). David, who was raised up and anointed by God to be ruler over the people of Israel spoke of the everlasting covenant that God had made with him, and his role in that covenant. David said that he spoke by the Spirit of God, with the Word of God in his tongue. As a ruler, he was to rule justly, in the fear of God. He was to be as light, and he knew that his salvation was in the everlasting covenant that God had made with him (2 Sam. 23:1-5). Isaiah wrote the Word of the LORD concerning the land being emptied and spoiled. The whole earth, in fact, would languish and fade away, and the haughty people of the earth also: "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant." (Isa. 24:1-5). We have broken the covenant. Remember, judgment begins at the house of the LORD. However, God offers His cleansing and renewal to us, as a free gift, as well as His everlasting covenant: "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." (Isa. 55:1-3). David, when he had sinned, sought the renewal and cleansing of the LORD in repentance (Ps. 51). David is a witness to us of this covenant of mercy and forgiveness with God. As God prophesied about raising His people up to Ezekiel, He spoke about cleansing their sin and transgressions. The LORD promised to bring the Messiah, like David, to rule as King over His people forever. They shall dwell in the land that God has given them, "...even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore." (Ezek. 37:21-28). In the Book of Hebrews, we are reminded that the blood of the everlasting covenant, through Jesus Christ whom God raised from the dead, makes us perfect in every good work to do His will, working in us in a way that is well pleasing in His sight (Heb. 13:20-21). We have the covenant with God as we live and walk in that covenant before Him. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 7/17/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and endtimeschool, also on Facebook.

Whose Report - Pt. 2

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Last week, we studied the prophetic promises in scripture pertaining to the coming of Christ, and His birth. We will continue that study as we look at His promised return. As His disciples asked Him what the signs and timing of events would be concerning the destruction of the temple and His return, Jesus began to give a specific prophetic description of those events that would occur in Matthew 24 and 25. We are seeing these prophetic events being fulfilled today. One essential component of those prophetic events that Jesus described, but that the Church often overlooks, deals with Israel, Jerusalem, and the Jewish people:

"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains."  Mt. 24:15-16 (Dan. 11:31, 12:11)

By referring to Daniel's prophecies, Jesus revealed that the abomination of desolation that would occur in the temple in Jerusalem had not yet been fulfilled, and would be fulfilled as an event related to His return. In citing this scripture, we can conclude that there must be a third temple in Jerusalem to be built, in order for the desecration by the antichrist to take place. Scripture also teaches that Jerusalem will be a central focus of the world in the latter days, as we are seeing even now. Jesus prophesied that the gospel would be preached in all the world, and unto all nations, and then the end (of the age) would come. While the Gentile nations have received the gospel, God has never finished with the Jewish people, or Israel. The LORD described in several scriptures the everlasting covenant that He had established, and many of those scriptures are regarding all of the descendants of Abraham, but principally Israel, and Jacob. In these last days, we have seen Israel miraculously restored as a nation, as well as the revival of the once dead Hebrew language. God also prophetically promised that Israel would be spiritually revived and restored, and would see Messiah revealed to them, as they look upon Him who was pierced (Zech. 12:10). The apostle Paul also confirmed the prophetic promise from Isaiah of this everlasting covenant sworn to by God concerning Israel:

"...blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins."   Rom. 11:25-27 (Isa. 52:7-10, and 59:20-21)

As Paul promised in Romans, there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: "For whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  Rom. 10:10, 12-13

Isaiah prophesied how this salvation and redemption would be accomplished. The Servant from God would be stricken and killed for the "transgression of my people." (Isa. 53:8). The LORD was even pleased to do it because it would result in salvation for His people, and many others (Isa. 53:9-10). The LORD describes this Servant as One who would "sprinkle ("NAZAH"- spurt, spatter, startle, besprinkle especially in expiation) many nations" (Isa. 52:15).

The Book of Hebrews, written to Jewish readers, referring continually to the Law of Moses and the worship of the tabernacle and temple, further describes the accomplishment of this High Priest, Jesus Christ, as the "sprinkler" with His own blood of atonement and expiation both for the Jew and the Gentile as the fulfillment of a promise:

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)...and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant (Jer. 31:31), and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."   Heb. 10:22-23, Heb. 12:24

To find out even more about the "sprinkling of expiation", and the fulfillment of the prophetic promises of salvation to Israel and the Jew first, and then also the Greek (Gentile), and the remarkable physical evidence of it, please order the new book, "NAZAH-White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling", written by Dr. Kenneth Stevenson, and now available (see below).

As we read and study the prophetic promises in scripture regarding the return of Christ, we must not forget that God will perform everything He has promised in His everlasting covenant regarding the restoration and salvation of Israel, the Jewish people, and all of the nations of the earth.

 

To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH":

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To watch Dr. Stevenson's complete message:

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.