THE BLOOD COVENANT
The cutting
of the covenant
- What is
a Covenant
– Not just a casual promise or an agreement
or a legal notarized contract, but a binding agreement to death and
beyond. (No termination date)
- The word covenant is
used over 300 times in the Bible.
- “Covenant” in Hebrew:
Berith:
Means cutting; walking
between two pieces of animal flesh.
- “Covenant” in Greek: Diatheke: A disposition of property. – A testament
- Every
time God speaks
– It is a Covenant – God only speaks the truth – It will come to pass.
THREE
KINDS OF COVENANTS
One sided Covenant –Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon
Ezek 17:12-18 – Example
of a King making a treaty.
12 "Say to this rebellious house, `Do you not
know what these things mean?' Say to them: `The king of Babylon Jerusalem Babylon
13 Then he took a member of the royal family
and made a treaty with him, putting him under oath. He also carried away
the leading men of the land,
14 so that the kingdom would be brought low,
unable to rise again, surviving only by keeping his treaty.
15 But the king rebelled against him by
sending his envoys to Egypt
16 "`As surely as I live, declares the
Sovereign LORD, he shall die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on
the throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke.
17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great horde
will be of no help to him in war.
18 He despised the oath by breaking the
covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these
things, he shall not escape. NIV
Two sided Covenant - Two part1es mutually agree to into a life binding covenant.
Mal 2:14 – Example of the
marriage covenant
14 You ask, "Why?" It is because the
LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth,
because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife
of your marriage covenant. NIV
Self-imposed Covenant – By God
upon Himself
Jer 31:33-34 – Example of God & Israel
33 "This is the
covenant I will make with the house of Israel
34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a
man his brother, saying, `Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from
the least of them to the greatest, "declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and
will remember their sins no more." NIV
Seven
Recorded Biblical Covenants
- The first six recorded covenants
are but shadows or a prelude up to the seventh and final covenant;
The New Covenant which is Jesus
Christ – This covenant is still in effect today.
- Side
Bar: Seven throughout the Bible is the
number of perfection and completion.
- The Old Covenant
required perfection which no man could attain. Only Jesus, with the perfect finished
work on the cross completed the covenant which has no expiration date.
- NOTE: The word “oath” can
also be taken to mean “covenant”.
Gen 3:15-21 -1 The Adamic Covenant – Between God and Satan – cut skins
The Sign: Pain in childbirth
15 And I will put enmity between you and the
woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and
you will strike his heel."
21 The LORD God made garments of skin for
Adam and his wife and clothed them. NIV
Gen 9:9-11 –
2 The Noahathian Covenant –
Between God and Noah
The Sign: The Rainbow
9 "I now establish my covenant with you
and with your descendants after you
10 and with every living creature that was with
you--the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out
of the ark with you--every living creature on earth.
11 I establish my covenant with you: Never
again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there
be a flood to destroy the earth." NIV
Gen 15:5-18
– 3 The
Abrahamic Covenant – Between God and Abraham
The Sign: The smoking
fire pot and the blazing torch
5 He took
him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if
indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your
offspring be."
18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with
Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt Euphrates —NIV
Ex 19:5-6 - 4 Siniatic Covenant – Between God and the nation Israel Mount Sinai
The Sign: The Exodus
5 Now IF
you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will
be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,
6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a
holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."
NIV
Num 25:10-13
5 The Levitical Covenant –
Between God and the Levitical Priesthood
The Sign: The Aaronic Priesthood - Levi
10 The LORD said to Moses,
11 "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron,
the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous
as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to
them.
12 Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of
peace with him.
13 He and his descendants will have a covenant
of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God
and made atonement for the Israelites." NIV
2 Sam 23:3-7 6 The Davidic Covenant –
David & Descendents on the Throne –The Messiah
The Sign:
David’s descendents on the throne – The Messiah from his line
3 The God of Israel
4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a
cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from
the earth.'
5 "Is not my house right with God? Has he
not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every
part? Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?
6 But evil men are all to be cast aside like
thorns, which are not gathered with the hand.
7 Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or
the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie." NIV
Heb 7:18-22 7 The New Covenant – Between
God and Jesus –
The Sign:
Christ resurrection and assertion
18 The former regulation is set aside because it
was weak and useless
19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better
hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
20 And it was not without an oath! Others
became priests without any oath,
21 but he became a priest with an oath when
God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind:
`You are a priest forever.'"
22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become
the guarantee of a better covenant. NIV
COVENANT PREPARATION
- The covenant required
preparation of three things.
1)
Prayer - Seeking God and “His will” concerning the covenant. There is three involved in the covenant; two
people plus God. This is Holy covenant.
2)
Seeking Counsel –concerning the length,
breath and responsibility of this binding “life commitment”
3)
Setting the time and place
for the Ceremony
- Like a wedding you would invite witness, friends & relatives – The place
would become holy ground - The spot is marked as a reminder of the covenant
that took place before God.
Ex 3:4-5 – Holy Ground
4 And Moses said, "Here I am."
5 "Do not come any closer," God said.
"Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy
ground." NIV
Josh 4:9 – Placed marker
as a memorial of the covenant
9 Joshua set
up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan
Deut 4:26 – God is the witness of the covenant
26 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against
you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are
crossing the Jordan
THE EXCHANGE - Step one, the
coat
- Exchange
coats
– Each would put his coat on the other “You are putting me on!” - In
- The other brothers
sought to kill Joseph to end the covenant so that they would get
the father’s inheritance. They
brought Joseph’s robe dipped in
blood to their father Jacob (
Eph 4:22-24 – You’re
PUTTING ME ON
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way
of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its
deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to
be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV
Gen 37:3-34 – Jacob’s
favorite son – The “robe” gave him
everything
3 Now Israel
4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved
him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak
peaceably to him.
8 His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed
to reign over us? Or are you indeed to have dominion over us?" So they
hated him yet more.
11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but
his father kept the saying in mind.
18 They saw him afar off, and before he came near to
them they conspired against him to kill him.
21 But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of
their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."
27 Come, let us sell him to the Ish'maelites, and let
not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his
brothers heeded him.
31 Then they took Joseph's robe, and killed a goat,
and dipped the robe in the blood;
32 and they sent the long robe with sleeves
and brought it to their father, and said, "This we have found; see now
whether it is your son's robe or not."
33 And he recognized it, and said, "It is my
son's robe; a wild beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to
pieces."
34 Then Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth
upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. RSV
THE EXCHANGE - Step two, the
belt
- The next step was to exchange their belt or girdle
which more than likely held a knife.
- This represented that
all my weapons of warfare and all my strength and all my family and all my
servants will be by your side to help and defend you.
- If they come after
you, they are coming after me and vice versa.
Eph 6:13 -14 – Put on the belt – the armor – stand with me
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and
after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth
buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, NIV
THE CUTTING – Step Three, the sacrifice
- The final step was
the “cutting of the covenant” or the sacrifice.
- A lamb was usually
sacrificed, but other animals were acceptable - The Lamb was literally cut
in half from the head to the tail - Splitting the animal down the middle
was a gory, unforgettable and blood splattering experience – It gave a new
meaning to “hatchet job”.
- Then they would walk
between the two pieces – There would be blood on their hands and feet. As
this animal gave its life; if you broke the covenant you would forfeit
your own life.
- Then they would cut
the writs on their left hand causing blood to flow – Then they would join
left heads pointing up to God and with their right hands pointing to
themselves. - God you are our
witness to this covenant ceremony - May you do to me what we have done to
this lamb and more if I ever break this covenant- Then they shook hands up
to the wrist… ratify the agreement – their blood mingles – Your blood is
now my blood - your life is now my life.
- “Blood
is thicker than water” – During childbirth “Water flows” – With a Blood
covenant you are more binding and stronger than that of two brothers from
the same mother.
- “Blood Brothers” are self imposed, irrevocable and
forever. - In essence, their culture believed that the two bodies were now
one soul.
- Picking up some dirt,
they would grind it into the cut – causing it to make a permanent scar –
Thus doing so; every time you saw the scar you would know you were bound
to each other.
- The scar was a sign
to everyone that there was more
to you than meets the eye.
- Our covenant is with
the all sufficient Lord Jesus Christ – And there is more to us than meets
the eye.
- If you are faithful
to this covenant, you will receive the blessings - break it and receive
the curses - The sword will come down upon you. – Your physical and spiritual death.
Lev 17:11 – Life is in the blood
11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and
I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the
blood that makes atonement for one's life. NIV
Deut 27:1-2 Keep my
covenants
1 Moses and the elders of Israel
Deut 28:1-2 The covenant blessings
come with an IF
1 If
you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give
you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
2 All these blessings will come upon you
and accompany you IF you obey
the LORD your God: NIV
Deut 28:3-9 – The
blessings from the Covenant
3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in
the country.
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the
crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds
and the lambs of your flocks.
5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be
blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed
when you go out.
7 The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up
against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one
direction but flee from you in seven.
8 The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and
on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the
land he is giving you.
9 The LORD will establish you as his holy people,
as he promised you on oath, IF
you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. NIV
Deut 28:15-19 – Curses if
you break the covenant
15 However, IF
you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow
all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will
come upon you and overtake you:
16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in
the country.
17 Your basket and your kneading trough will be
cursed.
18 The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the
crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed
when you go out. NIV
THE SCARS of the
covenant
- When you see the
scars,
you will see the covenant that’s till death and beyond.
- When we reach up to
Christ we see the scars He bears on His wrist, a testimony of His
covenant with us.
- Jesus paid the price
to give us the power, strength, Word, revelation and direction for the
Gospel.
- What a “friend” we
have in Jesus.
John 12:46 – Jesus is the Light
46 I have come into the world as a light,
so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. NIV
John 3:16 – God have His Son for us.
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave
his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life.
John 15:13 – No greater Love
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay
down his life for his friends.
NIV
EXCHANGE NAMES – Known as “friends” - Step four
- Then they would
exchange names and add each others name to theirs. If my name was Paul and his name was
Marcus, I would be called Paul Marcus and he would be called Marcus Paul.
From that day forward we would be know as “Friends”. (The
term friend was a big deal).
- From that moment on
Paul is known as the friend of Marcus and Marcus is the friend of Paul. - Abraham was the Friend of God.
- God was the friend of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob They now carries the name of the other, - They
will either exalt the others name or shame the others name.
- We either exalt or
shame the name of our covenant brother, the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 14:14 – Ask in my name and you got it.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name,
and I will do it. NIV
Ex 33:11 – God spoke to
Moses as His friend.
11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as
a man speaks with his friend. NIV
James 2:24 – Abraham was called God’s friend.
24 And the scripture was fulfilled that says,
"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and
he was called God's friend.
NIV
EXCHANGE ASSETS AND LIABILITIES – Step five
- Then they would pull
out list of their assets and liabilities which they already knew before
hand and exchange them.
- The stronger took on
the liabilities of the weaker. – They both took each others liabilities
and each others assets. No secrets
- everything is jointly owned and owed.
- Christ took on all
our debts, paid them and then gave us the kingdom of heaven.
“X” MARKS THE SPOT – Step six
- Then they would pile up a bunch of
rocks or plant a tree to memorialize the place of the
covenant. This is similar to old
times, when a bunch of rocks would be piled up to mark a grave or an oak
tree would be planted to mark the spot.
2 Sam 18:17 – Marked the grave with rocks
17 They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in
the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. NIV
Josh 4:3 – Mark this place
with stones
3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the
middle of the Jordan
These stones are to be a memorial to the people of
Israel
NIV
LET’S EAT – Step seven
- Then they would share a meal of bread
and wine – They broke the bread
and said, this bread represent my body eat it -
we are now “bone of bone” and “flesh of flesh” – drink this wine
- This wine represents my blood - drink me - ingest me - blood of blood - We are in-separately bonded for
life. We will die for each other
and ready to live for each other.
GOD COVENANTS WITH ABRAM
- God chose to covenant
with Abram, a moon worshiper, who on at least three occasions was not
faithful in his covenant relationship.
- It’s
God’s faithfulness that holds the covenant together, not ours.
Gen 12:2-3 – The Covenant
2 "I will make you into a great nation and I
will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever
curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through
you." NIV
Gen 12:1 – Be faithful - Abram
– Leave your family –
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your
country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will
show you. NIV
Gen 12:4 – Not faithful - Lot went with
Abram.
4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five
years old when he set out from Haran
ABRAHAM IS KNOWN AS FRIEND
- Abraham is known
as the “Friend” of God. The term “Friend” is used only when you
are “In Covenant” with someone.
- God said it three
times that Abraham was His friend. - Three is the Trinity – Abraham was
filled with The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. – He was filled with
faith – Full Faith.
Isa 41:8 – Abraham my
friend
8 But thou, Israel
James 2:23 – The Friend of God
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the Friend of God. KJV
2 Chron 20:7 – God’s
Friend forever
7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the
inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of
Abraham thy friend for ever? KJV
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT finalized
- 25 years has passed since God covenanted
with Abram.
- God appears to Abram
and he does not fear Him – He knows Him personally.
- He has walked in
faith for 25 years and now God is about to complete His covenant.
- Abram falls face down
and listens to God – He never questions God about, when, where or how this
will all come about.
- God changes Abram’s
name to Abraham – He adds the “H”
in Jehovah to Abram’s name,
AbraHam.
- Abram is a nomad and
lived in tents – his name means “the Exalted father” or “the
father of many”, but he now is 99 years old and with no children. Many probably made fun of his name and
now God changes his name to Abraham, which means “Father of the
multitudes”. I can hear the
laughter getting louder. However,
in God’s mind, Abraham was already
the father of many nations. God
sees then end from the beginning.
- NOTE: In the cutting of the covenant, one of
the final steps is exchanging names.
This is where Abraham takes on Jehovah God’s name (YHWH) – Just as a wife takes on
the name of her husband, Sara takes on Jehovah’s name also, her name is
now SaraH.
Gen 17:1-9 – God confirms
His covenant with Abraham
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD
appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be
blameless.
2 I will confirm my covenant between me and
you and will greatly increase your numbers."
3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you:
You will be the father of many nations.
5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name
will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make
nations of you, and kings will come from you.
7 I will establish my covenant as an
everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after
you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants
after you.
8 The whole land of Canaan
9 Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you
must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the
generations to come. NIV
THE RESURRECTION PRINCIPAL
- Scripture confirms
that Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was 90, both past child baring
years. It would take a miracle to
resurrect the dead Womb of Sarah.
- This is
the resurrection principal; a shadow of the resurrection of our
“covenant partner”, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
- God specializes in
bringing life out of death – Life in Christ out of death in Sin.
Gen 17:17 – Abraham could not produce a child
17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to
himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear
a child at the age of ninety?" NIV
Gen 18:11 – Sara was past the age of childbearing
11 Abraham and Sarah were
already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of
childbearing. NIV
GOD SELF IMPOSES THE COVENANT
- Sinful Abraham fell
into a deep sleep and in a vision, saw the sinless and perfect God come
down to earth and pass between the pieces of sacrifice to make the
“self imposed covenant“.
- Abraham did not pass
between the pieces. - God knew that
he would falter in his faithfulness and commitment to the Covenant. – Just
like He knows we will also falter in our faithfulness.
Gen 15:17-18 – God cut the
covenant and passed through
17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a
smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the
pieces.
18 On that day the LORD made a covenant
with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt Euphrates —NIV
GOD SYMBOLIZED AS FIRE
- It is God that makes
our covenant, not us.
- It is God that is
faithful, not us.
- It is God that walks
as a blazing torch of fire
through the flesh and takes man’s place.
- It is God’s will that
works in us to act according to His good purpose.
Heb 12:29 – God is a consuming fire
29 for our "God is a consuming
fire." NIV
Ex 3:2 – God the fire in
the Bush
2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in
flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire
it did not burn up. NIV
Ex 13:21 – God the pillar of fire
21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar
of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give
them light, so that they could travel by day or night NIV
Phil 2:13 – God is at work in us
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to
act according to his good purpose. NIV
SATAN’S SPIRITUAL WARFARE
- Abraham did not
receive a sign from God till after he believed.
- God told him to take
some animals and cut them in half for a sacrifice and as soon as he did, “the birds of prey” came down on
the sacrifices and it was Abraham that drove them off.
- It’s Satan’s goal to
keep us from our covenant with God, and it’s up to us to resist his tricks.
Matt 13:3-19 – Satan tries
to snatch the word of God
3 "Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the
wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.
18 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and
does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was
sown in his heart.. NKJV
Gen 15:8-11 – Spiritual
Warfare –Satan attacks
8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can
I know that I will gain possession of it?"
9 So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a
heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young
pigeon."
10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two
and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut
in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram
drove them away NIV
THE BODY OF CHRIST
- It is the torn body
of Jesus Christ, symbolized by the “curtain torn in two” in the “Holy of Holies”, that allows us walk
boldly in our covenant up to our Heavenly Father.
- God remains faithful,
even if we are not. – Faith is not what we see; but what we hope for.
Matt 27:51 – The curtain
is split – we now have perfect access
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was
torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. NIV
Heb 10:19 -20 – His body opened the curtain
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence
to enter the Most Holy Place
20 by a new and living way opened for us
through the curtain, that is, his body, NIV
Heb 10:22 – We can draw near to God – We are cleansed
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere
heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us
from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. NIV
2 Tim 2:13 – He is faithful even if we are not
13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself NIV
Heb 11:1 – Faith is not
what we see but what we hope for.
11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see. NIV
2 Cor 5:7 Our walk is by
Faith
7 For we walk by faith,
not by sight. NKJV
JESUS - OUR COVENANT PARTNER - our High Priest
- In the OT, the High
Priest would enter into the “Holy of Holies” once a year on the day of Yon Kipper, bearing on his
shoulders and breast plate the names of the twelve tribes of
- Jesus as our High
Priest after the Order of Melchizedek has now entered the
Heb 9:8 –The way into the Most Holy Place
8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way
into the Most Holy Place
Heb 9:7 – The High Priest
entered once a year
7 But only the high priest entered the inner
room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered
for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. NIV
Heb 13:11 -12 – Carried the blood of animals as a sin offering
11 The high priest carries the blood of animals
into the Most Holy Place
Heb 9:14 – Jesus the unblemished sacrifice
14 How much more, then, will the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished
to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may
serve the living God! NIV
Heb 9:12 – Christ entered by His own blood
12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats
and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood,
having obtained eternal redemption. NIV
Heb 9:25 – Christ only had to enter once.
25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself
again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every
year with blood that is not his own. NIV
21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with
me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father
in his throne. KJV
Heb 12:2 – Jesus - The
Author and Finisher of our faith.
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of
our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
KJV
Heb 10:19 – We can enter the Most Holy Place
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence
to enter the Most Holy Place
Ps 110:4 – Jesus is our
High Priest forever
4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind:
"You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
NIV
Heb 7:1 – Melchizedek is
the Priest of God
1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem
Heb 6:20 – Jesus has gone before us as our High Priest
20 Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our
behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. NIV
Heb 5:9-10 – He is our
covenant and source of eternal salvation
9 He became the source of eternal salvation
for all who obey him
10 and was designated by God to be high priest
in the order of Melchizedek. NIV
Ex 28:9-12 – Our names are
borne on His shoulders
9 And thou shall take two onyx stones, and grave
on them the names of the children of Israel
10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other
six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.
12 And thou shall put the two stones upon the
shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel
NO SECRETS IN A COVENANT
- God discloses what He
is about to do to
- Everyone who has
accepted Jesus as their personal savior is in covenant with Him. They are His Friend – We are ALL
covenant “Friends”. – We can humbly argue our case before God.
- LESSON: When we see our Christian
“friend”, seemingly going the wrong way; we should with humility and
love share our thoughts with him, to try to get him to change his
direction.
Gen 18:16-18 – No secrets
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked
toward Sodom
17 The LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham
that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great
and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Gen 18:23-25
– Abraham discusses the destruction with God
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also
destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within
the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty
righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner,
to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the
wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Gen 18:26-33 – Abraham
argues his case with humility and love
26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I
have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be
angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there.
And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry,
and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found
there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left
communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. KJV
Heb 10:22-23 – We are
encouraged to draw near to God
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a
guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we
profess, for he who promised is faithful. NIV
RECKONED - CREDITING THE ACCOUNT
- Reckoned
– An
accounting term – “Credited” or applied to Abrahams account what he did
not already possess.
- Believe – “Aman” in Hebrew – To confirm or affirm a
promise – a positive declaration.
- We are
in covenant
when we believe on Jesus Christ
– our account is reckoned or
credited with all His assets and His account receives all our sins and
liabilities.
- If you belong to
Christ, you are Abraham’s seed. - You are in covenant with the
promises till Christ returns and beyond.
Gal 3:16 – The covenant was to Abraham and his seed.
16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his
seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people,
but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. NIV
Gal 3:29 – If you believe in
Christ, you are Abraham’s seed.
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's
seed, and heirs according to the promise. NIV
Gal 3:6 – Believing and
then reckoning
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned
unto him for righteousness. ASV
John 6:39 – All that are
in covenant, shall stay in covenant
39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I
shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the
last day. NIV
Gal 3:26 – We are the
seed, the son’s of
God
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus, NIV
REALITY – TRUTH – Kinsman Redeemer
- Jesus
Christ is the fulfillment, truth and reality of the New Covenant.
- Definition
of Reality: the truth; telling it like it is; the unvarnished truth;
the plain truth; the honest truth; the honest to God truth; the absolute
truth; the Gospel truth; the Bible
truth; “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”.
- Jesus
said; I
am the way, the truth and the life
- Jesus, our covenant
partner is ready, willing and able
to be our “Kinsman Redeemer”.
17 These are a shadow of the things that
were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. NIV
John 14:6 – Christ is the
reality - The Truth
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me. KJV
Rom 5:8 Jesus is Ready
to be out kinsman redeemer
8 But God demonstrates
his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for
us. NIV
Ruth 3:12 - He is our Able and Willing Kinsman redeemer
12 Although it is true
that I am near of kin, there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I.
13 Stay here for the
night, and in the morning if he wants to redeem, good; let him redeem. But if
he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it. Lie
here until morning." NIV
BE SEPARATE
- Separated: The Devine action of being set apart for
the work of the Gospel.
- God calls us out to be separated from
our old way into His new way.
- We are called out to be a blessing
to others IF we
separate ourselves from our old ways.
- When we separate from our old ways we
become a new creature, with new actions.
- We put on the “robe”; the likeness of Jesus Christ. – God is our
covenant partner
- No one
seeks out God
– It is God that seeks out man – There is none virtuous who can stand
worthy for God to select them. – Before Abraham believed God, he was a
moon worshiper and an idol worshiper.
- It was God’s Devine Election to
be in covenant with Abraham. God
sought out Abraham.
Rom 3:11 – No one seeks out God
11 there is no one who understands, no one who
seeks God. NIV
Gen 12:1-3 – God calls
Abram out to be separate.
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your
country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will
show you.
2 "I will make you into a great nation and I
will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and
whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed
through you." NIV
Acts 7:3 – God separated
Abram
3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy
country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.
KJV
Rom 1:1 – God separated
Paul
1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be
an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, KJV
2 Cor 6:17-18 – Come out –
be separate
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be
ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be
my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty KJV
Gal 1:15 – A Holy separation by God’s grace
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me
from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, KJV
2 Cor 5:17 – Being separate, we become a new person
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. KJV
Eph 4:23 -24 – Leave our old ways – “Put on” Jesus Christ
23 to be made new in the attitude of your
minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to
be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV
Gen 15:1 – We “put on” His
covenant shield
1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram
in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,
your very great reward..
Heb 6:13-15 Ten years
later - God is still the covenant partner
13 When God made his promise to Abraham,
since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,
14 saying, "I will surely bless you and give
you many descendants."
15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham
received what was promised. NIV
HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW
- When you think about
the name of Jesus Christ – Think of Him as your “Covenant Partner”.
- He wants you to know He is in covenant
with you – He has already fought the battle and has conquered death and
made you more than a conqueror. You didn’t even fight the battle, but
you got the prize.
- There is no greater
love than that a man lays down his life for his “Friend”.
- Christ
chose us;
called us his “Covenant Friend” and commands us to love one another.
The
covenant has not ended, but continues till Jesus returns and beyond.
1 John 5:13 – It is written so you can know you have eternal life
13 I write these things to you who believe in the
name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
NIV
Rom 8:37 – We are more than conquerors
37 No, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him who loved NIV
John 15:12-17 – Jesus
calls us His covenant “Friends”.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have
loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he
lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I
command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a
servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you
friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to
you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the
Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other. NIV
Two Sacraments
in memorial of the New Covenant
Baptism - Matt 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age." NIV
The Lords
Supper - Matt 26:26-28
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave
thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and
eat; this is my body."
27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered
it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
28 This is my blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. NIV
A
song about our covenant “friend”
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
What a “friend” we
have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear.
What a privilege to carry
– Everything to God in prayer:
Oh, what peace we often
forfeit - Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not
carry – Everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and
temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be
discouraged - Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a “Friend”
so faithful – Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every
weakness - Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Are we weak and heavy
laden, Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our
refuse - Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise,
forsake thee? - Take it to the Lord in
prayer.
In His arms He’ll take and
shield thee - Thou will find a solace there.
Joseph Scriven 1819 Charles
C. Converse 1832
MARCUS EDWARD MCDONALD
My “friend” Marcus
immersed himself in the study of the New Covenant. He was a “Marketing Major” and knew how to
present his product as well as sell it; take it away and make you want it, and
then give it back to you. A tear would
trickle down your cheek. I attended a
number of his classes in which he always offered to introduce you to Jesus
Christ if you hadn’t already met Him. I
miss my “Friend” Marcus and this study is a tribute to him and our
friendship.
SUMMARY
- A blood covenant is a
binding agreement that is in effect till death and beyond.
- The covenant parties
walked between the bloody halves of slain animals and said “may God do
this to me and more, if I do not keep this covenant:.
- The covenant process began in the garden
of Eden when God took the hides from slain animals and placed on
- Adam and Eve. - It
continued with
- Noah,
- Abraham,
- The nation of
- The Levites,
- King David - and
finally with
- Jesus. – A total
of seven recorded covenants. – SEVEN is the number of Completion.
- There were three kinds of covenants –
- One sided – I make an
agreement with you because I want to – you agree to the conditions.
- Two sided - The two of us make an agreement – We
both participate fully
- Self-imposed. – Covenant
is with God – He seeks us out – Remains faithful when we are not.
- There are seven steps in the covenant
process:
1 Exchanging robes; - I am now you and you are now me
2 Exchanging belts and daggers; - My servants and weapons are now
ready to defend you.
3 The cutting of the sacrifice and the wrist; - We are Blood
Brothers in covenant with God.
4 The name exchange; - I take on your name, you take on mine – we
shame or exalt our name.
5 The exchange and assumption of each others assets and liabilities
– Possession in common
6 Marking the place – Place stones or plant a tree to mark the
spot.
7 Eating a meal with bread and wine. - SEVEN is the number of Completion.
- The term “Friend” was only used for
someone who was in covenant with someone else.
- To Put someone on was to put on their
robe or cloak and become everything that person is.
- Jesus is our covenant
partner
and we “put Him on”. – We are His “Friend”
- The stronger takes on
the weaker – The weaker has his account “reckoned” – paid in full
- God sought us out for
a covenant – We did not seek Him
- We separate ourselves
from the world to be His covenant family
- His covenant was
completed at the cross and continues forever, because He is alive.
- His scars on His body signify
that “there is more to us than what you see”.
- He left two sacraments “to mark:” The
New Covenant –
- Baptism
- The Lord’s supper.
What a FRIEND we have in Jesus.
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
I am grateful for those
that went before me providing
concepts, ideas,
historical information and scripture verses.
A commentary; Jamieson, Fausset, Brown – Eerdmans
A Survey of the New Testament – Robert H. Gundry
Bad Girls of the Bible – Liz Curtis Higgs
Baker Commentary on the Bible – Zondervan
Bible Almanac, The – Packer Tenny White.
Compact Bible Dictionary, The new - Zondervan
Covenant Bible Study: notes – Marcus E. McDonald
Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible – Dake
Girls of the Bible – Harvey Albert Snyder
Harpers Bible Dictionary- Harper & Row
International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Tenney
International Dictionary of the Bible, The new – J.D. Douglas
Illustrated Bible Dictionary, The – Tyndale
Illustrated Bible Dictionary, The – Nelson’s
Illustrated Manners & Customs of the Bible – Packer/Tenny
King James Version Bible
Matthew Henry’s Commentary – Zondervan
Mysteries of the Bible - Readers Digest
Nave’s Topical Bible - Nelson
New International Version Bible
NIV Naves Topical Bible - Zondervan
Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene – Bart D.Ehrman
Roget’s International Thesaurus – Harper & Row
Theomatics – Jerry
Lucas
Today’s Dictionary of the Bible – T.A Bryant
Today’s Dictionary of the Bible – Guidepost
Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner
Wycliff Bible Commentary; The – Moody Press
Victor Journey through the Bible; The - Beers
Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia; The – Zondervan
Zondervan Topical Bible - Nave
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