LESSON 3-A1

- Covenants and Testament -

C O V E N A N T S

T E S T A M E N T S

   When studying Scripture, one can find both testaments and covenants. What are the meanings of these two words? Do they have the same meaning? In a sense, they can be considered to be in agreement, meaning that both covenant and testament can refer to something agreed upon. But from a scriptural perspective, they become two distinct entities.

   A testament in scripture is addressing a last will and testament, or more simply put, a testament is the disposing of a person's property after death. If this is the case, what property in Scripture is being disposed of and do covenants have anything to do with the disposing of this property?

   Let us begin this study by looking at the definition of covenant and how it is applied scripturally.  The Hebrew word is beriyth, Strong's #1285, and means "cutting, compact (because it is made by passing between pieces of flesh); confederacy; covenant, league." This term, in Scripture, applies to several agreements--between Yahweh and His people; and between two or more people. There are several covenants found between tribes or nations ad between individuals (1 Samuel 11:1; Joshua 9:6; Genesis 21:27). As with any of the agreements found in Scripture, each party would commit himself to do something to fulfill his part of the covenant. This was usually followed by an oath with all involved, or simply by fulfilling one's part of the agreement. This being the case with Abraham. "He believed in Yahweh and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). But this did not come about until Abraham and Sarah doubted the words of Yahweh. They laughed at the idea of bearing children. Sarah gave her handmaid, Hagar, to Abraham and Ishmael was born. But Yahweh held up His part of the agreement, "Sarah shall bear you a son, and his name shall be Isaac" (Genesis 17:19).

   In Joshua 9 (KJV), the inhabitants of Gibeon made a covenant with Joshua through deception so they would not be destroyed. The princes of Israel swore  unto the Gibeonites, before Yahweh, that they would not be destroyed (Deuteronomy 9).

   Covenants were to be taken very seriously. To break a covenant usually ended in the death of those who broke the agreement. This is symbolized in Genesis 15:10-17, with the cutting of the animals and the participants of the agreement passing between the pieces. In Jeremiah 34, we read of Israel's plight after breaking the covenant with Yahweh. "I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beast of the earth" (Jeremiah 34:17-22). The smoking furnace and fire, according to the Jewish scholars, represented the shekinah glory, which symbolized Yahweh's participation in the ritual.

   There are several covenants made between Yahweh and man. In Genesis 9, He makes one with Noah, and in 2 Samuel 12, Yahweh makes one with David. These two are in association with the covenant Yahweh made with Abraham and His seed.

   Of all the covenants found in Scripture, the covenant Yahweh made with Abraham is the agreement that covers the whole of biblical history. "On the same day, Yahweh made a covenant with Abraham saying, 'To your descendants I have given the land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates; and to Isaac, I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.'" (Genesis 15 and 17).

   This was the covenant of promise made to Abraham, Isaac and, eventually, Jacob (Genesis 28:13-14). It would not only include their progeny, but the whole of the earth: "You (Abraham) shall be the father of many nations, I will make nations of you; Kings shall come from you." "Dwell in this land and I will be with you (Isaac) and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham, your father." "And behold, Yahweh stood above it and said, 'I am Yahweh El of Abraham your father and the El of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you (Jacob), and to your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth' ...In your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 28:13-14; 26:3-4; 17:1-6).

   In the seed of these three men we find the fulfillment of the whole of Scripture. The covenant of Promise made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a footnote to a larger event that would give explanation to man's history on the earth.

   Paul gives us understanding as to who this seed is. In Galatians 3:16, Paul writes, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, and to your seed who is the Messiah." Throughout the New Testament writings, it is understood that Yahshua is the Messiah of Yahweh. The phrase in the KJV (Luke 2:11), "...a Savior who is Christ the Lord..." does not give an accurate interpretation of what the original would have been. This English translation is very poor, to say the least, because it does not provide a good understanding of Scripture. Yahshua clearly states in John 5:24 that His Father sent Him for the purpose of salvation. In John 17:5-6, Yahshua makes known who His father is--He is Yahweh. Going back to Luke 2:11, the Scripture should say "...a Savior who is the Messiah of Yahweh...." The words "the Lord" are erroneously used by translators to substitute Yahweh's name in Scripture.

   Yahweh promised, through an agreement (covenant), that the land of Canaan was to belong to Abraham and his seed--Yahshua. As Paul instructs the reader in Galatians 3:28-29, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Messiah Yahshua. And if you are Messiah's then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise."

   Luke capitalizes on this thought when he writes in Acts 3:25, "You are sons of the prophets and of the covenant which Elohim made with our Fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'" Moses wrote it from a different view, but still having the same meaning as written above. Speaking to Abraham, Yahweh says, "And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3).

   One of the primary covenants in Scripture is Yahweh promising Abraham and his seed (Yahshua) the land of Canaan. "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates; the Kenites, the Kerizzites, the Ammonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites and the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites" (Genesis 15:18-21).

   The conflict lies between the use of seed and descendants--the singular and the plural. To whom, then, is the land given? From Abraham, through the seed, the descendants claim possession to the land. Therefore, there was the necessity of a testament and a disposal of property. We read in Hebrews 9:116-17, "For where there is a testament, there must also, of necessity, be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives."

   In Genesis 25:8, we read where Abraham died and his testament came into full force with a disposing of property. Claims to the promise, the land of Canaan, moves to the seed. The last will and testament of Abraham prior to his death reads, "...in your seed," (Genesis 22:18).

   In Matthew 27:50, the NEW TESTAMENT takes place: "And Yahshua cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His Spirit." The death of the second testator then took place and now the promise (Galatians 3:29) to Abraham's descendants was in effect. Finding its fulfillment is found in Daniel 7:22, "...until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints or descendants of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the Kingdom."

   In the OLD TESTAMENT, the land is referred to as the promise and the descendants of Abraham were to possess the land. In the New Testament, the land became the kingdom, and the descendants became saints. Why?

   In the Old Testament, Yahweh makes a covenant with the sons of Jacob and with the grandsons of Isaac and Abraham. The covenant was the premier covenant  made with the House of Israel--Jacob and his sons. Genesis 32:28, "You are to be no longer called Jacob, but Israel." This covenant was made with the sons of Jacob, or Israel. It was to be the second most prominent covenant found in Scripture, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Deuteronomy 5; Hebrews 8 and 10). This covenant is known as the covenant of love (Exodus 20:6; 1 John 5:3) and the covenant of obedience (Deuteronomy 5; Matthew 5:17-22).

   This covenant made with the sons of Jacob (Israel) is linked with the covenant of promise made with Abraham. Moses called all Israel and said, "The statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, you must learn and be careful to observe them." Yahweh made a covenant with us in Horeb. Yahweh did not make this covenant with our fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), but with those of us who are here today--all of us who are alive.

   "Yahweh talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire...you shall walk in all the ways which Yahweh your Mighty One has commanded you that you may live and that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess" (Deuteronomy 5; Exodus 19:5-6).

   In order for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to obtain the promise of the land, they had to address the covenant of obedience. "Now a certain ruler asked Him saying, 'Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' So Yahshua said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One; that is Eloah. You know the commandments. Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother'" (Luke 18:18-20).

   In order for the House of Israel (Ephesians 2:19-22) to inherit eternal life, which is to be in the land of Canaan, they had to be obedient to the covenant of love--the covenant of obedience (Deuteronomy 5; Hebrews 12:20-22).

   Many teach that only the ten commandments are to be kept. Moses says something quite different in Deuteronomy 5:30-31, "Go and say to them, 'Return to your tents; but as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.'" To "observe" means "to keep" in the passage above. Israel was to keep their part of the agreement with Yahweh in order to inherit the covenant promise made with Abraham and his seed.

   Israel gave an oath to this agreement, "All the words which Yahweh has said we will do" (Exodus 24:3). Please study the entire chapter of Exodus 24.

   Why then was the land given to Abraham and his "Seed"? The house of Israel gave their solemn oath that they would address completely the covenant of obedience. A prophecy given to Israel tells exactly what they did do: "But I must die in this land; I must not cross over the Jordan, but you shall cross over and possess that good land. Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of Yahweh your Elohim, which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which Yahweh your Elohim has forbidden you. For Yahweh Elohim is a consuming fire, a jealous Mighty One...and Yahweh will scatter you among the peoples...and you will serve gods, the work of man's hands, wood and stone which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell" (Deuteronomy 4:1-40).

   This is exactly what Israel did, and is still doing today. They were scattered amongst the nations (Hosea 9:17). To this day, they are worshipping the wood and the stone. This is why Yahweh divorced Israel (Jeremiah 3), and why the covenant of promise was made to Abraham and his "Seed." Yahweh knew that Israel would break the everlasting covenant of obedience (Deuteronomy 4:25-28). Therefore, there had to be two testaments instead of one. The promise was not to be given to the descendants unless they obeyed Yahweh.

   Through Yahshua would all nations be blessed, even Israel. But Israel was "swallowed up." Now they are among the Gentiles, because Ephraim (10 Northern tribes) "...has made many altars for sin" (Hosea 8:8-13). The sons of Jacob, after being divorced (Jeremiah 3), became as the nations, and the end result was that they lost their inheritance.

   According to the Torah, Israel should have been killed, for the blood of bulls and goats could not cleanse their adulterous, idolatrous behavior. The land promised had become defiled (Jeremiah 3:6-9; Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 29). Yahweh's Torah clearly teaches that both Israel and the land would come under Yahweh's wrath (Deuteronomy 29:23-25) as a result of disobedience.

Clay in the Potter's Hand

   Turning to Jeremiah 18, we read why Yahweh did not destroy His people and the land in which He desired them to live. "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter? Look as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel" (Jeremiah 18:1-17). Yahweh looked into His holy Torah and said, "Israel is My son, even My firstborn; because all the firstborn are Mine; all the firstborn of My sons I redeem" (Exodus 4:22; Numbers 3:13; Exodus 13:15).

   Yahweh's decision was this: "'Behold, the days are coming...when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke (Exodus 32:8-20), though I was a husband to them,' says Yahweh. 'But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days...I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts and I will be their Mighty One and they shall be My people'" (Jeremiah 31:31-33; Hebrews, Chapters 8 and 10).

   In these scriptures, the word "new" confuses people.  According to Strong's Concordance, No. 2319, it just means "fresh, new thing, to rebuild; renew."

   As Paul writes, "The ministry of death written and engraved on stones..." (2 Corinthians 3:7) would now be found written on the heart and engraved in their minds, by the spirit of Yahweh, not by His finger (Exodus 31:18; Zechariah 4:6).

   This renewed covenant says, "Not of the letter but of the spirit, for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:6). "And because you are sons, Yahweh has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts...to redeem those who were under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:5-6).

The Vine and the Branches

   "And if you are Yahshua's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29). How does Yahweh propose to do this? "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). "Behold I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city until you are endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). "But when the Helper comes whom I shall send for you from the Father; the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me" (John 15:26). "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (1 John 3:4; Romans 8:4; Deuteronomy 32:4 and 41; 1 John 5:3). "When the spirit of truth has come, It will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13; Psalm 119:142; John 14:6).

   This is the reason Peter instructs us, "Repent and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Yahshua the Anointed of Yahweh (the Eternal High Priest--Hebrews 9:25); for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy spirit, for the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, as many as Yahweh our Mighty One shall call" (Acts 2:38-39; Zechariah 10:6-8).

   "Unless a man is born of the water and Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Elohim" (John 3:5). A man has to be born, or delivered by the spirit. How does the Spirit deliver us? "...that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word" (Ephesians 5:26).

   He brings to our remembrance the word of Yahweh, which is "...very near you, in your mouth, and in your heart that you may do it" (Deuteronomy 30:9-16).

   There are those who teach that the Torah in the Old Testament does not apply to Yahweh's people today. Their argument decrees that it is merely a spiritual matter, and they are correct. Paul states that the law is spiritual (Romans 7:14). But the Torah is to be written within the heart and on the minds of men. This does not mean that it is done away with. What it does mean is that the curse of the law has been removed by the Redeemer, Yahshua, the Lamb of Yahweh (John 3:29; Romans 3:24; Galatians 3:13.

   Yahshua did not remove the law; He removed the curse of the law, which Israel was under when they broke Yahweh's law (Isaiah 24:5). Israel broke the everlasting covenant, the covenant of love, the covenant of obedience; the agreement that would have guaranteed them a place in the land where Yahweh's Kingdom will reside (Hebrews 12; Revelation 21).

   The bondwoman and her children were denied the inheritance (Genesis 17:19-21). But the promise of Abraham was given to the children of the free woman. For they would be brought out from under the bondage given at Sinai (Galatians 4:21-27). We "...had not known sin but by the law." "Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not; on the contrary, we establish the law. For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of the Mighty One, but the doers of the law will be justified" (Romans 2:13, 3:31, 7:7).

Yahweh's spirit guides us to KEEP the Torah. The guiding of His spirit compels us to keep His Sabbaths (Leviticus 23), to love Him, to know and love His Son. His spirit guides us in all truths.

   There are those who teach that the spirit instructs and guides us, rather than the Torah. But how does the Spirit guide us? Yahweh's Spirit guides us to KEEP the Torah. The guiding of His Spirit compels us to keep His Sabbaths (Leviticus 23), to love Him, to know and love His Son. His Spirit guides us in all truths This is why Yahweh instructs us: "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live and go in and possess the land which the Elohim of your fathers is giving you. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments which I command you." "You came down also on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven and gave them just ordinances and true laws, good statues and commandments. You made known to them Your holy Sabbath...and commanded them precepts, statutes and laws by the hand of Moses, Your servant. You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger; and brought them water out of the rock for their thirst; and told them to go in to possess the land which You had sworn to give them. But they and our fathers acted proudly and hardened their necks and did not heed Your commandments" (Nehemiah 9:13-16).

   We read in the book of Luke, "Blessed is Yahweh the Mighty One of Israel. For He has visited and redeemed His people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David. As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised our fathers and to remember His holy covenant; the oath which He swore to our father, Abraham" (Luke 1:68-73).

The Dead Sea Scrolls

   Found written in the Dead Sea scroll are these words: "And Thou has appointed the greater luminary for the season of the day and the lesser luminary for the season of night and there is no overstepping their bounds. They all minister unto Thee, and defy not Thy word, and their sway is over all the world. But the seed of man hath not understood all of which Thou has made; neither have men known Thee whensoever Thou has spoken; but they have done more wickedly than all things else, and have not perceived Thy great power. And Thou has rejected them, because thou hast delightest not in wrongdoing, and wickedness hath no standing in Thy presence.  Howbeit in the time of Thy good pleasure, Thou wilt again choose unto thyself a people, for Thou has remembered Thy covenant; and thou wilt make them to be set apart to Thee a holy thing distinct from all the peoples; and Thou wilt renew Thy covenant to them with a show of glory and with the word of Thy Holy Spirit, with works of Thy hand and with a script of Thy right hand, revealing to them both the basic roots of glory and the heights of eternity and Thou wilt appoint for them a faithful shepherd...." The Dead Sea Scriptures, Theodore H. Gaster, pgs. 437, 438.

   There are two scriptures missing in the pages above. They are found in Zechariah 9:9 and Matthew 21:5. We must adhere to the covenant of love and obedience in order to inherit eternity (Ephesians 2:19). No one can be a part of the covenant of promise (Genesis 18:18) unless they address the renewed covenant, something that is to be made like new, regenerated, or formed again, which is being done by the Spirit of Elohim.

   Those who try to spiritualize or do away with the Torah need to read what was asked of Job: "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" (Job 38). For the teacher (King Solomon) said this, "My son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you so that you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding; if you cry out for discernment and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of Eloah. For Yahweh gives wisdom: from His mouth come knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:1-6).

   There can be found no wisdom in those who speak against Torah. "Teach me good judgment and knowledge for I believe Your commandments" (Psalm 119:66).

   "Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among My disciples.  I will wait for Yahweh, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in Him. Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are signs and portents in Israel from Yahweh of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion" (Isaiah 8:16-18).

   "To the law and the testimony: if they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20).

   "Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, you people in whose heart is My law. Do not fear the reproach of men nor be afraid of their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment. And the worm will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will be forever, and salvation from generation to generation" (Isaiah 51:7-8).

   "The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom and his tongue talks of justice. The law of Elohim is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide" (Psalm 37:30-31).

   Yahshua the Messiah "...became for us wisdom from Elohim--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30). Who is "us"? To whom were the covenants and the testaments given? Amos 3 and Ephesians 2 give the answer: "You only have I known of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2). "You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of Yahweh" (Ephesians 2:19).

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