Lesson 3-A1

- Covenants and Testament - (Continued)

Lost Sheep of Israel

   Yahshua said, "I was not sent but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15). Why? "I will say to those who were not My people, you are My people. And they shall say, 'You are my Elohim'" (Hosea 2:23).

   Israel had been driven into the nations, "...because they did not obey Yahweh" (Hosea 9:17). "How can I give you up Ephraim? How can I give you up, Israel? ...My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. I will not execute the fierceness of My anger. I will not again destroy Ephraim" (Hosea 11:8-9).

   Israel was "...to be to Yahweh a people of inheritance" (Deuteronomy 4:20). "They are Your people and Your inheritance" (Deuteronomy 9:29).

   "Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of Yahweh, and the promises; whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh the Messiah came, Who is over all, blessed forever" (Romans 9:4-5). Yahshua, Emmanuel, ("El with us"), came in the flesh, in the likeness of man, to be their Savior or Deliverer (Isaiah 7:14; John 3:16, 17 and 29; Matthew 1:23).

   "For you are a holy people to Yahweh your Mighty One; Yahweh your Mighty One has chosen you (Israel) to be a special people unto Himself..." (Deuteronomy 7:6-11). We are a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. Yahweh loves us and because He has always kept the oath which He swore to our forefathers, He has redeemed us from the house of bondage. "...And for this purpose He (Yahshua) is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death for the redemption of transgressions of the first Testament, those which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:11-15).

   Are we Yahweh's people? Yahweh gave His people the covenants: the covenant of promise, the covenant of love, the covenant of peace. He also gave us the salvation message, and He gave us our Messiah--Yahshua. He also gave us His Spirit which guides us in His Holy Torah. "For sin (lawlessness) shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law (the curse), but under grace...having been set free from sin (lawlessness), you became the servants of righteousness" (Romans 6:14-18).

   "Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth...the righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting. Give me understanding that I might live" (Psalm 119:142 and 143).

   How does one know if they are of Israel today, a disciple of Yahshua, having a part in the agreements Yahweh put before His house? "Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples. I will strengthen them in Yahweh and they shall walk up and down in His name,' says Yahweh" (Zechariah 10:12; Isaiah 8:16-18; John 17; Matthew 5:17-48).

   For Yahweh's law is a lamp unto your feet; a light unto your path, leading you along the ancient path to the narrow gate (Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 11:11; Matthew 7:13-14). If a stranger, alien, or Gentile desires to work this righteousness, he, too, may find favor with Yahweh and he, too, may receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, 10:35).

   But how does one address the covenant of obedience that was broken? It had to be renewed between Yahweh and Israel. A New Covenant or agreement was made in the New Testament at Yahshua's death. The old covenant "...which decays and waxes old" was vanishing away.

   What exactly is this new agreement? What does it pertain to? Is it having to do with the vanishing away of the covenant law?  No! Yahweh has great wisdom: "...according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Yahshua the Messiah to Himself..." (Ephesians 1:4-5).

   "And for this cause He, Yahshua, is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead; otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator lives" (Hebrews 9:15-17).

   A sacrifice for transgressions under the covenant of obedience (Old Testament) had to be offered in order for the house of Israel to obtain the covenant of promise--the possession of the land. Only Yahshua's death, the shedding of His blood could remove the INTENTIONAL SINS of Israel, as well as their unintentional sins.

   Therefore, what is the New Covenant that was ratified at the time of Yahshua's death and what, if anything, did His death "replace"? Did His death replace the laws of Yahweh, as many teach, or is something else being replaced?

   Let's look into the New Covenant teachings out of the Old Covenant. Let's study what faith apart from the law means, and righteousness that comes from the law, including righteousness that comes by faith. Let's keep in mind that the New Testament did not exist during the apostles' time. They were the ones that passed these letters down to us so we would know that Yahshua, our Messiah, walked this earth. Their writings help us understand the purpose of Yahshua's life, death and resurrection.

   Paul teaches us two ways to become righteous, even though they are both taught in the Old and New Testaments. They are not taught separately from each other. Examples of this can be found in Deuteronomy 30 and Romans 10:5. Paul taught the Roman assembly from the Old Testament about the subject of righteousness which comes by the law and that which comes by faith. Take note that Paul quoted from Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 30:12, 13, 14; Isaiah 28:16 and Joel 2:32. Paul teaches us in Romans 4 that Abraham believe Yahweh and it was considered righteousness to him, by faith.

   David, by the Holy Spirit, teaches us from the Psalms that there is a righteousness that comes from the law. It changes our lives according to all of Yahweh's promises.

   David said, by the Spirit, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey Your word." And, "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold (Psalm 119:67; 71-72).

   David also said, "Oh, how I love Your law. Your righteousness is everlasting and Your law is true" (Psalm 119:142). The Spirit adds, "Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of Yahweh" (Psalm 119:1).

   No one will ever be put to shame for walking in the laws of Yahweh. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of Yahweh, and on His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2). This is righteousness that comes by the law, which renews our lives.

   Romans 3:31 teaches us the righteousness that comes by faith in the Word and speaks to us from the law and the prophets and is found in Romans 4:6-10. David also believed in a righteousness by faith. Paul quoted David's words spoken by the Spirit in Psalm 32:1-2.

   Jeremiah prophesied that Yahweh would make a new covenant with the house of Israel and that He would write His laws in their hearts and minds (Jeremiah 31:31).

   Many feel that Paul spoke against this teaching because his message was to the Gentile people and that Jeremiah's prophecy was only for Israel In Romans 11:11-32, Paul teaches against this by saying that we are all engrafted branches which have become a part of the olive root. We will all become part of one family--the family of Israel.

   It doesn't make any difference if you are a Jew or a Gentile. You can enter into this covenant only one way--by faith in the blood of Yahshua.

   Paul says that Israel must also be grafted back into the house of Israel. They have fallen away like other men and women of the world, because of their unbelief. Both the nations of the world and Israel broke the first covenant.

   Paul teaches in Romans 7:1 that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives. Romans 3:22 and 31 show us that Yahweh presented the Messiah as a blood covering for man. In addition, these verses show that faith in that blood atonement does not nullify the law of Yahweh. On the contrary, we are told we must uphold the law.

   Romans 2:13 teaches us, "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in Yahweh's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." Paul was telling the Gentile brethren in Rome that righteousness comes from obedience to the law

   I Acts 2:38, the apostle Peter proclaimed on the Feast of Weeks--the day the Spirit of Yahweh was given to help mankind receive salvation--to repent and be baptized, and the gift of the Holy Spirit would be given.

   Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 3:13-16 that it is this Spirit that takes the veil off the eyes of the people. "We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the Old Covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Messiah is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to Yahshua, the veil is taken away."

   Until that time, a veil had covered their hearts and minds and they could not understand Yahweh's laws. Only after the gift of the Holy Spirit was given to them, was the veil lifted and the law could then be clearly understood.

   Paul teaches us in Roman 8:7 that a sinful or carnal mind is hostile to Yahweh. It does not submit to Yahweh's laws, nor can it do so. Have you ever considered why some people dislike Yahweh's laws so much? Maybe it's because His laws are telling them to do something that they do not want to do.

   Do you understand that the whole world is still under the first covenant? It remains in existence today, just as it was on the day in which it was put into effect. Doesn't Hebrews 9:15 teaches us that when we are baptized, we are forgiven for the sins that were committed under the first covenant? Yes, it says that everyone is under the first covenant and that covenant was ratified by the blood of bulls.

   We have previously read how David, teaching by the Spirit, gave us the "salvation message." The apostles expounded on these scriptures in the New Testament. They taught us about the New Covenant, which consists of the Spirit of Yahweh writing the laws on our hearts and minds.

   Hebrews 8 and 10 bear witness to Jeremiah 31:33-34. Read Hebrews 8:8-10, "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares Yahweh. I will put My laws deep within their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their Elohim and they will be My people." Chapter 10, verse 17 says, "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."

   Let's look closely at the two covenants. Is the Old Covenant fading and the New Covenant advancing? How could the Old Testament fade away when obedience to Yahweh's holy laws brings blessings and prosperity, wisdom and knowledge, in our lives? Eternal things do not fade away.

   David says in Psalm 119:142, "Your righteousness is everlasting (eternal) and Your law is true." Does that sound like it is fading away?

   "The Name of Yahweh is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe" (Proverbs 18:10). Does it sound like these words are fading away with the Old Covenant or could there be something else that is fading away which we do not understand?

   Is the New Testament, canonized in 400 C.E., replacing the Old Testament, which was canonized in 180 B.C.E., as many people teach? Is all that Moses wrote fading away, and all that is written in the New Testament taking its place? Hebrews 7:22 teaches us, "Because of this oath, Yahshua has become the guarantee of a better covenant." Yahshua became a "priest forever," according to Yahweh's law. He could not be a priest from the house of Aaron because He was from the tribe of Judah. There is no law stating that a priest will come from the tribe Judah.

   Hebrews 7:21 teaches, "But He became a priest with an oath when Yahweh said to Him; 'Yahweh has sworn and will not change His mind: You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.'" Because of this oath, Yahshua has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

   "For this reason, Messiah is the mediator of a new covenant...that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance" (Hebrews 9:15).

   Let's go back to the Old Testament and look at the covenant that Yahweh made at Mt. Sinai to see if it is fading. Exodus 24:1-10 teaches us that Yahweh and the people that were with Moses made a covenant (agreement). Yahweh and the people that Moses led out of Egypt entered into this covenant. These people were Jacob's seed. This covenant was ratified by the blood of bulls. The blood, the atonement for sin, sprinkled on the altar, was required by Yahweh, the "party of the first part" of the contract. The people of Israel were the "party of the second part" of the contract, and the book of the law of Yahweh was the agreement between the two parties. Moses said, "This is the blood (the signature) of the covenant, that Yahweh is making with Israel." All the people said, "We will do everything that is written in the book."

   Yahweh never intended this covenant to be a burden on the people. Deuteronomy 30:11-20 tells us, "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in the heavens, so that you have to ask, 'Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, 'Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it."

   This book of agreement is supposed to give us life and prosperity but if we fail to keep our share of the agreement, Yahweh will then punish us. Some parts of the agreement also carried a death sentence. It is still binding and exists today. Yahweh expects us to be obedient to the covenant agreed upon by our forefathers, that was validated by the blood of bulls, making it binding today.

   Remember Hebrews 9:18, "Whereupon neither was the first covenant confirmed without blood." We go into baptism for the sins that we committed under the first agreement, that was ratified by the blood of bulls. Yahweh found fault in the people--not His covenant. Hebrews 8:8 confirms this. "But Elohim found fault with the people and said: 'The time is coming,' declares Yahweh, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead the out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to My covenant, and I turned away from them,' declares Yahweh."

   The people turned away from Yahweh's laws and became hostile to them.  So Yahweh turned away from them and they were punished for their sins. They were scattered throughout the world and multiplied many times over.

The New Agreement Started 2000 Years Ago

   Micah 5:7-8 says, "The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind. The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and not one can rescue."

   Who will rescue them from their exile? Micah 5:2 tells us, "But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me, One who will be Ruler over Israel, Whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of His brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the Name of Yahweh His Elohim. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth."

   Ezekiel 16:59-63 (Jerusalem Bible) agrees with this: "For the Sovereign Yahweh says this: 'I will treat you as you deserve, you who have despised your oath even to the extent of breaking a covenant, but I will remember the covenant that I made with you...and I will conclude a covenant with you that shall last forever. And you for your part will remember your past behavior and be covered with shame...I am going to renew My covenant with you; and you will learn that I am Yahweh, and so remember and be covered with shame, and in your confusion be reduced to silence, when I have pardoned you for all that you have done....'"

   Yahweh has sent His Son, the first of His creation, to atone for our sins. John 3:17 teaches us that Yahweh did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world, through Him. Isaiah 53:10 teaches us that Yahweh would make His body a sin offering. John 3:18 says, "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of Yahweh's one and only Son."

   "This is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. For everyone that does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done though Yahweh" (John 3:19-21).

   So Yahweh, the Father, has established Yahshua, our Messiah, to bring Jacob's seed back to Him. John 18 teaches us that Yahshua, the Son of Yahweh, was being condemned to death. His answer to Pilate is recorded in verse 36, "My kingdom is not of this world." In verse 37, Pilate says, "You are a king, then." Yahshua answered, "...for this reason was I born and for this I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me."

   In John 19:30, Yahshua gave up His spirit. In John 20:17, He was resurrected from the grave and told Mary not to touch Him because He had not yet ascended to His Father. Why was He returning to the Father? Yahshua was born to be a king and a new agreement was to be made. The blood of bulls, which validated the first agreement, could not bring eternal life (Hebrews 9:13), but could only cleanse a person outwardly. "How much more, then, will the blood of Messiah, who through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself unblemished to Yahweh, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living Elohim! For this reason, Messiah is the Mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant" (Hebrews 9:14-15).

   This second agreement or covenant could not be made until the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when someone dies. Verse 18 indicates that is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.

   When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which Elohim has commanded you to keep." In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

   Adam wrapped himself in fig leaves. He had eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam had partaken of the forbidden fruit and his eyes were opened. He realized he was naked and unclean. The Creator Yahweh (Colossians 1:16) had to kill an animal, which shed its blood, and then clothe Adam with its skin, none of which would perfect the man.

   Adam sinned intentionally and was cast out of the Garden of Eden. Guilt overtook his conscience when he realized what he and Eve had done. The blood of bulls and goats would have held them in this state forever.

   How much better is the blood covering of Yahshua? Acts 13:38-39 teaches us that we have forgiveness of sins. Verse 39 says, "Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses."

   What has vanished--what no longer applies to the first agreement? The offering of the blood of bulls and goats could not do what the blood of Yahshua did. Animal sacrifices "...could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." Only Yahshua's blood could open the veil to the holiest of places.

   At His death, and with the shedding of His blood, "...the veil of the Temple was rent in two, from top to the bottom..." (Matthew 27:51; John 19:34). As it is written, the sacrificing of animal blood cleansed the outward man. But, Yahshua's blood cleanses the inward man--his conscience or awareness of sin.

   Yahweh's laws instruct us on how we should live; Messiah teaches us how to put those laws into practice. He magnified the law and made it honorable. "Hear you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see...It pleased Yahweh for the sake of His righteousness to make His law great and glorious" (Isaiah 42:18-21).

   "Not until halfway through the Feast did Yahshua go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.... 'My teaching is not My own. It came from Him Who sent Me. If anyone chooses to do Yahweh's will, he will find out whether My teaching comes from Yahweh or whether I speak on My own...Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law...'" (John 7:14-19).

   Yahshua's teachings will give man a true understanding of Deuteronomy 5--the covenant of obedience--so that he might obtain entrance into the Kingdom.

    No man will perish, after having been sealed under the New Covenant of Yahshua's blood (John 3:16), but there will be no redemption without compliance. It would nullify Yahshua's sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:10-12).

   The covenant made with Abraham has now become attainable through a new agreement made with and through Yahshua! (Isaiah 42:6).

   "Messiah did not enter a manmade sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one: He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in Yahweh's presence. 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. Then Messiah would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to take away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Messiah was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him" (Hebrews 9:24-28).

   The blood of bulls and goats sealed the first covenant, like a signature on a contract. This sealing is what is fading and is soon to disappear. The covenant validated on Mt. Sinai is still in full effect today. Baptism into the New Covenant makes the Old (first) Covenant signature ineffective.

   The seal that Yahshua made 2000 years ago has taken effect in many lives, but will soon stand alone. Yahweh will close the door to all who refuse the agreement that was made (signed) by the blood of His Son.

   Hebrews 8:13 says, "By calling this covenant 'new,' He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear."

   The covenant that was given to Moses is not fading, but the blood that sealed that covenant (the signature) is fading. The new seal is the blood of Yahshua, which is eternal and stands on better promises.

   The saints of Yahweh have accepted the new signature--the blood of Yahshua. Revelation 11:19, 12:17 and 14:12 teach us that the saints will be keeping the exact same laws given to Moses, that were placed in the Ark of the Covenant.

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