HF133 - God's Last Will and Testament
To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date: Mon, November 1, 2004
Subject: Bible Study HF133 - God's Last Will and Testament
Hebraics,
There are distinctions in the new covenant that are
important for God's people to understand. The primary
distinction is that the new covenant is much more than a
covenant in the same sense that we understand former
covenants. The new covenant is actually the final will and
testament of God Himself. It has to do with the disposition of
all that God has. Let's look at it.
This is Bible Study HF133 - God's Last Will and
Testament.
A number of times in the Mosaic writings you come across
the term 'everlasting covenant.' Certainly the context has to
decide what the term means. However, the basic meaning of the
Hebrew word 'olam', translated as 'everlasting', does not in
itself speak of time without end. It is a masculine noun that
speaks of a very long time. It is sometimes used simply to
express a person's lifetime.
Here are examples of how 'olam' is used:
"... then his master shall bring him to God, then he
shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master
shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him
permanently (olam)." (Exo21:6)
"But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her
husband, 'I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I
will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord and stay
there forever (olam)." (1Sam1:22)
"Joshua said to the people, 'Thus says the Lord, the
God of Israel, "From ancient time (olam) your fathers
lived beyond the River..." (Joshua
24:2)
So when you see the term 'everlasting' applied to the word
'covenant' in the writings of the former testament, the term
is not to be equated with what is ascribed to the new covenant
being God's eternal covenant.
In many cases the term 'everlasting covenant' speaks of a
covenant that will have its ultimate fulfillment in the
covenant of Christ. An example is where the Lord says to
Abraham, "I will establish My covenant between Me and you
and your descendants [seed] after you throughout their
generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and
to your descendants [seed] after you." (Gen17:7)
Here we have play on words. The Abraham covenant would
carry itself through the Hebrew peoples until it came to the
One of whom it belongs. Paul carefully explains this;
"Now the promises spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He
does not say, 'And to seeds,' as referring to many, but rather
to one, 'And to your seed,' that is, Christ." (Gal3:16)
Jacob also speaks to this in his prophecy over Judah;
"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's
staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him
shall be the obedience of the peoples." (Gen49:10)
Where it says 'Until Shiloh comes' can also be translated
as 'Until he comes to whom it belongs.' The ancient targums
understood this to refer to the Messiah. The Talmud also uses
Shiloh when referencing the Messiah.
But there is another word of great interest here. Where it
says, "To him shall be the obedience of the
peoples," the term for obedience is yaqqahah (pronounced
hik-kaw-haw') speaks of an inner submission of the heart, a
willing obedience, which further speaks of a tranquility of
heart. What we are seeing here is the 'Abba! Father!'
experience that becomes the heart cry of every person born of
Jesus Christ.
I've spent a measure of time talking about former covenants
not being eternal covenants in the same sense as the covenant
of the cross. Now let's see why this distinction must be made.
First of all, consider the aspect of 'blood' as applied to the
covenants. In every Old Testament covenant we had animal
sacrifices playing a part. These were substitute blood
sacrifices. But the blood of animals could only serve as a
symbol.
The animal was not an eternal sacrifice. The life of the
animal was not eternal life. The blood of the animal could not
deal with the spiritual side of man's need. Contrast this with
the new covenant being called an eternal covenant because the
blood of the covenant was and is God's blood.
Paul reminded the Ephesian elders of this when he said,
"Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent
of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring
to you the whole purpose of God. Be on guard for yourselves
and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made
you overseers, to shepherd the church of God WHICH HE
PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD." (Acts
20:26-28. Caps for emphasis only.)
Now in contrast to the covenant of Moses where the blood of
the sacrifice was to be sprinkled on the people. The Bible
says this sprinkling only pertained to the flesh. In the new
covenant we have the very eternal life-blood of Jesus
sprinkled on the hearts of the believing ones, those who truly
confess Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior.
The blood of the animal had no effect on the spiritual
nature of a person under the Law of Moses. Quite the contrary
in the new covenant. The sprinkled blood of Jesus changes the
very inward nature of the person upon whose heart it has been
sprinkled. It is the life of Jesus that enters into and fills
the heart of the person sprinkled.
Thus we hear the apostolic writer say, "Now the God of
peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the
sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus
our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will,
working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through
Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever.
Amen." (Heb13:20,21)
Now we need to come to what I said was the primary
distinction of the new covenant. The new covenant includes all
the ideas that are bound up in former covenant language, but
takes on an added dimension. The new covenant is actually the
last will and testament of God Himself.
This is where the term 'testament' has to be understood in
the light of the cross. A last will and testament is only in
force when there is the death of the testator, that is, the
one who makes the will. Only through death does the will carry
any legal force. Once the death has happened the testament
becomes fixed. It cannot be changed. It is then probated. All
dispositions have to be in accord with the one who made the
will.
How hear what the Word of God says:
"For where a covenant [will or testament here] is,
there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.
For a covenant [will or testament here] is valid only when men
are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it
lives." (Heb9:16-17)
When Christ died on the cross His final words were,
"It is finished." These words mean that the last
will and testament of God are to be put into effect. Out of
the cross came the disposition of God's will. Our inheritance
reaches from this life into eternity future. Listen to these
Scriptures:
"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that
He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last
day. This is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds
the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I
Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John
6:39,40)
"So then let no one boast in men. For all things
belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world
or life or death or things present or things to come; all
things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ
belongs to God." (1Co3:21-23)
"The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we
are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God
and fellow heirs with Christ..." (Rom8:16,17)
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for
us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but
delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him
freely give us all things?" (Rom8:31,32)
"For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they
are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory
of God through us." (2Co1:20)
As we continue with the issue of last will and testament,
let me add one more dimension that belongs to the new covenant
- the term 'adoption as sons.' You find this expression used
in more than one place in the apostolic writings. Once again
the context has to determine how the term is being applied.
Paul uses the term in one place to allow us to understand
that we were adopted in eternity to be God's children. That
is, God actually knew us intimately even before the foundation
of the world. And so we are born again because of our adoption
in eternity. This is a difficult area to grasp because we are
limited in our thinking to space and time. Not so with God.
Some wish to understand this in the since of foreknowledge,
in that God already knows everyone who will receive Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior, and based on that knowledge, they
are spoke of in the sense of adoption. Whatever the case, God
already knows perfectly every person who will ever be born
again.
The adoption as sons speaks of the Father's love from
eternity. Paul says, "Just as He chose us in Him [Christ]
before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and
blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as
sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind
intention of His will." (Eph1:4,5)
And so we see how the expression the 'adoption as sons'
carries over into the deep of God's love. He fixed His love on
us from the beginning. Did not John say that we are not saved
because we loved God? We are saved because God loved us. This
statement reaches back into eternity past.
How strong is God's love for us? Paul said that there is
nothing that can separate us from His love. His last will and
testament firmly states this fact.
How about it folk? Have you been reading God's will lately?
Did you know that a primary work for the Holy Spirit in a
believers life is to open our understanding to hear the words
of the will. Jesus said, "But when He, the Spirit of
truth [God's realities], comes, He will guide you into all the
truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but
whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you
what is to come."
Now follow more closely; "He will glorify Me, for He
will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that
the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of
Mine and will disclose it to you." (John
16:13-15)
The idea behind the Holy Spirit's disclosure has to do with
explaining God's will for us.
Well -- There is much more to be said concerning God's last
will and testament, but for the purpose of this study I'll
leave off my part for now.
The study is open. Feel free to contribute or ask
questions.
Blessings,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web:
http://www.christianchallenge.org/
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of God; that no root of bitterness springing up
causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)
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