NOT EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT

There is much confusion in the church, and among its people, on the covenants: "old" and "new". Sometimes it's divided between Old and New Testaments, sometimes "old" and "new" covenants. They don’t know there’s a confusion. In fact, virtually all religions agree on this subject; yet they don’t agree with Holy Scripture. What is the difference in the two, and is it enough that we should even refer to them separately? That we are going to look at in the remainder of this series.

Many of us think we have a grasp on the “New Covenant” compared to the “Old”. While we did not study Scripture to find our belief’s, we have faith in our pastor, our church, our denomination, or that evangelist who seems to be so knowledgeable. When I talk to people, I receive several statements to separate the two Covenants.

The Ten Commandments is the Old Covenant, we are under the New
We are under the New Covenant, we are saved by Grace
We are covered by the blood
We are covered in righteousness
Jesus gave us new laws, love God and love our neighbor

In reading Scripture, there are little clues, golden flakes that lead to gold nuggets of a revelation of truth. When I see color in Scripture: color is a term used by gold panner’s who find a few flakes, they then know there is gold in the area that awaits discovery; when I see color in Scripture, I like to dig deeper for the nugget.

Romans 3:21-22 
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Messiah Yeshua, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

Looking at Romans 3:21-22, understanding what is being said, I saw some color pointing towards nuggets of the truth of the Covenant system. So, let’s break this down real quick to reveal that color, then we are going to dig for gold.

The subject of this passage is the righteousness of God. We know righteousness to be given for the obedience of the things of God (Romans 1:16). Paul is saying here, apart from the Law. We know the Law of God, or Ten Commandments, to be the definition of sin and a Law we are to obey; but apart from this law, there is still righteousness which is revealed. This is even revealed through the faith in Messiah Yeshua, as we understand from John 6:28-29.

The Law and the Prophets is the term used to describe what we know as much of the Old Testament writings. The Tanakh, which is the Jewish Bible that we know as the Old Testament, consist of the Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim. The Torah and Nevi’im are the Law and the Prophets. The Law, or Torah, is the Covenant and promise made to Abraham. While the book of the Torah includes the works of the Law, which was given on Mount Sinai, there is a division between the covenant of Abraham and that which was given on Sinai: we will be looking at this more in this series. The Prophets, or Nevi’im, is the prophecies of Israel and the Messiah to come.

Acts 13:15 15 And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on."

Understanding this, we then see the color in this passage. The righteousness of God, which is obedience besides the Ten Commandments, is a witness through the Old Testament Covenant instructions of God and the prophecies of the Messiah. This is interesting to me, being the statement is written in, what is considered to be, the New Covenant writings.

But this is not all. In talking about Yeshua as our High Priest, and comparing with the high priest of the Old Covenant, the author of Hebrews said this:

Hebrews 8:5 5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, said God, that you make all things according to the pattern shown to you in the mount.

Hebrews called the Old Covenant, tabernacle system, an example, and shadow. We also see it was designed after a pattern. Again, in context, Paul was comparing the high priest of the earthly tabernacle with Christ, our now High Priest. We read in Hebrews:

Hebrews 9:11 11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.

Hebrews 9:24
For Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.


The pattern of the tabernacle, which was shown to Moses, was set off of the Heavenly Tabernacle. The author of Hebrews then called this old system an example and shadow.

When we look at a shadow, is it the real thing or just an image of the real thing? When we look at an example, is the example the real thing or just something to show us what the real thing is like? There’s our color: if the real thing is the Tabernacle in Heaven, and the one on earth is according to its pattern; and Paul called the earthly system and example and shadow, there are some large gold nuggets we can learn from this truth. A shadow is not different from the real thing. If we see our shadow, it will not look like a dog; it will be similar to our look. When we see an example of something, it is a useless example if it is vastly different from the real thing which it’s to be an example of.

I want to show you one more piece of color before we start digging.

Matthew 5:17-18 17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Religion teaches that the Old Testament, or Old Covenant, system is gone. When we understand that the Law is the Old Covenant system instructions of God, and the Prophets is the prophecies of the coming Messiah; now we look at the statement made by Y’shua and must ask the question, “What is suppose to be gone?”

Through these pieces of color in Holy Scripture, I am seeing a much different teaching than we are being taught by religion. While religion teaches that the Old Covenant is gone, and we are in a New Covenant; which has unique characteristics aside from the Old Covenant; it’s appearing that Holy Scripture is saying the Old Covenant is NOT gone in the manner religion teaches. But what about the passages in Hebrews chapter 8?

Hebrews 8:13 “13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

Question, if I was having a large wedding, and we needed to practice so that everyone knew their cue’s, is there a point in which the practice has to stop: does the practice sessions need to pass away so that we can have the REAL wedding?

Hebrews 9:8
...the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

I wanted to start the look at the two Covenants by using Scripture to show, we don’t know as much about any differences in the Covenants as we may think. Please, don’t turn this off because this teaching appears to be in disagreement with what you’ve been taught or believe. We can already see there is substantial evidence in Scripture and a question that must be asked. Do you want to know what the Bible says? Do we not understand that our salvation lies in the words written within that wonderful book and NOT within what our pastor or church has taught us? These subjects are really nothing to play with. There are those who follow man, and when trying to debate Scripture with me, I can be a real nightmare to them; because, I can prove wrong most every false doctrine offered in almost every church in this country, simply by Holy Scripture which they profess to follow. If a man, who knows only a small fraction of what Scripture has to offer, can do this now, how big of a nightmare will it be, when we stand before Christ, crying Lord, Lord and He says, I don’t know you?

There are many characteristics, of the Old and New Covenants, that are taught and believed to be unique to each Covenant; and, we are going to look at these “unique” characteristics. While there are many passages for several of these characteristics, to keep the video short, we are going to look at only one or two passages for each.

In the New Covenant, we are to live by Faith. So is it in the Old:

Hebrews 10:38 38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

Habakkuk 2:4 4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just will live by his faith.


All we have to do in the New Covenant is believe:

Romans 3:22 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ,

Genesis 15:6 6 And he believed in YHWH; and he counted it to him for righteousness.


We are taught that the Ten Commandments was only for the Old Covenant; yet, we see in the Book of Revelation; the last book of the Bible, covering Christ’s return, which is after this time we live and is in the New Covenant:

Revelation 22:14 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.


Yes, but Jesus had His own Commandments which are part of the New Covenant; these are, love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. Yet, we see these two laws written in the Old Covenant as well:

Deuteronomy 6:5 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Leviticus 19:18 18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.


In the New Covenant, God gives us Mercy; as if He did not have Mercy in the Old:

Romans 9:16 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

Genesis 19:19 19 Behold now, your servant has found grace in your sight, and you have magnified your mercy, which you have showed unto me in saving my life;


And, in the New Covenant, we no longer have to do works, we have Grace under the New Covenant; Yet, the Old says:

Ephesians 2:8 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Zechariah 12:10 10 And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication;


In the New Covenant, we just have to repent of our sins:

Luke 13:3 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

1 Kings 8:47 47 yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, 'We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness';


We are covered by the blood in the New Covenant. So were they in the Old:

Leviticus 17:11 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'

Exodus 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which YHWH has made with you concerning all these words.


Though our sins are as crimson, the blood washes us white as snow. This was actually never made in regards to the New Covenant but was a statement made to Sodom and Gomorrah in a warning by God. In context, we see it was obedience to God that would wash their sins:

Isaiah 1:18 18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

In the New Covenant, God wants to have a relationship with us:

1 John 3:1 1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Exodus 33:11 11 And YHWH spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks unto his friend.

In the New Covenant, we are to be a peculiar people:

1 Peter 2:9 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;

Deuteronomy 26:18 And YHWH has avouched you this day to be his peculiar people, as he has promised you, and that you should keep all his commandments;

In the New Covenant, we have salvation because we are covered in the righteousness of Christ:

Romans 3:22 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

Isaiah 61:10 10 ...For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,


While the Old Covenant people had to bring a lamb each time they sinned, Christ’s righteousness, in the New Covenant, covers all sins which are past, present, and future. Actually, that New Covenant teaching is a complete deception of Scripture:

Romans 3:25 25 Whom YHWH has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.

Hebrews 6:4-6
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of YHWH, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of YHWH afresh, and put him to an open shame.


This one may be more in action than teaching, but by our actions, the heart is known. While in the Old Testament system one must stop sinning, but in the New Testament, Christ righteousness covers us so God does not see the sin. We already saw that Christ’s righteousness covers only our past sins but what does the New Covenant say of our continuing to sin?

Psalm 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

1 John 5:18 18 We know that whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not.


Now, in this New Covenant, we have forgiveness of sin:

1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 103:2-3 Bless God, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities;...


In the New Covenant, we are healed by the stripes of Christ

Isaiah 53:5 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Psalm 103:2-3 Bless God, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;


Ok, so we are seeing that we don’t know as much about the differences in the Covenant’s as we thought. In fact, we are seeing very little differences. In this study, we are going to dig for the gold nuggets and see why religion has separated the two; but Holy Scripture shows us the two work together, which is why we are seeing strong similarities between them. We are going to look at the history of the Old and New Testament division, the terms and conditions of the covenants, and the relationship of the two Covenants. By this, the salvation message and Christian walk become more evident.

Part 4 - Cadash
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