Our Covenant
There has been much teaching about the New Covenant being only with born again Christians (the Church). As I see it, this doctrine does not agree with the Old Testament. Most Christians are not too concerned with that problem, because they have discarded the Old Testament and call themselves “New Testament Christians.” There are a few problems with that attitude.
The apostle Paul said to the early Church, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21. The only scriptures they had to prove all things were the Old Testament. Jesus said he did not come to destroy the law or the prophets. The only writings he rejected were the traditions of the elders, which were not part of the Old Testament.
Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion in celebration of the New Covenant. The wine (or grape juice) symbolizes the pouring out of his blood for us and the bread symbolizes his body which took our sins. When his body died, our sins died (if we believe in his sacrifice). That is why Christians believe the New Covenant is only with the Church, since only Christians take Holy Communion. The Old Testament does not agree with that. The New Covenant was not prophesied to be with a worldwide Church, but with Israel and Judah. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:” Jeremiah 31:31. Many preachers say the new Israel is the Church. If the new Israel is the Church, what is the new Judah? The New Covenant was prophesied to be made with TWO bodies. Is there a new Israel and a new Judah? There are no such things. Israel is still Israel and Judah is still Judah.
“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Jeremiah 31:33. This covenant has already been made with Christians. We are the beginning of the Kingdom of God, but there is something coming that will be greater than the consecration of the Church. We are in the Church age, but I believe we are ready to enter the Kingdom age. The end of the Church age is the Laodicean Church. Many of us believe we are in that last Church period. It is a time of spiritual blindness. I believe the problem is they cannot see who Israel is so they cannot know what the Kingdom age will be about. They believe the Kingdom age will be the continuation of the Church age, but the Kingdom age is about Israel.
The Kingdom age will see the return of Jesus Christ, the imprisonment of Satan, the resurrection of the faithful remnant, the national repentance and return of Israel and Judah to the holy land, and the reign of Jesus Christ over the whole world. All nations will be forced to stop making war. The Church is only a part of that story. The Church should not become too proud, thinking they will be everything in the Kingdom.
Nevertheless, there are great things happening in the world in preparation for the return of Jesus Christ. Small revivals are happening on college campuses. Some churches are seeing record numbers of baptisms. People in Middle East countries are having dreams and visions and turning to Christianity. One movement happening March first is ‘Gather 25’ when Christians all over the world will unite in worship for a full day in preparation for the return of the Lord. I do not know how valid this endeavor will be, but I believe millions will unite with the right heart motivation. I read about a university that is using AI (artificial intelligence) to convert thousands of Christian literary classics to speech available as free downloads. The AI copies the voice of a professional reader.
In the midst of these wonderful reports from around the world we see the possibility of a huge war in the Middle East that would affect the whole world. Those of us who know the identity of the lost tribes of Israel know that we will get through this, and God will keep his promises to our Israel nations. He has never allowed his Israel people to be destroyed, only punished.
