The Old and New Covenants
Explained

by D. J. Love, The Bnei HaMashalim
written 9-24-2001
updated 3-31-2007
refined May 6, 2011

Contrary to popular Christopagan teachings . . .

YHVH's Laws and Commandments are not simply the Covenant itself, but are actually the Words that make up the Vow of the Marriage Covenant.

A Covenant with YHVH is a "Marriage Contract", and the Contract contains the words (Vows, Contract or Laws) that govern and comprise The Marriage Covenant. However, it is the disobedience to the Vow (words or laws of the Covenant) that breaks the Covenant !

A Physical Parallel: You decide to get married, and you select a mate that you find to be suitable, because of his or her attributes. You both enter into a "Marriage Contract" (Covenant), and you both agree (Vow) verbally and in writing (Contract) to the words (Vow) of your Covenant. Sometime later in your marriage your mate breaks "The Agreement" of your Marriage Covenant concerning Adultery, and after a period of time (where you try to forgive your mate IF he or she will repent) you find that you cannot persuade your lost mate to return, so you become divorced according to the Agreement (Law or Contract) of "The Covenant." Later, you find a True Mate (one who will remain faithful) and you enter into a New Marriage Covenant with him or her, and you Never Separate.

In the above "Parallel", was it the "Agreement (Law or Contract) of the Covenant" that was at Fault or the Unfaithful Mate? Of course it was the unfaithful mate. Friends, I am not simply referring to the physical marriage between a man and a woman; that is merely a physical example of a Spiritual Parallel between YHVH and "The Bride" or YHVH's "Chosen Few". The same "Chosen few" that Love YHVH with all of their Heart, Mind, Soul, and Breath; just as a husband and wife should "Love One Another", and bear Spiritual children, that, also, "Love One Another". These are the same children that are prophesied as the "New Jerusalem" coming down from Heaven like a Jewel not cut by human hands. This parallel is of course about "The Faithful Wife" that will not go whoring after foreign pagan gods or become "Self-seeking" like most of the ancient Hebrew did. No, YHVH and the Ancient Israelites have been divorced since before they went into captivity to Ancient Babylon.  Do not make the mistake of following after corrupted Ancient Jewish traditions, Faithfully follow the same path as the Ancient Patriarchs who sought diligently after "The Righteousness of YHVH"; For to "Seek Righteousness" is to seek to become "Like YHVH" in Spirit. Only then will you receive "The Holy Spirit" as a "Righteous Mentality". Without "The Holy Righteousness Seeking Mind of YHVH", there is no Salvation.

How can any true "Future Child of YHVH" ever believe that "Righteousness" in any form could ever be "Nailed on a Cross" is beyond me. Can't we now see that the Exact same Vow, Contract or Agreement is still an unchanging Righteous requirement for Marriage to YHVH ? I hope you can now say, "Absolutely, because both the Old and the New Covenant vows have the same specific unchanging requirements (Commandments) for entering into YHVH's Marriage Covenant. While human beings may change their minds, The Mind of YHVH (Holy Spirit) is Stable and unchanging when it comes to Righteous Promises, Covenants or Agreements. Why? Because YHVH (a Seeker of  The Righteous) will never change His mind concerning what is Righteous !

So what were the Marriage Vows that YHVH's First Wife (The Nation of Israel) broke? . . . . They were "The Ten Commandments" (which are the condensed version of all of YHVH's Requirements for Righteousness through Love). Actually, we are to live by Every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of YHVH.

Remember. . . . it was Not the Commandments or Vows (Contract or Laws) that were at fault, but the People who were disobedient that were (at fault).

 Therefore, The Old Covenant and The New Covenant Vows, Contract or Laws are exactly the Same! This is significant, because it means that we are to continue to keep YHVH's Laws or Vows (Ten Commandments, etc....), but only from a heart/mind of True Love. That is If we are to Remain Promised in Marriage to YHVH, through the example of Messiah's Sacrificial Ministry!

YHVH will Not be joined in marriage to the rebellious and disobedient, and ,therefore, unrighteous! Nor will Messiah Yahshua (Joshua in English) be joined to the disobedient.

For what fellowship has Righteousness with Unrighteousness?

So What Changed? . . . .

Sacrifice and the Levitical Priesthood Changed! Messiah Yahshua is the New Covenant example of Self-Sacrifice and our New High Priest. Only Messiah Yahshua may symbolically enter into "The Holy of Holies" as "High Priest" at this time.

Hebrews 9:1-15

Now indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service, and an earthly sanctuary.
2 For there was a tent prepared, the first, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place.
3 After the second veil, the tent which is called the Holy of Holies,
4 having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant (Commandments);
5 and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat (Ark of The Covenant), of which things we can't now speak in detail.
6 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tent, accomplishing the services,
7 but into the second (tent containing the Mercy Seat) the High Priest (now Messiah) alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers up for himself, and for the errors of the people.
8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the Holy Place has not yet been revealed, while the first tent is yet standing;
9 which is an illustration of the present age, where gifts and sacrifices are offered that are incapable, concerning the conscience, of making the worshipper perfect;
10 being only (with meats and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
11 But Yahshua having come as a High Priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tent, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,
12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once and for all into the Holy Place (Holy of Holies), having obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh:
14 how much more will the blood of Yahshua, who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself without blemish to YHVH, cleanse your conscience from dead works (legalisms) to serve the living God (YHVH)?
15 For this cause he is the mediator of a new (RENEWED) covenant, that a (1st Covenant) death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Note: The term "New Covenant" does not mean a completely new and revamped marriage vow (covenant) with New people; It means that The the vow or words of Old Covenant contract has been NEWLY Offered to a NEW Group of Peoples (Nations). To say that The Covenant itself is completely new would be tantamount to saying that YHVH has changed his mind about what is considered Righteousness. It would make YHVH unstable; meaning that YHVH would no longer be unchanging, "Like A Rock" (unmovable) or even trustworthy. WE KNOW that YHVH will NEVER change His expectations of us. Therefore, NOTHING has changed except our understanding of "The Plan Of Salvation."

The word "NEW" as in "New Covenant" does not mean "NEW" or "NEWEST" nor does it mean the "LATEST VERSION."

IT MEANS "LIKE NEW" or "RENEWED."

The Covenant (of Righteous LOVE) CAN NEVER CHANGE any more than what is and is not Righteous can change.


Jeremiah 31:31
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD YHVH, that I will make a new (Strong's 2319) covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Hebrew (Strong's 2319) To be rebuilt. (Reconstructed, Repaired, Like New). Not brand new !


Hebrews 8:8
For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Hebrews 8:13
In that he saith, A new (renewed) covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Greek (Strong's 2537) To REFRESH.


Hebrews 12:24
And to Yahshua the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Greek (Strong's 3501) To Regenerate.


In ALL cases (Rebuild, Refresh, Regenerate) these words require that the "Like New" Covenant be built on the VERY SAME FOUNDATION (Obedience through Love of YHVH and Love of fellow Man). There is NO NEW RELIGION or VOWS (the words of the Covenant, which are Torah, are reused, but made REPLEAT or Magnified through Messiah's Example).

It is a better sacrifice, but it is still a personal sacrifice, which is necessary by the "Agreement" (words of the Law) for us to be acceptable before YHVH. Therefore, the law (Torah) is still in force, but we are not under its penalty of death for disobedience as long as we remain in Yahshua , our High Priest (the Vine). The question then becomes, how do we remain in Messiah? Answer: Through Righteous LOVE for and willing obedience to The Eternal Father, as per our Covenant (Marriage Vows)!

Could it be that "Torah" was never truly designed as "Laws" in the first place? Could it be that "Torah" was always "The Words" to a "Marriage Covenant"? Could it be that Ancient Israel only saw Torah as laws because of their stiff necked rebellious attitude and lack of LOVE for YHVH? Answer: YES !

Deuteronomy 31:24-27
24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of Torah in a book, until they were finished,
25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of The Covenant of the LORD, saying,
26 Take this book of Torah, and put it inside the ark of The Covenant of the LORD your GOD, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?

 

References:

Romans 3:31 "Do we then make void the law through faith? YHVH forbid: yea, we establish the law (through Righteous Faith)."

Matthew 5:18 For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law (Covenant Agreement), until all things are accomplished.

 

Hebrews 8; Jeremiah 31; Isaiah 42:21; Romans 8:7

 

Isaiah 42:21 (Old Testament usage of Law)

Strong's H08451 towrah (to-raw') or torah (to-raw') from H03384;

1) Direction, Instruction

1a) Instruction, Direction (human or divine)

1a1) body of prophetic teaching

1a2) instruction in Messianic age

1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction

1a4) body of legal directives

1b) Law (binding agreement)

1b1) law of the burnt offering

1b2) of special law, codes of law

1c) Custom, Manner

1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law (Laws of YHVH given to Moses)

Romans 8:7 (New Testament usage of "law")

Strong's G3551 nomos (nom'-os) from a primary nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals);

1) anything that is established, anything received by usage, a custom, a Law, a command

1a) of any law whatsoever

1a1) a law or rule producing a state approved of YHVH

1a1a) by the observance of which is approved of YHVH

1a2) a precept or injunction

1a3) the rule of action prescribed by reason

1b) of the Mosaic (Moses) law, and referring, acc. to the context. either to the volume of the law or to its contents

1c) for True Believers: the law demanding faith, the moral instruction given by Yahshua Messiah, especially the precept concerning love

1d) the name of the more important part (the Pentateuch), is put for the Entire Collection of the Sacred Books of the Old Testament

Therefore, it cannot be said that "The Law" of any Covenant with YHVH was simply the 10 Commandments (Decalogue), But All of the Words that proceed(ed) from the mouth of YHVH

The Old Covenant (that marriage) between YHVH and Ancient Israel, has surely ended (However, YHVH will keep all promises to His Righteous Patriarchs). A ReNewed Covenant began with Spiritual Israel (True Believers). The Vows of that marriage (obedience to YHVH's laws) are the same for both marriage agreements (covenants). This is what Jeremiah said and what Paul affirmed when they said, "I will write my laws on their hearts (Love)."

There can be no doubt which Old Covenant Laws Jeremiah was referring to as he was contrasting the Old, which had laws written in stone tablets, to the New, which he prophesied that YHVH would write Those 'Same' Laws on our Hearts (Love). . . . . . . How can we escape these plain words?

And if we finish that thought as expressed in the scriptures, we see the Fault was with The People (still is), and Not with the Vows (Laws) themselves.

It was and still is the people who would not and do not continue in obedience to YHVH's Laws, because of their hearts of stone