"Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood" (Hebrews 9:15-18).
A covenant is defined as "an agreement of two or more parties, binding them mutually to undertakings on each other's behalf."[1] The Latin word testament, which means to make a will, is often used to render the Hebrew word berit and the Greek word diatheke which express the covenant concept of; agreement, obligation, binding, and will.[2] The distinction between a covenant and a testament or will is that a covenant implies inequality on one side. A covenant between God and man is one sided, in the sense that it is his will that man accepts.
For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood" (Hebrews 9:15-18).
A covenant is defined as "an agreement of two or more parties, binding them mutually to undertakings on each other's behalf."[1] The Latin word testament, which means to make a will, is often used to render the Hebrew word berit and the Greek word diatheke which express the covenant concept of; agreement, obligation, binding, and will.[2] The distinction between a covenant and a testament or will is that a covenant implies inequality on one side. A covenant between God and man is one sided, in the sense that it is his will that man accepts.
According to David Guion there have been seven major covenants of God with man in the bible; the Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and the New Covenant. Guion writes that a biblical covenant contains; promises, commandments, shedding of blood, and a seal.[4] For example, in God's covenant with Noah we see; a promise to not flood the earth again, a command to be fruitful and multiply, the blood sacrifice of animals, and a rainbow as a sign or seal of the covenant (Genesis 9:11; 9:1;8:20;9:12-17) . "And God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth" (Genesis 9:17).
The covenant issued to Moses was to establish a stronghold on sin and a tabernacle for God on earth. The commandments and animal sacrifices were to be a constant reminder of mans inability to be righteous outside of faith. "The law came not to direct people to goodness, but to empower sin to do its worst. From Adam to Moses, only one commandment had been violated, now there were hundreds of them."[6] The law was a mirror of what a perfect righteous man would look like, but of course no one was found to be righteous until the "last adam", Jesus Christ. God breathe his Spirit into the first Adam (Genesis 2:7), he “became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45).
In the Old Testament scriptures God had promised a new covenant to redeem mankind. "I will establish a new covenant...I will put my laws in their minds and write it on their hearts...I will remember their sins no more" (Hebrews 8:7-13; Jeremiah 31:31-34). God's new covenant was a Gracious undertaking with man, and as with any covenant or will a death needed to occur; Christ died for the redemption of man and to be a mediator of a new covenant (Hebrews 9:15-16). God did this for humanity's benefit and we through faith come into agreement with his promises and bind ourselves to the undertakings of this new covenant, to fulfill his will. "Unlike all previous covenants, this one does not depend on the flesh or natural processes to determine who is part of it."[7]
[1] Elwell, Walter. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids, Mi: Baker Academic, 2001
[2] Ibid, 299
[3] Ibid, 1177
[4] Guion, David. Understanding Our Covenants With God, Kindle edition
[5] Ibid, 230
[6] Ibid, 631
[7] Ibid, 865
[8] Spurgeon, Charles. The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant. The Spurgeon Archive. Available at http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0277.htm, accessed 16 August 2013
The covenant issued to Moses was to establish a stronghold on sin and a tabernacle for God on earth. The commandments and animal sacrifices were to be a constant reminder of mans inability to be righteous outside of faith. "The law came not to direct people to goodness, but to empower sin to do its worst. From Adam to Moses, only one commandment had been violated, now there were hundreds of them."[6] The law was a mirror of what a perfect righteous man would look like, but of course no one was found to be righteous until the "last adam", Jesus Christ. God breathe his Spirit into the first Adam (Genesis 2:7), he “became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45).
In the Old Testament scriptures God had promised a new covenant to redeem mankind. "I will establish a new covenant...I will put my laws in their minds and write it on their hearts...I will remember their sins no more" (Hebrews 8:7-13; Jeremiah 31:31-34). God's new covenant was a Gracious undertaking with man, and as with any covenant or will a death needed to occur; Christ died for the redemption of man and to be a mediator of a new covenant (Hebrews 9:15-16). God did this for humanity's benefit and we through faith come into agreement with his promises and bind ourselves to the undertakings of this new covenant, to fulfill his will. "Unlike all previous covenants, this one does not depend on the flesh or natural processes to determine who is part of it."[7]
The promises of the new covenant are many, to name a few; salvation to all, victory over death, the helper and teacher abides in us (John 14:26), adopted as sons into the kingdom of God (Romans 8:14-17), forgiveness of sins, blessed with every spiritual blessings in heaven (Ephesians 1:3-14), and we are being sanctified becoming like Christ (1 John 3:1-3). The commandment is that we believe and abide in him, loving him and one another (1 John 3:23-24). The blood of the new covenant is the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, shed once for all (Hebrews 10:10-14). The seal of the new covenant is the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:22).
The new covenant is at the death of Christ, a promise for the propitiation for our sins, “This is my body, which is given for you. This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20). The new is in the resurrection, a promise of life, "for as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:21-22), God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. The new is in the promise eternal inheritance, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, "he is mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance" (Hebrews 9:15, Ephesian 1:13-14). The new is more excellent than the old, "Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises" (Hebrews 8:6). And
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." In this new covenant, our righteousness is in Christ, who fulfilled the old covenant law, "for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Romans 10:4). He now writes his laws on our hearts so that we may fulfill them through hearts that love, him and others (Romans 13:8-10). He came not to do away with the law but to fulfill it, "meanwhile the moral law of the Ten Commandments, written in the old testament "on tablets of stone" but in the new testament "on tablets of human hearts", (2 Cor. 3:3;6) still stands and abides."[3]
"It is important, then, since the covenant is the only ladder which reaches from earth to heaven—since it is the only way in which God has intercourse with us, and by which we can deal with him, that we should know how to discriminate between covenant and covenant; and should not be in any darkness or error with regard to what is the covenant of grace, and what is not."[8] Finally there is the everlasting covenant, "So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him" (Hebrews 9:28).
The new covenant is at the death of Christ, a promise for the propitiation for our sins, “This is my body, which is given for you. This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20). The new is in the resurrection, a promise of life, "for as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:21-22), God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. The new is in the promise eternal inheritance, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, "he is mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance" (Hebrews 9:15, Ephesian 1:13-14). The new is more excellent than the old, "Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises" (Hebrews 8:6). And
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." In this new covenant, our righteousness is in Christ, who fulfilled the old covenant law, "for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Romans 10:4). He now writes his laws on our hearts so that we may fulfill them through hearts that love, him and others (Romans 13:8-10). He came not to do away with the law but to fulfill it, "meanwhile the moral law of the Ten Commandments, written in the old testament "on tablets of stone" but in the new testament "on tablets of human hearts", (2 Cor. 3:3;6) still stands and abides."[3]
"It is important, then, since the covenant is the only ladder which reaches from earth to heaven—since it is the only way in which God has intercourse with us, and by which we can deal with him, that we should know how to discriminate between covenant and covenant; and should not be in any darkness or error with regard to what is the covenant of grace, and what is not."[8] Finally there is the everlasting covenant, "So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him" (Hebrews 9:28).
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[2] Ibid, 299
[3] Ibid, 1177
[4] Guion, David. Understanding Our Covenants With God, Kindle edition
[5] Ibid, 230
[6] Ibid, 631
[7] Ibid, 865
[8] Spurgeon, Charles. The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant. The Spurgeon Archive. Available at http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0277.htm, accessed 16 August 2013