The Love Covenants of Yahuwah's Kingdom | Part B

The King James Version (KJV) is mostly used in these lessons. Click here to access the KJV online.

A Common Mistake

A mistake occurs when people assume that the death of the Messiah “nailed the old covenant to the cross.” They go on to say, “We’re under grace now. The law no longer has to be kept.” Scripture reveals this belief for the pernicious lie that it is: “For I am Yahuwah; I change not.” (Malachi 3:6) “Yahushua is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

The death of Yahushua fulfilled the divine terms of the old covenant. The Creator did give His only Son to die for the sins of mankind. It did not, however, fulfill the human terms of the old covenant. Those terms remain applicable to every new generation born. The terms are simple: obey and live through faith in the sacrificial death of the Saviour or disobey and die. The choice to obey or disobey remains the human part of the covenant. You obey, you keep the covenant. You disobey, you break the covenant.

The first covenant “failed” not because of any shortcoming in the divine part of the agreement. Rather, the people failed to perfectly keep the law of Yah, which was their part of the agreement. Just as soon as Yahuwah had delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, He sought to renew the Abrahamic covenant with them. In one of the most revealing passages of Scripture regarding the divine/human covenant, Scripture records:

Moses went up unto Yahuwah, and Yahuwah called unto him out of the mountain, saying, . . .

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself.

Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine:

And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which Yahuwah commanded him.

And all the people answered together, and said, All that Yahuwah hath spoken we will do. (Exodus 19:3-8)

“All that Yahuwah hath spoken we will do.” While the intent to keep the divine law was good and necessary, it was not enough. No one can keep the divine law in his own strength. All who attempt to do so are destined for failure, just as the children of Israel were. Within six weeks, they had apostatized by building a golden calf, proclaiming the blasphemous words: “These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 32:4) This act was a clear violation of their covenant agreement for Yahuwah told Moses: “Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them.” (Exodus 32:7-8)

When Israel broke their covenant agreement with Yahuwah, He was likewise freed from His part of the covenant. “And Yahuwah said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.” (Exodus 32:9-10) Yahuwah forgave the Israelites, but they were never able, in their own strength, to keep the terms of the agreement.

The “new” covenant still requires surrender and obedience as the human terms of the legal agreement between Creator and creature. “Do we then make void the law through faith? Yahuwah forbid, we establish the law!” (Romans 3:31) Thus, blood sacrifice is no longer practiced since the type (symbol) has been fulfilled in the anti-type (the reality) at Calvary. However, the feasts are still to be observed. They, like the seventh-day Sabbath, are “holy convocations” to Yahuwah.

The New Covenant & The Feasts

The observance of these sacred feasts, under the new covenant, is different than under the old covenant. As the sacrifice has already been made, no more blood is to be shed, either by sacrifice or circumcision. Instead, under the new covenant, these holy anniversaries are observed using the symbols that Yahushua instituted at the last supper: the bread and the wine.

And as they were eating, Yahushua took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body.

And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28; see also Luke 22:15-20 and Mark 14:22-24.)

The word here translated “testament,” comes from the Greek word diatheke. It means a contract or covenant.⁴ It is the same word as is translated throughout Hebrews as “covenant.” “And to Yahushua the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:24)

The apostle Paul clearly saw in the Last Supper the establishment of a new covenant under the same terms of obedience as the old covenant.

For I have received of the Master that which also I delivered unto you, that the Master Yahushua the same night in which He was betrayed took bread:

And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.

After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew Master's death till He come.

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Master, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Master.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning Yahushua's body. (1 Corinthians 11:23-29)

This is an important passage of Scripture. If the law were truly no longer binding, it would not be possible to partake of these emblems “unworthily” causing “damnation” to oneself. Furthermore, Hebrews refers to the covenant (singular) as “everlasting”: “Now the Eloah of peace, that brought again from the dead our Master Yahushua, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” (Hebrews 13:20)

The death of Yahushua fulfilled the divine terms of the covenant agreement. Believers are living under the “new covenant,” but that is still part of the “everlasting covenant” because the terms have not changed. Salvation is still freely offered to all who will accept it. The divine part has been fulfilled. The human part, obedience to the divine law, is still to be fulfilled in the lives of every individual.

As a Pharisee, Paul had an extensive knowledge of the law and, more than any other writer, wrote about the two covenants. Recalling the history of the children of Israel, he explained the necessity of keeping the divine law through faith as the human part of both the old and the new covenants.

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place . . . If they shall enter into my rest.

Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: . . . There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of Yahuwah. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as Yahuwah did from His.

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (Hebrews 4:2-6, 9-11)

The chance to enter into a covenant relationship with the Creator is still possible. Lay aside your human efforts. Accept by faith the merits of the Saviour. Invite Him into your heart today. Obey and live. It is possible when He lives out His life in you by faith.

“I am crucified with Yahushua: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Yahushua liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of Yah, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Suggested Reading:

• The Case for the 10 Commandments
• Psalm 119