THE OLD COVENANT SAGA
Jan.T.KNOPPER
The purpose of this study is to examine the covenants and especially to focus on the Old Covenant. In theological circles and writings there is a generally consistent understanding re the “NEW” covenant. There may be found some exceptions. This covenant also named THE EVERLASTING covenant as expressed at the time the Lord made His covenant with Abraham, Gen.17:7; Hebr.13:20. This covenant holding the promise of the coming Seed, Christ the Messiah, as spoken about first in Gen.3:15. (KJV text is used, if not it is indicated). That seed being Christ, Gal.3:16, 29. In Christ only is salvation secured and that already from before the foundation of the world, Eph.1:3, 4; Rev.13:8. This new covenant is not sealed by blood of animals but with the blood of Christ Himself, Matth.26:28. The word testament in this passage should have better read covenant. A covenant/testament is only valid when sealed with blood. Blood becomes available by way of death .The death of Christ made the everlasting covenant valid.
The apostle Paul makes two things crystal clear:
Blood of animals cannot take away sin, Hebr.10:4
For a covenant/testament to become valid it needs death, Hebr.9:16, 17.
In this respect there is general equal understanding. The problem occurs when talking about OLD covenant. The problem arises from the correct understanding what the apostle means or refers to when writing about “old” or “first”. I like to state here already that primarily “old” refers to the time when, Israel came out of Egypt and was at Mount Sinai. There a covenant was established which was broken within 40 days by way of the golden calf idolatry.
This is what Paul refers to in Hebr.8:9, the one that failed and the Lord regarded them not
There is a secondary usage of “old” or “first” which refers to the pre-Christ sacrificial ministry in the earthly sanctuary. We come to that later when dealing with some questions re covenant/testament usage in the book of Hebrews.
First we will deal with the so called 40 days OLD covenant. When, how and for what purpose was it established with Israel. What happened at Sinai? Why this covenant, while the everlasting covenant revealed to Abraham was already established, but not sealed yet. This is not made very clear in scriptures, but answers have been provided by Ellen G. White in her book Patriarchs and Prophets, ch.32. We will use that source later in this study.
To learn about the saga of the Old Covenant we have to go to Exodus and start with chapter 19 and follow the story step by step, chapter by chapter into chapter 34.
THE BIBLICAL RECORD.
Exod.19:1, 2 arrival at Sinai
ib 3 Moses called by God
ib 4 What God has done for Israel, deliverance from bondage, an act of grace
“How I bare you on eagles’ wings and brought you unto myself.”
God’s graciousness and care for His people is clearly demonstrated in these words. But that does not make the covenant a covenant of grace. What follows in this narration will make it crystal clear.
ib 5, 6 What God expects in return from Israel and the blessing that will follow
ib 7 Moses makes known to the people what the Lord had commanded him.
ib 8 Israel responds with all what the Lord has spoken we will do and later repeated in Ex.24:3, 7 No further questions asked.
ib 8b Moses returns to the Lord with the answer from the people.
Exod.19:9-13 Moses receives from the Lord instructions how to prepare the people for the time when they will hear the voice of God.
ib 14-16 People are being prepared to meet with God.
ib 17-25 Additional instructions what to do and not to do when the Lord will come down, to be in safety of life.
Exod.20:1 The Lord speaks all these words, which follows
ib 2 In the introduction of the Ten Commandments the Lord provides reasons why they should be obedient, their deliverance from bondage in Egypt. A repeat of Exod.19:4. In later years after having been established in Canaan and in times of apostasy, they were often reminded about the Exodus experience of deliverance, Jer.11:4; 32:20, 21; Hosea 12:13; Amos 2:10; 3:1; 9:7
ib 3-17 The Ten Commandments spoken by God, being the content of the covenant.
ib 18-21 In this passage we may find the clue why this dramatic audible announcement of the Ten Commandments and why the setting up of the covenant in this manner and not a repeat of the Abrahamic everlasting covenant. Moses tells the people in vs.20 for God is come to prove you and that His fear may be before your faces that you sin not. But nothing is said about what will happen in case they would sin? 1 John 2:1, 2 not yet revealed. According to the Theol.Word Book OT “prove” is from the Hebrew word NASA meaning to test or put to the test, not to entice to do wrong. Here we may bring in Ellen G. White PP.371. But if the Abrahamic covenant contained the promise of redemption, why was another covenant formed at Sinai? — In their bondage the people had to a great extent lost the knowledge of God and of the principles of the Abrahamic covenant. At the end of this study we will return to this passage, because there are more reasons involved. The test was, because I have brought you out of Egypt, the house of bondage and you have gained your freedom of choice. Are you going to choose to serve Me or the gods you have seen in Egypt? Is this the moment Ezekiel is talking about in ch.20:6, 7 that when taken out of Egypt they were told to cast away their abominations and not be defiled with the idols of Egypt? Most likely it is, according to Ezekiel, but not mentioned in the same wording here in Exodus 19 & 20. I like to draw attention to the fact that the people 3 TIMES over promised to obey. But they never asked or were told what would happen in case they would sin. Adam and Eve also were not told what would happen if they did eat of the forbidden tree and would incur the death penalty. The Lord had already a plan in mind. What they only knew was that death would follow sin. Pardon or forgiveness did not come into the picture at the time. The same happened with Israel this moment. After Exod.20:21 we find certain additional statutes announced until Exod.23:33 Also we find in 23:21, 22 that no provision is made in case of sin, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions. This is followed by the next verse, 22, what will happen if they do obey, upon obedience blessings, no pardon in case of transgression. Joshua makes a similar statement in Joshua 24:19. We will not compare Joshua’s statement with Exod.23:21. Both are pretty harsh and quite different from what we know in 1 John 2:1, sin not and if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous. Why was this withheld from Israel at Sinai at this point in time? We can only reason this out from what we know today. The revelation of God’s salvation is progressive. Abel knew about atonement via blood sacrifice.
Hebr.9:22
Without the shedding of blood no remission from sin, comes from the same God who spoke to Israel in the wilderness during the Exodus. So why that seemingly harsh statement in Exod.23:21 he will not pardon your transgressions? It sounds similar to what happened in the Garden of Eden with Adam/Eve. They were only told what would happen in case they would eat. Death would follow. They were not told what we know today from Eph.1:4 and Rev.13:8 a plan of salvation from before the foundation of the world. They were told afterwards. In Israel’s case we will find later in our study, that they were informed about God’s mercy after their apostasy with the golden calf. They were only told to be obedient with no proviso in case they were not. It looks like for obvious reason. If they would have been told, the chance of being disobedient would have been made easier and the test as mentioned in Exodus 20:20 would have been softer and losing its genuine value in regard to finding their true character and their correct attitude towards God. Another reason can be that God does not forgive sin, but the sinner. By way of divine substitution God takes sins away from the sinner, bears it Himself through Christ and ultimately let the scapegoat (Satan) carry it into the “wilderness” and perish with it. Sins will not be made clean, but the sinner. However Israel and Adam/Eve in Eden were not informed about this plan yet. For some reason, only God knows, the salvation revelation has been done progressively, not all at once. In case of Israel in the wilderness the Lord had to start fresh from the bottom up, from scratch as it were. More reasons will be given towards the end of this study. Ellen G. White writes that after Israel broke the covenant because of their idolatry with the golden calf they could not hope for the favour of God through a covenant they had broke, PP 372. The reason for this being, that the covenant they had broken did not have such a clause re God’s favour or grace.
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION GIVEN
We will continue our story from scriptures. After the Ten Commandments were pronounced some additional instruction is given re various items. We may call them internal housekeeping rules.
Then in Ex.24 the Lord again speaks to Moses vs.1, and Moses in turn relates this to the people.
In vs. 4, Moses writes everything in a book.
Verses 5-8 talks about the sealing of the covenant with animal blood, after the people have said again, all that the Lord has said we will do and be obedient
Then in verse12 Moses is instructed to come up the mount to God to receive the tables of stones with the commandments. Moses remains on the mount 40 days, verse 18
WHAT HAPPENED DURING THOSE 40 DAYS?
First in regard to Moses:
Moses receives instruction re the construction of the sanctuary, Ex.25:8 – 30:38; and instruction re the builders, 31:1-11; also re the sacredness of the Sabbath, 31:12-17.
Finally we read in 31:18 that Moses receives the two tables from God. Moses was involved in something very pleasant, to be with the Lord in person.
Secondly in regard to the people.
What happened during the 40 days down below at the foot of the mountain? Something very, very unpleasant
Exo.32:1 people are complaining about Moses’ whereabouts
ib 2-6 They ask from Aaron to make them gods(idols).Aaron complies with their request and they have a heathen idol feast, declaring these idols as their gods which brought them out of Egypt.
Moses is not aware of this, but the Lord is and informs Moses to go down and see for himself. How sad for Aaron supposedly to be a messenger of light turning himself into a messenger of darkness.
The visit between Moses and the Lord is cut short. Moses and Joshua, who was with Moses (Ex.24:13) go down to see for themselves.
The Lord’s language re His relationship with the people has changed immediately,
Exod.32:7 to Moses: go, get thee down for thy people, which thou brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves (have apostatized (Jer.B.)
ib 8 “they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them.
In other words they have broken the covenant just made, which had the content of the Ten Commandments telling them not to make or worship idols. Three times they had declared to obey, Ex.19:8; 24:3, 7. This covenant was sealed with animal blood, making it valid for that time. The Lord also tells Moses what He had heard from the people, setting Him aside as the One who led them out of Egypt. Yahweh God replaced with an Egyptian idol.
Ezekiel may have referred to this event in the history of Israel, Eze.20:5-14. Egyptian idolatry had defiled them.
For His name’s sake the Lord did not do away with them, what He could have done. He still carried out the Exodus of the people from Egypt. Did He remember at that time His covenant with Abraham and the coming seed out of Abraham’s people? Several times Ezekiel uses the words, for His name’s sake. Eze.20:9, 14, 22 the Lord had made a promise which He would not break.
It looks like different in Exod.32:9, 10. The Lord tells Moses about the nature of the apostasy and His decision to do away with this stiff necked people and make a great nation out of Moses.
The people of Moses, as the Lord speaks about them now, will be consumed. No immediate pardon or forgiveness. It seems that Ex.23:21 stands, he will not pardon your transgression. The covenant was broken and no clause in the covenant could be found upon which grace or a pardon could be asked for.
Ellen G. White in PP 372 observes they could not hope for the favour of God through a covenant which they had broken. No grace offered in this covenant.
This statement by E.G. White shows clearly that she presents this covenant as a different one and calls it the old covenant (PP372)
But Moses takes over. He hasn’t seen yet with his own eyes what has happened down below. He takes the role of a mediator. Ex.32:11-13 He asks the Lord not to do what He has in mind to do. Why could Moses do this? Not because of a clause to that respect in the covenant just being broken. Moses refers to the Abrahamic covenant that the seed, out of Abraham, would be a blessing to all nations, Gen.22:16-18. Moses says in Ex.32:13 remember Abraham….and his seed. Paul in Gal.3:16, 29 connects that seed with Christ.
That’s the covenant revealed in Eden, Gen.3:15 and being the everlasting covenant, Gen.17:7; Isa.24:5; Jer.32:40; Eze.16:60; Rev.14:6
Moses’ appeal based upon the Abrahamic covenant, re the coming seed, Christ, has success with God. Ex.32:14.
But next it is Moses’ turn to get angry with the people. When reaching the bottom of the mount, with Joshua, hearing and seeing what’s going on, in great fury he throws down the tables of stone, containing the handwriting of God. This handwriting, the content of the covenant, broken by the people, is now broken in pieces. By the idolatry of the people and this visible act of Moses the covenant is broken and can now be declared the “old” covenant. It has lasted just about 40 days. What is left, are a people in apostasy, an “angry” God, and also an angry leader, Moses.
How is this going to be restored? How will a new relationship with God be established?
THE STORY CONTINUES
Let’s continue the narration of these events in the wilderness.
First Moses destroys the idol, grinds it into powder, spreads it over the drinking water and let the people drink it, Ex.32:20.
Next he starts to question his brother Aaron, ib. 32:21.
Aaron gives his version of the event, ib.22, 23.
Moses turns to the people and asks who is on the Lord’s side? ib. 26.
Then he orders that an execution takes place, and 3000 perish, ib.27, 28.
Now Moses takes the real role of a mediator. He tells the people to consecrate themselves to the Lord. A rededication has to take place, ib.29.
Moses gives them the reason, because they have greatly sinned, ib.30.
And also that he will try to arrange atonement for them, ib.30b.
But Moses has nothing to offer the Lord for atonement. He has no basis upon which to arrange atonement. He offers Himself, if God cannot forgive, ib.31, 32.
But this is not acceptable with the Lord. A human cannot stand in for another human, ib.33.
After what Moses had done in organizing an execution, (ib.27, 28) now the Lord will do His part. They are being plagued by an angel, ib.34, 35.
How many perished, we are not told. Is this the angel the Lord spoke about in Ex.23:21 who would not pardon their transgressions?
RELATIONSHIP RESTORED
In chapter 33, 34 we follow the details along which way the Lord restores Himself with the people who have sinned against Him.
Moses receives the command from God to go forward towards the land promised to Abraham and the Lord will send an angel to go before them to drive out the nations of the Promised Land Ex.33:1, 2.
But the people do realize that this is different from Ex. 23:28 where the Lord Himself would go before them. Relation between God and people is not fully restored yet.ib.3, 4.
The people enter into a humbling attitude towards God by taking off their ornaments, ib.5, and 6. Good example for God’s people today. Humble yourself and wear no ornaments
Moses takes the temporary tabernacle out of the camp, putting it afar off, ib.7-11. Why did he do this? Most likely he realizes that the Lord is still separated from the people, so the place where he communicates with the Lord also must be separated from the people. Sin is a serious matter with God and is not easily dealt with. Isa.59:1, 2.
Moses is not happy to take the people further towards the Promised Land with an angel going before them and not the Lord Himself, Ex.12, 13.
Notice also in the latter part of vs.13 that Moses wants to see that the people are God’s people again.
In verse14 the Lord makes a statement that He will go with them and give them rest. But Moses wants more assurance.
In verse16 how do we know Lord, that I and thy people have found grace with thee and that thou goes with us? Notice Moses does not speak of, my people, but Thy people.
Moses does not accept the change in relationship between God and the people. He still maintains that it is God’s people and he wants to see clear evidence that this relationship is fully and completely restored.
In verse17 the Lord declares that Moses has found grace.
Still Moses is not yet satisfied and boldly asks the Lord to show His glory, ib.18.
The Lord agrees to this request, but says that Moses will not see His face. He appoints to Moses the place where this encounter will take place, also what kind of proclamation will be made regarding God’s name, grace and mercy, ib.19-23.
It is good to observe here that while according to Exod.20:20 (see above) the Lord was proving His people, Moses also was tested. He was tested what his attitude would be towards an erring people. We have the following statement from Ellen.G.White: “The Lord listened to his pleadings and granted his unselfish prayer. God had proved His servant, He had tested his faithfulness and his love for that erring, ungrateful people, and nobly had Moses endured the trial .His interest in Israel sprang from no selfish motives”. (RH Febr.11, 1909, vl.5.p.495).
Chapter 34 starts with instructions to Moses what he has to do:
vs 1-4 prepare new tables of stone, like the first ones, come up to the top of Mount Sinai with these new tables of stone
vs 5 Moses stood there ready with the tables of stone and the Lord proclaiming His name.
WHAT WAS PROCLAIMED?
Moses was on the mount again with the Lord 40 days and nights, 34:28. There he received the tables with the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments, being the same as on the first tables of stone, Deut.10:2.
The content of the covenant is the same, but the divine declaration upon which it is based is completely different. Let’s follow the narration and discover the nature of the proclamation and we will see the better promises, Paul speaks about in Hebr.8:6b.
Ex.34:5-7 The Lord declares His name of grace, mercy and longsuffering with the assurance of forgiving (Hebr. nasa/bearing) of sin and iniquity and transgression. Putting it three ways, it cannot be misunderstood what the Lord has in mind and the nature of these promises.
ib 8, 9 Moses responds in asking again that sin and iniquity be pardoned and the inheritance of the Lord be restored.
ib 10, 11 The Lord answers positively, making a covenant, that He will go before them driving out the nations, living in the Promised Land, but the condition still is obedience from the people, but now backed up by a divine promise of pardon in case of transgression, the better promises.
ib 12-26 some further details is given regarding their duties towards idolatry, what to do with it when they will find it, certain feast days they have to keep, including the weekly seventh day Sabbath
ib 27 Here the Lord declares that He has made a covenant with Moses and Israel. But no sealing of the covenant, as Moses did with the now defunct covenant using animal blood. (Ex. 24:8). Why not? We are dealing now with the everlasting covenant, also called new covenant which needs ratification by the promised blood of the Lamb, Christ. From now on we read as in Jer.31:31 that He will make a new covenant. Make to be understood as ratify. It was in the Lord’s mind before the foundation of the world. It has been revealed to Adam/Eve in Eden after the fall, it also has been made known to Abraham, now it is made with Moses and Israel (Ex. 34:27). But it needs the full ratification by the blood of Christ and the writing in the hearts of the people instead of on stone.
The story ends with Moses coming down from the encounter with the Lord, but his face being too shiny, the people asked that he puts a veil over his face. ib. 29-33.
It has been made crystal clear that salvation and reconciliation with God does not depend upon human promises, but solely and only upon divine promises. We only accept or reject to our own peril. When we accept, we also accept the part of obedience to the content of the covenant, but the Lord still holding to the fact that salvation is from the Lord not ours. Obedience does not carry salvation merits, still saved by grace through faith Eph.2:8, 9.
QUESTIONS.
Before we answer the question why the in between (old) covenant with Israel in the wilderness, we go to the book of Hebrews in the New Testament.
Let’s have a look at some covenant statements in Hebrews and what they mean.
Checking how often the word is used we find that 11 times it is used as covenant and 6 times the same Greek word is translated as testament (KJV) 3 times covenant/testament is a supplied word, not found in the Greek text.
Hebrews 8:6 covenant refers to the better one
ib 7 covenant is added and refers to the old covenant
ib 9 covenant refers to the old broken one
ib 9 the second use of covenant also refers to the old one
ib 10 covenant refers to the new one
ib 13 in this case covenant is a supplied/added word and does not have to mean covenant. It may refer to the new sanctuary ministry in which Christ is the high priest… In Paul’s days the old sanctuary ministry was decaying, coming to an end. In essence it had been ended by the death of Christ on the cross, but temple services still continued, but decaying. They started to loose their meaning. With the destruction of the temple in AD70 they came to a complete stop, never to be started again.
ib 9:1 Covenant here again is an added/supplied word. If dropped from the text (KJV) it could mean the first, sanctuary ministry, had ordinances in contrast to the ministry of Christ in the perfect tabernacle in heaven.
Hebr.9:11 and 8:1, 2
ib 9:4 covenant refers to the second covenant and its tables which were laid in the ark. The first tables never reached the ark, they were broken.
ib 10:16 refers to the new covenant
ib 29 covenant refers to the new one, sealed with Christ’s blood
ib 12:24 again new covenants
ib 13:20 everlasting covenant, the new one
Here below regarding testament which should be understood as covenant.
Hebrews 7:22 better testament/covenant, the new one
ib 9:15 mediator of the New Testament, covenant
ib 15 the transgressions done under the first covenant were still dependent upon the death of Christ for complete forgiveness
ib 16 testament here relates to covenant
ib 17 here again covenant in its meaning, which only became valid by the death of Christ
ib 18 testament here is a supplied word, but clearly the reference is to the time when Moses sealed covenant and the people with the blood of animals
ib 20 testament to be covenant and referring to Ex.24:8, what Moses did.
It is clear from the above Hebrews passages that old and new covenant are not equal or the same. Both old and new covenants are based upon the principle of obedience to God’s commandments. But the two should not be confused. There is a vast difference between these two covenants.
First, there is a crucial difference in promises. The old one is based on human promises. Regarding this the apostle writes in Hebr.8:8 “for finding fault with them” This he explains in vs.9 “because they continued not in my covenant. By contrast, the new covenant, ratified by the death of Christ is established upon better promises – God’s own unfailing better promises, Hebr.8:6.
The word new used in Hebr.8:8 is from the Greek kainos also used in Luke 22:20. According to CRITICAL LEXICON AND CONCORDANCE, by E.W Bullinger D.D.
the meaning is: not merely recent, but different from that which had been formerly; new as coming in the place of a thing that was.
My Greek-Dutch dictionary states the same: to replace an old one which is better.
The NEW covenant is BETTER than the one broken by the idolatry of the Golden Calf worship. While already in existence as the everlasting covenant it awaited the ratification by the blood of Christ shed on Calvary
Another essential difference is, that under the terms of the old covenant there was no provision of pardon/atonement for the transgressor (Ex.23:21; 32:10). Ellen G. White comments in PP 372 that “they could not hope for the favour of God through a covenant they had broken”. The principle found in 1John 2:1 “sin not and if any man sin we have an advocate…” was not a part of the old covenant, broken by their golden calf idolatry. Nor could it be, because it was based upon their promises and they could not atone for their own sins.
The provision did exist under the Abrahamic covenant. But 400+ years of slavery in Egypt had done great damage to their understanding of God. They needed a self discovery to see the necessity for a Saviour. They needed a fresh revelation of God’s name and character as is done in Exod.34.
The Lord must have felt it necessary to take this detour to arrive at this point with His people and have them ready to accept the everlasting covenant.
Rest us to discuss the question, why an intermediate covenant which failed, and lasted only a few weeks, far, far from being everlasting. In dealing with this question we like to understand the great damage done to their understanding of the Yahweh Creator God.
To answer this question with a clear biblical answer is not easy, apart from Exod.20:20 that the Lord wanted to prove, to test them in regard to their choice of giving their Deliverer from Egyptian bondage, undivided, solely and only loyalty to worship Him and only Him.
Ellen G. White provides us with a list of answers to that question. We lists these from PP372
In their bondage in Egypt they had lost the knowledge of God.
They had lost knowledge of the principles of the Abrahamic covenant
They needed to understand their own utter helplessness
They also had to learn their need for divine aid.
Also they had lost their concept of God’s holiness.
Lost also the understanding of the exceeding sinfulness of their own hearts
The utter inability in themselves to render obedience to God’s law was lost
They needed to learn that they could not establish their own righteousness
They had to learn the feeling of the need for a Saviour
They lacked a knowledge of God’s power and mercy and had to learn to love and trust Him
Most unfortunately in later years idolatry became a repeat performance of individual and corporate apostasy until taken into 70 years of Babylonian captivity. Upon returning from Babylon, they had learned their lesson in regard to idolatry, but not the lesson of leaning on their own self righteousness.
After 3.5 years of teaching and ministering among them and not accepting His teachings nor Him as the promised Messiah, Jesus had to condemn them with words as in Matthew 23:37, 38: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. See! Your house is left to you desolate. NKJV
The remnant/Laodicean church of the end time must beware not to get caught in the same net of self righteousness. Rev.3:14-22.
In that respect the Old Covenant story still holds a warning for God’s people today. Let it be seen that they have the gold tried in the fire, be covered with the raiment of Christ’s righteousness and having their eyes salved with the oil of the Holy Spirit.
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