Understanding the New Covenant: Its Roots and Significance

Understanding the New Covenant: Its Roots and Significance

We are currently in the period between the Resurrection of our Messiah Yahoshua (Jesus) and Pentecost. The point in the upper room where the disciples were given the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Many say it was the installation service of the New Covenant. What exactly is the New Covenant? First, let’s explore what the old covenant is and when it was established.

Did you know Pentecost wasn’t a new event on the calendar? It was and is still the remembrance of the giving of the Torah. The instruction of God to His chosen people. Before you say, “that’s for the Jews.” Ask yourself, are you one of His chosen people today? The Feast of Weeks was the offering of the new grain. It is celebrated fifty days from Passover and the Feast of First Fruits. For perspective, there is Passover, the very next day begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread. On the third day, in the middle of Unleavened Bread is the Feast of First Fruits.

From when the children of Israel departed Egypt, having passed through the Red Sea, until they arrived at Mt Sinai and Moses received the Torah was approximately fifty days. It all aligns with the Feasts of Elohim. These aren’t Israels feasts, although they are commanded to keep them as a remembrance of all God did for them. They are indeed, as God calls them Himself, His Feasts. When we keep His Feasts we honor Him and remember His kept promises as we look to the fulfillment of Yahoshua’s second coming. In which He will rule and reign over His chosen people.

The problem is that the children of Israel did not heed Moses. Shown throughout the account of the Exodus, “and they did not heed Moses“; was a reoccurring theme. It is the reason for the Prophets writings. It is the reason Yahoshua said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

The New Covenant is written of by the Prophets as a promise. The promise being that God would replace their stone hearts with hearts of flesh. A circumcision of the heart, now where have I heard that before? Even this idea however isn’t a New Testament promise it was written by Moses! It has been and continues to be God’s desire for His people that we have circumcised hearts. Tender and open to all that God has for us. Just a side note the word for New in New Covenant is the same word for New in New Moon. The moon isn’t new every month, no, the cycle is renewed. We become new with the renewing of our hearts towards God.

When we truly have circumcised hearts we become sensitive to the things of God. His instruction to us. We also allow for Him to write His instructions, His Torah, on our hearts and minds. And it is through the promised Holy Spirit, given on the Day of Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, that we are empowered. Empowered to what exactly? “For this is the Covenant I shall make with the house of Israel after those days, declares YHWH: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.” This is the work of the Holy Spirit to draw us back to the commandments of God.

My prayer for us is this, that we will take this period between the Resurrection of our Messiah Yahoshua and the day of Pentecost; That we will seek to know Him through His word. That we will, with circumcised hearts, tender and sensitive, seek the New Covenant spoken of by the prophets. That we would be truly open to the leading of the Holy Spirit as He writes the instruction of Elohim on our hearts and in our inner most beings.

This is the way of the Rabbi,
You are loved,
cj

I Don’t Wanna Go (part 3 of 5)

I Don’t Wanna Go (part 3 of 5)

This week we are looking at the 3rd chorus of the song by Chris Renzema (see part one for a link to the song). In this stanza, the focus is on Moses. We can look at the parts of Moses’ life and calling and see it was full of peaks and valleys. Here we are reminded that Moses didn’t get to lead the people into the promised land. Sadly, and as a humbling reminder that there are consequences for our actions and in the eyes of God no one is exempt from them . . . yet, still, His mercy and grace abound, and Heaven still remains a reward for those who remain faithful even after the storm.  Let’s look at the lyric:

Like Moses in the desert
I wanna see the land
Like Moses in the desert
I can’t fully see your plan
Still your love doesn’t stop
When I see the land from a mountain top

So many great things to be said of Moses; i don’t want to get lost on this one occasion. However, it is essential to note that even the godliest of people have moments of weakness.  Moses was instructed to speak to the rock in Numbers 20 and water would come from it for the nation of Israel. This is the same rock that we read about in Exodus 17. In the Exodus passage, Moses is told to strike the rock with his staff, and in Numbers, he is only instructed to speak to it . . . there is another interesting point, just before he strikes the rock Moses says, “. . . shall we bring water for you…?” Although, Moses is the mouth piece, it was God who was going to bring the water.

Now the people of Israel were a grumbling sort. We read that they were often grumbling against Moses and Aaron and God, for that matter. At this point, i am sure Moses was fed up with the 40 years of whining and complaining. He let his emotions get the best of him. i do that sometimes, i think we all do. Yet, even still, God, although carried out the consequence, allowed Moses to see the promised land, Numbers 27. Here is the main lesson that i take away from this, God is faithful, even when we are not.

But there is more! i have learned and am learning still to walk humbly, and completely with the Lord. my responsibility isn’t to please people but the Lord only. For when i focus on being obedient to the Lord, no matter how bad the grumbling might become i know that God, through His faithfulness, will bring everyone around to see His faithfulness. i needn’t try to make way for Him, no need to strike the rock, no need to take on the anointed of the Lord, no need to fight against the air . . . only listen to the Lord and obey Him.  i am again reminded of my life verse:

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8

You are loved,

cj