Eternal Covenant

05/10/2011 Human Observations

There is a notion that confuses some folks about the bible, that the Old Testament and the New Testament sometimes contradict each other.  Here’s a little clarification.  The Lord our God presented His law and prophesies to Israel, to guide their daily and future lives.  Israel was to present this life according to the leadership of the Lord our God, to the inhabitants of the earth.  When a particular prophecy was fulfilled concerning the introduction of the Messiah, all of God’s law was to be fulfilled in Him; and was.  However, Israel did not recognize the Messiah when He presented Himself to them, and was unaware of the time of His coming. So, the Lord our God determined to introduce Himself to the inhabitants of the earth personally.  So the guidance provided by Old Testament Law was not removed; it was clarified by the introduction of the two ideas that Israel received but failed to communicate to the other inhabitants of the earth: the mercy and grace of the Lord our God that is openly displayed in the lives of His people.  Mercy (forgiveness of sins) is not getting the punishment that we deserve because of our offences against God.  Grace (UN-merited favour from God) is getting the good stuff that what we do not deserve, nor can ever earn from the Lord our God.  The law of the Old Testament tells us that we are guilty of offence against God’s Word.  The Messiah (the acceptable sacrificial Lamb of God) introduces clarity into a life that is no longer condemned by the law.  If we break a single one of the laws of the Old Testament, then the law requires our death.  Yet, with our continual High Priest sitting at the right hand of our Heavenly Father, the propitiation for our sins is eternally removing our sins from God as far as East is from West.  So, I consider Joshua 1:8 along with Matthew 22:38-40 in one accord:

Joshua 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Matthew 22:  ³⁷Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.