The Millennium
The Millennium Series was taught by Dr. James Modlish

Lesson Three

The Different Covenants Explained

 

The Abrahamic Covenant

The Abrahamic Covenant is first stated for us in (Gen. 12:1-3). Notice no conditions are placed on the promise.

God promised Abraham:

[1]. a land.

[2]. to make of him a great nation.

[3]. to make his name great and to make him a blessing.

[4]. to bless all who bless Abraham and to curse all who curse him.

[5]. through Abraham to bless all the families of the earth.

(Gen 13:14-18) - God shows Abraham that the land is to be his and to be his seed's forever.

(Gen. 15:1-18) - No conditions are placed on the promise.

The Abrahamic Covenant is confirmed to Isaac in (Gen. 26:3-5) and to Jacob in (Gen. 28:13-15).

Some a-mils claim that the Abrahamic Covenant was conditional and that both Abraham and the Nation Israel failed to keep the conditions of the covenant. (See Rom. 11).

Other a-mils attempt to prove that the conditions of the Abrahamic Covenant have already been fulfilled. They do this by claiming that Israel possessed all of the land during the conquest of Joshua, or by comparing (Gen. 15:18-31 with 1 Kings 4:21). They claim that these two scriptures taken together show that Solomon possessed all of the land that God promised to Abraham, and that, therefore, the Abrahamic Covenant has been fulfilled. The land was promised to the seed forever.

We know that this interpretation is incorrect for there are many references in the prophets that God gave after the reign of Solomon promising the land to Israel. Some of these references follow: (Isa. 60:20-22; Isa. 62:4; Jer. 23:5-8; Eze. 47:21). 

The Mosaic Covenant

The Palestinian Covenant has to do primarily with the possession of the land, and is recorded for us in (Deut. 28-30). There are conditions within the covenant but the covenant itself was unconditional. In the Palestinian Covenant, God is confirming the unconditional covenant that he made to Abraham, promising to give the land to him and to his seed forever. The children of Israel are now ready to move into the land and God makes the additional promise, "if you are good I will bless you; if you are not, I'll curse you," His original promise stands.
 

The Davidic Covenant

The Davidic Covenant is recorded for us in (2 Sam. 7:4-17). Notice the seven "I wills" in these verses: (v. 10 (2), 11, 12 (2), 13,14). Every promise is unconditional. If the seed of David is disobedient, they will be chastened, but God will not take away His mercy from them (v 15).

This covenant secures:

[1]. A Davidic house; i.e. family.

[2]. A throne; i.e. royal authority.

[3]. A Kingdom; i.e. a sphere of rule

[4]. Perpetually; forever (v 16).

Since the a-millennial position is blasted if it can be shown that this covenant is unconditional and everlasting, the a-mils must of necessity seek to prove that it is not everlasting, but if the words have any meaning at all, the (89th Psalm) makes it unmistakably plain that the Davidic Covenant is unconditional and eternal. (Psa. 89:3,4,20-27, 33-37)

See: (Gen. 9:16; 17:7,13,19; Lev. 24:8; 2 Sam. 23:5; 1 Chr. 16:17; Ps. 105:10; Isa. 24:5; 55:3; 61:8; Jer. 32:40; Ez. 16:60; 37:26). 

The New Covenant

The New Covenant, commonly called The New Testament, is given in (Jer. 31) and found repeated in (Heb. 8). This also is an unconditional covenant.

The third major question we asked in lesson one was "Is the Church, spiritual Israel?" Most pre-millennial commentators will answer this question with an emphatic "No!" I am afraid this is a defensive move made to ward off all attackers immediately. The crux of this whole concept lies in the Two Kingdoms, the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. Abraham has two seeds! A spiritual seed intended to be fulfilled in Israel and a physical seed to be fulfilled also in Israel. The New Covenant, a spiritual covenant, was definitely intended to be claimed by Israel, (Jer. 31:31-40); But they rejected this in the crucifixion of Christ and finally in the stoning of Stephen, (Acts 7).

The Physical promise - (Gen. 12:1-7; 13:115-18; Rom. 11:11)

The Spiritual promise - (Gen. 15:1-6; Gal. 4:14-16)

The Seed is Christ - (Rom. 4:13-18; Gen. 17:5-8) (See also Rom. 11:13-36).

With these principles established read: (Rom. 2:28,29; Eph. 2:12; Rom. 9:1-8; 1 Cor. 10:18) "Israel after the Flesh"; (Gal. 6:16)

Notice the addresses of these scriptures, there is no "confusion" until Paul writes his epistles. We are a spiritual Israel in the sense that we are in Christ, Abraham's seed. This is a spiritual seed in that it is a spiritual union not a physical, fleshly union. The New Covenant was promised to Israel (spiritual covenant) they rejected it, the Church gets in on the blessing: Israel is not rejected by postponed as a nation corporately gaining the New Covenant, for today there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, (Rom. 10:12). The church is a mystery not revealed to the Old Testament prophets but to Paul, (Eph. 5:32,33).

This is one of the key biblical issues today; every cult and many major denominations steal the promises from Israel and apply them to themselves. Jehovah's Witnesses; Armstrong (British Israelites); Roman Catholics; Reformed Theology. God has not rejected Israel but set them aside for a short time. We have been made beneficiary of the spiritual promises through their rejection, yet we do not usurp the promise and negate their literal fulfillment to Israel.

 

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