Covenants In The Scripture

COVENANTS IN THE SCRIPTURE By The Venerable Dr. Ifechukwu U. Ibeme http://www.pdfcoke.com/ifeogo Click Here For PriscAquila Christian Resource Centre http://priscaquila.6te.net http://thechapelofgrace.wordpress.com

CONTENTS The meaning of a Covenant A. Covenants in the Scripture B. The Classical view C. The Dispensationalist theory Notes on Dispensationalism

“To BELIEVE in God in accordance with the Scriptures is to enter into COVENANT with Him.”

THE MEANING OF A COVENANT: The word COVENANT (from ancient French covenir) implies COMING TOGETHER of two or more parties to share in offered, granted or demanded responsibilities. Covenant (translating the Hebrew= berit, and Greek= diatheke) in the Scriptures, is a solemn agreement between two parties for self-giving entrustment and sacrificial loyalty. A covenant is jealously guaranteed by the covenanting parties with an oath. The words “Covenant” and “Testament” are used interchangeably in the KJV to translate the same Greek word (Grk= diatheke Heb_9:4; Mat_26:28; 1Co_11:25; Heb_9:15-17) because a covenant document sealed with death/blood/oath of the testator is called a testament, so that “book of the covenant” (Exo_24:7; 2Kin_23:21) is a “testament”. In the New Testament, diatheke occurs 33 times and is translated in the KJV 20 times as "covenant" and 13 times as "testament." In the RSV and the NASB, only "covenant" is used. The Gospels are the testamentary record of “word and deed” (Acts_1:1) depositions and dispositions of Christ’s New Covenant which are elaborated upon in the books of Acts, the Epistles and the Revelation. Old Testament Scriptures record the Old Covenant provisions mediated by Moses in the Torah which are elaborated upon in the Prophets and the Writings. Covenants are the solemn agreements while Testaments are their authentic documents. So, covenants and testaments in the Scriptures do not differ in purpose and meaning. The Scriptures show that God Who created all humanity also calls them to loyally worship Him and intimately commune with Him, not casually or arbitrarily but according to His clearly commanded covenant terms. Divine Covenant is God’s loving initiative to offer His blessed resources and redemptive grace as means of bringing humanity into loyal stewardship and intimate communion according to His commands and counsels. Those who answer this loving and 1

redemptive call to loyal intimacy are admitted into peculiar relationship through definite act of covenant faith and covenanting rite by which they subscribe to the provisions and precepts of God’s COVENANT COMMANDS and God’s covenant promises. When God conceives and commands His redemptive covenant, God calls humanity to commit to it for their redemption. Through God’s divinely commanded Covenants, humanity is brought into covenant relationships with God in which God becomes their God and they become God’s people (Lev 26:9-15; Jer 7:22-23; Jer 11:2-5; Ezek 36:24-28; 2Cor 6:14; Heb 8:10; Rev 21:3). Every commandment in the Scripture is a COVENANT COMMAND (Deu_4:13; Deu_4:13; Deu_29:1; Josh_7:11; Judg 2:20; Neh 1:5; Psa 105:8; Psa 111:9; Mat 9:20; Heb 9:20) and every blessing in the Scripture is a COVENANT BLESSING. So also, every keeping of commandments in the Scripture is keeping of COVENANT COMMANDS, and every claiming of promises in the Scripture is claiming of COVENANT PROMISES. God relates with all His creation only on the basis of some covenant terms He has commanded. God calls us to commit and conform to His covenant commands in order to possess and steward His covenant heritage according to His good pleasure. A COVENANT is specifically a formal agreement based on some solemn commands and/or consents while a TESTAMENT is specifically a formulary document of some covenant commands and/or consents. Therefore, a TESTAMENT is the written testimonial document containing all aspects of authenticated narrative and stipulations of a COVENANT. While the Old Testament Scriptures record the narrative and stipulations of the Old Covenant as authenticated for the nation of Israel, the New Testament Scriptures record those of the New Covenant as authenticated for the Church of Christ. The New Covenant springs out of the Old Covenant, such that the Old Covenant is anticipatory SHADOW that points to the New Covenant accomplishing SUBSTANCE. In the Scriptures, God reveals Himself as the only One Who is the sole Creator Who owns all creation and Giver of all things and blessings found in creation: both visible and invisible, spiritual and physical, temporal and eternal – whether present, past and future. At creation, God beforehand entrusted innocent Adam with regency over His wondrous creation and brought Him to dwelling in Eden for covenant fellowship with Him subject to God’s stipulated command (Gen_1:26-31; Gen_2:15-17). The rebellious fall of Adam into sin and shame (Gen_3:1-12; Hos_6:7) evoked God’s covenant justice on Adam, thus requiring provision for the restoration of Adamic humanity from sin and judgment (Gen_3:13-24). Fortunately, God 2

revealed that by His testamentary deposition and disposals, He has wisely and mercifully provided for restoration of humanity into future Messianic Heritage if we acknowledge such redemptive covenant in Christ (Rom_6:23). Through His Covenant terms, God invites all humanity to receive divinely sworn and sealed rights of eternal heritage and be entrusted with fruitful privileges of faithful stewardship in every aspect of His rich resources (grace and blessings) as He has commanded (Rom_6:20-22). So in every divine covenant, God is the owner, testator, initiator, inviter, censor and guarantor while we are His believers, invitees, beneficiaries, stewards, and inheritors of the disposed resources. Every Divine Covenant of redemption from sin is commanded and enacted with blood, sworn on loyal oath or faith, and administered by a mediator (Exo_24:7-8; Heb_12:24). Since the beginning of human history, individuals, nations and royalties have used similar covenant principles in their compacts and contracts, treaties and testaments. COVENANTS WITH GOD involve God taking the initiative to graciously make and mediate promises (grace and glory) and issue counsels (precepts and commandments) as well as curses and cures, with invitation to humans who then pledge to loyally walk in the precepts, accept the promises as well as the penalties. (In Psa 119:89-104 the DIVINE TRUTH of God’s Covenant Terms is described severally as God’s word, law, commandment, judgment, statutes, ordinance, testimony, and precept). Covenants have four or five elements (terms and curses/cures, oaths and symbols) binding the covenanting parties: 1. the terms or precepts and basis, commandments and counsels, provisions and promises, responsibility and benefit as stipulated and consented to; 2. the curse or penalties for sinful disloyalty or violation (Heb_10:26-31); 3. the cure or propitiation for penitent sinner (1Chron_7:13-15); 4. the oath or binding pledge or loyal faith in God’s name subscribing to the covenant basis, commandments, counsels, benefits, responsibilities and penalties; 5. the sign-seal as guaranteeing symbol/rite for initial ratification (e.g. circumcision, baptism, blood-cutting sacrifice for blood-sprinkling and bloodshedding) and memorial mark/token for continuous commemoration (e.g. rainbow, altar, weekly rest, annual covenant feast, regular covenant meal). Agreements solemnized by invoking God or other spirits in PLEDGES, OATHS and VOWS, or agreements sealed with BLOOD are called COVENANTS. Other agreements lacking spiritual oaths or blood-cutting are mere varieties of formalized and informal agreements. Since God has imbued great powers in the terms of all His DIVINE COVENANTS with humanity, all other solemn or sworn agreements have basis to claim and impose binding powers according to their terms (Gal_3:15; Heb_9:17) whether 3

they are: DEMONIC COVENANTS involving demonic spirits, Mutual and Suzerain TREATIES on behalf of peoples and nations, CONTRACTS between business partners, and other BONDS, COMPACTS and TESTAMENTS or Wills for various degrees of associations, relationships and dispositions between persons and peoples. Divine Covenants deliver from every other contrary covenant because only a greater covenant could deliver from the powers of a lesser contrary covenant (Isa_49:25; Luk_11:22; Heb_8:13). Not all covenants in the Scriptures were conditional and not all covenants were sealed with blood. A covenant may be: 1. MUTUALLY negotiated and CONTRACTED between two equals (also agreement/consent e.g. Luk 22:15, Greek= suntheke) as with peace treaties for civil alliances (Gen 21:28-32), compacts for social relationships (2Sam 5:1-5; 1Sam 20:16-18; 2Chr 23:3) and self-plighting troths for marriages). Here, blood covenants are cut to bind the parties into a lifelong brotherhood/friendship/partnership/union and carry the penalty of condemnation and ostracism on the violator. (Gen_31:44-54; Joshua 9). 2. UNILATERALLY stipulated and COMMANDED by a superior (e.g. God or any potentate) with the inferior graciously invited to pledge commitment (as in Divine worship Testaments and Suzerain royal Ordinances). Here, blood covenants are cut to bind the invited beneficiaries to irrevocably unending allegiance, and usually impose the curse or sentence of death on the violator, who is inevitably the inferior party. (Exo_24:4-8; Jer_34:18). But there is usually a provision for atonement. In God’s eyes, BLOOD has life in it (Gen_9:4; Lev_17:11a). Blood Covenants save/give life (Joh_6:53-54; Lev_17:11b; Heb_2:14) and cost life (Gen_9:5; Jer_34:18), such that their power last beyond life (Heb_9:12-15; Heb_12:24). Christian Marriage is a good example of mutual covenant of intimacy and loyalty between a husband and a wife plighting their life, love and livelihood to each other in the Lord, (NOT demanding love and service from, BUT devoting such to each other). When Marriage by gentleman agreement based only on human honour and authority it becomes a mere contract. Nevertheless, God’s covenant relationship with Israel as His betrothed was not mutual but redemptive (Ezek_16:8; Hos_2:18-20). So also is Christ covenant relationship with His Church as His bride not mutual but redemptive (Eph 5:25).

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UNILATERALLY COMMANDED COVENANTS are God’s means of offering His divine redemptive love: 1. either as conditional law (gives promises for commitment to pleasing God – “If you will …, then I will …”) for regulation of hard-heartedness and lawlessness; 2. or as unconditional grace (gives the promises of endowments to please God) which could be: (i) reward for past merit (“Because you have …, I will surely …” e.g. the covenant with David) or (ii) grant/gift for no merit (“Because I have …, I will surely …” e.g. the New Covenant in Christ). The New Testament salvation in Christ is unilaterally granted by God to all who pledge their commitment to Christ. Christ is both the Mediator (Finisher/Perfecter) of the New Covenant (Heb_8:6; Heb_9:15; Heb_12:24) and the Testator (Author/Pioneer) of the New Testament (Heb_9:16-17; Heb_12:2). Christ’s WORD AND DEED which the Apostles SAW AND HEARD (Act 4:20; 1John 1:1-3) are the New Covenant commands and terms which He died to mediate and which we are mandated and commissioned in Christ’s Name to believe, witness to, preach, be baptized into, teach and observe (Mat 28:18-20; Luk 24:44-49). New Covenant is whatever Christ DID AND TAUGHT (Act 1:1) for which he died to mediate through His Blood and in Christ’s Name for us to be convincingly committed to for salvation. Through His death Christ activated His Gospel Testament once-for-all: and by His resurrection from death, He lives forever to administer His New Covenant perpetually (Heb_7:24-28). The Scriptures make it clear that the first covenant of royalty over imperfect heritage, with priesthood and sanctuary for ritual propitiation in Israeli Kingdom is called the Old Covenant (2Co_3:14; Heb_8:13). The final covenant of royalty over perfect heritage, with priesthood and sanctuary for spiritual salvation in Christ’s Kingdom is called the New Covenant (Jer_31:31-32; Heb_9:6-15). WITH THE ENACTMENT OF THE NEW COVENANT, EVERY OTHER COVENANT FADES TO VANISH AWAY (Heb_8:13). No wonder the New Covenant was, in apostolic times, known even among Jewish Christians as the covenant which is “better” (Heb_7:22), “second” (Heb_8:7) and “new” (Heb_9:15), “perfect and eternal” (Heb_5:6; Heb_9:11).

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The Old Covenant of natural Promised Land which was for Jacob’s national Political Israel, partitioned and FAVOURED Israelites APART FROM other nations, only stands temporally in this world; but the New Covenant of messianic Heavenly Paradise which is for Jesus’ universal Commonwealth ‘Israel’, unpartitioned and SAVES Christians FROM BOTH natural Israel and all natural nations, endures eternally beyond this world. So Israel and her Old Covenant is the SHADOW of that which the Church and her New Covenant is the REALITY (Heb_8:5; Col_2:17). These two covenants should not be confused, substituted or antagonised with each other. <>

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A. COVENANTS IN THE SCRIPTURE: God has progressively built each covenant upon another in His redemptive reach toward humanity over the ages from Eden to Calvary. God gave His divine promises of multiplication and Canaanland inheritance to Abraham and his Seed for the purpose of bringing His material blessing of national prosperity to NATURAL DESCENDANTS of Abraham with which to bless many nations (Deut_28:9-12) and bring the saving enlightening blessings (Gen_18:18; Gen_26:4; Act_3:25-26) of Messianic salvation (Isa_42:6; Luk_2:30-32) for SPIRITUAL DISCIPLES of Abraham in all nations. The knowledge of divine precepts (commandments, counsels, ceremonies and cleansings) for successful temporal national heritage in Canaanland were revealed on mount Sinai through the Law of Moses in the Old Covenant (2Cor_3:14; Heb_8:13), while the gift of divine power to bless and enlighten the whole world for accessing eternal messianic inheritance was released on mount Calvary through the Grace of Christ in the New Covenant (Act_3:25-26) (Heb_9:11-15). Notice that the HERITAGE promises to Abraham (Gen_15:5-10), the GUIDING precepts through Moses (Exod_24:8) and the SAVING provisions through Christ, the Messiah (Mar_14:24; Eph_1:7) were all sealed with blood (Heb_9:18-22) not only for ratification, but also because these covenants involve death for purging from sin (Mat_26:28; Heb_9:22) in order to enter into the life of commune with God (Heb_10:22). There are other covenant promises God made without blood in the Old Testament Scriptures – some of which were “conditional” (For Adam’s Edenic dwelling, for Israel’s heritage of the Promised Land at Sinai under Moses) and some “unconditional” (For Adam’s Regency on earth, for all humanity’s protection against Flood through Noah, for Universal REDEMPTIVE BLESSINGS through Abraham’s Seed, for Messianic RULE by the Seed from Davidic Dynasty). THE SEVEN REDEMPTIVE COVENANTS When a Covenant, commanded or declared by God is confirmed or ratified with blood, it becomes immutable and can no longer be altered, revised or modified (Gal_3:15; Rev_22:18-19), but it can only be conformed to, be received, and be testified (Mat_28:20; Act_1:8). The following are the Divine Covenants which God made with humans in the Scripture: 1. Covenant with Adam: God’s commissioning blessing on Adam to replenish and subdue the earth was not called or described as “covenant” in the Scriptures, but God’s commandment banning Adam from eating of the tree of 7

knowledge when brought into the sacred Garden of Eden is likened to a covenant, hence Adam’s disobedience to the commandment in eating of the tree of knowledge in Eden was later compared to “transgression of the covenant” in Hos_6:7. This was the basis for God’s commination penalizing Adam for eating of the tree of knowledge. This is because God set agreement terms for Eden dwelling and Adam consented just similar to a covenant, but later transgressed. This fits into Conditional Covenant. Subsequent to the Fall of Adam and Eve, God’s commination against the sin of Adam and Eve paradoxically revealed the Unconditional Promise that Eve’s MESSIANIC SEED shall inevitably bruise the head of the Serpent (Gen_3:15). This seems to have made the Devil to frantically set out on destroying the descendants of Eve, despite the exploits of Abel and Enosh. But God overruled in the case of Enoch by taking him to heaven and in the case of Noah by saving him from the Flood and guaranteeing his descendants from further flood. Since the Fall in Eden, God has successively made what the Scripture clearly calls “covenants” for redemptive relationship with subsequent generations leading progressively (Gal_3:22-25) to the arrival of the Messianic Seed (Christ).

2. Covenants with Noah firstly for preservation of Noah from diluvian destruction of sinful humanity (Gen_6:18) and secondly for preservation of all 8

his descendant humanity from any further universal deluge (Gen_9:9-17) – Unconditional Covenant (but admits on basis of natural descent). 3. Covenants with Abraham for his particular natural descendants by birth and his believing spiritual disciples by faith: (a). Abraham’s descendants by BIRTH for National Material and Multiplication blessing for the holy-land heritage (Gen_12:2 and 7; Gen_17:221; Gen_22:17). This was re-affirmed to Isaac (Gen_26:2-6) and Jacob (Gen_28:10-16) – Conditional Covenant. (b). Abraham’s disciples by FAITH for Messianic Spiritual blessings for All Nations (Gen_12:3; Gen_18:18; Gen_22:18. This was fulfilled in Christ and His Church Act_3:25-26; Gal_3:14-29) – Unconditional Covenant (but admits on basis of faith in God’s promises). 4. Covenants with Israel (Legal/Probationary and Temporal/Preparatory, Gal_3:23-25; Gal_4:1-4) – Conditional Covenant: At Sinai (under Moses) for conditional heritage of the holy-land temporalities as God’s special people (Exo_24:4-8; Exo_34:10-28). This same covenant was thereafter re-enacted severally: - under Moses at Moab (Deu_29:1 ff), - under Joshua (Josh 24), - under Jehoiada (2Ch_23:16), - under Hezekiah (2Ch_29:10), - under Josiah (2Ki_23:3), - under Ezra (Ezr_10:3). Old Covenant that enabled Israel against Enmity from national Princes for possession of the Promised Land shall be upgraded to the New Covenant that enables the Church against Iniquity from demonic principalities for possession of the Heavenly Kingdom. 5. Covenant with Levi (Mal_2:4) and Phinehas (Num_25:12-13) for Israelite priesthood – Unconditional Covenant (but admits on basis of natural descent). This national Levitical priesthood for temporal earthly sanctuary in the Old Covenant shall be overtaken by universal Melchizedek Priesthood for eternal heavenly sanctuary in the New Covenant. 6. Covenant with David (2Sam 7; 1Chron 17) for Israelite dynastic and universal Messianic RULE – Unconditional Covenant (but admits on basis of natural descent). 9

Old Covenant David ruled Israel and the whole of Middle East (2Sam_8; 1Chron_18) from his temporal base in the Old Jerusalem. So his New Covenant Messianic Seed, Who is Lord over David and Greater than David, will rule Israel and the whole world from His eternal base in the New Jerusalem (Rev_21). 7. Covenant with Christ: The New (Final, Internalised, Eternal, Universal and Messianic REDEMPTIVE) Covenant that brings the Light of ALL Spiritual blessings from heaven (i.e. salvation from sin and Satan) for BOTH Israel and All Peoples through Christ – Seed of Abraham and David (Luk_1:69-79; Mat_26:26-29; Joh_1:29; Act_3:25-26; Isa_49:8; Isa_56:3-8; Jer_31:31-33; Hos_2:18-20; Rom_4:13-14; Gal_3:8, Gal_3:29; Heb_8:1). Through Christ’s GREATER and more PERFECT priestly mediation (Heb_9:11), and the gift of the divine power of abundant Grace (2Pe_1:2-3), the New Covenant fulfils, perfects and exceeds all older covenants to offer BETTER promises (Heb_8:6) which are EXCEEDINGLY GREAT and PRECIOUS promises of participation in the divine nature (2Pe_1:4). The New Covenant of Christ’s Gospel justifies us by Christ’s Blood and especially brings the FREE love GIFT of divine fruitful power (2Pet_1:2-8) which is the quickening GRACE to enable us exercise dominion over self, sin and Satan. Only such saving power could redeem us from all iniquity and purify us for zealous good works which God had purposed beforehand that we should walk in them (Rom_6:14-16; Eph_2:4-5; Eph_2:8-10; Tit_2:11-14) The Messianic New Covenant REDEEMS us through Christ to REIGN with Christ – Unconditional Covenant (but admits on basis of faith in Christ). NOTE: All the covenants are unconditional (depositions and dispositions independent of meritorious works) except the “covenant” of Eden Garden with Adam and covenants of the Promised Land with Abraham and Israel (SEE No 1, 3a and 4 ABOVE) which are conditional (depositions and dispositions dependent of meritorious works). While all the several preparatory covenants with Israel (collectively called “Old Covenant” as one group in 2Co_3:14; Heb_8:13) promised temporal, natural and national blessings, the consummating messianic (i.e. Christ’s) New Covenant promises eternal, spiritual and universal blessings. As humanity matured, God gradually revealed His Kingdom administration or dominion by building each newer covenant on top of the older covenants. God began to reveal His Kingdom with universal covenants from Adam to Noah for PATRIARCHAL Kingdom commission. Next, through Abraham to Moses and David God narrowed into Israel as His ETHNIC Kingdom example with national covenants, in order to culminate in Christ as the Eternal King of the 10

Kingdom by Whose mediation God fulfilled His new universal covenant (Heb_9:15) for better, excellent, and everlasting (Heb_7:22; Heb_8:6; Heb_13:20) MESSIANIC Kingdom consummation. The Scripture shows that it is by His sovereign initiative, God authors explicit terms of His REDEMPTIVE COVENANTS by which He reaches out to humans for intimate COVENANT RELATIONSHIP as the means of revealing Himself and dispensing the riches of His redemptive blessings (Eph_1:2-12). Otherwise, worshipping God would be a fruitless guesswork – a mere uncertain groping in the dark (Act_17:27). By means of God’s condescending through His Covenants to call us to walk with Him through our loyal commitment (i.e. faith and obedience), God graciously invites us to obtain His superlative blessings which include: - RESTORATION to life of fellowship with God as His people (All Covenants), - ADOPTION to heritage of God’s Kingdom (Messianic/New Covenant) and - ENDOWMENT with divine possessions of: temporalities – protection & provision (All Covenants) , and spiritualities – purity & power (New Covenant). <> B. THE CLASSICAL VIEW on covenants was that there are two principal covenants: 1. Old Covenant of Works with Adam (First Adam) in time only i.e. Old or Legal Covenant promise of eternal life based on our obedience to the moral Law. Rom_7:7-11; Rom_5:12-14; Rom_10:5. The covenant of works depends on human ability to please God. It needs to be clarified that there are two types of redemptive WORKS in divine Covenants and Laws. There are personal MERITORIOUS WORKS (Moral Law) which we must be done BY us as moral and lawful responsibly, as well as priestly MEDIATORIAL WORKS (Ritual Law) which must be done FOR us as cleansing and redemptive ministrations. Redemption ATONES past and penitent transgressions but does not INDULGE future and impenitent transgressions. While there was only meritorious works expected of Adam before sin, the Law of Moses added mediatorial works which the Levites ministered for Israel because of sin. IT IS THIS MEDIATORIAL WORKS THAT CHRIST FINISHED ONCE on the Cross as the Slain Lamb and the High Priest for all, so that those who believe in Him would receive redemption. It is still expected of the redeemed that have been given supernatural Grace to use the power of Grace to bear fruit of good works (1Co_15:10; Tit_2:11-14). 11

2. New Covenant of Grace with Christ (Second Adam) in time and in eternity i.e. New or Gospel Covenant promise of eternal life based on Christ’s redemptive unity with the Father and our faith in the Christ Redeemer. Rom_10:4; Rom_5:15-21. Covenant of Grace bestows redemptive enablement to help humanity live according to God’s pleasure. This is based on the eternal covenant of redemption in Christ established in the Godhead before the beginning of creation (Eph_1:3-6). This classical federalist concept of the New Covenant for universal eternal inclusion and unification in Christ (2Co_5:17-18; Eph_1:10-11) is unlike the modern dispensationalist theory of multiple covenants of partition, duration, fluctuation and exclusion. C. THE DISPENSATIONALIST THEORY: a fascinating doctrinal reengineering newly developed in the past one hundred years, has devised their seven/eight “covenants” and their corresponding so called seven epoch “dispensations”, (Not same with the meaning of dispensation in the Scriptures which is assignment or stewardship). Divine Redemptive Covenants are not about duration of eras and epochs but about agreements at altars with revelation for true devotion and stewardship (Not same with the meaning of dispensation in the Scriptures which is assignment or stewardship). To the Apostles, older covenants were typological preparations and probations designed by God as schoolmasters (Gal_3:22-25) and foreshadows (Col_2:1617; Heb_8:5) which progressively built up to graduate God’s people and humanity unto the perfect eternal salvation reserved in Christ’s New Covenant (Heb_8:6-13; Heb_11:39-40). But the Dispensationalists have a different logic and concept for their theory – that covenants are “dispensational”, “crashreboot” and “partition” contingency or emergency devices which God contraps to reboot His programme when humanity crashes an older covenant! Though he was influenced by Jesuit, Jewish and Irvingite conjectural antecedents, the chief originator of dispensational theory to support “rapture” before the Second Coming of Christ was John Darby. However, the propagator of this new theory was Cyrus Scofield who wrote in his annotated Bible that there are seven disconnected political durations called dispensations: of innocence, of conscience, of civil government, of promise, of law, [of grace], and of the kingdom, all of which are so divide from each other that they have nothing to do with one another! These correspond to their unrelated seven/eight covenants: Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Palestinian, [New (Messianic)] and Davidic Covenants. It is important to note that their Messianic (New Testament) dispensation which belongs to the “Son of David” absurdly comes before their Davidic dispensation! 12

Dispensationalists do not conceive the Covenants as redemptive agreements for loyal intimate spirituality between humanity and God, rather their “covenants” are exigent political arrangements for separate generational periods which they call “dispensations” – this concept of Covenants is strange to Scripture. DISPENSATION (Greek= oikonomia) is either a Distribution and Disposition arranged to be administered or a Stewardship and Commission assigned to be accounted for. Dispensation as used in the Scriptures is not a Duration designed to be delimited as Dispensationalist suddenly twisted it to mean since the recent 100 years. Dispensationalism is based on the innovative premise that the Scriptures must be read politically and geographically not spiritually and heavenly, so that the universal Church of Christ is not “literally” (i.e. politically and geographically) scriptural except “allegorically”. As a result, the universal Christian Church could only constitute an exigent “parenthesis” interruption which aberration must necessarily be “taken out of the way” through an exigent “rapture” to make room for the fulfilment of the Scriptures according to their political “dispensations”. Many Christians who espouse Dispensationalism are not aware of this fundamental implication nor realize the severe error of this theory. The Dispensational Theory is a modern popular and intriguing speculation to justify a political hypothesis that exonerates Papal Rome from being the Antichrist and separates futuristic Israel from the Church in such a way that political Israel endures beyond the spiritual Church. But the Apostles and the Prophets did not make any reference to such aberrant concepts till John Darby and Cyrus Scofield combined to fully develop and popularize the theory respectively. The Apostles spoke only of the Old Covenant (2Co_3:14) as preparatory and passing (without Christ) and the New Covenant (Heb_8:13) as perfecting and permanent (with Christ), NOT seven, eight or nine arbitrary fluctuating covenants. The Scriptures teach that through Christ’s GREATER and more PERFECT priestly New Covenant mediation (Heb_9:11), and the New Covenant gift of the divine power of abundant Grace (2Pe_1:2-3), the New Covenant fulfils, perfects and exceeds all older covenants to offer BETTER promises (Heb_8:6) of spiritual blessings from heaven (Eph_1:12-4) which are EXCEEDINGLY GREAT and PRECIOUS promises of participation in the divine nature (2Pe_1:4). Strangely, Dispensationalist split the New Testament to span through three dispensations/covenants! This is such that the Gospels and ministry of Christ belong to their Law dispensation/Palestinian covenant which is different from their Church dispensation/Grace covenant; even the book of the Revelation belongs to their Kingdom dispensation/Davidic covenant! Dispensationalists reinterpret the Scriptures in the light of these their dispensations of political epoch and there are even other perceived ultra-dispensations. But from the Scriptures, their so called Abrahamic, Mosaic and Palestinian Covenants belong 13

to what the Apostles called together as one and same Old or First Covenant in 2Co_3:14-15; Heb_8:7 while on the other hand, Gospel salvation mediated by Christ is called the New or Second Covenant Heb_8:7-13; Heb_9:15. It is important to note that what the Scriptures call SECOND they have dared to call SEVENTH! Based on this twisted partitionist theory of dispensations for political rather than sanctifying motives, disregarding Scriptural context, Dispensationalists see covenants as merely political instruments with time limits which they call “dispensations” not in the sense the Scriptures used the word dispensation to mean stewardship. To fit this political partitionist hypothesis, Dispensationalists speculate that the “rapture” and encouragement in 1Thes_4:15-18 belongs to the Church “dispensation” but the “gathering” and admonition in 2Thes_2:15 does not! To them the last trumpet “by the word of the Lord” in 1Thes_4:15-17 belongs to the Church but the last trumpet spoken of by Christ our Lord in Mat_24:29-31; Mar_13:24-27 does not! Surprisingly, they even exclude the Church from the First Resurrection in Rev_20:1-6! The most absurd fallacy (or is it blasphemy) of Dispensationalism is their doctrine or theory of termination of Christ’s reign on earth in order to make way for God to fulfil their unbiblically purported Christless promise to a post-Christian political Israel! They do not even accept that Christ reigns already (Mat_22:44; 1Co_15:25; Eph_1:22; Heb_10:12-13) but that He would reign only when He reigns at last with glorified saints! The Scripture is unanimous that Christ the Son of David shall never cease to reign from heaven (Psa_89:35-37) over all creation by the Holy Spirit through His Church (Eph_3:20-21) and shall come again to reign in glory with His Church till the earth passes away (Isa_24:19-23 ; Heb_12:22; Rev_3:12; Rev_14:1) and dwell forever in eternity.

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NOTES ON THE DISPENSATIONALISM:

The biggest problematic of the innovations of the Dispensational casuistry however, is not only the truncation, seclusion and abrogation of Scriptures; Dispensationalism pursuant to its political motives reintroduces the “wall of partition” and segregation of Israel from the Gentile Church in contradiction to apostolic convictions that Israel has been united and integrated with the Gentiles in the one Church of Christ (Act_15:7-9; Eph_2:15, Eph_2:19). They forget that the Kingdom of David though based in Israel annexed all neighbouring Gentile nations (2Sam_8:1-16). So, it is no wonder that the Kingdom of Christ includes all other Gentile nations (Dan_7:13-14) since He is greater than David. Other problems are their reconstructive theory of suspension of their Israel Kingdom Covenant(s), and the theories of “parenthesis” and “take away” of their Church Messianic Covenant (which is clearly the equivalent to 14

the New Covenant of Christ). This contradicts the Gospel preached by Christ and His Witnesses. The Apostles taught that this New Covenant of Christ is the ultimate Covenant before which all other Covenants are abolished and vanish away irredeemably for eternity (Eph_2:15; Heb_8:13). THE NEW COVENANT OF CHRIST (WITH HIS REDEEMED SAINTS) CANNOT GIVE WAY OR BE TAKEN AWAY FOR ANY OTHER COVENANT TO BE FULFILLED THEREAFTER IN ITS ABSENCE. The New Testament Church of Christ was understood (even by Jewish Christians) in apostolic times, as the predetermined Universal Agency of the Heavenly Messianic Kingdom of God. The basis of this agency is the New (i.e. ultimate and final) Covenant, which both supersedes and perfects (but NOT INTERRUPTS) the older or other Covenants forever (Heb_8:13; Heb_11:39-40). The Apostles unambiguously taught that the New Covenant gives way to none other, rather all other Covenants give way for or find fulfilment in the New Covenant (2Cor_1:18-22; Gal_3:15-29; Gal_4:1-7). The Dispensationalists however are of the opinion that this New Covenant will “give way” so that the temporal political State of Israel will realize its “covenant dispensation” nationally in the absence of Christ and the Church! To support this they pride in taking some preferred OT prophecies more “literally” than Christ and the Apostles, while they figuratively allegorize plain NT prophecies and intricately revise and distort plain NT teachings under the guise of “rightly dividing” the Word better than Christ and the Apostles! Harm should not be done to the truth of the Scriptures in order to protect certain unnecessary theoretical fears about tribulation and unfounded motives about the nation of Israel. Before Christ comes, All spiritual Israel (out of the Political Israel Rom_11:26) shall be saved, together with All spiritual Gentiles (out of the Political Gentiles Rom_11:25): both of whom come by faith (AS ONE BODY in Christ) into the One Messianic Commonwealth of the Household or Sheepfold of God, and through the mission of the One Apostolic Church (Act_15:16-17; Rom_11:11-33; Eph_2:17-21; Eph_3:4-6). The Scriptures insist that ever before Christ comes to gather all His saints, the Man of Sin (Antichrist) MUST COME FIRST (2Th_2:1-4) as determined by God (Dan_7:24-25; Dan_11:36), but he will be destroyed when Christ second comes (2Th_2:8) to raise, rapture and reign with His redeemed saints. We can only hazard guesses, but only the Thessalonians knew the “restrainer” that will be “taken out of the way” (2Th_2:5-7) which likely had to do with the Roman Empire hence the encryption. What is clear from the passage is that possible guesses for the restrainer could never include a lawless system or the Church or the Holy Spirit. It will pay us better to take the Apostles at their 15

words if we truly believe the Scriptures, else you may find yourself among those with strong delusion to believe lies unto their damnation (2Th_2:9-12). To be sure, the rapture into the AIR is for the raised and changed saints to “welcome” or “meet” (1Co_15:52; 1Th_4:17 and Mat_25:6 also see Act_28:15) Christ our Bridegroom, at His glorious arrival to the earth. It is NOT rapture for a part of a partitioned Church to “escape” from the Antichrist and follow Christ back into HEAVEN, but for triumph with Christ at His glorious COMING to earth to finally destroy the Antichrist and reign over all the kingdoms of the earth (Dan_7:10-11; 2Th_2:8). The BLESSED HOPE for this One Church of both Jews and Gentiles, as the ONLY Bride of the Lamb, is the One heavenly, bridal Jerusalem without structural Temple but with God and the Lamb dwelling in it both as it's Tabernacle and it's glorious illumination (Rev_21:3, Rev_21:22-23). This one Bride Church includes together ALL THE SAINTS EVER REDEEMED SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, who are registered in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev_21:27). This One Celestial City is clearly described as having the 12 Tribes of Israel as its pearl Gates (Rev_21:9-13, Rev_21:21), the 12 Apostles as its precious-stone wall foundations (Rev_21:14-20), and all Nations and their Kings as contributors to its glory and honour and beneficiaries of its illumination (Rev_21:24-27), with NO walls of partition between any of these (Eph_2:11-22; Eph_3:4-6; Gal_3:26-29). This agrees perfectly with the indigenization of the Gentiles in the New Commonwealth of Israel (Eze_47:22-23) with the New “Jehovah Shammah” Holy City (Isa_24:23; Isa_56:6-7; Jer_3:17; Eze_48:35) as the Prophets had consistently indicated long time ago. This composite ONE True Church shall be resurrected ONCE as ONE Body (Eph_3:4-6) and ONE Bride, in open, visible glory (at the ONE blast of the angelic LAST trumpet), at the ONE glorious Second Coming and ONE rapturous First Resurrection (1Co_15:22-26, 1Co_15:50-53; 1Th_4:14-18). There are no two separate second comings, no two separate first resurrections or two separate brides as if to a polygamous Lord! The first resurrection of the Just which will never occur until “IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION”, will be glorious, rapturous and will usher in the millennial subduing reign of Christ together with His raised Saints “ON THE EARTH” (Mat_24:21-31; Luk_14:14; Rev_5:9-10; Rev_20:4-6). This millennial reign shall be operated from the Saints’ Camp which is the Beloved City, founded by God as the Saints’ capital territory (Rev_20:9; Heb_11:10). 16

Then comes the final, futile Magog rebellion against the Saints of the ruling Camp City when all flesh shall be decimated (Rev_20:7-10). Thereafter shall be the great conflagration of the physical elements (2Pe_3:10-13; Rev_21:1) and the inglorious “second death” resurrection of the Unjust, to face the final judgment for all good or evil works. Then shall all go to their final destinies of eternal bliss/rest and eternal doom/torment (Dan_12:2; Joh_5:29; Rev_19:11-21, Rev_20:1-15, Rev_21:1-8). This is the simple plain reading of the Prophetic and Apostolic Scripture without any difficulty, theories, assumptions or clever casuistry. Why would any true believer have difficulty agreeing with Christ and His Apostles? <> Last revised: June 17, 2018 by Ven. Dr. I. U. Ibeme Copyright © PriscAquila Publishing, Maiduguri, Nigeria. Click here for PriscAquila Christian Resource Centre http://www.pdfcoke.com/ifeogo

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