TWO COVENANTS - Part 2 of 2

 COVENANT OF THE PROMISE:

   The “promised land” is used often in scripture. The typical Jew has always thought that to mean the “land of milk and honey,” or the fertile crescent from the Mediterranean and the Euphrates. To this day Jews focus on that land. The geographic location of the Kingdom of David is important. Note that the Jews have never received the promised land to this day. The promised land was given boundaries: “The Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates’” (Gen 15:18; see Figure #1 for the map).

 

Figure 1: The Promised Land (Wikipedia)

  Note the area extending from the Nile in Egypt to the Euphrates in Iraq. The Hebrews never owned that land, even at its greatest, i.e., the Kingdom of David (see Figure #2).

 

Figure 2: Kingdom of David (Wikipedia)

  The author believes that only one time did all that land (Figure #1) belong totally to God’s people and that was the land of Eden in the beginning. Israel, as can be seen, was the middle of Eden, and perhaps Jerusalem the midst of the Garden according to the genesis of the world “map” (Gen 2:9).

  In other words, the Kingdom of David never quite fulfilled the Promise of God, and God does not renege on His Promises! Hence, the Promise to the Hebrews still awaits them, as is written: 

Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel” (Rev 7:3-4).

  Those sealed Jews were among the nations standing before God on His Throne. They stood facing God with Jesus right there. Finally, the saved Jews will see what Moses saw on the Mount of Transfiguration, to wit: “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Rev 7:10). Jesus became their God just as He is God of all. How so? Because He is their invisible God who  then will be made manifest to them (again) in the end.

  The Promise will never be fulfilled until a remnant of the Jews are sealed. When God made the Covenant with Abraham, it was “notarized” by circumcision of the foreskin. The fulfillment of the Promise will seal them on their foreheads, indicating that they will finally be persuaded just as the Gentiles were! Remembering that Jews require a sign and Greeks wisdom (1 Cor 1:22), and that if one rose from the dead the Jews would not be convinced (Luke 16:31); when God saves them from beheading by the Antichrist, they will finally be convinced! Circumcision was not sufficient to seal (Gal 5:2). Love seals the deal, not the Law (Gal 5:13-14).

  The Covenant was never for promised “land” but for a Promised Savior and residence in His “Land.” Finally, in the end, when the Jews are humbled enough to accept Christ, they will get all their “land” according to the Abrahamic Covenant. “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Mat 5:5). That blessing is a beatitude — a statement of utmost bliss (Merriam Webster Dictionary). “Blessed” means that utmost bliss shall be obtained. Not only will the Jews inherit their land but the entire Earth. That is known because the Earth will be cleansed by fire in preparation for the residence for those blissed.

  The Abrahamic Covenant consisted of the “Covenant of the Pieces.” Perhaps Gentiles will get their land in heaven as in earth, and the Jews will get theirs. Perhaps what belonged to the Arabs will be theirs in the end because Muslims will not be in heaven unless they repent and receive the Holy Ghost of Jesus. Of course, then, they will no longer be Muslims but Christians just like the Jews they now hate so much. Perhaps there will be no peace in the Mideast until the Promise is fulfilled. Then, converted Muslims and persuaded Jews will live together in peace in heavenly Eden.

  John saw heaven come down. It was revealed to him that New Jerusalem will come to the earth at its original foundation in Jerusalem. Heaven will appear in earth, or better said, heaven will manifest itself as real. The author, as well as many Jews, believe that the heavenly realm coincides with the earthly realm and it will be made manifest to those of the Promise, Jews and Gentiles.

  Note what Luke wrote: 

Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, “And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” (Act 3:25) … And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. (Act 7:5) … Of this man's seed hath God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus (Act 13:23). 

 Without elaborating further, the “Seed” promised to Abraham is Jesus Christ. The King of the Promised Land is the Promised Savior. His Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him” (Jas 2:5). The key to the Kingdom is love. The “poor” are the meek whose “wealth” is faith.

  The “Kingdom” is the Promise Land, (i.e,. the meek will be blessed in a Kingdom not of this world.) Abraham knew that and so did Moses. God finally showed Moses the Promised Land from the Mount of Transfiguration, and Elohim in all three statoos. Moses saw what he believed all along. When the Jews come to see that, then then the Covenant will finally be sealed because all the land of Eden (Paradise) will be theirs.