1.3 General Terms
January 2008
References and Notes:
The Godhead
Creation
Fall of man
Bible
Themes of the Bible
The Great Controversy
Salvation
The Old Covenant at Sinai
The New Covenant
The Everlasting Covenant
Messiah and Redeemer
Covenant Terms in the Bible
In this discussion, the use of terms is very important. Each term carries with it a certain connotation as to its meaning. At the same time different people will assign very different meanings to the same terms. The following is a list of terms used in describing the covenants with a brief annotation as to their usual meanings.
I have proposed terms that are preferred, some that are allowed, and those that should be avoided. This last category are terms that are often limited in their scope and are subject to controversy. I recognize that this listing is based on my proposals, and can only be a suggestion for others.
The God of the Bible is beyond human knowledge. The Bible pictures Him as being intrinsically unlimited in power, knowledge, time and space. In our creation, God was willing to limit His power by giving men and angels free choice.
The Bible speaks of God as one. Yet He is also referred to by a plural noun. In the New Testament there is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The early church fathers developed rather complex theories about God. The Seventh-day Adventist church takes a very modest view referring to the A triune God@ as three persons in one. One God. Three persons. One in purpose, action and love. Beyond this brief statement, A silence is golden.@ See Foundation of the world, Note (1).
The first two chapters of Genesis describe creation of this earth by God. Chronology developed from the Bible story places creation at about 6,000 years ago. The Bible story affords an explanation of where things came from and where this world and everyone on is going to. These concepts are challenged by the theory of evolution. The evolutionists have problems in the lack of evidence for many of the things they assume. At the same time Creationists have problems explaining observations in the sedimentary rocks and the fossil record.
Creationists take by faith the things that cannot be explained. This faith is based on evidence that the Bible is true and that the God of the Bible can be experienced and changes the lives of men.
The Bible describes man as being created perfect in an ideal setting, the Garden of Eden. Man was created in the A image of God.@ Being tempted by the devil, Man fell from his exalted state. Man has degenerated from that point to where we are now. Evolutionists describe life as becoming more and more complex and more and more perfect until we arrive at the technical excellence we see today. In their view, there was no fall of man. The increasing chaos we see in the world today supports the Creationists view.
The Bible is a collection of A books@ written by A prophets@ over a period of about 1600 years; from 1400 bc to 200 ad. Prophets are people who were inspired by God to carry messages from God to humans. Many books have been written by prophets, but the Bible is a collection of those books judged to be especially accurate in giving the message of God. There is remarkable agreement in what the different authors wrote. More than any other book, the Bible has been an influence for good, both for individuals and for nations as well.
The Bible does not preach as much as you might think. It carries its messages more in stories. Stories of men and nations and how God worked with them. The purpose of the Bible is to tell the story of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead. Prophecies through the old Testament told of the Messiah who would come to Redeem mankind. After He came and died on Calvary, the New Testament explains to us the meaning of this, and of His coming again.
The story of His sacrificial death on Calvary for the sins of all mankind is the Gospel. This is also called the Plan of Salvation.
The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan is a theme of the Bible. Lucifer, the highest angel in heaven became proud and jealous of Jesus Christ. Lucifer, a created being, an angel was not satisfied with his position. He wanted to be a god, equal with Jesus Christ. In rebelling he became Satan and the devil. He persuaded one third of the angels in heaven to join his rebellion. There was war in heaven and Satan and his angels were cast out into the earth.
The Great Controversy has continued on this earth. Satan cannot now reach Christ, but he can torment and tempt mankind, whom Christ has made. The controversy will end when Jesus Christ comes the second time, and sin and sinners are destroyed in the lake of fire.
The Bible gives us the background for the fact that we live in a world of sin. All mankind is subject to problems of all kinds, including disease and death. Salvation is the concept that God has a better plan for us. Through Jesus Christ there is hope that mankind can overcome sin now, and will eventually be restored to the perfect Garden of Eden again, where there is no more sin or sorrow.
There is the historic Old Covenant entered into at Sinai which was temporary. This term is not used in the Bible, but has come to be used to describe the efforts of men to save themselves by keeping the law of Moses.
This was especially true in Jesus= time. By then the rabbis had tacked on hundreds of additions to the law and to the ceremonies. They continued the sacrifices thinking that there was merit in animal sacrifices. Most had forgotten that the sacrifices pointed forward to a Redeemer who would give His life for them (John 12:34).
While the Jews were in captivity in Babylon, it was prophesied that they would return to Jerusalem in seventy years. Jeremiah prophesied that at that time they would be given a A new covenant.@ This new covenant would involve A writing the law on their hearts@ rather than just having them inscribed in stone.
The New Covenant is also referenced in Hebrews chapters eight and ten. We will devote several articles to talking about the New Covenant.
The covenant given to Abraham is described as the Everlasting Covenant. This term is used fifteen times in the Bible. The covenant began A before the foundation of the world@ and continues into the New Earth. The everlasting covenant is thus considered to be the underlying covenant in all God= s repetitions of the covenant throughout the ages.
This speaks of Jesus Christ, promised at the fall of man in Eden and prophesied throughout the Old Testament times. These prophecies were fulfilled in the life, ministry, sacrificial death on Calvary, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the Gospel and the foundation for the Christian Church.
* Old Covenant B not found in the King James Bible.
* There is no discussion in the Old Testament of there being more than one covenant.
* Covenant B found 272 times in the Bible, 254 times in Old Testament, 18 times in the New.
* New Testament B found only in the New Testament; Matt. 26:28; Mk. 14:24; Lk. 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25; 2 Cor. 3:6; Heb. 9:15; Rev. 11:19.
* Old Testament B 2 Cor. 3:14.
* The Bible was divided into Old and New Testament by the church after 200 A.D.
A comparison of covenants
and dispensations is found
mostly in Hebrews:
First B Heb. 8:7, 13; 9:1 (first covenant); Heb. 9:2,6,8 (first tabernacle); 9:15,18 (first testament); 10:9 (first dispensation)
Second B Hebrews 8:7 (second covenant); 9:3 (second veil); 9:7 (second apartment of sanctuary); 9:28 (second coming); 10:9 (second dispensation)
Old B Heb. 8:13 (covenant or dispensation?).
Faultless B Heb. 8:7
Fault B Heb. 8:8
Better testament B Heb 7:22
First testament B Heb. 9:15, 18
Preferred
Terms in common use:
Everlasting Covenant
Covenant of Grace or Redemption
These terms are interchangeable in common use:
Everlasting Covenant
Plan of Salvation
Gospel, or Everlasting Gospel
Covenant of Grace
Covenant of Redemption
New Covenant
The A New Covenant@ is a term used to describe the covenant of grace. It will be shown in subsequent chapters that the Everlasting Covenant is a covenant of grace, and is identical to what is understood as the New Covenant. It is logical to view the A new covenant@ as a renewal of the everlasting covenant.
Allowed Terms can be misleading, but useful with careful definition:
Abrahamic Covenant
Sinaitic Covenant
New Covenant
Other Terms, best avoided as the covenant always comes from God!
Adamic, Noahic, Mosaic, Davidic Covenant(s)
Here is a short list of these covenant announcements:
* Edenic, God's promise of redemption (Gen. 3:15).
* Noachian, for the preservation of the race (Gen. 9:9).
* Abrahamic, granting blessings through Abram's family (Gen. 15:18).
* Sinaitic, designating Israel as God's chosen people (Exod. 19:5,6).
* Levitical, making reconciliation through priestly atonement (Num. 25:12,13).
* Davidic, Messianic salvation promised through David's dynasty (2Sam. 23:5).
* Jesus= sacrifice, the covenant confirmed. (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 27:51).
These terms are quite different and will be discussed later:
Covenants of Sinai, Moses, Works, etc.
Dispensation and Dispensationalism
Promises and Vows.