The New Covenant: Part I

We come now to the last of the divine covenants, which Hebrews 13:20 tells us is the "eternal covenant." Even though God entered into covenant with various people throughout the Old Testament, there has always been the One, great and everlasting covenant which has existed "within the Godhead" (Tony Ling) from all eternity. That covenant is none other than Jesus Christ, the "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Rev. 19:16, NIV). Isaiah 42:6 tells us that it is Christ whom God gave "to be a covenant for the people" (see also Is. 49:8). This is the covenant that was revealed "when the time had fully come" (Gal. 4:4), but was first announced to the people of Israel by the prophet Jeremiah when he said:

"'The time is coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah'" (Jer. 31:31, NIV, italics added).

Contained in Jeremiah's words was the promise of a new covenant that God would make with His people. Because of His great love for all people, God spoke through Jeremiah about the great and eteranl covenant that He had decided upon in the timelessness of eternity. It was (and is) a covenant that is found in the Person of Jesus Christ, who is our Redeemer, OUR SALVATION - the One who sets us right with God! This is why as His people we find ourselves CENTERED in the Son, the very "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (Jn. 1:29, NIV).

Jesus is the "one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens" (Heb. 7:26, NIV). It was through the shedding of Jesus' blood that the New Covenant was ratified, for "The cost of covenant relationship is sacrifice" (Simpson). This is why at the Last Supper Jesus said to His disciples, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" (Lk. 22:20, NIV). In such a covenant, we rejoice, for no one else could bring us into relationship with God the Father in the way Jesus has through His life, death, and resurrection! He is our covenant, the One who holds the church and its people together in perfect harmony!