L265
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
PASADENA CALIFORNIA 91123

JOSEPH W. TKACH
PASTOR GENERAL

March 1989

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your question concerning the old and new covenants mentioned in the Bible.

The old covenant was a "marriage agreement" in which Israel (the wife) promised to obey the Eternal (the husband). God, in turn, promised to provide for the nation. To obey the husband meant to keep God's prior-existing law. The old covenant, in essence, meant simply that the children of Israel would be God's people and He would be their God.

The conditions of that covenant are found in Exodus 20. It is important to understand that this was a REAFFIRMATION of the covenant made originally with Abraham: "On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates'" (Gen. 15:18, NKJV). This same covenant was made with Abraham's son Isaac and his son Israel (Jacob). Israel had twelve sons from which came the twelve tribes. It was this covenant which God fulfilled when He rescued the children of Israel: "And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob" (Ex. 2:24).

There was just one problem with the old covenant. The children of Israel did not have God's Holy Spirit and were unable to fulfill the requirements of that covenant -- to trust and obey God. Therefore, God is in the process of making a new covenant: "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah" (Heb. 8:7-8).

Please read the entire chapter of Hebrews 8, which shows that God will write His Commandments in men's hearts through His Holy Spirit. So the new covenant has the "better promise" of God's Holy Spirit. It also has a better reward. Under the old covenant, the Eternal promised to make Israel a nation above all people. The promises were purely national and material -- for this world. The new covenant contains the promise of an "eternal inheritance" (Heb. 9:15).

Under the new covenant, all humans become spiritual Israelites and Jews -- including those who were natural-born Israelites. In that sense, those called out now are given the promises of the new covenant. They are all spiritual Jews (Rom. 2:28-29) and spiritual Israelites (Gal. 6:16). At this time, God is calling only scattered individuals, in what can be called "the Church age." Therefore, the new covenant applies to them. However, the great fulfillment of the new covenant will occur when God delivers His people from captivity just prior to the beginning of the Millennium.

You may wish to read our booklet THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY. The booklet traces the history of these peoples and explains how they became the recipients of the old covenant promises made to Abraham.

Whenever we may assist you further with your study of the Bible, we hope you will let us know. It is our pleasure to serve you.

PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT

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