Hope ya’ll don’t mind, but seeing as this is my blog, I will randomly jot down some reflections concerning the themes of Kingdom and Covenant./The%20Garden%20of%20Eden.jpg)
Kingdom: The Bible seems to describe/define it in terms of God, Man, and Creation in Right Relationship(s) with each other, reflecting the ordered relationships withing the Triune Godhead itself.
God sovereignly rules over Man, who represents God in creation by exercising dominion (kingship) over it. This occurs in a particular place (originally Eden) where God’s presence and communion seems to be experienced by man.
Sin ruins all this, as the right relationships, are inverted or distorted.
Covenant: A bonding commitment that serves as the framework for establishing a “covenental sphere” -that is-, it generates a relationship that mirrors that which existed in the pre-fall Eden, but that is also itself geared towards recovering the “original state”. That is, the covenant relationship is both a means AND an end.
That is, the Covenant(s) is both the Kingdom Framework (defining, delimiting and establishing) and that which brings about the Kingdom and sustains it. One might consider Marriage as analogous: in a way, the relatioship that is formalised or affirmed by the agreement is the goal: each “party” exists for the enjoyment of the other, with the corresponding duties and obligations (LAW) to one another, which are considered as essential for assuring a mutually fruitful and enjoyable relationship. But one could argue that Marriage, ideally, also exists with the purpose of creating a family, and therefore also has a design or purpose that points forward.
The New Covenant and the Holy Spirit: The NC is inaugurated by Jesus Christ, defined and determined by His sacrifice. The Spirit is the key player here, as prophesied in the Old Testament and fulfilled at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit who unites those who beleive, to Christ, who is the New Israel. Therefore incorporation into Christ, is incorporation into a Relationship with the Triune Godhead, and into the People of God (John 17 comes to mind). Here its interesting to note the relationship between ecclesiology and soteriology, and reminds us that these are not separable (though distinguishable).
Life in the New Covenant is lived out by the power of the Holy Spirit, who allows believers to fulfill the Law (including uncircumcised Gentiles), as in Romans 8:4. This doesn’t mean that believers can now live perfect lives, because the struggle with sin is still ever-present. However, Christ is both our perfect sacrifice, and our High Priest who intercedes on our behalf in the midst of our sin. I propose that in this sense, the sacrifical system has not been abolished, but rather perfectly fulfilled in and relocated around Jesus. Therefore, when we sin, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins [...]“
The New Covenant is our bond to God, through Christ (that is, our Blood Bond), in the Spirit. Baptism would therefore be our familial incorporation (perhaps similar to how the Marriage ceremony reaffirms and defines an already-existing relationship?) and the Lord’s Supper works as the Covenant Renewal ceremony (anniversary celebration).
Thoughts? Any heresies detected?
Thank you for this – it’s so important to remember that Christ came not to abolish but to fulfil, as you point out with regard to the sacrificial system. So God’s Law, too, hasn’t been abolished but fulfilled. Just at it was given to Israel following their redemption, so too the redeemed church keeps the Law – as it has been fulfilled in Christ. Wondrously, we are given the Holy Spirit who enables us to keep God’s Law.
As you pointed out God’s dominion extended to all creation before sin entered the world. However, at that point, God withdrew his dominion from earth to the heavenly realm.
God made a series of covenants (really one progressive covenant) to redeem and restore creation from its bondage to sin.
God also established the nation of Israel to be the focal point of the covenant and, thus the Kingdom. The Kingdom belongs to those to whom the covenant is given.
Israel is still the focal point of the Kingdom and the restoration of all things. See Romans 11:11-15 and especially verse 15. Life from the dead is redemption from the bondage to sin. God’s greater purpose and story of the scripture is God’s consummation of the creation to fulfill the Covenant.
When Jesus told the disciples to pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” He was telling us to continually pray for this to occur.
Jesus will return to establish God’s kingdom on earth, sitting on the throne of David, king of Israel, in fulfillment of the covenant he made to Israel.
Most of the gentile church misses the important concept that the covenants are established through Israel. See Jeremiah 31:31-33 and Ephesians 2:11-22. Gentile believers share in covenant relationship with Israel through the blood of Christ.
This may raise eyebrows, but there is no covenant with the Church. The New Covenant is made with Israel. Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant with his Jewish believers at the last Passover.
The whole concept of Kingdom and Covenant is replete through the Jewish scriptures and theology. Jesus is King (Hebrew: Melech) over Israel and establishes his Kingdom (Malchut) on the throne of David and extends his dominion (Malchuto) over all the earth. Isaiah 11.
Jesus came first to redeem the nation of Israel and establish his Kingdom there. It will extend over all creation from Jerusalem. We always seem to remember Jesus as the son of God, but we have to remember that he came as the son of David. Luke 1:32-33.
The Shema, which observant Jews say every day declares this:
“Here O Israel, the Lord our God the Lord is One. Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom which is forever and ever.
In the very last words we have from Jesus in Revelation 22:16 , he identifies himself as the Son of David.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and Offspring of David, the bright and Morning Star.”
These are just a few of the thoughts that I’m trying to develop around Covenant and Kingdom. Sorry if it’s not all clear yet.
Who are you? I don’t like anonymous comments…(even if you have given your name). Please identify yourself (that is, who you are beyond just a name) within a weeks time, or your post will be removed. I don’t mind interacting with people online, but I don’t like anonymity. You could always get your own blog to express these same ideas.
Let me add, that while you make a good point about the covenant’s being made “to Israel”, being an “israelite” (if you will) is redefined in the New Covenant (i.e.- Rom 2.25-29, cf.8:1-11; Gal. 3.11-14; Gal. 3.16, 25-29).
I apologize; I didn’t realize that I was being anonymous. I’m not used to posting on the internet. I have no credentials, at least in ministry, so I thought my name was sufficient.
Background in a nutshell: I was raised Catholic and drifted away as a teen. In college I became involved in new age sorts of things. Finally, in my early 30’s I attended a Baptist church where I accepted the Lord.
About fifteen years ago I began attending a Messianic Synagogue, Beth Messiah in Cincinnati, http://www.bethmessiah.net/ at first out of curiosity but as my studies of Judaism and scripture continued I began to see the prophesies to Israel in the Old Covenant as real and awaiting fulfillment.
Some of the many books that have influenced my thinking:
Our Father Abraham: The Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith – Marvin Wilson
The Church and the Jews, The Biblical Relationship—Daniel Gruber
The God of Israel and Christian Theology – R.Kendall Soulen
The Separation of Church and Faith, Vol I, Copernicus and the Jews – Daniel Gruber
If You Be the Son of God Come Down From the Cross – Julia Blum
The truth is that Supercessionism (Replacement Theology) has been deeply imbedded into Christian Theology, from the early days.
Romans 11 and Ephesians 2, which I quoted, succinctly tells us the position Paul had on Jews and Gentiles. Gentiles are grafted into a Jewish Olive Tree and become part of the house of Israel and partakers of the Covenants with equal status before the Lord.
What prompted me to write is that I have been thinking about the whole subject of Kingdom and Covenant and your blog stimulated some thinking.
Ok, that’s fine Bill. I didn’t mean to come off as harsh, I’m just uncomfortable with total strangers commenting without introducing themselves.
With respect, I disagree with your belief that those OT prophecies still await fulfillment, as I beleive a typological view of (Biblical) History allows us to understand how Christ truly is the fulfillment of Israel’s prophetic expectations, and how God carries out His salvation, in which there is no partiality (which is the main point of romans 1.18-2.29 of which I quoted), and in which Israel has historic preference, but not ultimate, qualitative preference. For as Paul himself said, “Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.”
Ultimately, I think to devalue the fulfillment of the OT in the Gospel of Christ is rather dangerous, both pastorally as well as theologically.
I don’t believe that a literal interpretation of the Hebrew scriptures devalues the gospels or the work of Christ. Clearly, the New Covenant fulfills the Old Covenant. To see the fulfilment of the types of the Old Testament in the Gospels adds greater depth and meaning to Old Tesament Study.
But to reduce Israel and the Hebrew Scriptures to the role of only typology is also dangerous theologically.
God’s pupose for Israel is be a light to the nations, to bring all people to the Lord. Christ’s mission as Israel’s Messiah is defined in the servant songs of Isaiah. See Isaiah 49:5-6:
5 And now the LORD says—
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD
and my God has been my strength-
6 he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
R. Kendall Soulen has said that the logic of supercessionism is inscribed into the deep grammar of Christian Theology. Supercessionist interpretation dates back to the antenicene fathers, Irenaeus and Origen. I strongly recommend reading Soulen’s book.
Good stuff. Have you read The Kingdom of God and the Old Testament by Graeme Goldsworthy?
A good writer will name the author who initiated the idea in first place. In that regard, it think it is right to mention in this article from whom you got the ideas. That’s the keep you right
Sam you wrote: `Who are you? I don’t like anonymous comments…(even if you have given your name). Please identify yourself (that is, who you are beyond just a name) within a weeks time, or your post will be removed. I don’t mind interacting with people online, but I don’t like anonymity. You could always get your own blog to express these same ideas.`
This is very disturbing for every reader. I shall avoid accessing this blog again. You have really offended your readers!
With a humble heart,
Cosmin Pascu
To Sam & Bill Milley,
What about bringing both covenants as one? Is this not what Paul desired to communicate to the Jews and to the Gentiles? What about two covenants one purpose?
Sam, i trust that you enjoy your holiday
Cosmin, for the last time