TWO COVENANTS. Both created and sealed by the Lord. The OLD
and the NEW. The first covenant is the Old covenant and it has become
obsolete and is decayed. Being in such a dreary condition it can only vanish and pass away. Heb. 8:13 The first covenant was faulty because of the people to whom it was given. Therefore in mercy and grace a NEW COVENANT was established. Heb. 8:8 Remember the Lord said He would make ALL THINGS NEW. Our interest is and should be in that which is NEW. The NEW is that which is everlasting.
IT IS WRITTEN. Abraham had two sons. One born of a slave woman.
Her child was born of the flesh. The other born of a free woman. Her
child was born after the PROMISE of the Almighty. Gal. 4:22-23 This story is
to be understood as a metaphor. v.24 Agar now is to be reasoned out as Mt
Sinai, the mountain of the Law. She and the mountain are a type of Jerusalem
as it now exists. It is considered by the Lord to be in bondage.v.25 The
NEW Jerusalem, the heavenly, the spiritual is the city of freedom and
liberty. She is considered to be the MOTHER of us all, that is, those who have been born into the family of God. This does not exclude any nation or race from the kingdom of God. All must come one way and that is through the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
THE SONG OF THE VINEYARD PLANTED IN A FRUITFUL HILL.
A fenced vineyard, separated as a nation. Dug up, cleared of rocks and planted with the choicest vine. A watchtower and a winepress built. The husbandman expecting good fruit found only wild and bad fruit. The people of the vineyard, Jerusalem and Judah, questioned as to what was lacking or what more could have been done? Isa. 5:1-4 The decision of the husband man was drastic. Total carnage and destruction on the house of Israel and Judah. Isa. 5:5-7. This message is repeated several times by the prophets. Jesus used the same message and parable in addressing Israel. Mt. 21:33-41 Jesus, the man of compassion, greatly longed to gather Jerusalem unto himself, but was refused. Therefore the strong statement of desolation is pronounced upon the city. Mt. 23:37-38 All this and more to cause our attention to be drawn to that which is not desolate and deserted.
THE NEW JERUSALEM. The first covenant, the Law, would not have been replaced had it been faultless. Heb. 8:7 Now in the NEW there is a more
EXCELLENT covenant that is founded on better promises. The NEW is offered to Israel and Judah if they will receive it. Heb. 8:8 Under the impact of the NEW covenant the WORD is planted within the hearts and minds of the people which the Lord is preparing for Himself. Heb. 8:10 There is only one way that the old can in any way be fruitful and that is to embrace the NEW. The old cannot bear fruit. Growth and fruitfulness are only found in the vine, Christ Jesus.