November 7, 2002 (49)
CONTRASTING, CONVERGING AND CONFLICTING COVENANTS. New Jerusalem and its eternal status is the conflux of these two Covenants, both ordained by the Lord. One, the old, was ordained to be a schoolmaster to lead its adherents to Christ. Bringing them to a place of < justification by faith > and not by works. Gal. 3:24 Faith in Jesus Christ replaced the works of the Law. Therefore the Law is no more valid for salvation. Now that faith is the door to eternal life, through the Lord Jesus Christ the school has been closed and no one should continue longer under the old schoolmaster. Gal. 3:25
THE CONTRAST IS THE SIMILARITY YET THE GREAT DIFFERENCE. The root, origin and creator of both covenants is the Lord. Because of the ineffectiveness of the old the New was established. The weakness of the old was because of the flesh, human frailties and the willful desires of the men who were its human leaders. Rom. 8:3 The sons of Abraham, born of different mothers, under different circumstances were extremely dissimilar. The one, Ishmael, was born of the will of carnal flesh and not according to the promise that the Lord had given to Abraham that he would have a son for an heir, Isaac. Gal. 4:22-23 These two ladies are made to represent the two covenants. Strangely, the Lord seemed to get the covenants confused and exchanged the one with the other.
JERUSALEM WHICH NOW IS. This famous city, the city which the great religions of the world focus on as the heart and core of their religion is given a status that is unique by the Apostle Paul. It is the statements that he made which we will consider here. He, himself, being a Hebrew of the Hebrews and well versed in the Law. Phil. 3:5 He did not speak, nor is this written from an anti-Semitic point of view. The purpose is to seek out and embrace the truth as it is recorded in the Book of Truth. JERUSALEM WHICH NOW IS, is represented by an Egyptian woman who was a slave to Abraham and Sarah. Egypt to Israel and to Bible scholars portrays BONDAGE. In the switch, Hagar symbolizes Mount Sinai, the giving of the Law. Her children are born into bondage, slavery. These are born after the flesh and not according to the promise. Gal. 4:23-25
JERUSALEM WHICH IS FROM ABOVE. That which is spiritual, and eternal. The city, the nation, the people who are to be counted as the people of faith in Christ. This is the city of freedom. Sarah and her son Isaac are they who represent this glorious freedom which is in Christ Jesus. Paul embraced the whole of the New Testament family into the group who are noted as being the children of the promise. Gal. 4:26, 28 This New Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ. SHE, and SHE alone may be stated as being the Holy City of the Lord. Rev. 21:2 Never, absolutely never, will there ever be any kind of a contaminate found in that city. It is composed of people who have been through the test and have been purified and sanctified and made like unto His Holiness. No abomination nor lie will ever be found there. Rev. 21:27 THIS IS THE HOLY CITY. None other is worthy of the name.