The New Covenant
Israel and God’s Law
Scripture often reflects God's understanding of human nature and the reasons behind human actions. In reformed theological circles, there is a belief that humans are inherently unable to keep God's laws perfectly due to their sinful nature, emphasizing human incapacity.
Several individuals in the Old Testament are described as righteous and blameless, implying close adherence to God's laws. However, this righteousness often refers to a faithful and sincere attempt to follow God's commandments rather than absolute sinlessness. In the New Testament, some individuals claim to have kept the law of Moses blamelessly or without fault, reflecting the Jewish understanding of the law and righteousness at that time.
Despite examples of individuals striving to follow God's commandments, the recurring issue is not human incapacity but a lack of genuine willingness to follow God's laws. Deuteronomy 30:11-14 emphasizes that God's commandments are accessible and achievable, within human reach and responsibility. Deuteronomy 8:2-3 further explains that God led the Israelites through the wilderness to humble and test them, revealing their true intentions and willingness to obey.
The New Covenant, prophesied in the Old Testament and fulfilled through Jesus Christ, addresses the core issue of human unwillingness to obey God. It promises a complete spiritual transformation.
Circumcision of the Heart and Being Obedient to God
The concept of circumcision in a spiritual sense often refers to the idea of circumcising the heart, which implies removing spiritual impurity and becoming more aligned with God's will. The statement suggests that circumcision symbolizes a transformation that requires an active, willing participation from individuals. If it feels like a lack of will in the process, it might mean that people often struggle with genuinely wanting to align their will with God's.
"Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn." (Deuteronomy 10:16)
In this verse, Moses calls on the Israelites to metaphorically circumcise their hearts, which means to remove their stubbornness and fully commit to God. This implies a deep, internal transformation and a wholehearted devotion to God's commandments.
"And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live." (Deuteronomy 30:6)
Here, Moses speaks of a future time when God Himself will circumcise the hearts of the Israelites and their descendants. This divine action will enable them to love God fully and live according to His will. This passage emphasizes that true obedience and devotion to God come from a transformed heart, a work that God will accomplish in His people.
In Deuteronomy 31, God instructs Moses to write a song that will serve as a testimony to the Israelites. This song, known as the Song of Moses, outlines the consequences of Israel's faithfulness and unfaithfulness. It serves as a prophetic warning and a reminder that God understands the true intentions of their hearts. Deuteronomy 31 itself does not explicitly mention the circumcision of the heart. However, it relates to the concept in a broader theological context by emphasizing the importance of faithfulness and obedience to God, as well as the consequences of turning away from Him.
In Deuteronomy 31:19-22, God instructs Moses to write a song that will serve as a witness against the Israelites when they turn away from God. The song (found in Deuteronomy 32) recounts the history of Israel's relationship with God, their anticipated disobedience, and the resulting consequences. This serves as a reminder of their need for a sincere, devoted heart towards God, aligning with the idea of heart circumcision mentioned in Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6.
Deuteronomy 31:21 says, "And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness, for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring. For I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give." This implies that the people will face challenges due to their future disobedience, which reflects their uncircumcised hearts. The hope is that they will eventually turn back to God with a renewed, sincere commitment, fulfilling the concept of heart circumcision in Deuteronomy 30:6.
The Covenants are Forward Looking
All the prior covenants were always looking forward to another time. None of them were about everything being perfect right then. All the covenants were reaching forward to future fulfillment.
Genesis 17 says, "My covenant is with you. I have made you the father of many nations. I will be God to you and your descendants after you. This is the covenant." So this has obviously not been fully realized yet, right?
Jeremiah 32 states, "They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will make an everlasting covenant with them. I will never stop doing them good, and I will inspire them to fear me so they will never turn away from me." This is clearly looking forward to a future fulfillment.
In Deuteronomy 28, it says, "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord will set you on high above all the nations. The Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you. The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts so that you may love him with all your heart." Again, everything points to a future time.
Additionally, God promises, "I will provide a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them so they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed." This is part of the covenant with David, looking forward to another time.
The new covenant is a covenant that promises to effect a complete spiritual transformation of the people of God. The New Covenant builds on and fulfills the promises of the previous covenants (with Abraham, at Sinai, with David), ensuring that God's people have both the desire and the ability to follow His commandments through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. This covenant highlights that while human nature may be inherently flawed, God provides the means for true and lasting obedience.
The New Covenant is in the Old Testament
A common misconception is that the New Testament is the new covenant. Another misconception is that the New Covenant is currently in full effect. Both of these misconceptions are incorrect. In fact, all of the promises about a new covenant are found in the Old Testament, particularly in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34, ESV Bible)
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and play no famine upon you. I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. “Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the LORD; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it. “Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 36:22-28, ESV Bible)
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” (Isaiah 42:1-9, ESV Bible)
First, it's important to note that the new covenant is always said to be with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, both in the Old and New Testaments. This is significant.
"The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors" (Jeremiah 31). The historical reference is only to Israel.
Similarly, Ezekiel 37 says:
"I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will place them and multiply them and set my sanctuary in their midst forever." (Ezekiel 37:21-26)
So, who is this covenant with? Israel.
Indeed, the sons of Israel and Judah have been doing evil in God's sight from their youth. But God says, "I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in my anger and in my wrath and in great indignation, and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God" (Jeremiah 32:37-38).
Verse 40 adds, "I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me always for their own good and for the good of their children. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them."
The New Covenant is tied to the Final Exile
An important point is the oath of loyalty in the enactment of the covenant. It occurs after the exile. This is crucial because the new covenant is consistently depicted as happening at the end of the final exile in all of scripture. There is no scriptural reference to it occurring at any random time; it is tied to the final exile. Once the exile ends and they return to Israel, a final gathering happens, and God makes the covenant with them.
Therefore, this did not happen at the cross. The context of the cross does not align with the historical conditions described for the new covenant.
Like all ancient Near Eastern covenants, the new covenant legally commences with the swearing of an oath. As a bilateral treaty, both of the named parties to the covenant—Yahweh and Israel and Judah—mutually agree to the contract in an official covenant ceremony. The Suzerain (Yahweh) offers the terms, obligations, blessings, and penalties of the covenant, and the vassal (Israel and Judah) responds by swearing to those terms. The new covenant isn't fully in effect yet because Israel has not embraced it, though we still refer to it as the new covenant.
So, Israel can't simply be grafted into a covenant without pledging allegiance to its terms. Historically, this is how covenants were always made. At Sinai, Moses presented God's terms to the people, they agreed, and the covenant was ratified with the sprinkling of blood.
That's why the language in the New Testament is familiar: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (Matthew 23:37-39, Luke 13:34-35)
They must say this to fulfill the covenant, just as the Israelites had to accept Moses' terms at Sinai. What if they hadn't received him? The covenant wouldn't have been ratified.
The Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees their strength is gone. (Deuteronomy 32:36)
It's all awaiting this, as seen in Daniel 12:
One of them said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long until the end of these extraordinary things? "" Then I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river. He raised both his hands toward heaven and swore by Him who lives eternally that it would be for a time, times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people is shattered, all these things will be completed. (Dan 12:6-7 HCSB)
In Hosea 2, it reads:
"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Bring her into the wilderness and speak kindly to her. "Then I will give her her vineyards from there, And the valley of Achor as a door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. "It will come about in that day," declares the LORD, "That you will call Me Ishi And will no longer call Me Baali. "For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, So that they will be mentioned by their names no more. "In that day I will also make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, The birds of the sky And the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, And will make them lie down in safety. " will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD... "I will sow her for Myself in the land. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, And I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they will say, 'You are my God!' " (Ho 2:14-23 NASB95)
This happens after being brought into the wilderness and never falling into idolatry again, it's the bilateral pledge of allegiance.
Likewise, this can't apply to us (the church) because the church is still engaged in various forms of idolatry. No doubt, God says:
| will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. (Eze 20:35-37 NIV)
Every time the everlasting covenant is mentioned, whether called the new covenant in some passages or the everlasting covenant in others, it guarantees that their hearts will be softened, and they will desire to obey Him thereafter.
Deuteronomy 30 marks a pivotal point in Moses' message, offering hope and restoration even after disobedience and the resulting curses.
"So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the Lord your God has banished you, and you return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. (Dt 30:1-3 NASB95)
The promise of restoration in Deuteronomy 30:1-3 is a precursor to the themes of the new covenant. Zechariah 13:8-9 speaks of a future time of judgment, refinement, and restoration for God's people. This process leads to a purified and faithful remnant who are deeply committed to their covenant relationship with God:
In the whole land," declares the LORD, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' " (Zec 13:8-9 NIV)
Ezekiel 34:13-24 addresses the failure of Israel's leaders and God's promise to take on the role of the true shepherd, leading to restoration and justice. This prophecy points forward to the coming of Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, and the establishment of the new covenant:
"I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements of the land. As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken. I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety." (Ezekiek 34:13-24)
Often, the inauguration of the new covenant is explained as a division between spiritual and natural aspects. The spiritual aspects are seen as being inaugurated now, while the natural aspects await future fulfillment. This idea, however, isn't supported by scripture.
The Promises of the Covenant
Based on the verses from Jeremiah and Ezekiel analyzed above, the following promises are found:
God will write His law (Torah) on their hearts (Jeremiah 31:33)
The LORD will be their God (Jeremiah 31:33)
Israel and Judah shall be God’s people (Jeremiah 31:33)
They shall all know the LORD (Jeremiah 31:34)
God will forgive their sin (Jeremiah 31:34)
God will regather the people of Israel to their land (Ezekiel 36:24)
God will spiritually cleanse Israel (Ezekiel 36:25)
God will give the nation a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26)
God will put His Spirit within them (Ezekiel 36:27)
They will be faithful to the covenant of Torah (Ezekiel 36:27)
All of these promises and blessings are promises and blessings of the previous covenants: with Abraham, at Sinai, with David, and even Aaron. The New Covenant represents a complete fulfillment of all the previous covenant promises combined.
Just as the covenant at Sinai did not cancel the covenant with Abraham, nor did the covenant with David cancel the covenant at Sinai, the new covenant does not cancel the previous covenants. Instead, it builds on them and improves on them.
What are the terms of the new covenant? The terms are faith and obedience. We learn from the apostles that this faith is specifically faith in Jesus, the risen Messiah of Israel. But the obedience is guaranteed in the covenant promises as well. God is going to change human hearts. He is going to personally guarantee our end of the covenant—our obedience—by changing our hearts, putting His Spirit within us, and cleansing us.
The Holy Spirit
Peter, in Acts 2, quotes day of the Lord passages, assuming that the outpouring of the Spirit signaled the imminent arrival of the day of the Lord. In Acts 2, Peter addresses the crowd at Pentecost and quotes from the prophet Joel, specifically Joel 2:28-32. Here is the passage from Acts 2:16-21 (NIV):
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Acts 2:16-21)
This passage is part of Peter's explanation to the crowd about the miraculous events they were witnessing, indicating that these events were a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy concerning the outpouring of the Spirit in the last days. Some misunderstand this event as the initial outpouring of the Spirit. The Spirit had been poured out dramatically before.
The sign of the covenant is the Holy Spirit. The new covenant is different not because the Torah has been abolished but because the human beings trying to keep the laws have been changed. It’s not God’s Law that was imperfect; it was the sinful humans who kept breaking it. The solution is to change our hearts so we don’t keep sinning, and this is the work of the Holy Spirit:
“And who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:22, ESV Bible)
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14, ESV Bible)
Just as circumcision is the seal of the Abrahamic covenant, the Holy Spirit is the seal of the new covenant. That is why the apostles call it “the circumcision of the heart.”
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39, ESV Bible)
The Holy Spirit Before the New Testament
“The Spirit had not been given.” These words cannot mean that the Holy Spirit was not yet active and moving among Israel. The term “Spirit” or “Holy Spirit” is the equivalent of the common biblical Hebrew term “Spirit of the LORD” or “Spirit of God.” God’s Spirit moved on the waters of creation, and through his Spirit, he interfaced with humanity. All the prophets spoke only by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In the Book of Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah often begins his messages with phrases like “the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,” such as here in Isaiah 61:
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me” (Isaiah 61:1, ESV Bible)
The prophet Ezekiel frequently mentions being filled with the Spirit of God:
And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. (Ezekiel 2:2, ESV Bible)
The psalmist wrote by the Holy Spirit:
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139:7, ESV Bible)
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! (Psalm 143:10, ESV Bible)
The Spirit of HaShem filled the builders of the Tabernacle with wisdom, insight, and discernment:
The LORD said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, (Exodus 31:1-3, ESV Bible)
The Spirit rushed upon the kings of Israel at the time of their anointing. In 1 Samuel 10:1-6, the prophet Samuel anointed Saul as the first king of Israel, and here is what we read starting in verse 6:
Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. (1 Samuel 10:6-7, ESV Bible)
After David was anointed by Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:13, it says:
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. (1 Samuel 16:13, ESV Bible)
The Spirit of the LORD also fills his holy Tabernacle and temple.
Where did the name “Holy Spirit” come from? The Greek language has no equivalent for the Hebrew Shechinah (Spirit of the LORD), so the New Testament writers used the term Holy Spirit to describe the Dwelling Presence of God.
Promises within the Prophets
When John says “The Spirit had not been given,” in John 7, it does not mean that the Spirit of God had not yet been active in Israel. Instead, it refers to two eschatological promises that we find in the Prophets:
The return of the Shechinah
The outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh
The sages taught that the Shechinah never rested on the Second Temple as it had on the First Temple. In his prophecies about the Temple, the prophet Ezekiel foresaw the return of the Shechinah as a hallmark of the Messianic Era. When John said, “The Spirit had not been given,” he was alluding to the promise of the return of the Shechinah. In the age to come, the Dwelling Presence of God will fill his Temple as he once filled the Tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple.
The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples as they gathered for the Festival of Shavuot. The evidence in the book of Acts suggests that they gathered in the Temple, in Solomon’s Colonnade, and the Spirit came upon them in that place. Solomon’s Colonnade thereafter became their regular place of assembly on the Temple Mount. This is significant because Solomons Colonnade was accessed by the gate facing east, that is, the gate that faced the Mount of Olives.
The Prophet Ezekiel foresaw the Divine Presence of God entering the Temple from the east:
As the glory of the LORD entered the temple by the gate facing east, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple. (Ezekiel 43:4-5, ESV Bible)
Notice how the prophecy from Ezekiel corresponds exactly with Acts 2:2. Just as Ezekiel had predicted, “The glory of the LORD filled the house.” In the words of the apostles, the disciples of Jesus became “a temple of the Holy Spirit,” a holy temple in the LORD. So when John refers to “The Spirit had not been given,” it alludes to this Messianic-era prophecy of the return of the Shechinah, which now has been fulfilled, in part, by the outpouring of the Spirit on the disciples.
The prophets predicted a unique endowment of God’s Spirit in the Messianic Age:
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh” (Joel 2:28, ESV Bible)
The messianic outpouring of the Holy Spirit brings the exalted revelation of God that people in the kingdom will enjoy:
And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 31:34, ESV Bible)
This Messianic Era endowment of the Holy Spirit will not only reveal the knowledge of God, but it will transform human beings, quenching the rebellious sin nature and inspiring obedience:
And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:27, ESV Bible)
When John says “The Spirit had not been given,” he is alluding to these Messianic-era endowments of the Spirit. John says that the Messiah was not yet glorified. The glorification of the Messiah refers, on one hand, to his resurrection and ascension, and on the other hand, to his advent in glory in the Messianic-Era. If only a portion was distributed to his disciples as a deposit against the full principal yet to be paid out in the Messianic Era, what makes the outpouring of the Spirit upon the believers unique? If we assume that the Spirit might also be alive in non-Messianic Jews, then what was so special about the Spirit being poured out on the disciples? The sages believe that only a measure of the Spirit rested upon the prophets:
“He measured weight to the wind [ruach, ‘spirit’] (Job 28:25). Rabbi Acha said, “Even the Holy Spirit resting upon the prophets does so only by measure, one prophet speaking one scroll of prophecy and another speaking two scrolls.” (Leviticus Rabbah 15:2)
In the case of Jesus, God gave the “Spirit without measure”:
For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. (John 3:34, ESV Bible)
Rabbis believe that the Spirit of God only temporarily, for brief durations, rested on the prophets. But John the Immerser observed that the Spirit descended upon Jesus as a dove “and remained on him.” (John 1:32). When the apostles speak of the Spirit, they speak in terms of the “Spirit of Messiah,” which is to say, the spirit of God that rested upon Jesus. At Shavuot, the Spirit of God that previously rested upon Jesus and empowered him to perform miracles and prophesy now rested upon his disciples. It indicated the validity of the message, “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Follow the logic:
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh” (Acts 2:14-17, ESV Bible)
Is Acts 2 a Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy?
If the meaning of all this is for the age to come and the new covenant with Israel after the final exile, how do you reconcile that with what Peter said at Pentecost? Does the pouring out of the Spirit on the disciples of Jesus really fulfill these prophecies? Did the Shechinah take up residence again in the Temple in Jerusalem as described by Ezekiel? Was the Spirit poured out upon all flesh as Joel predicted? To fulfill the prophecies, does the Spirit not need to be poured out on all flesh, not just disciples? Questions like this can be answered, in part, from a midrash on the last parashah of the book of Exodus, Parashat Pekudei. In this section of the Torah, Moses completes the Sanctuary, and the Shechinah of God fills the Tabernacle: “then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34). The story corresponds with the prophecy in Ezekiel about the glory of the LORD filling the Temple in the Messianic Era. This is seen as a foreshadowing of Ezekiel's prophecy about the Shechinah filling the future Temple. The repetition of the word "mishkan" (dwelling place) emphasizes the idea of God's presence among His people. It prophetically depicts the culmination in the Messianic Era when the Shechinah will again take up residence in Zion, and the dwelling place of God will be among men.
When read in Hebrew, the first verse of the parashah begins with the repetition of the word mishkan. English translates the word mishkan as “tabernacle,” but it literally means “dwelling place.” The term Shechinah (dwelling place) comes from the same verbal root. At the end of the parashah, we see the Shechinah descend upon the Mishkan, which is to say the dwelling place of God enters the dwelling place of God.
Since the Torah does not waste words, the sages discussed the significance of the seemingly unnecessary repetition. Midrib Tanchuma engages in some creative wordplay to explain that the repetition of the word mishkan alludes to the temple being taken as collateral twice in its two destructions:
Why does it state, mishkan, mishkan twice? Rabbi Shmu’el said, “Because the Temple was destined to be taken as pledge (mash kin) twice, at the first Temple’s destruction and at the second Temple’s destruction. Therefore it states “mishkan twice. (Tanchuma, Pekudei 3)
The “pledge (mashkon)” to which the midrash refers functioned as a type of down payment or collateral against a full sum of debt. Since the word looks and sounds similar to the word for Tabernacle, the sages suggested that God destroyed the mishkan instead of the people, like a creditor seizing collateral instead of the debtor. In other words, the Temple suffered on behalf of the sin of the nation. Rabbinic theology teaches that God spared the nation of Israel by sacrificing his Holy Temple in place of the people. Rather than destroy the people for their sins, he substituted the Temple in their place.
In that case, the Temple served a purpose very much like the Master who suffered on behalf of the nation, and indeed, the Temple and the Messiah are deeply connected. He spoke of the Temple and his body together. One of the signs of the Messiah is that he will restore the Temple. Messianic Jewish theology rests on the principle of substitution. According to the sages, God sometimes substitutes a righteous person for the whole nation. The rabbis say, “the death of the righteous is on the same level as the burning of the House of our God.” In fact, the sages state that the suffering and death of the righteous is more efficacious to atone for sin than the Temple sacrifices. The idea of the Temple and the Messiah being interconnected is evident in how Jesus (Yeshua) referred to his body as a temple. His death and resurrection are seen as a form of substitutionary atonement, akin to the Temple's role in the nation's spiritual life.
An interesting anecdote from Exodus Rabbah, an early rabbinic commentary on the book of Exodus, illustrates the concept further. In this story, Moses had just received the designs for the Tabernacle, the priesthood, and the sacrifices. Being a prophet, Moses could see into the future. He realized that one day the Temple would be destroyed and the sacrifices cease:
Moses said to God: “Will not the time come when Israel shall have neither Mishkan nor Temple? What will happen with them then? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, “I will then take one of their righteous men and retain him as a pledge (mashkon) on their behalf, in order that I may pardon all their sins.” (Exodus Rabbah 35:4)
The rabbinic story from Exodus Rabbah illustrates the concept of God taking a righteous person as collateral for the nation's sins, echoing the idea of substitutionary atonement. God took the righteous Messiah (the living mishkan) as a mashkon on behalf of the nation in order to pardon their sins. This teaching also points to the relationship between our Master and the Holy Temple, as Yeshua hinted, “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). He was speaking of the temple of his body.
The Down Payment on the Promises
The apostles seemed to have used the same mishkan/mashkon wordplay in a no-longer extant apostolic teaching. That lost teaching seems to have played upon the relationship between the Tabernacle (Mishkan) and the Holy Spirit (Shekinah), which God gives as a pledge (mashkon), or a down payment, on the Messianic Era. Naturally, the wordplay did not translate to Greek, but traces of the midrash can be discerned when Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit as a “pledge” against the fullness yet to come in the Messianic Era and when he pairs the Holy Spirit and the Tabernacle. For example:
And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, ESV Bible)
To be sealed means to be marked with a stamp of identity. God seals the disciple with his stamp or identity, and he gives the believer the Spirit as a guarantee. The Greek word arrabon means “earnest money” or “down payment.”
God gives the believer the Holy Spirit as a down payment on the fullness of the spiritual endowment and revelation of the coming Messianic Era. The gift of the Spirit is a guarantee and a down payment against that era when he will put his Spirit in us and create within us a new heart and when he will pour out his Spirit on all flesh. In other words, we have not yet reached the Messianic Era, but we have received a pledge against it; a down payment guaranteeing that the rest is yet to come, including all the rest of the promises about the coming kingdom. The Holy Spirit is our mashkon, our promise of what is to come.
A few chapters later in 2 Corinthians, Paul uses the same language again while speaking about the resurrection of the dead:
For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 5:4-5, ESV Bible)
In the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul refers to the Holy Spirit as a promise for the Messianic Era and a guarantee of our inheritance:
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14, ESV Bible)
In similar passages scattered throughout Paul’s epistles, the apostle connects the presence of the Holy Spirit with the Temple. For example, in 1 Corinthians 3:16 he asks:
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16, ESV Bible)
The “you” in this passage is plural, so he was asking the Corinthians whether or not they realized that the Spirit of God dwelt in their midst. In the Torah’s Hebrew terminology, he said, “You are the mishkan of God and the Shechinah shochen in you.” That is, “The Shechinah is dwelling in you because you are the mishkan.” A similar example, also in the plural form, appears in 1 Corinthians 6:19:
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? (1 Corinthians 6:19, ESV Bible)
Once again, Paul depicts the believers as the mishkan of the Shechinah. Along the same lines of thought, Paul told the believers in Ephesus that they were growing into a holy temple in the Lord:
In whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:21-22, ESV Bible)
This time we see the believers as a holy Temple, a “dwelling place,” that is, a mishkan of God in the Spirit.
The above passages, and others like them, illustrate that apostolic theology held these three concepts together in close orbit: the Holy Spirit, the believers as a living Temple, and the gifts of the Spirit as a pledge on the inheritance to come. In other words, Yeshua was taken as a pledge in the place of the nation, but in his place, God gave the Spirit as a pledge on the fullness of the coming kingdom.
The New Covenant in The New Testament
The first reference to the New Covenant in the New Testament is in Luke 22. The reference to the new covenant in Luke 22 occurs during the Last Supper:
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:14-20, ESV Bible)
The New Covenant is fulfilled when the Kingdom of God comes. The next reference is from the Epistle to the Hebrews, particularly in chapters 8 and 9:
But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:6-13, ESV Bible)
Even in the New Testament, these passages from the Old Testament are the only ones quoted in relation to the new covenant. The book of Hebrews quotes these passages from the Old Testament. Not only is Hebrews an epistle to the Hebrews, but it explicitly references the same promise: "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah," just like in Jeremiah 31.
This new covenant, promised to Israel, hadn't yet fully materialized by the time of the New Testament writings. Hebrews notes that while the old covenant was becoming obsolete, the new covenant was not fully realized. The Holman Christian Standard Bible states that when you designate something as new, you naturally designate the previous one as old. Furthermore, it says that what is old and outdated will soon disappear. Interestingly, this statement is made after the crucifixion, yet the old covenant is still seen as not having fully disappeared. When Christ appeared as the high priest of the good things to come, it was still in the context of the covenant.
Jesus, as the mediator of better promises, is likened to Moses, mediating before God and the people. Just as Moses received the covenant on Mount Sinai, Jesus mediates the new covenant, which brings eternal promises and a better priesthood:
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:11-12, ESV Bible)
In some translations Hebrews 9:11 says “good things to come” (KJV, NASB). So Jesus is the high priest of the good things to come. Chapter nine is referencing Jesus’ role as a mediator":
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15, ESV Bible)
Like Moses, Jesus was a mediator. What did Moses do in this role? He went up before God, mediated on behalf of the people, and then returned. When he came down from the mountain, the people pledged their oath, and the covenant was enacted.
In Exodus 19, God instructed Moses to say to the descendants of Jacob and the people of Israel: "You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles' wings. Now, if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all the nations you will be my treasured possession." Moses then went up to God, received these instructions, and returned to relay them to the elders of the people. The people responded, "We will do everything the Lord has said." Moses took their answer back to God, fulfilling his role as a mediator.
Similarly, Jesus is viewed as the mediator of better things to come, as described in the scriptures. He brings promises of a superior covenant with better promises.
These passages essentially outline the key aspects of the new covenant as seen in the New Testament. Understanding this is crucial because, while the cross is a significant point of contention for Jews, it represents less than half of the overall disagreement. The primary issue is the new covenant itself. From a Jewish perspective, they argue, "The new covenant is with us, the Kingdom of God belongs to us. You Christians can have your beliefs, and we can have ours, but there's no connection between the two because you're talking about something entirely different."
Jews do not recognize a spiritualized kingdom or a spiritual inauguration of a covenant that excludes the nation of Israel. Historically, there has never been a covenant that was imposed against the will of the people. You cannot simply declare someone to be in a covenant without their consent. It's important to understand that Jewish objections to the new covenant often stem from its perceived separation from the nation's covenant with God.
However, the new covenant offers justification by faith, applicable to both Jews and Gentiles, through the cross. The cross provides a superior atonement, addressing sins and offering a better covenant. It's important to understand the concept of being justified before God by grace through faith. The Bible does not explicitly state that sins are wiped away or that we are counted righteous before God purely because of the new covenant. Instead, both Jews and Gentiles are justified by their faith. The phrase "sins as far as the east is from the west" is a Hebrew idiom meaning that one will no longer sin, contextualized within the new covenant.
Regarding grace through faith, it implies that God no longer sees our sins at that point because they are attributed as righteousness. While the specific "I don't see the sin" language isn't directly in the Bible, it's a way to understand that we are justified by our faith when we stand before God. In the meantime, both Jews and Gentiles put their faith in the cross, and God, recognizing this faith, gives the Holy Spirit as a sign of the covenant to come, encouraging us to continue.
This process involves maintaining a heart of repentance and diligence before God. It's not about achieving flawless perfection, as even under the old covenant in the Torah, it was understood that God is merciful and provided a way for atonement. With the destruction of the temple, other means of atonement for the Jews were removed, which adds complexity to the discussion.
Since the temple has been destroyed, the traditional means of atonement are no longer available. Just before 70 AD, a Pharisee rabbi faked his death and had his disciples tell the Roman soldiers that they were taking him outside the city for burial, as was their custom. The soldiers allowed it, and according to history, the rabbi was taken to the tent of the Roman commander. He then revealed himself and said, "It was told to us in our Torah that you would be coming because of our sin, and God is going to give this city over to you. However, I ask that you allow us to quietly relocate and start a school so we can continue teaching our beliefs."
This event marked the beginning of rabbinic Judaism, which essentially evolved from Pharisaic Judaism, becoming synonymous with mainstream Judaism because every other group perished during the siege of Jerusalem. The Pharisees were responsible for compiling earlier writings, specifically those of the Tannaim, a group that preceded Jesus. The discussions and arguments of the Tannaim formed the Mishnah and the Talmud.
Rabbinic Judaism emphasized the oral law, which provided a way for forgiveness without traditional atonement. The idea was that atonement wasn't as crucial as previously thought, focusing instead on repentance, known as Teshuvah. While the Torah mentioned repentance, it was always in the context of bringing a sacrifice to the temple. God's mercy allowed for sin to be forgiven, but it had to be through atonement, which was significant and central to the covenant.
This situation created a major issue: righteousness without atonement. God's covenant and the need for atonement were central themes in the Torah. Although repentance was important, it was assumed that true repentance would involve bringing a sacrifice to the temple. The destruction of the temple removed the means for this, leading to a new understanding within Judaism.
This transition underscores the importance of atonement and covenant. God, being merciful, made a way for forgiveness, but it was intended to be through atonement. The shift to a system without the need for atonement highlights a significant change in Jewish thought, driven by necessity after the temple's destruction. This development has deep theological implications, especially regarding the role of the covenant and the importance of atonement.
The Jewish understanding of atonement, particularly after the temple's destruction, shifted with rabbinic Judaism, emphasizing repentance without the necessity of temple sacrifices. This interpretation, however, contrasts with the biblical requirement for atonement through sacrifice.
God always preserved a small remnant, including Paul, who served as a light to the Gentiles. Paul proclaimed the justification available to both Jews and Gentiles through faith in the cross and Christ's substitutionary sacrifice. However, many rejected this message. Consequently, we await a final exile, a regathering, and an everlasting covenant that will bring blessings to all families on earth, including ours.
The role of Gentiles in this context is significant. Gentiles grafted into the covenant share in the promises, not by replacing Israel but by joining in God's blessings. The New Testament emphasizes this inclusion without diminishing the unique covenant with Israel.
Regarding Gentiles being grafted in, Romans 11 suggests that this hasn't fully occurred yet, as the promises of the new covenant to Israel have not been completely fulfilled. The grafting in likely refers to the promises rather than the covenant itself. Gentiles who joined Israel benefited from God's blessings, even without a direct covenant.
Saying we are grafted in by faith acknowledges that we partake in the promises without altering our relationship with God. This is more about God's mercy than a covenantal issue, similar to adoption where one enjoys the benefits of being a son without being a natural descendant. Ephesians speaks of being brought into the commonwealth, likening it to being a naturalized citizen.
Paul's inclusion of Gentiles is about granting access to the holy city post-reconstruction. Under the old covenant, there was debate about Gentiles bringing their own sacrifices, though God accepted their offerings. Isaiah 56 affirms that their sacrifices would be acceptable.
Now, is the sacrifice of the cross only relevant for this time, or does it extend into the new covenant? The sacrifice of the cross is indeed part of the new covenant. In Exodus 24, the phrase "this is the blood of the covenant" is used when the people agree to follow God's commands, and Moses sprinkles them with blood, signifying the covenant. Jesus referenced this when He spoke of the new covenant in His blood.
The argument in Hebrews is that the sacrifice of Christ had to be superior to that of bulls and goats because the latter could not fulfill the promises of the new covenant, such as transforming hearts. Even the priests of the Old Testament needed to be replaced as they died. Therefore, a superior, everlasting priesthood was necessary to mediate a covenant with everlasting benefits.
The "once for all" terminology contrasts with the Day of Atonement, which occurred annually. Hebrews 8 focuses specifically on the Day of Atonement sacrifices, stating that they could not achieve what the new covenant promises. Thus, Christ's sacrifice, being superior and eternal, fulfills the new covenant in a way that the old sacrificial system could not.
There is talk in Judaism about building a third temple and resuming sacrifices. However, these sacrifices won't atone for sins. Whether this will actually happen is uncertain, but it’s a different discussion altogether.
Some argue that the sacrifices under the Mosaic covenant did forgive sins because that is what the texts state. The issue with these sacrifices was that they did not clear the conscience or enable full obedience to God. The new covenant, as explained in Hebrews, provides this through the blood of Jesus, which prepares us for the Day of Judgment.
The old covenant required sacrifices to maintain God's presence on earth, while the blood of Jesus secures eternal atonement. Hebrews is often seen as a Jewish explanation of the Day of Atonement, addressing whether the old covenant sacrifices truly forgave sins. They did, but they couldn’t clear the conscience or bring about full obedience.
The sacrifices temporarily satisfied God's wrath. Since sin continued, these sacrifices had to be repeated. The concept of sin and its consequences are discussed in detail, such as when God instructed the closest town to sacrifice to atone for unknown innocent bloodshed, showing the serious nature of sin and the need for atonement.
In conclusion, the new covenant, inaugurated by Christ, brings better promises and an eternal priesthood. It fulfills the requirements of the old covenant while expanding God's mercy to include Gentiles, aligning with the prophetic vision of a universal knowledge of God and the law written on hearts.
The New Covenant is Yet to Be Fulfilled and You Must Understand what the Holy Spirit Represents
So does the pouring out of the Spirit on the disciples of Yeshua really fulfill the prophecies about the outpouring of the Spirit in the Messianic era? Have we reached a day in age where the Spirit is upon all flesh, form the least to the greatest, and no man need teach his neighbor, “know ye the LORD” because they all know him? Is his Torah written on our hearts, subjugating our evil inclinations so that we willingly walk in his commandments, statutes, and judgements? Does the Shechinah reside in Zion? Was Peter jumping the gun when he explained the Acts 2 event as a fulfillment of those prophecies?
Obviously, the new covenant has not yet been fulfilled. Not everyone yet knows the LORD. But the new covenant began when Messiah instituted it with His death and resurrection when He took the cup at His seder and said:
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25, ESV Bible).
The Torah is not yet written on our hearts. We have not yet reached the kingdom, but the kingdom is at hand. To prove how close it is, God has given us a mashkon on the fullness of it. He has given us a portion of his Spirit as a down payment, a guarantee, and a pledge on what it yet to come. Yeshua said that the Holy Spirit “ dwells with you and will be in you.” This is a promise of the Master for every disciple. Paul said we are a temple of the Holy Spirit. Learning to walk in truth, submit ourselves to the Spirit, and let the Spirit work through us and use us for the kingdom. All disciples of Yeshua have already been sealed. Which is given to us as a guarantee of the fullness of spiritual revelation and endowment that is coming in the Messianic Era.