A Few Thoughts on the Covenants.
By L. D. Santee
The chief error with which we have to contend here in the West is Antinomianism. Our opponents who advocate the abolition of the law, contend that the ten commandments are a part of the old covenant; that they ceased at the cross; and that the new covenant was to be made not according to the covenant made with the children of Israel, when the Lord took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. Jer. xxxi, 32. I shall try to present a few thoughts showing that the arguments referred to are at variance with the general tenor of the Scriptures. We do not believe that the ten commandments are the old covenant, for this reason: The first covenant was faulty. Heb. viii, 7. The law of the Lord is perfect. Psa. xix, 7. The first covenant decayeth, waxeth old, and is ready to vanish away. Heb. viii, 13. But heaven and earth must pass before one tittle of the law fails. Luke xvi, 17. Isa. li, 6. But, says the objector, the old covenant was made with the children of Israel, in the day that the Lord took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; and this, surely is the ten commandments. See 1 Kings viii, 21. But was there not another covenant made with them in the day that he took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt? Certainly there was. For proof see Jer. vii, 22, 23. “For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices.” He next tells what he did command them. But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my people, and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you that it may be well unto you. Here direct reference is made to the covenant brought to view in Ex. xix, 5–9. And this, we think, is unmistakably the old covenant. God here makes an agreement or covenant with the children of Israel, that if they will obey his voice and keep his covenant they shall be a treasure to him above all people; and they agreed to do all that the Lord had spoken, thereby signifying their willingness to fulfill their part of the covenant. But they transgressed the covenant. They obeyed not the voice of the Lord neither walked in his law. Jer. xxxii, 23. The first covenant was faulty in that it could not take away sin. The children of Israel had violated the terms of the first covenant which God made with them through Moses, and also God's covenant which he commanded them forever and spoke with his own voice. Deut. v, 24. This they promised to keep in their assent to the first covenant. Therefore a law was added because of transgression. A typical system was instituted pointing to Christ, that the penitent sinner might receive pardon by expressing faith in Christ the coming Messiah. But it may be asked how the new covenant is better than the old. Simply because it was established upon better promises. Heb. viii, 6. The old covenant could not take away sin; but in making the new, God adds this promise: I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Heb. viii, 12. The ten commandments are God's covenant. Deut. iv, 13. They are the conditions both of the old and new covenants. And this fact will explain the allusion to them in 1 Kings viii, 21. In the old covenant Israel were required to keep God's covenant or law. Ex. xix, 5. In the new covenant God's law is to be written upon their hearts. Heb. viii, 10. How beautifully appropriate is the language of the apostle, “For if our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” 1 John iii, 20, 21. Who will dare to desecrate the Sabbath if the law of God is imprinted upon the tablets of his heart? and if the words “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do any work,” are written in his thoughts? In Deut. iv, 13, we read, And he declared unto you his covenant which he commanded you to perform even ten commandments. In this text there are two points worthy of notice: First, that God calls the ten commandments his covenant, and second, that it is a covenant commanded. We wish these facts borne in mind. We shall refer to them again. Will the reader now turn with me to Psa. cv, 8, 9, 10: “He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac, and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant.” What covenant is here spoken of? God calls it his covenant, and also the word which he commanded. Verse 8. Deut. iv, 13, clearly shows that it is the ten commandments. Verse 9 states that he made the covenant with Abraham. This agrees perfectly with Gen. xxvi, 5, where God declares to Isaac that Abraham kept his commandments. It will be seen that in verse 8 God tells what he has remembered. In verse 9 he adds, “and his oath unto Isaac.” He has remembered that also. Our Antinomian friends contend that the covenant here spoken of is the promise to Abraham. But by reading carefully, the following fact will be apparent: The same covenant that is remembered forever, that is commanded to a thousand generations, that is made with Abraham, is confirmed to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant. It is absurd to say that the promise to Abraham was confirmed to Jacob for a law; for what were the requirements of that promise? What were its prohibitions? How could Jacob obey that promise as he would have to do if it was confirmed to him for a law? When God had confirmed the covenant to Israel for an everlasting covenant, he said, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance. He brought them into the land of Canaan that they might keep his covenant. Verse 45. It was confirmed to Israel at mount Sinai, and how natural that the covenant that David declares perfect, Psa. xix, 7, and that is a holy covenant, Dan. xi, 30, should be everlasting. But if we should admit all that our opponents claim, what would they gain? Simply nothing. They are not content to leave the human family entirely without law, and so tell us that whatever is brought into the New Testament is binding on us. That being the case, it is not difficult to find the Sabbath in the Christian dispensation. After the crucifixion, the holy women rested on the Sabbath-day according to the commandment. Luke xxiii, 56. Those who had received the teachings of Christ had yet to learn that the Sabbath commandment was abrogated. Christ taught the perpetuity of the Sabbath. Mark ii, 27, 28. What hope can those have who trample under foot the commandments of God? who reject the testimony of Jesus, and the teachings of the apostles? May the Lord have mercy upon them, and may his Holy Spirit plead with them to repent before he that is unjust must so remain. But to return. When the ark of the covenant is spoken of, the ark containing the ten commandments is always meant. 1 Kings viii, 6, 9. John, when receiving the Revelation, looked forward with prophetic vision to the closing of probation, and the destruction of the wicked. He looked into the most holy apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and declared that there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament [covenant]. Rev. xi, 19. The ark of the covenant was beneath the mercy-seat in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary. Ex. xxvi, 34. The earthly sanctuary was a true pattern of the heavenly. Heb. ix, 23. This we consider positive proof that the ark containing the ten commandments occupies a place under the mercy-seat in the holiest of all in the heavenly sanctuary. In Heb. viii, 4 and 5, we learn that priests offered gifts or sacrifices according to the example and shadow of heavenly things; and by reading carefully the duties of the priests under the old covenant, we may understand the work of our great High Priest who is consecrated forevermore. He offers his own blood as an atonement for the sins of his people; for their violation of the law contained in the ark.114 I will refer to but one more scripture. Psa. lxxxix, 27. “Also I will make him, my first born, higher than the kings of the earth.” This, all will understand to be Christ. Verse 28. “My mercy will I keep for him forevermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.” Verse 30. “If his children [Christians] forsake my law and walk not in my judgments, if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.” Verse 34. “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” If by these few thoughts on the covenants, any one shall be led to see that God's covenant is still in force, my object is attained. L. D. SANTEE.
Gridley, Ill.