THE COVENANTS AND THE SABBATH.
THE new covenant plan is simply the "plan of salvation." This plan was formed in the council chambers of heaven by the Father and the Son. The counsel of peace was between them both. Zech. 6:13. God gave his Son (John 3:16), and his Son gave himself (Titus 2:14). The very first provision of the new covenant is, "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts." This implies conversion. The law may be written on stone, but that does not affect the life or the heart. By conversion we are brought in harmony with God's law, for it is a part of us. The children of the new covenant are all born after the Spirit. Gal. 4:29. They all "know the Lord." In the formation of this plan God knew that it would be impossible for man to save himself by works that he might do, so he sent Christ to prepare a "robe of righteousness" for us to put on by faith. His life is a spotless robe. It was prepared by faith, the "faith of Jesus." The righteousness of Christ is the righteousness required by the law. The law bears witness that it is righteousness. Rom. 3:21. The robe of Christ's righteousness has Sabbath-keeping in it. This "robe" is unto all, and "upon all" them that believe. Rom. 3:22. We do not make our own garment of righteousness, under the new covenant, but we get a garment ready made. We do not need to go dressed in "filthy rags" (Isa. 64:6; Zech. 3:3, 4), but can put on the "fine linen" (Rev. 19:8), by faith in Christ. This change takes place at conversion. Rom. 3:26. After putting on this righteousness, shall we then transgress the law? God then desires that the "righteousness of the law" be fulfilled in us (Rom. 8:3, 4), and this is done by the power of a risen Saviour, who dwells in us and works through us (Phil. 2:13; Eph. 3:17). This is the plan of the new covenant. What a wise plan it is! It only could be devised by infinite wisdom, and executed through infinite love. The law of God is the standard of righteousness in the new covenant, which standard we reach by faith in Christ. The "First Covenant" and the Decalog.
It is claimed by many that the Decalog is the "first," or "old" covenant. Finding that the first covenant has "vanished away," they conclude that the Decalog is abolished. While it is true that the Ten Commandments are called "the covenant of the Lord," and the tables of stone called "the tables of the covenant," yet they are not the "first covenant," and never so called in the Bible. What is the first covenant? Is there a distinction between the "first covenant" and the "covenant of the Lord"? The old covenant was a compact formed between God and Israel at Sinai, and then ratified by the blood of a sacrifice. The old covenant dates from Sinai, as several expressions of the Bible indicate. It was made with Israel when the Lord "took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt." "It is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory; for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar [Hagar]. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." Gal. 4:22-26. In this allegory, Agar, a bondwoman, is made to represent the old covenant, and it is expressly stated that the Hagar-covenant dates from "the Mount Sinai." It was not made until the children of Israel came to Mount Sinai. If the law of God and the Sabbath existed before the children of Israel came to Mount Sinai, then it can not be the Hagar-covenant which dates from Sinai. The Sabbath is an institution as old as creation. Gen. 2:1-4. We have record where it was kept thirty-three days before the Hagar-covenant was made. Ex. 16:4, 5, 22-26. The law of which the Sabbath is a part existed at the same time, and "the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?" The moral law must antedate sin (1 John 3:4; Rom. 5:12, 13); and as sin existed before the Hagar-covenant was made, so the law must antedate that covenant. In the beginning the law was written in man's very nature. Rom. 2:14, 15. It has been almost obliterated by sin. At Mount Sinai God rehearsed his law, and wrote it with his own finger upon stone (Ex. 20:1-17; 31:18), but he gave to them that which had existed before. The Hagar-covenant had not existed before Sinai, and therefore the law of God, including the Sabbath, can not be the "first," or Hagar, or "old" covenant. Sarai was Abraham's wife, and, in the allegory, represents the new covenant. God promised to them a son. Gen. 15:1-4. Sarai became weary in waiting for God to fulfil his promise, and at last formulated a plan by which she thought to fulfil the promise of God. She had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. In order to fulfil the promise of God, Sarai gave Hagar to Abraham and she became his wife. Gen. 16:1-3. Hagar bare a son, and his name was called Ishmael. Gen. 16:11. Sarai also bare a son, and his name is called Isaac. Ishmael is born after the flesh, and Isaac is born by promise. Hagar represents the "old" covenant, and Ishmael represents the children of that covenant. With these facts before us, we can very easily determine what the Hagar-covenant is. "Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness; yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine." Eze. 16:8. Hagar was a bondwoman and an Egyptian, yet she became Abraham's wife. The Jewish nation were in bondage in Egypt, yet the Lord led them out, and when they came to Mount Sinai, he "entered into covenant" with them, and they became married to him. "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you." Jer. 3:14. The Jews, after the flesh, were once God's chosen people, and they became such by a covenant "entered into" at Mount Sinai. This is the "first," or "old" covenant. Ishmael was born after the flesh, and as he represents the children of the old covenant, the Jews after the flesh are the children of that covenant. Before calling attention to the marriage vows, or covenant "entered into" at Sinai by God and the Jews, we call attention to the character of Israel after the flesh. Of her the Lord says, "Thou becamest mine." Character of Israel after the Flesh.
- She is represented as a bondwoman. Gal. 4:24, 30.
- She was born after the flesh. Gal. 4:23, 29. She was a bondwoman because she was born after the flesh. All who are born "after the Spirit" are free. John 8:36.
7. She was a murderer, and murdered her Lord. Acts 7:52. Is it any wonder that the Lord should find fault with her? "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." Heb. 8:8.