My Covenant With Them

My Covenant With Them

Isaiah 59:21

As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy month, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from hence forth and for ever.

My soul, what promise of the Most High is this?  The word of truth made effectual by the Spirit of God never fails to bring salvation (I Peter 1:21-23); and this is the promise of The Most High; it is His covenant of promise (Ephesians 2:12). For, He saith “this is my covenant with them saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words that I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from hence forth and for ever.” Who is here addressed as them, for He saith my covenant is with them? And who is addressed as thee? For the Spirit of God is upon Him, and the words of the Most High are in His mouth.

This can be none other than Christ Jesus: God-Man, Mediator, Great High Priest, Surety, Savior, Immanuel, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, The propitiation of the justice of God, The Mercy seat, The Head Stone of the corner of the House of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth (I Timothy 3:15). It is Christ Jesus who is the Word made flesh, to whom God giveth the Spirit without measure, (John 3:34); and in whose mouth is the word of God; for, He is the Word of God (John 1:1). They with whom the covenant in Christ is made are the individual members of Christ: (I Corinthians 12:12-13, 27) church of the living God which is His body (Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:23; 4:12; Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:19).

This covenant is “ordered in all things and sure” (II Samuel 23:5). The Hebrew word here translated “ordered” is aw-rak, it means to “set in a row, that is, to put in order, arrange, (see Strong’s exhaustive concordance # H6186). Everything in and about this covenant is arranged, and set in order, prepared to fix the outcome of the events occurring between the eternities according to the sovereign will of Him who arranged everything according to His own purpose and grace (Ephesians 1:3-11; 3:11-21; II Timothy 1:9). “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” (Acts 15:18).  

In the covenant a Mediator was appointed: one chosen out of the people: with whom the covenant was made: “I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. (Psalm 89:3; Galatians 3:16, 29).  “Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him;” (Psalm 89:19-20). And He saith: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” (Psalm 45:6-7). The appointed Mediator is “The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6). This child that is born in our nature (sin excepted), is the Son of God, who is come to confirm the covenant, to ratify the covenant with His own precious blood. This God-Man Mediator is the Lord Jesus Christ; and it is He who has confirmed the covenant, for it is written: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; to whom be glory for ever and ever. A-men.” (Hebrews 13:20-21).  It is through the blood of the everlasting covenant that Christ Jesus was raised from the dead: it was according to the terms of the covenant that the sins of the people of God were charged to the Lord Jesus Christ; for it is written: “for the transgression of my people was he stricken” (Isaiah 53:8) “and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6).  The LORD has laid on Jesus Christ all the sins of all those who He calls my people. These are the people who are named in the covenant (Acts 3:25): whose names are written in heaven, (Hebrews 12:23), and whose names have been written there from before the foundation of the world; when in the discriminating love of God: He chose not to write others. (I John 4:10, 19: John 17:23; Romans 8:39; Revelation 13:8).

The covenant of God, does not rest upon the works of men, for the blessing of men: but the covenant of God rests upon the finished work of one man, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, The Son of Mary, The Son of God: who finished the work the Father gave him to do (John 17:4; 19:30).  All spiritual blessedness for the children of God is the free gift of God to His children. And is purchased by the sufferings and death of Christ; according to the terms of the covenant: made with Jesus Christ, and sealed to the children of the covenant by His precious blood. These spiritual gifts are for time and eternity, they have been hidden in the secret things of God in ages past, but are now made known to the sons of men by the preaching of the gospel (Deuteronomy 29:29; I Peter 1:20; II Timothy 1:10).  It is the office of the Holy Spirit of God to make the covenant effectual to the children of the covenant through the preaching of the gospel.

A bare proposal of the gospel, the word preached, not being mixed with faith, which is the fruit of the Spirit of God will profit little: “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Hebrews 4:2). Gospel preaching is made effectual to the sons of men by the Holy Ghost, without His unction (I John2:20), there will be no true turning to Christ in godly repentance. Although there may be a great deal of religious zeal and repentance that must be repented of, still: there will be no true turning to God through Jesus Christ. “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

(II Corinthians 7:10). The sorrow of the world is sorrow of a legal sort, for it puts a man on amending his way in hope of gaining eternal life thereby, this is the way of natural religion, and the way of death. This is the way that seemeth right. (Proverbs 16:25). But the end thereof is death.  

 A profession of faith, apart from the effectual grace of the Holy Ghost is a false profession. For our Lord Jesus said: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged.” (John 16:7-11).

The Holy Sprit reproves, or convinces of sin because of unbelief. Sin is imputed, or charged to every sinner who does not believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unbelief is the highest affront to the truth and holiness of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that, men not believing His record concerning the Son; make Him a liar (I John 5: 10). Contrary-wise: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3).

The Holy Spirit reproves of righteousness, because Christ Jesus has gone to the Father and the world sees him no more. The Jews, and Gentiles, men of the world in the high religious, and political office: condemned the Just One and crucified Him as a malefactor, a deceiver of the people, one not fit to live among society. But God raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand far above all principality and power, and above every name that is named. Thus owning His Son as the perfect; and Just One, and owning the merit and value of His death as the only justifying righteousness that is accepted of God.

The Holy Ghost reproves the world of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. Satan is now cast out, (John 12:31) by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Satan is Judged and destroyed, the works of Satan are in ruins because of the death of Jesus Christ. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the children of God are freed from the accusations of Satan, for their sins are put away forever, as it is written: “There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1) and again “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemeth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Romans 8: 33-34).

It is the grace of the Spirit of God that makes the gospel message effectual to hearts of the people of God. Without His grace death prevails. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63).   

AJ Ison          

           

See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com hear the true gospel of the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus preached at www.13thstbaptist.org webcasting live at listed service times.