Most everyone who has grown up within Christianity frequently mouths the term “new covenant” without really understanding what it implies.  

 

What is a Covenant and who are the parties to a Covenant?

How many Covenants are there in Scriptures and how many Covenants are still operational?  Does a newer Covenant annul the previous Covenant?  

And also very important, does a specific Covenant correspond to a particular Priestly Order?

 

From Scripture we know that the Priestly Order of Melchizedek had been in existence since the beginning of time eternal. Melchizedek, King of Salem, Priest of the Most High is pictured firstly as King of Righteousness, and secondly, also as King of Shalom.

This Priesthood functions from beginning of days, and there will never ever be an end to it since Yahshua the Messiah serves as HIGH Priest and King in and after the Order of Melchizedek (Heb. 7:1-3; Mic. 5:2).

We also know that during the time of our father Avraham this particular Priestly Order of Melchizedek was actively functioning.  “And Melchizedek King of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the Most high Elohim”. (Gen. 14:18)

 

When one studies this Torah portion, one immediately realizes that the symbols of the “Bread” and the “Wine” of Melchizedek thematically connects to the “Bread” and the “Wine” of the Last Supper of the Messiah Yahshua with His disciples. Most important, we realize that Yahshua is now the High Priest in and after the exact same Order of the Priesthood of Melchizedek. Both were and are King and Priest, poles apart from the Aaronic Levitical Priesthood where the priestly function was separate from that of King.

 

Reminding the reader that there is no idle word in the Torah, the reference to the emblems of Yahshua’s Supper in this particular Torah portion, is indicative of the fact that our forefathers fully understood the doctrine of atonement and reconciliation. “Bread” and “Wine”, the symbols of the coming Messiah’s death on the tree, was understood and fully comprehended by them.

 

Melchisedec the King and High Priest of the Most High certainly was familiar with these concepts and he had to have shared them with our father Avraham. The book of Hebrews borders on “science fiction”. How in the world did all the patriarchs in the Old Testament know of all those mind blowing promises which they believed and died for without having experienced their fulfilment?

 

I strongly suggest that Melchisedec the King of Salem and Priest of the Most High proclaimed the Good News to all of his subjects within his kingdom.

 

Gal. 3:8 enhances this point “And the Scripture, foreseeing that YHWH would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Good News to Avraham, saying, ‘In you shall all nations be blessed’ ”.

 

The author of the book of Hebrews also confirms “For to us was the Good News proclaimed, as well as to them: but the word proclaimed did not profit them, since it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Heb. 4:2)

The Good News about the coming Messiah Yahshua was preached to Avraham 430 years before Moshe was instructed to write down the Torah of YHWH. And remember, during this time Melchizedek was King and Priest over all of the gentile nations around our father Avraham, the gentile nations out of which YHWH called Avraham so that He would start His own separate nation from Avraham’s seed.

 

The apostle Shaul (Paul) in his epistle to the Galatians does not only refer to the heathen gentiles since after the crucifixion of Yahshua up till this day, BUT the apostle tells us that the Good News of the coming Messiah was also preached to all of the preceding gentile nations living at the time of our father Avraham and even before.  Melchisedec was a gentile King and Priest whose Priesthood is eternal after Yahshua the Messiah and it speaks for itself that this King of Righteousness, King of Shalom in his functioning role as Priest of the Most High would have instructed his gentile subjects accordingly. This is profound. We’ll follow this up a little later.

 

Something however was wrong, these gentile nations, and also the Hebrew Nation (Israelites) were doing something very wrong, which necessitated that the Torah of YHWH had to be put in writing.  So 430 years later, Moshe wrote the Torah down after the instructions of the Most High.

Gal. 3:19 tells us clearly that the Torah of Moshe was necessary because of the transgressions (Strongs G3845 “to violate a command”) of the people. So which commandments were violated? These gentiles and Israelites violated the then existing unwritten commands of the Most High as proclaimed to them by Melchisedec the King and Priest of the Most High. “What purpose then does the Torah serve? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and heavenly messengers through the hands of a Mediator ordained it”.  

 

It was necessary that the word of mouth proclamation of YHWH’s Instructions, His Torah, would be written down for everyone to learn and to follow until Yahshua the Messiah and Saviour would come to reconcile sinful man with His Father YHWH. He would offer Himself as a sacrifice by literally shedding His own blood to put all believers in right standing with the Father YHWH. He was the perfect Sacrificial Lamb.

 

The whole purpose of the written Torah was to point out the coming Messiah Yahshua and to inform the world that He would be Saviour and King and High Priest in and after the Order of Melchisedec.

In Heb. 4:2 we read that the Good News was preached to “us” (Israelites) as well as to “them” (gentiles). But the Word proclaimed was not useful to them for there was no moral conviction in them concerning the Good News. The implication in this verse is powerful, the gentiles continued to violate the existing commands of the Most High. Those gentiles lacked trust or faith in order to be persuaded to accept the Good News and to act accordingly. “For to us was the Good News proclaimed, as well as to them, but the Word proclaimed did not profit them, since it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it”.

Throughout the whole of the unwritten verbal Torah in Avraham’s life time and in the Mosaic Torah that was written down 430 years later, the central theme of the Torah is the Good News of the Messiah Yahshua. The Torah also highlights the fact that the Messiah Yahshua would be an eternal High Priest after the Order of Melchisedec. “YHWH has sworn, and will not lie so as to repent, You are a Priest for ever after and in the Order of Melchisedec” (Ps. 110:4)

 

A thematic study of the Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy) reveals this truth and even Yahshua Himself confirms this profound revelation in John 5:46 “For had you believed Moshe, you would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me”.

 

Therefore, to have an intimate and thorough knowledge of the Torah, (the first five books of Scripture) and the Psalms and the Prophets, implies that one would have to become knowledgeable of the Good News, the coming of the Messiah Yahshua as High Priest in and after the Order of Melchisedec.

 

We will pursue this thought later under the Avrahamic Covenant. In the mean time we will consider other Covenants in the Old Testament, among which also the Renewed Covenant, that is erroneously called the New Covenant.

 

 

In Gen. 3: 15 it is written:

 

The Apostle Shaul realizes the magnitude of this promise when he refers to it in Rom. 16:20. This was written after the atonement death of Messiah Yahshua on the stauros (tree). This promise in Gen. 3:15, according to Shaul is still to be carried out!!  Read what Shaul says: “And the Master YHWH of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly”. Whose feet? The Messiah’s feet? Yes and No! Yes, Messiah Yahshua did come and He bruised satan’s head! But in this verse Shaul specifically points to the believers in Yahshua. Under the feet of the believers! Satan will also be bruised under our feet!!

 

The Covenantal promise in Gen. 3:15 is also thematically connected to Rev. 12:17 “And the dragon was angry with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, that keep the commands (Torah) of YHWH, and have the testimony of Yahshua the Messiah”.

The fulfilment of this beautiful promise is also seen in Rev. 20:1-10.

 

Clearly, the seed, the believers are the ones under whose feet hasatan will be bruised.

 

This Adahmic Covenantal promise will be fulfilled in the end time!!This Covenant has not been abolished and according to Scripture is still operational and will be fulfilled in the end time.

What was the functioning Priestly Order during this Covenant?  Melchisedec!

 

Read the beautiful Gen. 9:1–17. It is a MUST read! This is the Covenant between Elohim YHWH and our forefather Noah. Our Father YHWH expanded the diet of mankind and that of animals (Gen. 1:29–30) from a vegetable diet to include all living animals, birds, fishes, etc. for man specifically, subject to the verbal Torah of clean and unclean animals.  

 

You did notice that animals in Gen. 1:30 was also given green herbs for food. They became carnivorous after the renewed Covenant YHWH made with Noah regarding man’s new diet. In YHWH’s Kingdom in the future wild beasts will again revert to green herbs for food (Isa. 11:6–9; 65:25)

 

Noah somehow was knowledgeable of the verbal Torah that was operative during his time. Who told him to offer only clean animals to YHWH? See Gen. 8:20. Where did he obtain this knowledge from?

 

We also note the sign which was given us, which we see regularly even today in these modern times, which continually reminds us that judgment day, the YOM of YHWH, will be with fire and not water.Do you still see this sign in the sky today after a rain shower?The sign mentioned in verse 16?  Is this sign still applicable?

 

This Covenant does not seem to have been abolished at all and is also still operational and some of it’s present day principles will again be altered for the better, like animal diets.

 

What was the functioning Priestly Order during this Covenant? Melchisedec!

In Gen. 12: 1-3 we read:

“Now YHWH had said to Avraham, Get out of your country, and from your family, and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you: (2) And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing; (3) And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall al the families of the earth be blessed”.

(Hebrew for blessed here is nivrechu and not only means “blessed” but also “mixed”. It can therefore be also interpreted that all nations will have Avraham’s seed “mixed” into their populations and “blessed” can thus have a dual application in this sense).

 

In Gen. 12:7 Elohim YHWH appears to our father Avraham for a second time and expands the first Covenant made in Gen. 12:1–3. “To your seed will I give this land: …”

 

In Gen. 13:14-17 Elohim YHWH appears again to our father Avraham and again He expands the previous Covenants. Read this portion, study these verses, because it applies to ALL of the seed of Avraham that exist even till today in this present age.

 

Again in Gen. 15:1 YHWH Elohim declares Himself to be Avraham’s Shield and his exceeding great reward. YHWHHimself declares that He is the great reward for Avraham personally, and this also applies to Avraham’s seed. YHWH the Father and His Son Yahshua the Messiah, the Tree of Life?  What greater reward can any descendant, the seed of father Avraham, desire?

 

And what did our forefather do? Gen. 15:6 testifies “And he (Avraham) believed the Word of YHWH, and He counted it to him as righteousness”.

 

Again in Gen. 17:1–27, the whole of this chapter contains the core of the Covenant between YHWH Elohim and our father Avraham. In verse 1 Elohim YHWH gives our father an impossible instruction. “I am El-Shaddai, the All Mighty One, walk before Me in My ways and be perfect”.

 

This seems to have been a tall order, an impossible instruction. But this instruction is exactly the same that Yahshua gave to His disciples in Mat. 5:48:  “Therefore become PERFECT even as your Abba who is in heaven is PERFECT”. The standard for perfection that was set for our father Avraham and to ALL believers in Yahshua, is one and the same.

 

For the purposes of this article I am not delving into this amazing truth any further, apart from giving a small hint to enable you to research this further yourself.

How is one regarded as perfect?  Study 1 Kings 8:61.

 

The word for “perfect” or “complete” in Mat. 5:48 (Strongs G5046) and the word for perfect in 1 Kings 8: 61 (Strongs H8003) has exactly the same meaning. “Let your heart therefore be PERFECT (H8003;G5046) with YHWH your Elohim, TO HAVE YOUR WALK IN HIS STATUTES, AND TO KEEP HIS COMMANDS, as at this day”.

 

Do you see this mind blowing stunning truth?

Complete obedience, compliance to the Torah of YHWH is the answer! Yahshua confirms this fact very clearly in John 14:15 “If you love Me, KEEP My Commands”. This is a warning to all who love Yahshua – the PROOF of one’s love is full Torah compliance. And in verse 21 Yahshua reconfirms “He that has My commands and keeps them, he it is that loves Me: and he who loves Me, shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will reveal Myself to him”. Torah-keeping is a pre-condition in order for Yahshua to reveal Himself to individual Torah-keeping believers. In John 15:10 Yahshua promises us “If you keep My commands, you shall stay in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commands, and stay in His love”. This promise is profound.

 

Our father Avraham did exactly this. In fact Gen. 26:5 tells us clearly: “Because Avraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commands, My statutes and My laws”.

Surely our father Avraham must have received this Torah from the Priest Melchisedec, and he believed it and he obeyed them and he did them, even though they were not in writing.

 

This chapter (17) is a MUST read. The contents of this chapter has never been abolished, never been put an end to. Remember that the contents of this chapter had only existed verbally between Elohim YHWH and our father Avraham and that the prophet Moshe put the basis of the contents of this chapter down in writing only 430 years later.

 

We must realize that under this Priesthood, after the Order of Melchisedec, the Covenant commands, the statutes, the laws, etc. that were in place must have been very clear, very factual, because Avraham obeyed ALL of them. Even though they existed only verbally, they were very real, very concrete and very material for our father Avraham.

 

We are told that Avraham heard YHWH’s voice, His Ruach Hakodesh speaking and advising him, informing him of YHWH’s commandments, YHWH’s statutes and His instructions.

From where did our father Avraham receive these commandments, statutes and instructions? From whom else other than the Priest who served as such after the Order of Melchisedec, the King of Salem?

 

YHWH, the Most High, knew before hand that our father Avraham would listen and obey and would do His commands, His statutes and His ordinances and that Avraham would walk in His ways and that Avraham would even teach these Torah to his children and to his household. (Gen. 18:18–19) YHWH must have written His commands and statutes and ordinances upon Avraham’s heart by His Ruach Hakodesh (Spirit) under the administration of the Priesthood after the Order of Melchisedec. The result being that our father Avraham obeyed and practically performed and exercised ALL of the instructions in his daily life which YHWH gave him.

For example, circumcising himself (Ouch!), circumcising Esau, circumcising Yitzchak on his 8^th day. So much so that when YHWH tested Avraham (Gen. 22:1) our father succeeded with flying colours and YHWH our Heavenly Father “counted his (Avraham’s) faithful, obedient Torah-works to him for righteousness”

 

The Apostle Yaakov echoes in Yak. 2:18: “Yes, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works”.

Is this not precisely what Avraham demonstrated?

It sounds as if the Apostle Yaakov found this a contradiction in terms.

How is it possible that someone might have faith, can believe, but does not have Torah works? Yaakov indicates that one’s faith is revealed by one’s faithful obedience to comply with the Torah commands of the Most High.

For what says the Scripture?

Rom. 4:3: “Avraham believed YHWH and it was counted to him for righteousness”.

 

Avraham’s Torah works were an extension of his faith. He was ALSO obedient. His Torah works reflected his faith in his personal daily life. Does the Torah not tell us “Because Avraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commands, My statutes and My laws (Torah)”? (Gen. 26: 5). YHWH spoke these words to Yitzchak after his abba’s death when YHWH again renewed His Avrahamic covenant with Yitzchak!!

 

The two fundamental underlying principles of the Avrahamic Covenant is FAITH and MERCY that originates from the Priestly Order after Melchisedec. Did our Father YHWH not show mercy to Hagar when she was in the wilderness with child, and even entered into a Covenant with this Egyptian handmaid of Sarai? Read Gen. 16:7–13. Mercy had always been part of the Melchizedekian Priestly Order, since the days of Adahm, right through down the ages. It is not a renewed testament concept.

 

As indicated above, the King and Priest, Melchisedec, must have proclaimed the Good News to his subjects within his kingdom. We read that our father Avraham had some of the most astounding revelations about the coming Messiah Yahshua.

 

Yahshua confirms this in John 8: 56

 

This word “to see” means that father Avraham actually observed the time of Yahshua’s manifestation. Avraham actually literally saw the future coming of the Messiah Yahshua as King and High Priest after the Order of Melchisedec thousands of years ago.

Could it be that Melchisedec in his role as Priest of the Most High informed our father Avraham verbally of this Good News when they broke bread and drank the cup of wine?

That would have been the most appropriate moment for him to have informed our forefather about the coming Messiah Yahshua and that He would be the eternal High Priest after the Order of Melchisedec!

Yahshua explicitly tells us that Avraham REJOICED. Strongs G21 means properly TO JUMP FOR JOY!!In your mind, just picture father Avraham, after having been informed of this awesome revelation by Melchisedec, Priest of the Most High, his ecstatic exuberant joyful bodily manifestation by jumping for joy. That is what this Greek word means!

 

And what else did the King and Priest Melchisedec inform father Avraham?  

Heb. 11:9–10 tells us that our father Avraham: “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with Yitzchak and Yaakov, the heirs with him of the same promise: (10) For he looked for a city that has foundations, whose Builder and Maker is YHWH”.

The Hebrew author here refers to the heavenly Jerusalem. Our forefather expected the city that will still one day descend from heaven. The city which has twelve gates, all of which has the name of one of the twelve tribes written on each of them. This was Avraham’s expectation! Our father Avraham knew about the future Jerusalem descending from heaven! This is amazing.

 

And then the writer of the Hebrew book reveals some more astounding truths in verses 13–19.    This is better than science fiction!

Our forefathers, from Abel believed in a promised heavenly country, they embraced this truth and confessed that they were only strangers and pilgrims on earth. They all desired a better country, a heavenly abode, the new Jerusalem. 

 

Father Avraham believed so firmly in these promises that he was willing to sacrifice Yitzchak because he believed that Elohim YHWH would raise him from the dead if necessary. In fact Yitzchak was as far as father Avraham concerned, dead, and therefore was figuratively resurrected. Our father Avraham believed so intensely that YHWH would raise Yitzchak from the dead that he literally would have killed him on the altar if Our Father had not intervened!

 

How come the preceding forefathers since Adahm, Abel, Noah, Shem, our father Avraham and all the other descendants before the time of Moshe, like Joseph, etc, so firmly believed in these promises?  Promises that have never been fulfilled in their or our life time yet?

 

King and Priest Melchisedec proclaimed this message of the Good News carefully throughout his kingdom. Many gentiles did not believe, but some Hebrews did, as did our direct forefathers through the lineage of father Avraham. Today we as believers under the High Priestly Order of Melchisedec who has Yahshua the Messiah as High Priest, are also likewise informed of the Good News that the Kingdom of YHWH is near.

 

We are also likewise given promises of a resurrection to life after death, of the coming heavenly Jerusalem, of our earthly bodies being changed into glorified bodies after our own resurrection like that of our Messiah Yahshua, and numerous other promises throughout the Scriptures, consisting of the Torah, the Prophets and the so-called New Testament. We either believe them or we reject them.

How many so-called believers live like sojourners and strangers, as if they are only here on earth on a temporary basis? How many so-called believers actually serve an idol, Mammon, chasing after the next material goal?  Do we believe the same way our father Avraham believed?

 

We, believers in Messiah Yahshua our Melchisedec High Priest and King, and we who comply with His Torah because we love Him, we are heirs to ALL of the promises Elohim YHWH made to our forefather Avraham. We are all co-heirs! Have we received that physical country of which YHWH literally pointed out it’s borders to our father Avraham? (Gen. 15:18–21). That country to where YHWH will gather His elect from the ends of the earth?  (Jer. 16:14–15; 23:8; 31:8–9).

 

If YHWH Elohim is yet to fulfil His promises to the seed of Avraham under the Avrahamic Covenant, it stands to reason that the Avrahamic Covenant is still operative and relevant.

 

Remember that awesome “IMPOSSIBLE” condition that YHWH put before our father? To be “PERFECT”?  That exact same condition applies to ALL who believe, even today.

 

Let me ask this superfluous question once again:  Was the Avrahamic Covenant still operative during the time of the Mosaic Covenant?  

Let us go for a straight answer. What does Shaul tell us?

 

 “And this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed by YHWH through Messiah, the Torah that came four hundred years later, CANNOT NULLIFY THE AVRAHAMIC COVENANT, SO THAT IT SHOULD MAKE THE PROMISE OF NO EFFECT”. (Gal. 3: 17)

Because the later Marriage Covenant between YHWH Elohim and the people of Israel, the Torah of Moshe did not end the Avrahamic Covenant.  This Avrahamic Covenant is still operative and is still functioning.

 

We find confirmation of the continuing validity of the Avrahamic Covenant when the High Priest Zacharyah prophesied in Luk. 1:72-72 “To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, and to remember His Set Apart Covenant, (73) the oath that He swore to our abba Avraham”.

The foundational principle of FAITH which was a golden thread through the Avrahamic Covenant under the Melchisedec Priesthood, was the mechanism through which all of the Israelite patriarchs during the time of and under the Mosaic Covenant, received salvation and righteousness.

Read Hebrews 11 and 12.

Considering the above facts, I can arrive at only one conclusion and that is that the Avrahamic Covenantal principles and Torah was still operational under the Mosaic Covenant under the Melchizedekian Order.

We have seen how Elohim YHWH on numerous occasions renewed the previous Covenant with our forefather. Each newer Covenant contained newer promises. The older Covenants were not abolished or nullified. The Renewed Covenants were augmentations and enhancements, improvements to the previous one. That is Mercy and Loving kindness.

 

As we have noticed, the Israelites have transgressed the conditions of the Avrahamic Covenant (Gal. 3:19 “it was added because of transgressions, until the Seed should come to whom the promise was made: the Messiah) and Moshe was instructed by YHWH Elohim to put this Covenant in writing. This Covenant was known as the Marriage Contract between Elohim YHWH and the people of Israel.

 

I want to point out very briefly that the verbal commands, the statutes, the instructions YHWH gave to our father Avraham, were well known to our forefathers even before the Mosaic Law was put in writing by Moshe.

While the Israelite nation, together with thousands of strangers were leaving Mitzrayim, YHWH Elohim gave them specific oral instructions regarding the keeping of the Shabbat, the Pesach, that no foreigner shall eat thereof unless he was circumcised and how to eat it and when, what to be done with leftovers, etc.

All verbal instructions that came along with the Priesthood of Melchisedec from the beginning of time, were verbally passed on. This Besorah, Good News, would be proclaimed forever by the Melchizedekian Priesthood Order to everyone through Adahm, to Noah, to Avraham, to Ya’acov, to Moshe, to Joshua, etc.

Yahshua was after all, the Lamb that was slain from before the foundation of the earth and He would fulfil the last and eternal High Priestly role within that Order.

 

Our forefathers were familiar with the verbal Torah  concerning the Shabbat, The Pesach Feast and Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of the First Fruits, etc. (Ex.13:1-16; 15:26; 16:4–5; 16: 27–28; 18:20) even before the Ten Commandments were given by YHWH, written on stone in the oldest paleo Hebrew, by the very Finger of Elohim. The Torah that was verbally transmitted was now put in writing, a marriage contract that Elohim YHWH entered into with the children of Israel. 

 

We read of this in Exodus 19:1-8:

“In the third month, when the children of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt), the same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. (2) For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had camped in the wilderness: and there Israel camped before the mount. (3) And Moshe went up to Elohim, and YHWH called to him out of the mountain saying, This shall you say to the House of Ya’acov, and tell the children of Israel: (4) You have seen what I did to the Mitzrim, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. (5) Now therefore, if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My Covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure to Me above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine: (6) And you shall be a Kingdom of Priests, and a set apart nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel. (7) So Moshe came and called for the elders of the people and set before them all these words that YHWH commanded him. (8) And all the people answered together, and said, All that YHWH has spoken we will do. And Moshe returned the word of the people to YHWH”.

We unmistakably read of the Israelites who are specifically referred to as the “House of Ya’acov” and “the children of Israel” in verse 3. Without a shadow of a doubt, this Covenant was made with the people of Israel. The twelve tribes of Israel is known as the House of Ya'acov.

 

Throughout the Old Testament the gathering of the children of Israel was referred to as the “qahal” of YHWH. (Num.16:3; Deut. 23:1; Judges 20:2; etc. etc). The exact correct translation of this Hebrew “qahal” in Greek refers to the “ecclesia”, NOT the invalid translation “CHURCH”.  This gathering of Israelites on Mount Horev was the first ecclesia, not the gathering of believers in Acts 2. Wherever one reads about YHWH’s “ecclesia” in the New Testament it refers to the “qahal” of YHWH in the Old Testament. The term “ecclesia” is therefore an Old Testament principle and whenever the writer refers to the “ecclesia” he directly refers to the “CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL” that was Torah-based.                                                                                                                           

 

Therefore this was an agreement between Elohim YHWH and the people of Israel, the core of which was (5 – 6) “Now therefore, if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My Covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure to Me above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine: (6) And you shall be a Kingdom of Priests, and a set apart nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel”.

 

The Apostle Kepha (Peter) in the New Testament, also points to these specific promises our Father YHWH made to His chosen people.  

According to 1 Pet. 2:9, the Apostle Kepha clearly thought these promises of the Mosaic Covenant were still relevant. These promises that YHWH made to the House of Israel at Mount Horev, were part and parcel and foundational of the Renewed (new) Covenantal promises in Jer. 31: 31 – 34 that we shall discuss later on.

 

If only the Israelites, the House of Ya’acov, had kept their side of the bargain then YHWH would have made them (a) His, YHWH’s peculiar treasured possession above all peoples, (b) a Kingdom of Priests, and (c) a set apart nation.

Israel’s part of the Covenant was to fully obey YHWH and keep YHWH’s Covenant. After all, they now had it in writing and excuses as to memory losses, would not be acceptable. They only had to keep His commands, His instructions, His right rulings very diligently. Then they would have been “PERFECT”. This was a definite requirement, unyielding, enforceable even by the death penalty in many instances.

Elohim YHWH wanted Israel to keep the Torah that He was to give them through Moses with an intense desire and longing. “O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep My commands always, ..” (Deut. 5:29).  

This verse reveals our Heavenly Father’s intense, longing heart’s desire that our forefathers would have complied with His living instructions.

 

This Torah is summarized in The Ten Commandmentsof Exodus 20:1-17 and further requirements are given in Exodus chapters 21 to 31. And even more conditions were added later in Exodus and in Leviticus, and much is repeated in Deuteronomy. The contents of all five (5) books of Moshe, the Torah, was to be obeyed.

 

The whole of Israel agreed to keep their part of the Covenant by confirming: “We will do everything YHWH has said” (Ex. 19:8). We however know we did not keep our part of the Covenantal agreement, our forefathers lapsed into idolatry, time after time after time.

This covenant in the so called OLD TESTAMENT into which YHWH entered with the House of Ya'akov, was an everlasting covenant that would never ever be terminated, but which would be frequently renewed on several occasions.

Gen. 17:7: “I will establish My Covenant between you and your seed after you in there generations as an everlasting Covenant”. See also: Judges 2:1; 2 Sam. 23:5; 1 Chron. 16:13 -17;  Ps. 105:8 -10;  Eze. 16: 60; etc.

 

Both the Book of Chronicles and Psalms refer to the Covenants that YHWH made with Avraham, as well as with Ya'akov and also later with the children of Israel, the twelve tribes.

 

YHWH states emphatically that He remembers the Covenant that He made which would last for a thousand generations, the Covenant that would LAST FOREVER, the Covenant that He made with Avraham, His oath to Yitzchak, the Covenant that He made with Ya'akov and the Covenant He made with the twelve tribes of Israel. Our Father’s English is very clear – “I will establish My Covenant between you and your seed after you in there generations as an everlasting Covenant”. The re-establishing of that Covenant would be repeatedly re-established and renewed over many generations (1000).

 

At this point we find that the Priesthood after the Order of Melchisedec was in the short term suspended and the Mosaic Levitical Aaronic Priesthood of Sacrificial Animal Offerings were temporarily introduced.

 

The Levitical Mosaic Aaronic Priesthood with it’s animal blood sacrifices to YHWH were symbolic and of enormous profound significance as they were foreshadows of the atonement and reconciliation of sinful man to YHWH the Father through the work of Messiah Yahshua, the High Priest in and after the Order of Melchisedec to be re-introduced in the future.

 

This fact was prophesied emphatically, see Ps. 110:4.

And the Author of the Hebrew Book confirms that another Priest, a High Priest in and after the Order of Melchisedec had to arise as the Priestly Order of Aaron would be permanently made obsolete (Heb. 7: 11-12).  NOT THE COVENANT.

 

I repeat, right through the Torah (Genesis – Deuteronomy), the Psalms, the Prophets, the theme of the Good News of the Messiah Yahshua and His High Priesthood in and after the Order of Melchisedec, runs like a golden thread. Anyone who studies the Torah diligently, the Old Covenant writings, become aware of these facts.

 

In the Old Testament the erroneously so-called NEW COVENANT is alluded to in Jer. 31:34–34, Jer. 32:40,  Ez. 16:60–62,  Ez. 20:33-38, Ez. 36:24–27, Ez. 37:21–28 etc.

 

And again this Renewed Covenant is, for the umpteenth time, only between YHWH and the House of Ya’acov and the House of Israel. These are the only parties. No Christians, no Heathens, no Gentiles – only Israelites! Scary!!

Jer. 31:31–34 states: “See, the days are coming, says YHWH, that I will make a Brit Chadasha-Renewed Brit (Covenant) with the House of Israel and with the House of Yahudah. (32) Not according to the Covenant that I made with their forefathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Mitzrayim; which Covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them says YHWH: (33) But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days, says YHWH, I will put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be My People-Ami. (34) And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know YHWH: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says YHWH; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more”.

And then further on in Jer. 32: 40 we read this enormous truth that we usually separate from these previous verses. An enormous truth to think about seriously. “And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me”.

This is part and parcel of the Covenant in Jer. 31:31–34. YHWH will put His FEAR in our hearts so that we will not depart from Him (Strongs H3374 from H3372 – verb meaning to fear, to revere, to respect, to fear Elohim. This fear is produced by the Word of Elohim – Ps. 119:38.

In Lev. 19:3 this fear, Strongs H3372, is linked to the “fear” of your father and your mother. “You shall fear every man his mother and his father, and guard My Shabbat: I am YHWH your Elohim”.

To me this unavoidably reminds me of “ahava”, love for my father and my mother. Respectful, fearsome reverence and love towards YHWH our Elohim. Love is the driving force behind the faithful believer’s compliance to each and every practicable Torah command.

This renewed Covenant is also alluded to in Ez. 16:60 “Nevertheless I will remember My Covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting Covenant” and in Ez. 36:22–28  the prophet expands and  emphasizes some of the characteristics of this Renewed Covenant between YHWH Elohim and the House of Israel. “Therefore say to the House of Israel, This says the Master YHWH; I do not this for your sakes, O House of Israel, but for My Set Apart Name’s sake, which you have profaned among the gentiles, wherever you went. (23) And I will set apart My great Name, which was profaned among the gentiles, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the gentiles shall know that I am YHWH, says the Master YHWH, when I shall be set apart by you before their eyes. (24) For I will take you out from among the gentiles, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. (25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. (26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new Ruach (Spirit) will I put inside you: and I will take away the stony heart out or your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put My Ruach Hakodesh (Set Apart Spirit) inside you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments, and do them. (28) And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your forefathers; and you shall be My people-Ami, and I will be your Elohim”.

When we thematically connect Ez. 36:24–28 with Ez. 37:21–28 we realize that the prophet is revealing future events that will only take place in the very far future.

It forms an integral crucial part of the Two House Prophecy which is rooted in the metaphor of the two sticks, the stick of the House of Yoseph (Ephraim) and the stick of the House of Yahudah, that will one day become one stick. All twelve tribes of Israel united under one King.

Read the whole of Ez. 37 and see how verses 21–28 that forms an integral part of the preceding portion, thematically connects beautifully and in harmony to Ez. 36:24-28.

Do you believe this? Do you JUMP for Joy as father Avraham did?

These astounding promises that will only be fulfilled in the future, are all part and parcel of the Renewed Covenant to which Yahshua is the KEY FIGURE in Luk 22: 20 where He shares the “Bread” and the “Wine” with His disciples –  “This cup is the Brit Chadasha – renewed Covenant – in  My Blood, which is shed for you”. Here Yahshua in fact re-introduces the preceding Priesthood in and after which He will from then be the High Priest after the Order of Melchisedec. He also introduces the first beginnings of the Renewed Covenant which is referenced to in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, etc. which falls under the jurisdiction of the Melchisedec Priesthood. 

I believe one could properly refer to the Renewed Covenant as the Melchizedekian Covenant, since it operates under our High Priest Yahshua our Messiah who functions as such in the heavenlies in and after the Order of Melchisedec. Is it not our High Priest Yahshua who refers to this renewed Covenant Himself?

 

Let me briefly summarize what Elohim YHWH will do for the House of Ya’acov and the House of Israel, according to the Renewed Covenant promises in the above passages: Notice carefully that He did NOT promise us a NEW TORAH. Notice what YHWH will do with His unchangeable Torah.

Allow me to digress slightly and to paraphrase the above Covenantal promises concerning the Renewed Covenant. Our Father tells us:

I truly believe that this is what YHWH Elohim, our Father actually says in this prophetic passage. Literal compliance with YHWH’s Torah will be as a result of our LOVE towards the Father YHWH and His Son YAHSHUA.

The implications of this Renewed Covenant in our modern, new “dispensation” are awesome, are actually frightening, alarming. Consider it carefully and extremely seriously. Yahshua tells us in John 14:24 “He that loveth Me not, keepeth not My sayings:”

“SAYINGS” (Strongs G3056 from G3004 Logos / Torah).                                                             The Torah became flesh. Yahshua was and is the Living Torah for us to follow and to imitate! (Joh. 1:1, 14: 1 Joh. 1:1; Rev. 19:13).

If I wilfully do not comply with His Torah, I do not really love Him. And if I say “I love Him”, but do not do His Torah, I am a blatant liar. How does one excuse oneself? 

These above renewed Covenantal passages to me is nothing but an augmentation, and expansion of Deut. 30:6 “And YHWH your Elohim will perform circumcision of your heart, and the heart of your seed (descendants), to love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, that you may live”.

But what does Yahshua our Messiah have to say Himself regarding this Renewed Covenant that was quoted above. What does it tell us in Luke 22:14–20:

Yahshua refers to the cup as the Renewed Covenant in His blood, but only three verses above He confirms that this Renewed Covenant will only be fulfilled in the Kingdom of YHWH and that He, the Messiah will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of YHWH shall come.

There are numerous Scriptures from the New Testament that indicate that the Renewed Covenant that was referenced in Jer. 31:31-34 etc. has not been fulfilled completely and will only be fully established in it’s total completion in the future, but this is not the object of this study.

The Renewed Covenant is still being fulfilled presently.

It is still being established over the past 2000 years plus, and will be established in real terms for yet another future uncertain time period between YHWH and the seed of Avraham. It will only be totally fulfilled in His kingdom.

So what happened?

Yahshua himself said that he did not come to change the torah. On the night just before He was to be hung on the tree the following day, He took the cup and gave thanks, Mat. 26:27–29, and he said to His disciples “…. Drink all of it; For this is My blood of the NEW COVENANT that is shed for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine again, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Abba’s Kingdom”.

Yahshua knew He would be a Priest in and after the Order of Melchisedec and He entered into a RENEWED covenant with His disciples, containing two immediate new crucial aspects:

 

·       that of His blood that would replace the blood sacrifices of the Levitical Priesthood of Moshe, His blood that would cleanse the Torah-less-ness (sinfulness) of mankind

·       and a covenantal promise that He would not drink of the cup containing the fruit of the vine until He drinks it with US in His Abba’s Kingdom – that is a clear promise.

 

YHWH through Yahshua the Messiah changed the effectiveness of the priesthood.

Instead of a sequence of earthly mortal men, Yahshua becomes the Everlasting Immortal High Priest according to the Order of Melchisedec.

 

Yahshua did not change any of the previous covenants.

Yahshua re-introduced a preceding better priesthood. A Priesthood that preceded the Mosaic and Aaronic Levitical Priesthood, a Priesthood in and after the order of Melchisedec. A Priesthood which had been in existence from eternity.  Melchisedec, the King of Salem (Jerusalem) who reigned over the heathen nations in the time of Avraham was the High Priest of YHWH the Most High, after which Order Yahshua now fulfils the exact same role and function in the Heavenly realm.

 

 

Yahshua, without a doubt in my mind, knew that He was the High Priest in and after the Order of Melchisedec. He knew the Torah prophesied this truth.

Yahshua being the Son of the Most High emphatically declared that He did not come to change the Mosaic Torah or to abolish it.

 

The Renewed Covenant provided for a better and more complete priesthood and sacrifice. A Renewed Covenant that can be more appropriately called the Melchizedekian Covenant which is an augmentation of the Avrahamic and Mosaic Covenants.

 

The Renewed Covenant that is alluded to in Jeremiah and Ezekiel doesn’t say anything about new commands, new statutes and new right rulings.  

The Renewed Covenant which we read about said absolutely nothing about YHWH giving us another set of Torah!!

It didn’t say anything about annulling the Marriage Contract between Father YHWH and Israel, the House of Yaakov!!

 

The Renewed Covenant at present only concerns the abolishing of the Mosaic Aaronic Levitical priesthood with it’s Sacrificial Offerings.

In Heb. 7:12 it is stated: “For the priesthood being transferred, there is made of necessity an adjustment also in the Torah” (Restoration Scriptures)

Even the KJV states “For the priesthood being changed ….” Strongs G3346 to transfer, i.e. (literal) transport.

The misleading translation of “LAW” at the end of the verse in the KJV implies a change of the whole of the Torah whereas a truthful interpretation and understanding is that the sacrificial regulations changed, and not the whole of the Mosaic Torah. This makes perfect sense.

Yahshua is now the High Priest in and after a preceding Order of Melchisedec. The present Priesthood reverted to a Priesthood which existed from before the beginning of time, from before the foundation of the world.

 

The current Kingly and Priestly Melchizedekian Order that had existed and that was operative before, was under the Mosaic Torah temporarily suspended or replaced by the Mosaic Aaronic Levitical Priesthood characterised by animal sacrifices, and then again re-introduced as foretold in Ps. 2:7 and Ps. 110:4 and confirmed in Heb. 5:5 and Heb. 5:6 respectively.

 

The Ruach Hakodesh of YHWH Elohim points to our Messiah Yahshua, our High Priest after the Order of Melchisedec, in His functioning role in this Renewed Priesthood which is mentioned in Heb. 8:6 “But now Yahshua the Messiah has obtained a greater ministry (Strongs G3008 public function as priest) by which He also is the Mediator of a more advantageous Covenant, which was given as Torah, based upon more advantageous promises”.

This rational translation from the Restoration Scriptures is supported by the CJB (Complete Jewish Bible) which reads: “But now the work Yeshua has been given to do is far superior to theirs, just as the covenant He mediates is better. For this covenant has been given as Torah on the basis of better promises”.

And we again find confirmation of the Renewed Covenant mentioned in the prophets that we examined above in Heb. 8:8:  “For finding fault with them, He says, Behold, the days come, says the Master YHWH, when I will make a Brit Chadasha-Renewed Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Yahudah”.

 

YHWH however did not find fault with the TORAH or the Covenant. Heb. 8:9 identifies the THEM with whom He found fault!  

It was US, our forefathers who did not continue in His Covenant! We broke the Covenantal contractual obligations. There was no problem with the Covenant that YHWH had entered into with our forefathers. We were the problem. We did not keep our side of the bargain.

Heb. 8:10–13  repeats the Jer. 31:31–34  promises, the Renewed Covenant: “For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days, says the Master YHWH; I will put My Torah into their mind, and write it on their hearts: and I will be their Elohim and they shall be My People-Ami”.

 

Again, I beg, which Torah will YHWH put into our minds?

Which Torah will YHWH write on our hearts? A new Torah? A different Torah?

Or the existing Torah that was known to Noah and Avraham and then put in writing by Moshe? The Torah to which our Messiah Yahshua complied with in total obedience?

 

When and where was the written marriage contract between YHWH and His “qahal” people on Mount Horev explicitly cancelled in writing?

 

When and where was the 10 Commandments explicitly abolished in writing?

When and where did YHWH explicitly cancel His Feasts that He ordained in Lev. 23? The feasts of YHWH, not the feasts of the Israelites. See Lev. 23:2.

When and where did our Father YHWH explicitly cancel His Covenantal instruction regarding His 7^th day Shabbat being replaced by a 1^st day Sunday in writing?

When and where did our Father YHWH explicitly cancel His Covenantal instruction regarding His sign of circumcision with our father Avraham in writing?

 

When and where did YHWH explicitly cancel His instructions regarding the eating of clean and unclean foods in writing?

 

When and where did YHWH explicitly cancel His instruction regarding the wearing of the tzitzit in writing?

 

When and where was any of the other instructions of YHWH given in the Torah ever explicitly cancelled in writing?

 

 

Let us continue with the remaining verses of Heb.8.

Deceptive translations cause the unsuspecting believer to go astray and to believe invalid teachings from unsuspecting teachers who are trained in theological seminaries by learned professors who study and teach and proclaim the Hebrew Scriptures through Hellenistic/Pagan Grecian glasses.

These Christian church leaders, dangerously and with no written instructions from YHWH, declare the Mosaic Covenant to have become old; obsolete and to have been substituted with a so-called New Covenant.

Jer. 31:31 clearly states that it is a renewed Covenant (Brit Chadash). (Strongs 2319 from 2318 chadash a primitive root; to be new; (causative) to rebuild: - renew, repair – AMG’s Annotated Strong’s Dictionaries 2009).

They make their own Messiah to be a blatant liar.

The invalid translation of Rom. 10:4 is used as one of their supports that Yahshua is the END of the Mosaic Torah, the Law, for righteousness to everyone that believeth.

The word for “perfect”, or “complete” is “teleios” Strongs G5046, an adjective derived from G5056 which indicates “goal” or “purpose”, implying that the achievement of a goal indicates perfection or completion.

I as a layman have pursued this argument which other great scholars have shown to be false and I have verified that they are correct. Rom. 10:4 has always been translated wrongly.

 

This exact word (G5056) is used in Romans 10:4. which was MISTRANSLATED as “END” of Torah, the Law.  The correct translation would be “For Messiah is the actual goal or purpose of the Torah …” NOT the end of Torah!!

A tragic fatal translation.

 

With Hebraic glasses on we realize this is nonsense, this is rubbish. Those translators were literate, they were familiar with Hebrew and Greek, or were they? They will take punishment as promised in Scripture for misleading millions.

 

I have mentioned how the Messiah Yahshua, the perfect Lamb of YHWH, is the continuous constant theme and message that surfaces throughout ALL of Torah (the first 5 books of Moshe) and knowing this, we realize that the Torah had ONE GOAL in mind, to reveal the Messiah Yahshua to the truthful seeker and reader of the Torah.

The Messiah Yahshua was in fact the revelation of the Torah – THE FINAL ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE TORAH. (Not the end)

If I were authorized, I would have translated Rom. 10:4 as follows: “For Messiah is the actual goal of the Torah that is for my personal everlasting righteousness resulting from my faith in the Messiah”.

 

Astonishingly, and this is Mercy, I have noticed that Shaul actually alludes to Deut. 6:25 and comparing the contents of these two verses with one another one realizes with amazement that this is exactly what Shaul said about the Torah, but which truth was distorted by translations from the Greek manuscript.

All of New Testament Scripture is founded on Torah. Read and study the New Testament Scriptures from a Hebraic Torah perspective then all of the Hellenistic/Grecian/Pagan/Christian doctrines that originate from the Pauline epistles becomes clear and rational. 

The following is also of crucial importance: A better “covenant” is an erroneous translation in both Heb. 8:13 and Heb. 9:1.

The added word “covenant” in most translations, does not appear in any of the Greek texts. In the KJV the word “covenant” is printed in italics or in grey, indicating that it was inserted by the translators.

 

When the word “covenant” is retained in Heb. 8:13 it is the cause of a whole contradiction to Yahshua’s own proclamation that He did not come to change or abolish the Torah.

The Hebrew writer never would have said that Yahshua made the first “old” (Greek palaioo, to annul, no longer in force, to be obsolete) thereby making the Messiah a liar.

Even Shaul contradicts himself in Gal. 3:17 and in Rom. 10:4 if these invalid translations are retained.

Insert the word “new Priesthood” and this whole verse makes sense and all other obvious contradictions vanish. This makes perfect sense because YHWH is definitely NOT a liar!

The topic for these chapters is the passing of the prior priesthood to the renewed (but preceding) order of Melchisedec, and NOT of the replacement of the Torah, the Mosaic covenant, in favour of a new covenant.

Throughout these chapters the relevant topic to grasp is that of the PRIESTHOOD.  Read these verses in their context and it makes perfect sense.

 

I reiterate, only the sacrificial Levitical Aaronic laws have been abolished, annulled.

The rest of the Mosaic Torah which was the Avrahamic Covenant in writing, is still operational, as is the Adahmic Covenant and as is the Noahic Covenant.

By His atonement death Yahshua has most definitely acquired for us THE PERFECT PRIESTHOOD. A Priesthood that existed long ago, from before the beginning of time, right through Adahm, Noah, Avraham, Yaakov etc. and will continue for ever.

Yahshua made the Renewed Covenant with His twelve disciples who were all Israelites. Yahshua Himself was from the House of Dawid.

His twelve disciples would, according to Mat. 19:28  “sit upon twelve thrones, administering judgment over the twelve tribes of Israel”.  They celebrated the Passover during which meal He took the cup and said: “This cup is the Brit Chadasha renewed covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” Luke 22:20. The Renewed Covenant was not made with anybody else but Israelites.

The Renewed Covenant was not made with Christians or Gentiles or Heathens, but with the “qahal”, the ecclesia of the Old Testament.

The Renewed Covenant is not relevant to Christians or Gentiles or Heathens because they were not parties to it. They have no claim whatsoever to any of the Covenantal promises and are excluded from the eternal heritage which is promised to the Israelites. This should sound very scary to everybody who is not an Israelite. Christians, Gentiles and Heathens are totally excluded from this Renewed Covenant as well as from all of the preceding Covenants. What now?  What is the solution to this catch 22 situation?

What happened under the Avrahamic and the Mosaic Covenant to strangers and gentiles and heathens who wanted to join the Israel nation?

There was and is only one solution.

Even before the Mosaic Torah was written, we find that the verbal instructions from YHWH were “And when a stranger shall sojourn with you, and desires to keep the Passover to YHWH; all his males must perform circumcision, and let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. ONE TORAH shall be for him that is native, and for the stranger that sojourns among you” Deut. 12:48-49.

And amazingly our Father YHWH confirms this instruction in Ezekiel 47:21-23:
”So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares YHWH Elohim”.
According to Scripture, the above is the only solution YHWH provided for the Christian, the Gentile and the Heathen.

This is the directive Father YHWH instructed Moshe.

Remember the Mosaic Covenant had not been operative at that stage, but the Avrahamic Covenant under the Priesthood of Melchisedec was still the only operational and functioning Covenant at that stage. The Covenant and Priesthood under which the principles of Faith and Mercy (Grace) was foundational is the Avrahamic Covenant with it’s accompanying Priestly Order of Melchisedec.

The “ecclesia” in the New Testament is only an extension of the “qahal” in the Old Testament. Yahshua confirmed this by saying “Salvation is through the Jews”.

 

And even Shaul in Acts 26:6–7 confirms this truth which nobody seems to grasp: “And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by YHWH to our forefathers: (7) To which promise our twelve tribes, diligently praying to the Most High day and night, have the hope to come.”

So everyone, every Christian, Heathen and Pagan must be reminded that Yahshua’s so called NEW COVENANT was entered into between Himself and Israelites.

Each and every Pagan, Heathen, Christian, needs to be engrafted into the Olive Tree, Israel, by doing so only then becoming an Israelite.

 

There is no covenant with Christians or the church or with whatever other heathen nation.

All the covenants are with YHWH’s own people, His First born ISRAEL, His peculiar nation, set – apart, because YHWH is set – apart.

The moment we believe in Yahshua the Messiah, that moment we become Israelites, the seed of Avraham, engrafted into the Olive Tree, Israel. When believers do and behave as Israelites – obeying the instructions given to us by YHWH – only then can we be set apart from the world as required by Father YHWH.

 

What will it take to persuade, to inoculate ALL Christian believers with this FAITH that was operative under the Avrahamic Covenant and the Melchizedekian Priesthood to understand that at the exact moment that they believe in Yahshua the Messiah, that moment they become the seed of Avraham, Hebrews, Israelites.

Remember, the Avrahamic Covenant was not annulled by the Mosaic Covenant, Gal. 3:17. And Gal. 4: 28 confirms “Now we, Israelite brothers, are like Yitzchak was; we are the children of promise”.

Isaac was both physical and spiritual Israel as are all believers in the Messiah. All believers are literally and spiritually the seed of Avraham, are literally and spiritually grafted into the Olive Tree, are literally and spiritually Israelites, literally and spiritually members of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

All believers can now claim all the promises that were available to Isaac as heir to Avraham. But all believers have to identify themselves as heirs of Avraham and start living as such, living as Hebrews, Israelites, living as Avraham did, obeying all of YHWH’s commands, His statutes, His Voice, His Torah.

As it was in the days of father Avraham, so those commands, statutes, His Torah is still relevant, applicable, unchangeable, eternal.

 

The Priestly Order of Melchisedec under whose jurisdiction the Avrahamic Covenant was, is still today the same Priestly Order and our High Priest will not change the Living Instructions, the Commands, the Statutes and Right rulings of His Father YHWH. The High Priest Yahshua, our Messiah, Himself declared that “the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me” (Joh. 14: 24(b))

Whenever a believer experiences the truth, the reality of Jer. 32:40, that the fear of YHWH is put inside his/her heart, that believer loves his/her Father YHWH with all of his/her heart and mind and body and soul so that he/she will not depart from YHWH Elohim.

And how does YHWH Elohim know that He is loved?

YHWH Elohim Almighty tests us to know whether we love YHWH our Elohim with all our heart and with all our being (Deut.13:3b).

Yahshua gives the answer in John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My Commandments” Verses 21–23 expands: “He that has My Commands, and KEEPS them, he it is that loves Me: and he who loves Me, shall be loved by My Abba, and I will love him, and will reveal Myself to him. Yahshua answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will guard My words: and My Abba will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our stay with him. He that loves Me not, keeps not My SAYINGS: ”.

It sounds as if Yahshua is quoting from the Jeremiah portion which refers to the Renewed Covenant.

Remember one of the promises that YHWH Elohim WILL MAKE COME TRUE is “and I will put My Ruach Hakodesh (Set Apart Spirit) inside you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments, and do them”.

Yahshua confirms in verse 26 “But the Comforter, which is the Ruach Hakodesh, whom the Abba will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you”.

This one promise has already been fulfilled in the individual lives of many believers in the Messiah.

 

In Acts 2 the promise in Jer. 31: 31 was partially fulfilled in the lives of individual believers. The Ruach Hakodesh of YHWH descended on the gathered believers, the “qahal”, the ecclesia and YHWH did put His Torah in their hearts and in their minds. This “qahal”, ecclesia in Acts 2 was an extension of the “qahal”, ecclesia that was first gathered together at Mount Sinai. This was not the beginning of the so called church.

These first believers all belonged to the sect of the Nazarene (Acts 24:5, 14; 26:5; 28:22).

They believed ALL things written in the Torah and the Prophets.

The apostle Shaul emphatically confessed to these facts even after the occurrences in Acts 15 (which is also generally been erroneously interpreted through Grecian/Hellenistic/Pagan/Christian glasses).

Also significant is the fact that Acts 21 was written long after Shaul wrote his letters to the Galatians and the Romans.

Did Shaul all of a sudden contradict himself and falsely pretended to the other Israelite believers and the Apostles when he followed and acted out the Nazirite vows based on the Mosaic Torah?

Let us only consider only one SAYING that could be brought to remembrance that was taught by Yahshua. Let Yahshua, the High Priest after the Order of Melchisedec remind us of what He taught His disciples concerning His YOKE!!??

In Mat.11:28–30 He states, quoting from the Prophet Jer. 6:16–19:

 

Go and read Jer. 6:16–19 from which Yahshua quotes in this Mathew passage! Even the Greek translation could not hide this incredible truth from the world. The Greek word YOKE  (Strongs G2218) equals TORAH, obligation, law, statute, command.

YAHSHUA’S YOKE is the TORAH! 

He is after all the High Priest in and after the Order of Melchisedec under whose Order the Avrahamic covenant was established!! And His Torah then has to be still valid and relevant in today’s day and age.

 

Let us review Gal. 3:17 again. The Torah of Moshe that was entered into BETWEEN YHWH the Most High AND His “qahal”, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL which was a “marriage contract”, DID NOT diminish or negate or abolish THE AVRAHAMIC COVENANT of 430 years before.

If this principle to which Shaul also alludes to in Gal. 3:15 is applied appropriately, it means that the Renewed Covenant with all of it’s amazing future promises, also does not negate or abolish the Marriage Contract, the Mosaic Covenant between YHWH and His ‘qahal”, ecclesia, the children of Israel.

We have also noted that this so-called New Covenant will only be fulfilled, will only be completely established in the future when our Messiah will drink of the cup together with His bride.

All newer covenants are merely stacked upon prior covenants, with some having greater privileges and promises than the older, but all are eternal and valid and operational for all generations. Renewed Covenants can be seen as supplements to the previous Covenants that expand the requirements already allowed for by the original Covenant agreement. In His unmerited favour, His mercy, YHWH seems to have only augmented and to have increased His promises to us, His “qahal” congregation of Israelites.

 

Let me finish this astonishing mind boggling subject. There is much more to write on this astonishing subject. I’ll leave it to other more knowledgeable believers.

 

ALL Covenants from Adahm, Noah, Moshe and (the so-called New Covenant) under Yahshua the Messiah are today functional, relevant and operational under the Priesthood of Yahshua our High Priest in and after the Priesthood of Melchisedek.

This eternal Priesthood which functions with Messiah Yahshua as High Priest, would not have changed it’s original, it’s initial Covenantal requirements and promises and the Torah that flowed forth from Father YHWH Himself.

The Torah that was with YHWH and the Torah that was YHWH and the Torah who became flesh and was revealed in Yahshua the Messiah, is still relevant and applicable.

 

In Deut. 7:9 the Most High, YHWH, promises that He is Elohim, the faithful El, who keeps His Covenant and who has Mercy with them that love Him and who keep His Commands for a 1000 generations. If a generation is only 30 years, it means that YHWH will still love his “qahal” (ecclesia) for the next 30 000 years since from the time of Moshe – 3000 – 4000 years ago. If YHWH has in the mean time entered into another new covenant with another group of people (the church), it means that He has cancelled His Covenant with His Israelite people.

It would mean betrayal of His irrevocable promises to Israel, His firstborn. It would mean that YHWH the Most High is fickle and can not be trusted, especially since He has nowhere explicitly annulled His written marriage Covenant, with His people Israel, in writing.

 

Those who erroneously believe that “we are under a new Covenant” confuse the re-established preceding Melchisedec Priesthood with that of the Mosaic Covenant. That is fatal.

 

It is wonderful to acknowledge that Yahshua the Messiah has sacrificed Himself for our sins and to have brought us back in right standing with the Father YHWH, BUT WHAT ABOUT the rest of the Covenantal requirements and promises that is the core of the Marriage Covenant between the Bridegroom and His bride?  Can we just ignore them as if they never existed?

 

The New Covenant viewed through such Grecian glasses is a fallacy, a lie which Christian believers prefer to believe to their own detriment. Christians maintain that the so-called New Covenant is another Covenant but that is impossible because “the Torah has been written on our hearts”. It is this change in us that allows us to obey the Torah.

 

Having read this so far and having gained insight into the Hebraic mindset, I beg you to answer the following few questions:

 

6.   Who is the Priesthood under which jurisdiction this so-called new covenant fall?

 

What does the prophet Isaiah 42:18–21 warn us about?

 

(18) Listen, you who are deaf, and look you who are blind, that you may see.

YHWH is so well pleased with the righteousness that He demands by His Torah, that He will magnify and honour it regardless of the effect it has upon the people who refuse to see, refuse to hear, and refuse to obey it – those who maintain that the Torah was annulled or abolished and nailed to the cross because “we are under a New Covenant”.

Those who maintain that it is OK to keep the Shabbat on any other day than the 7^th day. Those who maintain that it is OK to eat unclean foods. Those who maintain that it is OK to ignore the feasts of YHWH because they were only foreshadows and not relevant anymore. Those who maintain that the TEN COMMANDMENTS are outdated, old and obsolete and not relevant and applicable for today. This is a blatant denial of the eternal Melchizedekian Torah.

 

Yahshua Himself tells us in Mat. 22:40 that the Torah and the Prophets are squeezed together, summarized in the two greatest commandments that are outlined in Deut. 6:4-5 and Lev. 19:18. On these two HANG all the Torah and the Prophets.

These Two greatest of commands are the reason, the driving force behind each and every Torah instruction given by the Most High.

These Two greatest of commands are the driving force behind each believer for complying with all of practical, realistic, possible Torah instructions of our Father YHWH.

 

YHWH our Elohim tests all of us to know whether we love Him, our Father YHWH, with all our heart and with all our being (Deut.13:3b)

 

And our Master Yahshua warns everybody, every Christian, in Mat. 7:21-23:

(23) And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from Me, you that work Torahless-ness. (Strongs Anomia 458 from 459 violation of law. Without the law of Moses. Particularly in 1 Joh.3:4 where Lawless-ness/Torahless-ness is joined with sin: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law (anomian): for sin is the (anomia) transgression of the law (Torah)”)

 

Is this not the exact error of reasoning of believers all over?

They confess to a so-called New Covenant which supposedly comprises “new” laws and promises, in diametric opposition to and denying the eternal existing written Avrahamic Mosaic Torah which now falls under the jurisdiction of the Melchizedekian Priesthood of Yahshua our High Priest.  

A Covenant which had never been abolished or cancelled but that was reconfirmed and re-established between Yahshua the Melchizedekian High Priest and His disciples when He re-introduced the preceding Priesthood of Melchisedec.

 

Under this Renewed Covenant (the Melchizedekian Covenant) under the Melchizedekian Priestly Order, love is the driving force that enacts faithful compliance to all of Torah. Only the continual and intimate study of the Scriptures by loving and faithful believers produces this devoted reverential fear for the Most High. This is caused by consciously making time to read and study the Scriptures, starting with the first five books of Moshe, the Psalms, the Prophets, and then continuing with the New Testament.

 

Let the following Torah Shema-passage complete and direct our lives as to the answer how to live

daily and how to be “PERFECT” as we are instructed by the Messiah Himself.

Deut. 6:4–9 is profound.

“Shema Yisrael: YHWH is our Elohim, YHWH is Echad; And you shall love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your might. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently (meticulously, conscientiously, thoroughly, carefully) to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for an ot (sign) upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the posts of your house, and on your gates”.

 

We are to walk Torah, we are to talk Torah, we are to sleep Torah, we are to think Torah, we are to teach Torah in order to become (Strongs G1096 in Joh. 1:17) LIKE YAHSHUA, to allow the Ruach Hakodesh (Spirit) to bear in us the fruit that fits our new nature in Yahshua the Messiah. Read this verse together with Rom. 10:4 and also the foundational verse Deut. 6:25. It is an astonishing study on itself.

 

YHWH the Most High confirms:

“The Torah of YHWH is perfect, returning/converting the soul” (Strongs H7725) and Yaakov 1:21 echoes Ps. 19:7 where he urges us to LAY OFF all filthiness and superficial “trash” (misleading doctrines and meaningless arguments, etc.) “and receive with meekness (lowly humble attitude, teachable spirit) THE ENGRAFTED TORAH which is ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS”.  Yaakov (James)specifically here points to the promise given in Jer. 31:31. This is an astonishing revelation!

OUR FATHER PROVIDED THE SHABBAT FOR HIS CHILDREN AS A DAY OF COMPLETE REST TO ENABLE HIS CHILDREN TO BE SET APART FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD AS HE INSTRUCTED AND TO WALK BEFORE HIM IN PERFECTION

 

Read Isa. 58:13–14 very cautiously.

Internalise these Scriptures into your being. Turn off your Television sets, turn off your cell phones, set yourself apart from the world. Read and study Torah.

Let this set apart day which is a sign of the Most High be a special appointment with your Maker. Internalise the engrafted Torah of YHWH into your mind, into your being. Let it become part of who you are, so much so that at night you even start to dream Torah.

The Torah of YHWH starts to blend into the whole of who you are and supernaturally by the working of our Father’s Ruach Hakodesh (Spirit), we are becoming like Yahshua, acquiring His perfect nature, receiving His DNA, set apart unto Him alone.

 

And when you realize that you have been favoured by the Ruach HaKodesh, the Spirit of the Most High, and have been drawn by YHWH the Father to Himself you can then decide whether you love your Messiah Yahshua so much that you want to show your love and that you want to please Him by complying with all of the practicable Torah commands which can humanly possibly be executed.  

 

Do you love your Hebrew Messiah so much that you are willing to call Him by His Only Name, His Hebrew Name, His Set Apart Name which is for all generations?

 

Do you love your Hebrew Messiah so much that you are willing to revert to the 7^th day Shabbat of the 4^th Command, in stead of the 1^st day Sunday, the Pagan Christian day of worship which was introduced by humans like Constantine and later confirmed by the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church?

 

Do you love your Hebrew Messiah so much that you are willing to plan your yearly vacations around the feast days of YHWH and to celebrate them as He instructed in Leviticus 23 according to His Scriptural calendar?

 

Do you love your Hebrew Messiah so much that you are willing to have your male offspring circumcised on the 8^th day in accordance to His Covenant with your father Avraham of which you are a descendant?

 

Do you love your Hebrew Messiah so much that you as an adult male are willing to have a physical circumcision done as a token, a sign of the preceding circumcision of your heart by the Ruach Hakodesh, as was the case with our father Avraham?

 

Do you love your Hebrew Messiah so much that you are willing to start doing all of Torah that you are humanly able to do and to follow them diligently?

 

Or do you love Him not that much, just not enough, finding excuses to remain in and to continue in your Christian faith which betrays the real Hebrew Yahshua who was and is the Living Torah and who kept all of Torah.  

To love the Hebrew Messiah Yahshua with all of your heart, all of your body, soul, and intellect implies forsaking one’s convenient Christian lifestyle. It means that one will have to start living a radical Torah obedient lifestyle which is totally contrary to the normal lifestyle of the Christian and which can cause the true loving and faithful believer in Yahshua many inconveniences during his earthly sojourn on this planet earth. This Torah obedient lifestyle could cost a believer his earthly possessions and even his life.

 

Remember, under the Renewed Covenant (the Melchizedekian Covenant), LOVE is the driving force, is the only motivation for wanting to obey Yahshua’s Torah, for wanting to comply with life’s instructions given by the Melchizedekian High Priest Yahshua.

 

Nobody compels you to obey our Melchizedekian High Priest’s instructions like under the Levitical Priesthood where transgression of even the Shabbat was sanctioned with the death penalty.

It is only your personal choice, motivated by your love for the Messiah Yahshua, that will let you either continue within the erroneous Christian doctrines which make the Torah of YHWH obsolete or to repent and to effect a 180 degree about turn and to start to obey Torah in it’s totality.

BUT BE WARNED, our Melchizedekian High Priest Himself, seriously admonished that anyone trying to make any of even the “lesser” Torah instructions, null and void, will be regarded as unimportant in the Melchizedekian Kingdom (Mat.5:17-18).

BE WARNED, our Melchizedekian High Priest Himself declared with relentlessness that He personally will have everyone removed from His presence who kept not the Torah, those who were Torah-less. Those who only loved Him so much as to call on His Name but not wanting to obey His Instructions (Mat.7:21 – 23)

This is scary. Our High Priest warns that Moshe will be our prosecutor. This is not an idle threat. This is reality. Moshe will prosecute and the Son of YHWH, our High Priest will be the judge. He will judge in righteousness and He will remember His own stern warning given in Mat. 7:23.

 

And the Apostle Kepha understood the reality of this teaching of Yahshua. When reading his warning to all of the Israelites scattered amongst the nations of the earth, it gives one goosebumps. In 1 Pet. 4:17-18 he issues this terrible dire warning.

 

1. Judgement must begin at the house of YHWH.

2. Judgement will begin with the believers.

 

3. Compliance, obedience to the Torah, the Besorah/Gospel, will be the standard norm.

(What shall the end be of them that OBEY not the gospel of YHWH? Obedience, compliance to Torah is at stake here. The Apostle does not say “believe”, he clearly refers to the obedience of the gospel of YHWH).

 

4. The righteous will scarcely be saved.

(This is frightening. Who is the righteous? Moshe tells us who they are. “And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe TO DO all these commandments before YHWH our Elohim, as He has commanded us to do”  (Deut. 6:25 and Rom. 10:4).  

 

5. The end result of two groups of persons are questioned. The wicked and the sinner, where shall they appear?

(The wicked is part of the Torah-less. They are the evil personified.

Sin is the transgression of the Torah, says the Apostle John, and the sinner therefore is he who transgresses the Torah).

 

May this be a wake up call to each and every Christian believer who has read this far. Having read this far, you have placed yourself in a serious position where you will not be able to deny and plead that “I did not know”.      

I pray that you meticulously and cautiously search after the whole truth and nothing but the truth, “So help me YHWH Yahshua”.

 

PRAYER

“Father YHWH, I pray to you through Your eternal Melchizedekian High Priest Yahshua, our only Mediator, that You will let your Ruach hover over all the inhabitants of the earth, over all of them whom You have chosen, to open their eyes and ears to the Gospel of YHWH: the Gospel that have been proclaimed by a sequence of human Priests in and after the Order of Melchisedec from the time of Adahm, Noah, Avraham, Moshe, right through the ages up to the time of our Messiah Yahshua and even now in this present age and the ages to come. Until You return to judge the world with fire. When Your final long awaited eternal Kingdom will come and ALL of Your Covenants will be fulfilled and established with Your Set Apart people, irrespective of race and colour, and You will be ONE in all and when You will personally teach us Your Living Torah for ever and ever.  Thank You Father YHWH, through Your Son Yahshua, that you will answer this prayer as You have foretold this through Your Set Apart prophets.  Amein.”

 

J L du Plessis

koosdupl@gmail.com

1^st  Month 2011