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Lesson 11 - The New-covenant Ministry of JesusIntroduction: "Covenant" means promise or agreement. God's covenant is His promise and plan to save us. It is His "plan of salvation." The Bible speaks of two covenants-the old one, made at Sinai, and the new one, established and finished at the cross. Let us compare the two. 1. From where does Jesus carry on His new-covenant ministry for us? Heb. 8:1, 2 (Hebrews 8:1-2 NKJV) "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, {2} a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man." [Ans. At the right hand of God in the heavenly sanctuary. The Further-study verses are Rev. 1:13; 4:5; 8:3, 4; 11:19] 2. Where were the old-covenant services performed? Heb. 9:1-5 (Hebrews 9:1-5 NKJV) "Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of
divine service and the earthly sanctuary." (2) For a tabernacle was prepared: the
first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the
sanctuary; (3) and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the
Holiest of All, (4) which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on
all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that
budded, and the tablets of the covenant; (5) and above it were the cherubim of glory
overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail." 3. What did Paul call the old-covenant sanctuary, with its earthly services? Heb. 9:24 (Hebrews 9:24 NKJV) "For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;" [Ans: "Copies" of the true. Note: The old covenant is a picture of the new covenant. It is the plan of salvation illustrated. In some respects it is like a picture of a man's wife. The man may show it to you and say, "This is my wife." But is it really? No, it is only a picture! He may treasure the picture, but it cannot replace his wife. The Jewish nation hung on to the old-covenant "picture" but rejected the One to whom it pointed forward-Jesus and His ministry. We could also illustrate it with a blueprint of a house which is made before the house is built. Heb. 8:3-5] 4. When God illustrated His plan of salvation at Sinai, what covenant did the people make with Him? Ex. 19:8 (Exodus 19:8 NKJV) "Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD." [Note: When God gave the old covenant at Sinai, the people promised to keep it, and they intended to, but they could not do so in their own strength (Rom. 8:3). They should have asked God for help; then the Savior, to whom the old covenant pointed forward, would have come into their hearts and delivered them from the power of sin. Matt. 1:21; John 8:34-36; Ex. 25:8] 5. What was the purpose of the laws of the earthly sanctuary? Gal. 3:24 [John 5:46, 47; Heb. 10:1] (Galatians 3:24 NKJV) "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." 6. Everything in the old covenant-its people, its law, its sanctuary and services, its capital city, etc.-represented (or pictured) something in the new covenant established at the cross. Who did the HIGH PRIEST represent? Heb. 4:14-16 [1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 2:17; 3:1] (Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV) "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. {15} For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. {16} Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." 7. Who did the TEMPLE of the old covenant, the literal children of Abraham, represent? Gal. 3:9, 29 [Rom. 2:28, 29; Gen. 17: 1-7; Eze. 34:30; Matt. 3:9; John 8:37, 44] (Galatians 3:9 NKJV) "So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham." (Galatians 3:29 NKJV) "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." 8. What new-covenant capital city corresponds to the old-covenant CAPITAL? Gal. 4:24-26 (Galatians 4:24-26 NKJV) "which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar; {25} for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children; {26} but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all." [Note: Some people still look to old-covenant Jerusalem for the fulfillment of God's promises. Like the Pharisees, they are clinging to the old-covenant "picture"; but that covenant was nailed to the cross. The old covenant was like Hagar. Hagar was intended to be the midwife to deliver the child of promise, but she was never intended to be the mother of that child. Thus the old covenant was perfect for leading God's people to Christ and to the New Jerusalem, but it was never intended to take its place. John 8:34-36; Heb. 10:4; 11:8-10] 9. How did the old covenant SACRIFICES take away sins? Heb. 10:4, 5 (Hebrews 10:4-5 NKJV) "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. {5} Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me." [Ans: They didn't. Those who trusted in these sacrifices alone, were lost. The sacrificial system was designed to develop and show one's faith in the coming Messiah. Acts 4:12] 10. Who did the LAMB represent? John 1:29 [1 Cor. 5:7] (John 1:29 NKJV) "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" 11. In the old covenant, what was one purpose of the ten-commandment LAW written on stone? Rom. 7:7-10 [James 1:23, 24; 2:10-12; Ex. 24:12; Deut. 4:13] (Romans 7:7-10 NKJV) "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." {8} But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. {9} I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. {10} And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death." 12. Besides providing forgiveness for breaking God's law, why else did Jesus come to earth? Rom. 8:3, 4 (Romans 8:3-4 NKJV) "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, {4} that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." [Ans: To give us power to keep God's law. 1 John 3:4-6] 13. God's law was written on STONE in the old-covenant "picture." Where is it written in the new covenant? Heb. 10:16 [Eze. 11:19, 20; 2 Cor. 3:7-10, 18; 1 John 2:3-5] (Hebrews 10:16 NKJV) ""This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,"" Commitment: Some have wondered why, when the Ten Commandments were included in the old covenant, the New Testament says, "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may . . . enter . . . the [New Jerusalem] city" (Rev. 22:14, NKJV). But the old covenant merely foreshadowed the new. In the new covenant the commandments are to be written on our hearts. Do you want Jesus to perform this new-covenant ministry in your life?
Further Study VersesQuestion 1 - Further Study (Revelation 1:13 NKJV) "and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band." (Revelation 1:19 NKJV) ""Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this." (Revelation 4:5 NKJV) "And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." (Revelation 8:3-4 NKJV) "Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. {4} And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand." -->Back to Study Question 2 - Further Study (Exodus 16:33-34 NKJV) "And Moses said to Aaron, "Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations." {34} As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept." (Exodus 25:8-9 NKJV) ""And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. {9} "According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it." (Exodus 25:40 NKJV) ""And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain." (Numbers 17:10 NKJV) "And the LORD said to Moses, "Bring Aaron's rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die."" -->Back to Study Question 3 - Further Study (Hebrews 8:3-5 NKJV) "For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. {4} For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; {5} who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."" -->Back to Study Question 4 - Further Study (Matthew 1:21 NKJV) ""And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."" (John 8:34-36 NKJV) "Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. {35} "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. {36} "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (Exodus 25:8 NKJV) ""And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." -->Back to Study Question 5 - Further Study (John 5:46-47 NKJV) ""For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. {47} "But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"" (Hebrews 10:1 NKJV) "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect." -->Back to Study Question 6 - Further Study (1 Timothy 2:5 NKJV) "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus," (Hebrews 2:17 NKJV) "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 3:1 NKJV) "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus," -->Back to Study Question 7 - Further Study (Romans 2:28-29 NKJV) "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; {29} but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God." (Genesis 17:1-7 NKJV) "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. {2} "And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." {3} Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: {4} "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. {5} "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. {6} "I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. {7} "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you." (Ezekiel 34:30 NKJV) ""Thus they shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people," says the Lord GOD.'"" (Matthew 3:9 NKJV) ""and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones." (John 8:37-44 NKJV) ""I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. {38} "I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father." {39} They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. {40} "But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. {41} "You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father; God." {42} Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. {43} "Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. {44} "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." -->Back to Study Question 8 - Further Study (John 8:34-36 NKJV) "Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. {35} "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. {36} "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (Hebrews 10:4 NKJV) "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins." (Hebrews 11:8-10 NKJV) "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. {9} By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; {10} for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." -->Back to Study Question 9 - Further Study (Acts 4:12 NKJV) ""Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."" -->Back to Study Question 10 - Further Study (1 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV) "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." -->Back to Study Question 11 - Further Study (James 1:23-24 NKJV) "For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; {24} for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." (James 2:10-12 NKJV) "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. {11} For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. {12} So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty." (Exodus 24:12 NKJV) "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them."" (Deuteronomy 4:13 NKJV) ""So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone." -->Back to Study Question 12 - Further Study (1 John 3:4-6 NKJV) "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. {5} And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. {6} Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him." -->Back to Study Question 13 - Further Study (Ezekiel 11:19-20 NKJV) ""Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, {20} "that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God." (2 Corinthians 3:7-10 NKJV) "But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, {8} how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? {9} For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. {10} For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels." (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV) "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (1 John 2:3-5 NKJV) "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. {4} He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. {5} But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him." -->Back to Study
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