-by Belo Alvaran

Before ratifying his berith, God subjected Abraham to a series of what maybe called aptitude tests.

Section I.   GOD PUTS ABRAHAM TO MULTIPLE TESTS

Gene 22:1 (KJV) And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt (put to the test for good reason) Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, [here] I [am]. 2 And the LORD said to Abraham, Take now your son, your only [son] Isaac, whom you love, and get you into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of.

Jame 1:13 (KJV) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man (i.e., with evil intent):

Comments: God as King has the prerogative to impose terms and conditions he deems necessary on his creation like Abraham in pursuit of his Plan, to create man after his own likeness mentioned in Gene 1:26. God gave Abraham several tests to determine whether Abraham was fit to be made spirit enjoying eternal life and wielding tremendous power like God. It would also determine whether he would make a good father to a multitude of nations as God said earlier in chapter 17:

Gene 17:5 (KJV) Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you 6 And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you.

Even today, tests and assessments are tools employed by psychologists to determine a person’s aptitude.  Here is a quote from a psychologist’s website:

Tests and Assessments

Source: https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/assessment

Tests and Assessments are two separate but related components of a PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION…TO DETERMINE IF A PERSON WOULD BE A GOOD MANAGER OR HOW WELL THEY MAY WORK WITH A TEAM…

Together, testing and assessment allows a psychologist to see the full picture of a person’s STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS.

It may not be common knowledge, but God subjected Abraham to a BATTERY OF TESTS.  Here they are, taken from the Jewish website

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1324268/jewish/What-Were-Abrahams-10-Tests.htm:

Summary of Abraham’s ten (10) TESTS OF OBEDIENCE:

1. God told him to leave his homeland to be a stranger in the land of Canaan.

Gene 12:1 (KJV) Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house, unto a land that I will show you:

Note that Abraham obeyed God without question; neither did he make any statement of doubt or resistance.  By bringing his wife, nephew and servants and all their belongings all at once, he showed no intention to return (animus revertendi is the legal term), which if he did, would be a sign of resistance.  His decision to relocate his entire household was therefore final and without reservations.

Gene 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram [was] seventy and five (75) years old when he departed out of Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite [was] then in the land…9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. 

1.  Immediately upon his arrival in Canaan, he encountered a famine.

Gene 12:10 And there was a famine in the land (of Canaan): and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine [was] grievous in the land.

Note that Abraham did not say a word of remorse or resentment towards God for bringing them there whereas their previous residence was probably, just probably, abundant and a more comfortable place to live in.

By comparison, the Israelites MURMURED AGAINST MOSES and against God when they faced difficulties during their journey to the Promised Land. 

“Murmur” means to grumble in low tones, TO CONFER SECRETLY TOGETHER.  It is a form of criticism, and rebellion.  They wanted to return to Egypt:

Numb 11:5 (KJV) We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:

God also gave the Israelites TEN TESTS, and they failed all of them:

Numb 14:22 (KJV) Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these TEN (10) TIMES, and HAVE NOT HEARKENED TO MY VOICE; 23 Surely THEY SHALL NOT SEE THE LAND which I swore unto their fathers, neither shall ANY OF THEM THAT PROVOKED me see it:

Those Israelites who murmured died in the wilderness. 

Numb 14:35 (KJV) I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together (or murmured) against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

Parallelism: Those who criticized God’s servants have in effect murmured against God.  Paul made it clear to his Gentile converts that those who would MURMUR against God and his servants shall be destroyed:

1Cor 10:10 (KJV) Neither murmur (confer secretly together) you (to criticize God’s servants), as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples (as lessons to learn from): and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Let’s continue with God’s tests for Abraham.  Abraham avoided the famine by moving to Egypt.  In short, he had to relocate his family again to avoid the famine. 

But there in Egypt, God’s tests would continue.  Most of us have gone through this kind of fiery trial one way or another:

1Pet 4:12 (KJV) Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1Cor 10:13 (KJV) There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Let’s continue with Abram’s tests:

1. The Egyptians seized his beautiful wife Sarai and brought her to the Pharaoh.

Gene 12:14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman (Sarai) that she [was] very fair. 15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman WAS TAKEN into Pharaoh’s house. …

But God intervened! 

Gene 12:17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What [is] this [that] you have done unto me? Why did you not tell me that she [was] your wife?…now therefore behold your wife, take [her], and go your way…20 And Pharaoh commanded [his] men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

Note that Abraham did not blame God nor say any indignant words for what happened to his wife, not even a minor complaint.

1. Abraham was constrained to fight a war to rescue his nephew Lot who was captured by invaders. 

Gene 14:1 (KJV) And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations (four kings in all);

2 [That these four kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar (five kings in all).

…11 And (the invading four kings) took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these (three men) [were] CONFEDERATE (allies) with Abram. 14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained [servants], born in his own house, THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN, and pursued [them] unto Dan. 15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which [is] on the left hand of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

Probably to give Abraham some encouragements, God’s representative was there to greet him:

…18 And Melchizedek King of Salem (i.e., King of Righteousness, not a literal king) brought forth bread and wine: and he [was] the PRIEST of the MOST HIGH GOD.

19 And he blessed him (indicating Abram was passing the tests so far!), and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth (This was equivalent to saying “CONGRATULATIONS!”)

• God delayed giving Abraham a son through Sarai

Abraham was already a senior citizen at this time.  Note that Abraham did not exhibit any resentment or anger toward God for not giving him children through Sarai.  But he conveyed to God his sentiment in a RESPECTFUL manner:

Gene 15:2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said (further), Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, lo, one BORN IN MY HOUSE is my heir. 4 And, behold, the word of the LORD [came] unto him, saying, This (Eliezer of Damascus) shall not be your heir; but he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir.

Gene 18:14 (KJV) Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Note that Abraham did not complain on the delay of God’s promised heir considering his age.  It was Sarai, Abraham’s wife, who took matters into her own hands:

Gene 16:1 (KJV) Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name [was] Hagar.

2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD had restrained me from bearing: I pray you, GO IN unto my maid; IT MAY BE THAT I MAY OBTAIN CHILDREN BY HER. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 

3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt TEN (10) YEARS in the land of Canaan (he was 75 when he left Haran), and gave her to her husband Abram to be his WIFE.

As a result, Abraham had children of the flesh:

…15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, ISHMAEL. 16 And Abram [was] FOURSCORE AND SIX (86) YEARS OLD, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

Roma 9:8 (KJV)…They which are the CHILDREN OF THE FLESH (from Ishmael), these [are] NOT the children of God: but the CHILDREN OF THE PROMISE (from Isaac) are counted for the seed. 9 For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

Sixteen (16) years later, God’s tests for Abraham would continue:

• God told Abraham to circumcise himself at an advanced age.

Gene 17:1 (KJV) And when Abram was NINETY YEARS OLD AND NINE (99), the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be you perfect. {perfect: or, upright, or, sincere} 2 And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly…

God finally amends his covenant for Abraham:

4 As for me, behold, MY COVENANT [is] already with you, and (this is an amendment) you shall be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you. {Abraham: that is, Father of a great multitude} 6 And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you.

Covenant to be ratified:

7 And I WILL (future tense) ratify my covenant between me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant,

This is the Main Proviso in the covenant:

TO BE A GOD UNTO YOU, AND TO YOUR SEED AFTER YOU.

8 And I will give unto you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I WILL BE THEIR GOD.

9 And God said unto Abraham, You shall keep my covenant therefore (to be a God unto you and circumcision as token), you, and your seed after you in their generations.

For those who missed our previous discussion, we have established that this proviso – to be a God unto you – was present in all of God’s beriths for Isaac, Jacob and the Israelites. 

Let’s continue with God’s tests for Abraham. 

God required a token that Abraham and his descendants have indeed accepted God as their God: 

Gene 17:10 This [is] my covenant (another amendment to an existing one), which you (Abraham) shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you; Every man child among you shall be CIRCUMCISED. 11 And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin (at age 99!); and it shall be a TOKEN of the covenant between me and you.

A token is simply a sign or proof that God has an existing covenant with Abraham and that Abraham acceded to it.

Note that Abraham did not object for health reason or anything.  He went through with circumcision.  God’s tests would continue:

• The King of Gerar captured Sarah, intending to take her for himself

Gene 20:1 (KJV) And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar (in the Negev near today’s Palestinian territories in Gaza). 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She [is] my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

This was a repeat of what the Pharaoh did.  Abram was powerless to save his wife.  So God also repeated his intervention. 

Note that Abraham did not say any word against God or even to Abimelech. 

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, you [are but] a DEAD MAN for the woman which you have taken; for she [is] a man’s wife.

…7 Now therefore restore the man [his] wife; for he [is] a prophet, and he shall pray for you, and you shall live: and if you restore [her] not, know you that YOU SHALL SURELY DIE, you, and all that [are] yours.

• God told Abraham to send Hagar away after having a child with her.

Gene 21:1 (KJV) And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

…9 And Sarah saw (Ishmael) the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, MOCKING. 10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, [even] with Isaac.

11 And the thing was very GRIEVOUS in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

12 And GOD SAID UNTO ABRAHAM, LET IT NOT BE GRIEVOUS IN YOUR SIGHT BECAUSE OF THE LAD, and because of your bondwoman; in all that Sarah had said unto you, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall your seed be called. 13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he [is] your seed.

Note that Abraham did not resist God’s decision.

14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave [it] unto Hagar, putting [it] on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed…

ix.   His son, Ishmael, grew up estranged from him

Gene 25:12 (KJV) Now these [are] the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham: 13 And these [are] the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, 15 Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah (twelve in all):…18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that [is] before EGYPT (away from Abraham), as you go toward Assyria:…

Note that Abraham did not express any ill will against God for keeping his grandchildren away from him.

We need to discuss at length Abraham’s TEST NUMBER TEN, which was the most difficult of all.

Section II.  ABRAHAM’S 10^th TEST

x.   God told him to sacrifice his dear son Isaac upon an altar.

Gene 22:1 (KJV) And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt (put to the test for good reason) Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, [here] I [am].

2 And he said, Take now your son, your only [son] Isaac, whom you love, and get you into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

…9 …and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here [am] I.

12 And he said, Lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do you anything unto him: for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only [son] from me. (In short, Abraham passed the last and most severe test of obedience!) 

To summarize, Abraham passed all the ten (10) tests that God made him go through.  It is worth noting that, while under difficulties, he never murmured nor said anything against God his creator. 

Section III.  GOD RATIFIES HIS BERITH

In most sworn statements, there is a short paragraph, called jurat, indicating before whom the oath-taker had sworn to, which is normally a public notary, or a judge so that in an oath-taking ceremony, there are two parties present:  the one executing the oath and the one administering the oath, a person in authority.  The one executing the ‘oath’ has to raise his right hand and swear before a higher authority, or before a judge, as every US President does during his inauguration.

As the HIGHEST AUTHORITY, God has no higher authority to swear by, so He had to swear by Himself.  In short, God “notarized” or “RATIFIED” His own berith.  This act of God rendered His berith legal and binding.

… Gene 22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

Here was the OATH OF GOD, “SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO” BY HIMSELF and BEFORE HIMSELF.Remember this fact: God’s berith for Abraham was under oath! God had sworn by Himself!

Abraham did not see God executing the oath, but God sent an angel to tell Abraham that he did it.  The oath-taking ceremony was done in heaven by God the Father himself:

16 And (the angel) said (to Abraham), BY MYSELF HAVE I SWORN, said the LORD, for because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only [son]: 17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in your seed (who was to be Jesus Christ) shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; BECAUSE YOU HAVE OBEYED MY VOICE (indicating Abraham had accepted God as his God).

There it is.  God’s berith for Abraham, and for his descendants who would access it later, was RATIFIED as God said in Gene 17:7:

Gene 17:7 (KJV) And I will ratify my covenant between me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, TO BE A GOD UNTO YOU, and (thru accession) to your seed after you.

This ratification act of God is a decree in itself and, since its subject was his covenant with Abraham, then his covenant for Abraham became part of the decree.  Henceforth, God could say “my covenant” by which he meant my decree!

RATIFICATION ONLY ONCE

Another point:  Since God’s berith for Abraham now serves as the “mother law” after ratification, there is no need for God to ratify again and again the same covenant every time someone of Abraham’s seed would access it later on.

MODERN-DAY APPLICATION OF GOD’S BERITH

THE AMERICAN SLAVES

Are there black people in the physical household of Abraham? Most blacks of old were bought INDIVIDUALLY (similar to retail trade) by the Americans from slave traders.  They became their household members and therefore covered by God’s berith for Abraham.  Here is the pertinent provision:

Gene 17:12 (KJV) And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or BOUGHT WITH MONEY OF ANY STRANGER, which [is] not of your seed. 13 He that is born in your house, and he that is bought with your money, must needs be circumcised: and (the token of) my COVENANT shall be in your flesh for an everlasting COVENANT.

Egypt is in Africa, and most of Africa was once under the Egyptian Empire.  For this reason, Africans are technically Egyptians, just as the Apostle Paul was technically a Roman because his birth place in Turkey was then under the Roman Empire.  The Africans who were imported into the United States and sold as slaves by human traffickers were therefore technically Egyptians. Consequently, because the Americans are God’s people, God had to also call the Egyptians “my people” in accordance to his berith.

Isai 19:24 (KJV) In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, [even] (Israel shall be) a blessing in the midst of the land: 25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed [be] Egypt MY PEOPLE, and (blessed be) Assyria the work of my hands, and (blessed be) Israel MY INHERITANCE.

FILIPINOS PURCHASED WHOLESALE

Question:  Are Filipinos covered by God’s berith for Abraham?  Answer: Yes. Filipinos were BOUGHT with money by Israelite US leaders in 1898 when the US government decided to purchase the ENTIRE Philippines from Spain for US$20 Million under the so-called Treaty of Paris. 

The Filipinos were therefore a purchased people of Abraham’s descendants and, as such, are part of the physical household of Abraham.  It is just right that their males are circumcised. 

ABRAHAM BECAME A FRIEND OF GOD

Gene 26:5 (KJV, God speaking to Isaac) …Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Isai 41:8 (KJV, the LORD speaking) But you, Israel, [are] my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of ABRAHAM MY FRIEND.

Next: CHAPTER 9 – Accession to God’s berith by Isaac and Jacob

-by Belo Alvaran

FOREWORD

Very briefly, the Protocol to the Berith of God prescribes that Abraham and all the males in his immediate household down to his descendants, and all persons who were bought with their money, should be circumcised. 

To reiterate, an amendment to a law is a law in itself, but it becomes part of the law that it amended.  This Protocol therefore is a part of God’s initial berith for Abram. 

Section I. CIRCUMCISION AS TOKEN OF ABRAHAM’S ACCEPTANCE OF GOD’S BERITH

Gene 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, You shall keep my berith therefore, you, and your seed after you in their generations.

10 This [is] my berith (this is an amendment to the original berith; God calls it a berith because only another berith can amend a berith) which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you; EVERY MAN CHILD AMONG YOU SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED.

11 And you (Abraham) shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a TOKEN of the COVENANT (berith) between me and you.

The word TOKEN means proof of existence.

Note that in verse 9, God dictated the terms in the form of a commandment similar to the Ten Commandments:  “9 You shall keep my berith therefore…” This is a command.  David recognized it as such:

Psal 105:7 (KJV) He [is] the LORD our God: his judgments [are] in all the earth. 8 He keeps in remembrance his berith forever, the word [which] he COMMANDED to a thousand generations. 9 Which [berith] he made for Abraham, …

Since there were no negotiations, then this berith was a DECREE.  A decree of God is a law in itself.

Section II.  COVERAGE OF BERITH ON CIRCUMCISION

Gene 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house,

Section III.  ACCESSION CLAUSE

or (he that is) bought with money of any stranger (Gentile), which [is] NOT OF YOUR SEED. 

13 He that is born in your house, and he that is BOUGHT with your (i.e., Abraham’s and his seed’s) money must needs be circumcised: and my BERITH (i.e., the token) shall be in your flesh…(continued in Section IV)

Please note this provision very well because this is the “accession clause”. With this provision, God allows some Gentiles, initially, to become part of the physical household of Abraham.  

Section IV.  VALIDITY OF THE COVENANT

…for an everlasting BERITH.

Note: unless everlasting has reached its end, this berith is still valid today.

More notes on the “ACCESSION CLAUSE”

Multilateral agreements normally have an “accession clause” to enable other parties to join at a later time.

For example, the agreement among the ASEAN countries has it.  The fourth item in the initial ASEAN Declaration dated 08 August 1967 says:

“…the Association is OPEN FOR PARTICIPATION to all States in the South-East Asian Region subscribing to the aforementioned aims, principles and purposes.”

That was the “accession clause” in the ASEAN Declaration.

The group had only 5 original members: Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.  Brunei joined in 1984, followed by Vietnam in 1995, Laos and Burma in 1997 and Cambodia in 1999 thus increasing the group’s membership to ten (10) countries.

GOD’S BERITH FOR ABRAHAM OPEN TO ACCESSION

God’s covenant for Abraham had an accession clause for Abraham’s physical seed who were Isaac, Jacob and the Israelites:

Gene 17:7 And I will RATIFY my berith for you and (through accession, i.e., if they decided to accept God’s terms) your seed after you in their generations for an EVERLASTING berith…

However, there is also an accession clause for those who were not Abraham’s physical seed, i.e., if they were bought with money by Abraham’s descendants.

Let’s read again the pertinent provisions

Gene 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is BORN IN THE HOUSE, or (this is the “accession clause” for non-Israelites) BOUGHT WITH MONEY of any stranger (Gentile), which [is] not of your seed.  13 He that is BORN in your house, and he that is BOUGHT with your (i.e., Abraham’s and his seed’s) money must needs be circumcised: and (the token of) my COVENANT shall be in your FLESH for an everlasting COVENANT.

Note that the accession is at the initiative of the “buyer” who must be a descendant of Abraham, not the “seller” who belongs to other nations.   Clearly, Gentiles cannot access the covenant just because they wanted to; they need to be bought by any descendant of Abraham.

In like manner, Christ, the “seed” of Abraham, is the one who decides on who will be made spiritual children of Abraham to be reconciled to God the Father:

John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus said unto him, I am the way…no man comes unto the Father (to be reconciled, begotten and given eternal life), but by me.

We will discuss under different cover how anyone could become part of the seed of Abraham. 

Let’s continue with God’s berith for Abraham on physical circumcision:

Section V.  PENALTY FOR NON-COMPLIANCE WITH CIRCUMCISION

Gene 17:14 And the UNCIRCUMCISED man child (among Abraham’s physical descendants and those bought with their money) whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he had broken my berith (on circumcision, thus in effect not recognizing God as his God).

The same treatment is prescribed for modern-day non-believers:

Titu 3:10 (KJV) A man that is an heretic (one who doesn’t believe in God and therefore not seed of Abraham by faith) after the first and second admonition reject; 

Section VI.  SARAI’S NAME CHANGED TO SARAH

Gene17:15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah [shall] her name [be]. {Sarah: that is Princess}

This is God’s PROMISE which was part of his berith under oath.  This oath is in itself a berith as Paul mentioned in Galatians 4:22-24:

16 And I will bless her (Sarah), and give you a son (Isaac) also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be [a mother] of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old (90), bear?

18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before you! (This was only a wish on the part of Abraham, not a precondition to an agreement)

19 And God said (denied!), Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed; and (this is a command) you shall call his name Isaac: and I will establish (ratify, make binding) my COVENANT (berith, the same thing He issued for Abraham, i.e., TO BE HIS GOD) with him for an everlasting COVENANT, [and] with his seed after him.

God’s berith for Abraham was under oath.  In that berith, God promised Abraham a son.  God fulfilled that promise in the person of Isaac.  God’s “promise” became synonymous with His oath.  This oath was in itself a covenant as mentioned by Paul in Galatians 4:22-24. 

It should be remembered that only a covenant can amend a covenant, just as only a law can amend a law from the same law-giver:

Psal 105:7 (KJV) He [is] the LORD our God: his judgments [are] in all the earth. 8 He keeps in remembrancehis COVENANT forever, the word [which] he commanded to a thousand generations. 9 Which [COVENANT] he made with Abraham, and his OATH unto Isaac;

Gene17:20 And as for Ishmael (who was Abraham’s son with Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid), I have heard you (Abraham’s plea): Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and (this is God’s berith for Ishmael) will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget (the Arabs), and I will make him a great nation.

He did:

Gene 25:13 (KJV) And these [are] the names of the (twelve) sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, 15 Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:

Note that God’s pronouncement for Ishmael is also a berith in itself.  Therefore there are two beriths being identified here:  one concerning Isaac, and the other concerning Ishmael.

21 But my COVENANT (with Abraham) will I establish (confirm) with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto you at this set time in the next year.

To remind us, the word ‘establish’, Heb. quwm, item 6965 in Strong’s, means to confirm, ratify.  God would give Abraham a son through Sarah to be named Isaac to start the blessings He promised to Abraham.  In short, God wanted Abraham’s descendants from Isaac, not from Ishmael, to be the initial batch of humans to be created in God’s likeness.

God was the one who promised to give Abraham a son by Sarah.  Isaac therefore was a SON OF PROMISE, while Ishmael was a SON OF THE FLESH.  Paul made this clear in his letter to the Galatians during his first journey (probably before he became apostle to the Gentiles).  According to WCG researchers, the Galatians are partly the French today.  They are the descendants of Reuben and therefore Israelites. The other parts of the French people, the governing elite, are mostly, but not purely Chaldeans.

Let Paul explain God’s beriths, one for Ishmael and one for Isaac:

Gala 4:22 (KJV) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid (Hagar), the other by a freewoman (Sarah). 23 But Ishmael [who was] of Hagar the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but Isaac of Sarah the freewoman was born by God’s promise. 24 Which things are an allegory (symbols or representations): for these are the two COVENANTS (margin: TESTAMENTS – these are NOT the so-called “old” and “new” testaments.  They were God’s DECREE each for the two sons of Abraham); the one decree for Mount Sinai, which gendered to bondage, which is Hagar. 25 For this Hagar is a type of Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which was under Roman occupation during Paul’s time, and is in bondage with her children.

26 But the other Jerusalem which is above which corresponds to Sarah is free, which is the mother of us all. …28 Now we, brethren (Galatian Reubenites), as Isaac was, are the CHILDREN OF PROMISE. 29 But as then he that was BORN AFTER THE FLESH (the Ishmaelites, now the Arabs and Muslims) persecuted him (Isaac, Patriarch of the Americans and British and Jews) [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.

That will explain in a nutshell the cause of the present conflict in the world:  We can see that the Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael, born by Abraham’s cohabitation with Hagar, persecuting the children of Isaac, born to Sarah by the promise of God.  The perpetrators of the 9-11 Twin Towers attack in the United States were Arabs.  Osama bin Laden, founder of Al-Qaeda, was an Arab.  Al-Qaeda members still fighting in the Middle East are mostly Arabs. 

Iran, also Abraham’s children of the flesh through Keturah, Gene 25:1-4, has been stirring up trouble in the Middle East.

Gene 25:1 (KJV) Then again Abraham took a wife (after Sarah died), and her name [was] Keturah. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian (founders of the Medo-Persian Empire), and Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher (Father of Ephersians or Persians), and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these [were] the children of Keturah.

We Christian converts are considered children of Isaac because we have been grafted into the Israelite olive tree and became children of Abraham by faith in the blood of Christ.  We are Jews “inwardly” because our circumcision is in the heart.

Roma 2:29 (KJV) But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit (meaning his mind is receptive to instruction), [and] not in the letter whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.

 

ANNEX I.  UPDATE ON THE SIDE OF ABRAHAM:

Abraham obeyed God’s commandment regarding circumcision. 

Gene17:23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.

24 And Abraham [was] ninety years old and nine (99), when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

25 And Ishmael his son [was] thirteen (13) years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Ishmael was the Patriarch of the Arabs.  His descendants are also practicing circumcision. Here is an entry in Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khitan_(circumcision)

“Khitan (Arabic: ختان‎) or Khatna (Arabic: ختنة‎) is the term for male circumcision carried out as an Islamic culture by Muslims. Male circumcision is widespread in Islam and accepted as established practice by all Islamic schools of jurisprudence. It is considered a sign of belonging to the wider Islamic community.

“Islamic male circumcision is analogous but not identical to Jewish circumcision. Islam is currently the largest single religious group in which the practice is widespread, although circumcision is not mentioned in the Qur’an itself but is mentioned in a hadith and the sunnah. Whether or not it should be carried out after converting to Islam is debated among Islamic scholars.” (End of quotes)

Gene 17 continued:

26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

ANNEX II.  UPDATE ON THE SIDE OF GOD:

God fulfilled His promise to Abraham regarding Isaac.

Gene 21:1 (KJV) And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

Next: Part 8 – Abraham’s Ten (10) Tests AND the RATIFICATION

-by Belo Alvaran

God’s berith includes protection

Gene 15:1 (KJV) After these things (after Abram rescued Lot and his family from captivity) the word of the LORD came unto ABRAM in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] your SHIELD, [and] your exceeding great reward (to remind ourselves, the great reward was to be made into God’s likeness, Gene 1:26).

God provides the same protection to His children:

Psal 84:11 (KJV) For the LORD God [is] a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good [thing] will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Prov 30:5 (KJV) Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

More details in God’s BERITH for Abraham:

HEIR PROMISED TO ABRAHAM

Gene 15:2 (KJV) And Abram said, Lord GOD, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is my heir.

4 And, behold, the word of the LORD [came] unto him, saying, This (Eliezer of Damascus) shall not be your heir; but he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir.

5 And he brought him forth abroad (outside his house), and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if you are able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall your seed be.

6 And (this is the faith of Abraham) he believed in the LORD; and (the LORD) counted it to him for righteousness.

GENTILES TO BE ADDED TO ABRAHAM’S SEED

Gala 3:6 (KJV, Paul speaking) Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness; 7 Know you therefore that THEY (Gentiles) which are of faith (meaning, those who believe God), the same are the CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM.

We shall discuss here the blessing mentioned in Gene 22:18.  Questions:  Who will bless whom, and what is the blessing?

Gene 22:18 (KJV, God speaking to Abraham) And in your SEED shall all the nations of the earth be BLESSED; because you have obeyed my voice.

THE BLESSING

Gala 3:14 (KJV, Paul speaking to ISRAELITE converts, the Galatians who became French) That the BLESSING for Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that WE (Israelites and Gentiles) might receive the PROMISE OF THE (HOLY) SPIRIT (this is THE blessing – the HOLY SPIRIT, the “earnest” of our salvation, the beginning of the process of OUR begettal by God the Father) through faith.…26 For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

…29 And if you [be] Christ’s, then are you ABRAHAM’S SEED, and heirs (of God’s blessings) according to the promise.

THE ONE WHO BLESSES IS GOD THE FATHER

2Cor 1:21 (KJV, Paul speaking to GENTILE converts in Corinth) Now He which established us (Paul and his fellow ministers) with you (his converts) in Christ, and has anointed us, is GOD (the Father); 22 Who has also sealed us, and given the EARNEST OF THE (Holy) SPIRIT in our hearts (which makes them God’s children).

GOD CHANGES COVENANT TERMS THROUGH PAUL

2Cor 6:18 (KJV) And [I] WILL BE A FATHER UNTO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, said the Lord Almighty.

There is no record in the Old Testament where the LORD explicitly said this.  Paul was personally trained by Christ in Arabia at the time when Christ was already a spirit being, Gala 1:15-18.  Christ’s words were probably, just probably, Paul’s unwritten source.

Note the change in the terms of the berith.  Before, it was a stand-offish “I WILL BE TO YOU A GOD, AND YOU SHALL BE MY PEOPLE”. 

This time, it is a more endearing “I WILL BE A FATHER UNTO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS”. 

“People” refers to humans.  God used to deal with humans in an off-tangent manner because they could not see his face. 

“Sons and daughters” are different.  These are family members who have direct contact with their Father. His sons and daughters therefore are to become spirit beings like God.  When this happens, then God would have reproduced himself as he had planned.

To state clearly, the ONE who blesses both Israelites and Gentiles is GOD THE FATHER and the blessing comprised reconciliation with him, sonship, change of body from human to spirit and eternal life:

Roma 5:10 (KJV) For if, when we were enemies (sinners, unconverted), we were RECONCILED TO GOD by the death of his Son (when he offered himself as sin sacrifice), much more, being RECONCILED, we shall be saved by his life.

BLESSING A PROCESS

God’s blessing is a process in itself:  As Paul mentioned in Hebr 6:1, it starts with our recognizing God as our God, repentance from sin, which Paul calls “dead works”, baptism, laying on of hands by God’s true servants, further resulting to our getting reconciled with God the Father and his begetting us with his holy spirit, and eventually to our being born again as spirit being enjoying eternal life with the Father. 

These were all itemized in the doctrine of Christ:

Hebr 6:1 (KJV) Therefore leaving the principles of the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST (after discussing it over and over), let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of REPENTANCE from dead works, and of FAITH TOWARD GOD (this is the main proviso in God’s berith for Abraham), 2 Of the doctrine of BAPTISMS, and of LAYING ON OF HANDS (to receive the Holy Spirit), and of RESURRECTION of the dead, and of ETERNAL JUDGMENT.

2Joh 1:9 (KJV) Whosoever transgresses and abides not in the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST has not God. He that abides in the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, he has both the Father and the Son.

John 7:16 (KJV) Jesus answered them, and said, My DOCTRINE is not mine, but his (i.e., God the Father’s) that sent me.

For clarity, it should be mentioned that Christ’s doctrine “FAITH TOWARD GOD” is, in essence, the same as “I WILL BE TO YOU A GOD” which was, and shall remain, the main feature of the Covenants. 

GOD’S BLESSINGS NOT FREE

God’s blessings are not free.  God requires of us something in return, a quid pro quo – he requires allegiance.

Before crossing Jordan to the promise land, Moses asked the Israelites:

Deut 10:12 (KJV) And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God REQUIRE of you…

Moses answered his own question:

…but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways (i.e., obedience to his laws), and to love him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul…

Note that God REQUIRES not only obedience, but also love and service which together result in loyalty.  The modern term for this combination is called “allegiance”. 

ALLEGIANCE IS OWED; IT IS TO BE PAID

In English law, allegiance is the duty of LOYALTY and OBEDIENCE owed by all persons born within the King’s realm that attaches immediately upon their birth and that they cannot be relieved of by their own actions. 

Source:  https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/allegiance

In short, allegiance is automatically expected of a subject to a monarch.

Similarly, when we responded to God’s calling, we automatically owed allegiance to God who became our King. 

Isai 33:22 (KJV) For the LORD [is] our judge, the LORD [is] our lawgiver, the LORD [is] our king;…

Allegiance comes from the heart:

Matt 22:35 (KJV) Then one of them, [which was] a lawyer, asked Christ a question], testing him, and saying, 36 Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God WITH ALL YOUR HEART, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.

Lip-service is not allegiance; it is hypocrisy:

Mark 7:5 (KJV) Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not your disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? 6 He answered and said unto them, Well had Isaiah prophesied of you HYPOCRITES, as it is written (in Isaiah 29:13), This people honor me with [their] lips, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME.

Christ described true allegiance to God the Father:

John 8:29 (KJV) And he that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I DO ALWAYS THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM.

How can we please God?

Hebr 11:6 (KJV) But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that comes to God must believe that he is God, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Simply stated, we should believe God like Abraham did, and RECOGNIZE GOD AS OUR GOD.

Let’s return to God’s COVENANT with Abraham:

REAL ESTATE PROMISED TO ABRAHAM

Gene 15:7 (KJV, the LORD speaking to Abram after he proved his allegiance) And the LORD said unto Abram, I [am] the LORD that brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees (in Syria), to give you THIS LAND (Canaan) to inherit it.

REAL ESTATE ALSO PROMISED TO CHRISTIANS

Reve 3:12 (KJV, God speaking to the angel of the Philadelphians) Him that overcomes (only of the Philadelphians) will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] NEW JERUSALEM, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name.

COVENANT SOLEMNIZED WITH GOD’S OATH

Gene 15:8 And Abram said, Lord GOD, how shall I know that I shall inherit it?

9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer (female cow that has not borne any calf) of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

According to Zondervan Bible commentators, in ancient times, parties to a COVENANT would solemnize their agreement by walking down an aisle flanked by pieces of slaughtered animals.  The practice signified a self-maledictory OATH that says “may it be so done to me (i.e., to be slaughtered like the animals) if I do not keep my pledge”.  

Gene 15:10 And Abram took unto him all these animals and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not… (probably due to their tiny size)…17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 

Hebr 6:16 (KJV) For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation [is] to them an end of all strife. 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, CONFIRMED [IT] BY AN OATH (by passing between the pieces):

Burning lamp, Heb. A Lamp of Fire – it was God (actually his representative, the Spokesman)! God performed the oath ritual by passing through the pieces of animal flesh!

Gene 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a COVENANT (berith) with Abram, saying, (this is the benefit proviso for Abraham’s obedience:) Unto your seed have I given (done deed) this land, from the river of Egypt (Nile River) unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

Moses reminds the Israelites of God’s covenant:

Deut 7:7 (KJV) The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you [were] the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loved you, and BECAUSE HE WOULD KEEP THE OATH WHICH HE HAD SWORN UNTO YOUR FATHERS, had the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

GOD TO RATIFY HIS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS

The covenant, just like human agreements, needs to be ratified by the highest authority.

Gene 17:7 (KJV) And I will establish (confirm, RATIFY, make binding) my COVENANT between me and you and (thru accession) your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting COVENANT, TO BE A GOD UNTO YOU, AND TO YOUR SEED AFTER YOU.

Note that this berith is subject to ratification indicating the one who arranged it was an Agent or Spokesman who became Jesus Christ.

God the Father and his Son were, and still are, involved in berith-making: the Son arranges it and the Father ratifies it.  They work as a team.

John 5:17 (KJV) But Jesus answered them, My Father works hitherto, and I work.

To summarize, the salient points in God’s berith for Abraham are as follows:

• God gave a piece of real estate to Abraham and his descendants without Abraham asking for it. 
• There were no negotiations and Abraham had apparently no right of refusal.  He could have refused, arguably, but the offers were all good.
• The berith therefore was a Decree.
• This berith was designed to institute God as the God of Abraham and that of his descendants chief of whom were Isaac, Jacob and the Israelites.  Abraham’s children with his other wives were not covered, initially.
• Some Gentiles were also covered in the berith, but not all; only those who were called, and believe.

By this time, it should have been clear to us that God was pursuing His Plan TO CREATE MAN AFTER HIS OWN LIKENESS and He had chosen Abraham and his descendants as materials. 

Gene 1:26 (KJV) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:…

At this juncture, the berith was not yet RATIFIED.  Before ratification, the Protocols (Amendments)

Next: Part 7 – The Protocols

God’s Covenant for Abraham

Arranged into Legal Format

Written in Philippine English

-by Belo Alvaran

As we shall see in this article, God’s command, or rather, commands, plural, to Abram were tests of obedience.  God gave Abram aptitude tests simultaneously while issuing his berith.  The berith was ratified only after Abram had passed the tests.

Due to space constraints, we will not discuss yet the berith’s minute details.  Instead, let us see the berith in its consolidated form as gleaned from the Minutes of the Meetings between God and Abram written by Moses. 

Note that their meetings took place intermittently over a long period of time and with lengthy intervals starting from when Abram was aged 75 until when he was about 100.    

SUBTITLES were added to give it the appearance of a “legal instrument” because that is what it is – a God-devised Plan of Action, ARRANGED ON EARTH by God’s Spokesman and RATIFIED IN HEAVEN by the Almighty God, thus making it LAW.  “Whereases” were not supplied but understood to be there:

Here it is:

GOD’S BERITH FOR ABRAM

(Texts taken from Moses’ Report)

PREAMBLE:    GOD’S COMMAND TO ABRAM

Gene 12:1 (KJV) Now the LORD had said unto Abram, (this is a COMMAND, not a proposition) Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house, unto a land that I will show you:

Section I.  GOD’S FIRST OFFER FOR ABRAM’S OBEDIENCE

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 (“in your seed” in Gene 22:18 after Abram obeyed) shall ALL families of the earth (Israelites and Gentiles) be blessed.

Section II.  ABRAM’S RESPONSE

Gene 12:4 (KJV) So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram [was] seventy and five (75) years old when he departed out of Haran (in Syria).

5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls (servants) that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

Section III.  GOD’S SECOND OFFER – TO GIVE CANAAN TO ABRAM’S SEED

7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram (upon his arrival in Canaan), and said, Unto your seed will I give this land: and there built Abram an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Section IV.  GOD’S THIRD OFFER – TO BE ABRAM’S SHIELD

Gene 15:1 (KJV) After these things (Abram had just rescued Lot from invaders) the word of the LORD came unto ABRAM in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] your SHIELD, [and] your exceeding great reward (the great reward was to be made into God’s likeness).

SECTION V.  GOD’S FOURTH OFFER – TO GIVE ABRAM AN HEIR

Gene 15:2 (KJV) And Abram said, Lord GOD, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said (further), Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is my heir.

4 And, behold, the word of the LORD [came] unto him, saying, This (Eliezer of Damascus) shall not be your heir; but he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir.

5 And he brought him forth abroad (outside his house), and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if you be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall your seed be.

6 And (this is the faith of Abram) he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Section VI.  BERITH SOLEMNIZED

7 And the LORD said unto him Abram, I [am] the LORD that brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees (in Syria), to give you THIS LAND (Canaan) to inherit it. 8 And  Abram said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

Note:  This SOLEMNIZATION RITUAL was similar to and had the same effect of an affiant executing a sworn statement by raising his right hand before a judge or a public notary.  Instead of raising his right hand, the LORD, represented by the Spokesman, passed between the pieces of slaughtered animals.  According to researchers, this self-maledictory oath was an ancient tradition which was tantamount to saying ”may I be slaughtered like these animals if I do not fulfill my pledge”.  This was done by the Spokesman.  This was NOT YET the ratification which was done in heaven by God the Father:

9 And the LORD said unto Abram, Take me an heifer (hefer, a young female cow that has not borne a calf) of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

10 And (Abram) took unto him all these (animals to be slaughtered), and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not… (compared to the heifer, birds are too small to be divided)…

…17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 

18 In the same day the LORD made a COVENANT (berith) with Abram, saying, (this is the physical REWARD for Abram’s obedience:) Unto your seed have I given (done deed) this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

Note: Burning lamp, Heb. A Lamp of Fire – it was the Spokesman!God performed by proxy the oath ritual of passing through the pieces of animal flesh!

Section VII.  GOD’S CONDITIONS (given 24 YEARS after their initial encounters)

Gene 17:1 (KJV) And when Abram was NINETY YEARS OLD AND NINE (99), the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; WALK BEFORE ME, AND BE YOU perfect {SINCERE} 2 And I will make my berith between me and you, and (that is I) will multiply you exceedingly.

Section VIII.   ABRAM’S NAME CHANGED TO ABRAHAM

4 As for me, behold, my berith [is already] with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be ABRAHAM; for a father of many nations have I made you (this is a “done deed”, not a “deal”). 6 And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you.

Section XIX.  ACCESSION CLAUSE

…7 And I will RATIFY my berith between me and you and (through accession) your seed after you (i.e., if they decided to accept God’s terms) in their generations…

Section X.  VALIDITY / SUNSET CLAUSE

…for an EVERLASTING COVENANT (berith)…

Section XI.  MAIN PROVISO of God’s BERITH for Abram

…7…TO BE A GOD UNTO YOU AND TO YOUR SEED AFTER YOU. (all other provisos were corollaries, i.e., they were given because of this)

Note:  This PROVISO (to be a God unto you) was present in ALL the accessions to the covenant made by Isaac, Jacob and the Israelites.  In fact, this was THE proviso that the Israelites broke when they looked to other gods. 

Section XII.  CANAAN MADE EVERLASTING POSSESSION OF ABRAM’S SEED

8 And I will give unto you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of CANAAN, for an EVERLASTING possession; and I WILL BE THEIR GOD.

Note: above provision has not happened yet, hence this covenant is not yet “old.”

By this time, GOD’S BERITH WAS NOT YET RATIFIED BY GOD THE FATHER IN HEAVEN. 

We will discuss the RATIFICATION after the Protocols.

That in a nutshell is God’s berith for Abram who became Abraham.

---

Now, for a thorough discussion of every point, let’s rewind to Genesis 12 where it all started to see closely what transpired before and behind the scenes:

Gene 12:1 (KJV) Now the LORD had said unto Abram, (this is a COMMAND, not a proposition, and OBEDIENCE is required) Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house, unto a land that I will show you:

2 And (this is God’s “OFFER” as reward for Abram’s OBEDIENCE) 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 ALL families of the earth (meaning Abram’s descendants the Israelites, and Gentiles) be blessed.

The phrase “IN YOU” was amended to “IN YOUR SEED” in Gene 22:18 after Abram obeyed.  We will see that there are HIDDEN things in God’s berith for Abram:

Gene 22:18 (KJV) And IN YOUR SEED shall ALL the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my voice.

THINGS “HIDDEN” IN THE COVENANT

There are things “hidden” in the verse above.  It says, “And IN YOUR SEED shall all the nations of the earth be blessed”.  Questions:  Blessed by whom? In what way shall the nations be blessed? And what is the blessing?  We will answer these and many other questions as we go on.

THE SEED

In Genesis chapter 22, God mentioned a “SEED” in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed:

Gene 22:18 (KJV) And in your SEED shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;…

According to Paul, the SEED was Christ:

Gala 3:16 (KJV) Now to Abraham and his SEED were the promises made by God. He said not, And in your seeds, as of many; but as of one, And in your SEED, which is CHRIST.

There are two kinds of seed mentioned by God.  The “seed” of Abraham in whom all the earth shall be blessed was CHRIST, but the “seed of Abraham” that shall multiply as stars and sand and possess the gate of his enemies were Abraham’s descendants, which became known as the Israelites.

Gene 22:17 (KJV, God speaking to Abram) That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will MULTIPLY your SEED as the STARS of the heaven, and as the SAND which [is] upon the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 

18 And in your SEED shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my voice.

Hebr 2:9 (KJV) But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory (given a spirit body) and honor (high rank or position);…16 For verily he took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the SEED of Abraham.

Gentiles became part of the seed of Abraham by “GRAFTING.” Paul explained it in Roma 11:13-25 using the analogy of “seed” which comes from plants that can be propagated by grafting.  We can see that there is consistency in God’s analogies:

Roma 11:13 (KJV, Paul speaking) For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation [them (Israelites) which are] my flesh, and might save some of them.

…17 And if SOME (not all) of the branches (of the Israelite Olive Tree) be broken off (such as the lost tribes of Israel), and you (Gentiles), being a wild olive tree, were GRAFTED in their stead, and with them partake of the root and fatness (God’s blessings) of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if you boast, (remember that) you bear not the root (Abraham), but the root (bears) you.

GOSPEL PACKAGED IN THE BERITH

Gala 3:8 (KJV) And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the GENTILES through faith, PREACHED BEFORE THE GOSPEL UNTO ABRAHAM, [saying], In (your SEED, who is CHRIST) SHALL (future tense) all nations be blessed.

Gala 3:7 (KJV) Know you therefore that they which are of faith (GENTILES included), the same are the children of Abraham.

Note that according to Paul, the “seed” who was Christ is the gospel.  However, according to Mark, the gospel is the coming Kingdom of God, Mark 1:14, which Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong quoted numerous times in his writings:

Mark 1:14 (KJV) Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God,

Our job as students is to reconcile the two teachings.  They are both servants of God, so their teachings must be complementary. Must be! God is not the author of confusion, 1Cor 14:33.

Let’s hear directly from Christ what he says about him and his message: 

John 5:46 (KJV, Christ speaking to the Jews) For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me: for Moses WROTE OF ME.

This was what Moses wrote about Christ, the messenger:

Deut 18:15 (KJV) The LORD your God will raise up unto you a PROPHET from the midst of you, OF YOUR BRETHREN, like unto me (i.e., like Moses); unto him you shall hearken;

Let Christ continue:

47 But if you believe not Moses’ writings (about Christ), how shall you believe my words?

Clearly, according to Christ, the MESSENGER is AS IMPORTANT as the MESSAGE.  It’s a “package deal”. If we reject the God-appointed messenger, we won’t get the right message.

However, even true messengers of God could only be partly right.  Paul was partly right when he said that Christ is the gospel.  Mark was also partly right when he said the Kingdom of God is the gospel.  Both teachers were only partly correct.

It was not mentioned by Moses that the MESSENGER, who was a PROPHET, was to become a HIGH PRIEST.  Moses’ message therefore was also incomplete.  It was Paul who wrote about it.  So we can see that our teachers complement each other’s doctrines:

Heb 2:17 (Paul addressing the Hebrew converts) Wherefore in all things it behooved Jesus to be made human LIKE UNTO [HIS] BRETHREN, that he might be a merciful and faithful HIGH PRIEST in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

We can see that God’s berith for Abram covers His blessings both for the Israelites and for the Gentiles, the “all nations” mentioned in Gene 22:18.

Gene 22:18 (KJV) And in your SEED shall ALL the nations of the earth be blessed;…

Let’s go back to Genesis 12 to see Abram’s response.

ABRAM OBEYS GOD

Gene 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram [was] SEVENTY AND FIVE (75) YEARS OLD when he departed out of Haran (in Syria).

5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls (servants) that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

MAIN PROVISO IN THE BERITH GIVEN 24 YEARS LATER

Note that Abram was 75 years old (Gene 12:4 above) at the time God contacted him the first time.  However, God did not reveal to Abram the PURPOSE of his BERITH until AFTER 24 YEARS when Abram was 99 years old. 

Gene 17:1 (KJV) And when Abram was NINETY YEARS OLD AND NINE (99), the LORD APPEARED to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be you perfect. {perfect: or, upright, or, SINCERE} 2 And I will make my COVENANT (BERITH) between me and you, and (this is the berith or decre) I will multiply you exceedingly 4 …and you shall be a father of many nations.

ABRAM’S NAME CHANGED TO ABRAHAM

5 Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be ABRAHAM; for a father of many nations have I made you. 6 And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you.

ACCESSION CLAUSE and EXPIRATION CLAUSE

7 And I will ratify my COVENANT between me and you AND (this is the ACCESSION CLAUSE) YOUR SEED AFTER YOU in their generations (this is the expiration) for an EVERLASTING COVENANT…

Notes on ACCESSION clause and EXPIRATION / SUNSET clause: 

“ACCESSION” is the act whereby an entity (such as a person, or group or persons, or a state) accepts the offer or the opportunity to become a party to a treaty (or agreement) already negotiated and signed by others. It has the same legal effect as ratification. Accession usually occurs AFTER the treaty has entered into force.”

Source:https://treaties.un.org/pages/overview.aspx?path=overview/glossary/page1_en.xml

“A SUNSET provision or clause is a measure within a statute, regulation or other law that provides that the law shall cease to have effect after a specific date, unless further legislative action is taken to extend the law.”

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_provision

In case of God’s covenant, the validity is “everlasting” hence there is no sunset clause!

KEY PROVISO of God’s BERITH for Abram:

…(Gene 17:7 continued)  TO BE A GOD UNTO YOU, AND TO YOUR SEED AFTER YOU.

8 And (these are the “OFFERS” of benefits for Abram’s accepting God as his God) I will give unto you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I WILL BE THEIR GOD.

Comments: The God mentioned here is GOD THE FATHER. Jesus said so.

John 20:17 (KJV) Jesus said unto (Mary Magdalene), Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father (note that he was already a spirit being like God, but he did not say I will join again the Trinity): but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto MY FATHER, AND YOUR FATHER; and [to] MY GOD, AND YOUR GOD.

This proviso -TO BE A GOD UNTO YOU – was present in ALL the accessions to the covenant made by Isaac, Jacob and the Israelites.  In fact, this was THE proviso that the Israelites broke when they looked to other gods.

Let’s return to Genesis 17:

Gene 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, You shall keep my COVENANT (i.e., to be a God to you, Gene 17:7) therefore, you, and your seed after you in their generations.

Next:  Part 6 – The “fine prints” in God’s covenant

by Belo Alvaran

We have established previously that God’s covenants, Heb beriths, are actually decrees issued by God the Father “ratifying” any agreement entered into, or any legal instrument arranged by his “Spokesman” who became Jesus Christ.  This is a clear indication that God the Father and Jesus Christ work in tandem on the matter of covenant-making.

John 5:17 (KJV) But Jesus answered them, My Father works hitherto, and I work.

The question at this point is, what important beriths or covenants have God issued so far, and what were they for? 

MINUTES OF MEETINGS

To review what we have discussed so far, it is important that we recognize the writings of Moses for what they are:  they are MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS between him and God.  He was a party to the meetings and also the rapporteur.  (A rapporteur is a person who assists in a meeting by writing minutes and compiling reports.)

In Moses’ reports, all the details of the covenants were there but they were not arranged into legal format.  If we want to see the legal documents, we need to put them together by ourselves. And that is what we will also do in this study.  We will put together the terms of the covenants to see them in their legal document format.

We also need to be reminded that in issuing covenants, God is pursuing a two-phased plan.  Phase 1 – to create man in his image;  Phase 2 – to create man after his own likeness.

Let’s look at God’s purpose in Gene 1:26:

Gene 1:26 (KJV) And God said, Let us make man in our IMAGE (phase 1), after our LIKENESS (phase 2): …

The word “image” Heb tselem, item 6754 in Strong’s, means simply a similitude, a phantom, ghost. 

By contrast, the word “LIKENESS” in God’s plan, Heb demooth, item 1823 in Strong’s, means “concretely model”. 

The word “likeness” therefore means exact copy, or replicate looking the same as the original in material, form, size and features.  God is spirit, therefore his replicates are also spirit, and, most important, must have the mind or values of God. 

We will now examine God’s covenants which were issued in pursuit of that plan.

Let us use the word BERITH to avoid confusion. 

A berith is NOT hard to understand.  Those of us who live in a rented house, God’s berith is similar in format to the lease contract we signed with our Landlord. 

We need to know God’s beriths because we who are called at this time are going to be teachers in God’s kingdom.  All the laws of God that we shall teach to other humans are contained in his beriths.

Isai 2:3 (KJV) And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will TEACH us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Isai 30:21 (KJV) And your ears shall hear a WORD behind you, saying, This [is] the way, walk you in it, when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left.

We in the Church of God now are being trained to become spirit teachers.  It is our voice that people shall hear from behind them.

CONTENTS OF GOD’S FIRST BERITH

To see the legal format of the berith, we need to SUPPLY the missing sub-titles:

GOD’S BERITH FOR NOAH

PREAMBLE

Gene 6:5 (KJV) And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only EVIL continually.  6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and IT GRIEVED HIM AT HIS HEART. 7 And the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for IT REPENTS ME THAT I HAVE MADE THEM.” 

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

…13 And God said unto Noah, “The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them from the earth. 

14 Make you an ark of gopher wood; rooms shall you make in the ark, and shall pitch it within and without with pitch. 15 And…The length of the ark [shall be] three hundred cubits (450 ft.), the breadth of it fifty cubits (75 ft.), and the height of it thirty cubits (45 ft.). …17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein [is] the breath of life, from under heaven; [and] everything that [is] in the earth shall die.”

Article I:  COVERAGE OF GOD’S BERITH

Gene 9:8 (KJV) And God spoke unto Noah (after the flood), and to his sons with him, saying, 9 “And I, behold, I will ratify my BERITH with you, and with your seed after you; 10 And with every living creature that [is] with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. 11 And I WILL establish (make binding, ratify) my BERITH with you (namely):

Article II: PURPOSE OF BERITH

a)   Neither shall ALL flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood;

• Neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the (whole) earth.” (but God allows limited flooding in some areas!)

Article III: TOKEN OF THE BERITH:

12 And God said, “This [is] the token (symbol of existence) of the BERITH which I make between me and you and every living creature that [is] with you for PERPETUAL generations.”

Note the coverage of this BERITH: PERPETUAL GENERATIONS of man and every living creature!  It has no “sunset clause”! (Sunset clause is a legal term meaning expiration date.)

Question:  Has ‘perpetual generations’ ended?   The answer is obviously, no.  Therefore this BERITH is still valid.

Gene 9:13 “I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a TOKEN of a berith BETWEEN me and the earth.”

The word “BETWEEN”, item 0996, Heb bane, means inter alia between, out of, FROM.  The more accurate translation is “FROM”.  This was a decree FROM God FOR the earth.  The verse therefore should read in part “…it shall be a token of a berith FROM me FOR the earth.”

14 “And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow (i.e., rainbow) shall be seen in the cloud:

Article IV:  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BERITH:

15 “And I will remember my BERITH, which [is] (from me to you – i.e., Noah, his family and his seed after him for perpetual generations) and every living creature of all flesh (also for perpetual generations); and THE WATERS SHALL NO MORE BECOME A FLOOD to destroy ALL flesh (but, as it happens today, waters can destroy SOME flesh through flash floods in lowlands and tsunamis along sea coasts).

Article V:  VALIDITY OF THE BERITH

16 “And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I WILL LOOK UPON IT, that I may remember the EVERLASTING BERITH (from) God (to) every living creature of all flesh that [is] upon the earth.

ARTICLE VI : RATIFICATION OF THE BERITH

17 And God said unto Noah (apparently after some time), This (rainbow) [is] the token of the BERITH, which I HAVE RATIFIED between me and ALL FLESH (not only for NOAH, but for all flesh) that [is] upon the earth.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR:  Was there a Proposition? None. Was there any Negotiation? None. Was there Acceptance by Noah? None. This was a “done deed” not a “deal” and God did not need Noah’s assent. 

Article VII:  ACTS TO BE PERFORMED BY MAN UNDER THIS BERITH: 

None. 

Comments:  Since there were no negotiations, and Noah’s assent was not required, then this berith was a Testament or Will, not an agreement.  It was issued apparently to allow the PROPAGATION OF THE HUMAN RACE on earth to provide God with materials with which to reproduce Himself. 

To SUMMARIZE at this point, this first Berith or decree that God issued is “everlasting” and intended for “perpetual generations” of mankind and other living creatures!  With this first berith, God laid down the corner stone for the fulfillment of His Work Plan Phase 2 in Gene 1:26 and that is, to make man in his own likeness. 

To remind ourselves, God rules by beriths or covenants which could be Testament or Will that was issued under oath; or ratified if it was Agreement.  The ratification is a decree and the covenant becomes part of it, hence God can say, “My covenant” which means “My decree”.

NEXT: Part 5 – God’s Covenant with, or better yet, for Abraham, in legal format!

by Belo Alvaran

In this issue, we will dissect God’s covenants to see their contents.

A COVENANT, if designed as AGREEMENT or CONTRACT, has some essential elements. 

Here is what Harvard Law School says online:

“Under basic principles of CONTRACT LAW, every deal must have an OFFER (or PROPOSITION – from one of the covenanting parties), an ACCEPTANCE (by the other side), and CONSIDERATION (that is, each party must provide SOMETHING OF VALUE to reach a deal)”.  (End of quote, italics supplied)

(Source: https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/business-negotiations/negotiating-an-iron-clad-contract/)

There are other elements of an agreement that were not mentioned above.  For example, there must be AT LEAST TWO PARTIES to an agreement, hence one party cannot say “MY AGREEMENT”; he should say “OUR AGREEMENT”.  Another element is, there might be NEGOTIATIONS between the parties, which could take some time to conclude.  An AGREEMENT maybe “accessed” by other interested parties if provided for in the texts.

GOD’S WORK PLAN

Based on these guidelines, can we say that God’s Work Plan in Gen. 1:26 was an AGREEMENT (berith) in itself?

Gen. 1:26 says “And God said, Let us make man in our IMAGE, after our LIKENESS…”

The phrase “Let us” was from all indications a PROPOSITION from one person to another, most likely from Jesus Christ, the author of our eternal salvation in Heb 5:9 who became the Son. 

If the plan came from God the Father, then it would have been a COMMAND and God’s command is a LAW outright!  Furthermore, the Father would probably not say “let us”.  He would probably issue a direct order to Jesus Christ like he did in Psalms 110:1:

Psal 110:1 (KJV) A Psalm of David. The LORD (who became God the Father) said unto my Lord (who became Jesus Christ), SIT YOU AT MY RIGHT HAND (this was a direct order, not a proposition), until I (not we) make your enemies your footstool.

But the speaker in Gene 1:26 was most likely Christ because he was the author of the plan to create man after their image and likeness:

Gen. 1:26 “And God said, LET US make man in our IMAGE, after our LIKENESS…”

Paul confirmed that Jesus Christ was the author of the plan to create man:

Hebr 5:9 (KJV) And being made perfect (i.e., made into a spirit being), (Jesus Christ) became the AUTHOR of ETERNAL SALVATION (expressed in Gene 1:26, i.e., to make men like God) unto all them that obey;

As the AUTHOR of eternal salvation, Jesus Christ is the “FATHER OF ETERNITY” mentioned in Isai 9:6.  The Young’s Literal Translation of this verse is very accurate:

Isai 9:6 (YLT) For a Child (JESUS shall be) born to us, A SON shall be given to us, And the PRINCELY POWER shall be on his shoulder, And He (God the Father) shall call his (Son’s) name Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God (not Almighty God), FATHER (or AUTHOR) OF ETERNITY, Prince of Peace.

PROPOSITION when approved becomes COVENANT or BERITH

In the lawmaking process, after a bill is approved by the highest authority, it becomes a law.  In God’s government, God the Father is the highest authority. He is the lawgiver.  His approval would make any proposition law:

Isai 33:22 (KJV) For the LORD (this is God the Father) [is] our JUDGE, the LORD [is] our LAWGIVER, the LORD [is] our KING…

When Christ created man, it can be safely said that God the Father approved the proposition of Christ in Gene 1:26:

Ephe 3:9 (KJV) …God (the Father)…created all things (including man) BY Jesus Christ:

The word “by” is important.   Jesus Christ is God’s “right hand”, an assistant doing all the work, hence Christ was the creator of mankind, but God the Father is his head, the one who approves their projects:

1Cor 11:3 (KJV, Paul speaking) But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and…THE HEAD OF CHRIST [IS] GOD the Father.

David knows who the HEAD is and who the HAND between the two LORDS is:

Psal 110:1 (KJV) A Psalm of David. The LORD (who became God the Father) said unto my Lord (who became Jesus Christ), SIT YOU AT MY RIGHT HAND until I (the head) make your enemies your footstool.

COVENANT or BERITH IS LAW

It is an internationally recognized principle that a COVENANT, if meant as an AGREEMENT, is a LAW between the covenanting parties, whether they are individuals or nations. Since the proposition of one of them was implemented, then it has become a COVENANT and therefore a LAW between the two God personages. 

Paul confirms it:

Gala 3:15 (KJV, Paul speaking) Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though [it be] but a MAN’S COVENANT, yet [if it be] confirmed (by the covenanting parties) NO MAN DISANNULS, or adds thereto.   

It is therefore similarly binding if not more, since the covenant is between two God persons!

There were probably lengthy discussions between the two God beings on who will perform which task, but they were not express in Gen. 1:26.  In his book Mystery of the Ages, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, leader of the Worldwide Church of God, surmised “How long they must have thought, and planned, and designed before even beginning to create anything whatsoever”.  However, the account in Gen 1:26 is heavily abridged. 

COVENANT MUST BE RATIFIED

There is one feature of the covenant which has been overlooked in most religious dissertations: and that is, it needs to be RATIFIED.  Human governments are ORDERED by God, hence there are similarities in their modes of operation.

Roma 13:1 (KJV) Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained ORDERED of God. {margin: ordained: or, ORDERED}

God’s government is theocracy.  In his Kingdom, God is the absolute ruler, i.e., no parliament, no judiciary, and no Vice God:

Isai 33:22 (KJV) For the LORD [is] our judge, the LORD [is] our lawgiver, the LORD [is] our king;…

The nearest comparison of theocracy that we can relate to is a monarchy in ancient times. Monarchs, however, have since adopted some democratic practices such as appointing a prime minister who wins an election.  Due to a dearth of reference materials, we will cite instead an agreement, posted on the web, that was concluded between Canada and the Philippines at the time when the Philippines was under the autocratic rule of then President Ferdinand E. Marcos. 

Here is an instance wherein a BILATERAL AGREEMENT negotiated by an Agent in the person of a Cabinet Secretary was RATIFIED in a UNILATERAL decree by a head of State:

President Marcos therefore can say “MY DECREE NO. 1510” (not OUR agreement) when referring to the Philippine-Canada Agreement on Taxation, just as God can say “MY COVENANT” (not OUR covenant) on his agreements with Abraham and with the other patriarchs.

Below is the Tax Convention (redacted for brevity, full texts maybe downloaded online) that was RATIFIED by President Marcos in the above decree.  

ROLE OF “AGENT”

In negotiating the agreement with Canada, Minister Virata was an “Agent” of President Marcos and, as such, Minister Virata’s signature was subject to ratification (“ad referendum” is the legal term) by the President.  Without the ratification by Pres. Marcos, Minister Virata’s agreement with his Canadian counterpart would not have become law in the Philippines.  It was the ratification by the President that made it binding on the Philippine side.

GOD HAS AN AGENT

Likewise, God’s agreements with select individuals were all arranged by his Spokesman who became Jesus Christ, hence the need to be ratified by God the Father.  The ratification process would have merged the basic agreement and the ratification into one berith or decree.  Once ratified, the agreement would have become law. 

To reiterate, human governments are ordered by God, hence the similarity of their operations with God’s government:

Roma 13:1 (KJV) Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God {ordained: or, ORDERED} (hence they have similarities in operations).

Christ is not the lawgiver; God the Father is:

Isai 33:22 (KJV) For the LORD (who is God the Father) [is] our judge, the LORD [is] our LAWGIVER, the LORD [is] our king;… 

GOD NEGOTIATES THROUGH HIS AGENT

God has a SPOKESMAN, called WORD, who does all the arrangements for God’s beriths.

John 1:1 (KJV) In the beginning was the Word (Spokesman), and the Word (Spokesman) was with God, and the Word was God…3 All things (including covenants) were made by (the Spokesman); and without him was not anything made that was made.

Here was the Spokesman in action, negotiating God’s covenant with Abraham: 

Gene 12:7 (KJV) And the LORD (this was the Spokesman who became Christ, not God the Father himself) appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto your seed will I give this land: and there built (Abraham) an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Please note very well that the one who appeared to Abraham was an Agent of God:

1John 4:12 (KJV, the Apostle John speaking) No man had seen God (the Father) AT ANY TIME (not even Abraham, so the LORD which appeared to him was not God the Father).

John 5:37 (KJV, Jesus Christ speaking)  And the Father himself, which had SENT me, bears witness of me. You have neither heard his voice AT ANY TIME, nor SEEN his shape.

To understand Christ’s role as Spokesman, let’s look at Mr. Francisco Tatad who served as the Spokesman of President Ferdinand Marcos when the latter declared Martial Law in 1972.  At 3 p.m. on September 23, Mr. Tatad read the texts of Proclamation 1081 on radio and television. 

Here is the salient part of the proclamation after the “whereases”:

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested upon me by…the Constitution, do hereby place the entire Philippines…under martial law and, in my capacity as their commander-in-chief, do hereby command the armed forces of the Philippines, to maintain law and order throughout the Philippines, prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence as well as any act of insurrection or rebellion and to enforce obedience to all the LAWS and DECREES, ORDERS and REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY ME PERSONALLY or UPON MY DIRECTION.” (End of quote)

Radio listeners who were not familiar with the voice of President Marcos thought the President was speaking on that day only to learn later that it was Press Secretary Francisco Tatad, the SPOKESMAN, who was reading the President’s words.

Describing his role in retrospect, Tatad wrote in 2018 the following article printed in the Manila Times:

Similarly, God’s Spokesman also spoke LIKE he was the Almighty:

Gene 17:1 (KJV) And when Abram was ninety years old and nine (99), the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [AM] THE ALMIGHTY GOD (but he was the Spokesman); walk before me, and be you perfect. {perfect: or, upright, or, sincere}

Gene 18:1 (KJV) And the LORD appeared unto Abram in the plains of Mamre…

To reiterate, the “LORD” who appeared to Abraham was NOT the Almighty, he was the Spokesman who became Jesus Christ mentioned by John:

John 1:14 And the Spokesman was made flesh, and dwelt among us (in the person of Jesus Christ)…18 No man had seen God Almighty at any time; the only BEGOTTEN Son, the Spokesman, which is in the bosom of the Father, he will introduce [him] (Christ was starting his ministry at this time).

The SPOKESMAN also appeared to Moses

Exod 6:2 (KJV) And the Spokesman spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I [AM] THE LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, BY [THE NAME OF (or by the authority of)] GOD ALMIGHTY, …4 And I have (past tense) also established (i.e., made into law, ratified) my covenant (berith) with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

As the Spokesman, Jesus Christ came in his Father’s name, meaning by his Father’s authority:

John 5:43 (KJV, Jesus speaking to the Jews) I am come IN MY FATHER’S NAME, and you receive me not:…

Earlier, the LORD who became God the Father sent an Angel (Heb Malak, AMBASSADOR, a Spokesman – this was Christ!) to the ancient Israelites and PUT HIS NAME IN HIM:

Exod 23:20 (KJV, the LORD, thru his Spokesman, speaking) Behold, I send an ANGEL before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of him, and obey his VOICE, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: FOR MY NAME [IS] IN HIM

In diplomacy, this kind of Spokesman is called Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, i.e., a diplomatic agent invested with full powers to transact business on behalf of a head of state.

In this instance, the Spokesman introduced an Angel who was also himself.  That was evidently Christ’s way of making it known to the Israelites that the one talking to them was not God Almighty Himself but a Spokesman, an Ambassador or Angel who did all the speaking. 

The Spokesman spoke LIKE he was the Almighty:

Judg 2:1 (KJV) And an ANGEL of the LORD (this was the Spokesman) came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said (note that he spoke like he was the Almighty), I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I swore unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break MY covenant with you. 

Let’s read again John 1 in the original King James Version with annotations for a better grasp of Christ’s function:

John 1:1 (KJV) In the beginning was the Word (Spokesman), and the (Spokesman) was with God, and the (Spokesman) was God. 2 The same (Spokesman) was in the beginning with God. 3 All things (including man, and the covenants) were made by (the Spokesman) ; and without (the Spokesman) was not anything made that was made. …14 And the (Spokesman) was made flesh, and dwelt among us (in the person of Jesus Christ), (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten (son) of the Father,)…

The Spokesman and his LORD are one – they are inseparable:

John 10:30 (KJV, Christ speaking) I and [my] Father are one (i.e., one in purpose and in operation – Christ is the hand, God the Father is the head).

1Cor 11:3 (KJV) …the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman [is] the man; and the head of Christ [is] God (the Father).

From all indications, it was Jesus Christ, as God’s Spokesman, who arranged all of God’s covenants, testaments, etc., and it was God the Father who ratified them to make them laws.

To summarize at this point, God’s berith-making process was, and still is: Christ would ARRANGE them, and God the Father would RATIFY them.

Gene 6:18 (KJV) But with you (Noah) will I RATIFY (“establish” is the original word used by translators) my BERITH (i.e., there was already a berith before the ratification; we shall examine the berith later on) and YOU SHALL COME INTO THE ARK, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

God subsequently ratified his berith for Noah, but the INSTRUMENT OF RATIFICATION was not recorded in the Bible.

Gene 9:17 (KJV) And God said unto Noah, This [is] the token of the covenant which I HAVE RATIFIED between me and all flesh that [is] upon the earth.

Based on the above, we can see that a BERITH of God is not limited to agreement; it is a COMBINATION of an agreement, or a testament, or any similar instrument, AND God’s RATIFICATION melded into one, a DECREE. 

Here is the way God the Father RATIFIED his covenant with Abraham: 

Gene 22:15 (KJV) And the ANGEL of the LORD called unto Abraham out of HEAVEN the second time,

Note that the ratification came directly from heaven, not from the Spokesman who appeared unto Abraham.  The Father never leaves heaven.  Christ was doing all the arrangements on earth:

Matt 5:48 (KJV) Be you therefore perfect, even as your FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN is perfect.

The ratification was a decree and UNDER OATH, hence God can say “my covenant” which means “my decree”:

Gene 22:15 (KJV) And the ANGEL of the LORD called unto Abraham out of HEAVEN the second time,

16 And said, BY MYSELF HAVE I SWORN (i.e., this is a sworn statement, a decree under oath), said the LORD, for because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only [son]: 17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my voice.

This ratification made the covenant legal and binding, and IRREVOCABLE.  God is duty-bound to implement it even if the Israelites would afterwards not recognize him as their God:

Exod 2:24 (KJV) And God heard (the Israelites’) groaning (in Egypt), and God REMEMBERED HIS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

2Kin 13:23 (KJV) And the LORD was gracious unto them (Israelites), and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, BECAUSE OF HIS COVENANT with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and WOULD NOT DESTROY THEM, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

So far, we have discussed God’s COVENANT-MAKING PROCESS.  Next time we will dissect the contents of his covenants.

NEXT: Part  4 – God’s berith for Noah

By Belo Alvaran

In ancient times, God made a range of promises that have remained unkept up to the present age.  Has God forgotten them altogether?  He told the Israelites in Leviticus 26: 

Levi 26:42 (KJV) Then will I remember my COVENANT WITH JACOB, and also my COVENANT WITH ISAAC, and also my COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM will I remember; and I WILL REMEMBER THE LAND.

With natural and man-made disasters plaguing the planet earth, it would appear that not only had God forgotten his covenants with the patriarchs BUT the land as well! 

We might ask, does God keep any of his covenants at all?  In the first place, what was God’s purpose in entering into covenants with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham?  In the second place, what were the covenants about? 

We will answer these questions and more as we go on.  With this post, this writer will endeavor to make plain God’s covenants with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Israelites AND the Gentiles.  Yes, your eyes are in good focus:  God gave the Gentiles access to his covenants!

GOD KEEPS HIS COVENANTS

While serving as God’s interlocutor, Moses assured the Israelites that God is a faithful God who keeps his own covenants:

Deut 7:9 (KJV, Moses giving last-minute pep talk to the Israelites who were about to enter the Promised land) Know therefore that the LORD your God, he [is] God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keeps his commandments to a thousand generations;

David had known God as covenant-keeper:

Psal 89:34 (KJV, David quoting God) My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

GENTILES GRAFTED INTO ISRAELITE “OLIVE TREE”:

Roma 11:13 (KJV, Paul speaking to his Christian converts in Rome) …I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the Apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation [them (Israelites) which are] my flesh (Paul was a Benjamite; the Benjamites were assimilated into the House of Judah, hence Paul became a Jew, Acts 21:39; Roma 11:1), and might save some of them…16 For if the firstfruit (Christ) [be] holy, the lump (of the fruits, the rest of the Christian converts) [is] also [holy]: and if the root (Abraham and the Patriarchs) [are] holy, so [are] the branches (the 12 tribes of Israel). 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and you (Gentiles), being a wild Olive Tree, were GRAFTED in their stead, and with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches…

Note: In preparing this exposition, this writer and his partner, Brod Andy Yparraguirre, are not boasting against the branches, nor are we seeking to undermine them in any way.  We are fully aware that this subject is close to the hearts of our pure-bred Jewish and Israelite brethren.  We are simply asserting as a matter-of-fact that we are part of their olive tree!

To begin with, we need to know what covenants God had issued so far, and what they were for. 

MINUTES OF MEETINGS

Before we could go on, we need to recognize the writings of Moses for what they are:  they are MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS between him and God.  Moses was a party to the meetings and also the rapporteur. 

Dictionary: A rapporteur is a recorder appointed by a committee (or any authority) to prepare reports of the meetings

In Moses’ reports, all the details of the covenants were indicated but were not arranged into legal format.  If we want to see the legal documents that God had issued, we need to collate them ourselves. And that is what we will do in this exposition: we will put together the provisions of God’s covenants to see them in their format as legal instruments.

Before we go further, we need to be reminded that in issuing covenants, God is pursuing a two-phased plan, namely: 

Phase 1 – to create man in his image; 

Phase 2 – to create man after his own likeness.

God’s purpose in creating man was well stated in Gene 1:26:

Gene 1:26 (KJV) And God said, Let us make man in our IMAGE (phase 1), after our LIKENESS (phase 2): …

The word “IMAGE” Heb tselem, item 6754 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, means simply a similitude, a phantom, ghost.  In God’s spirit world, we humans are ghosts.  For those who have not seen any ghost, just look at the mirror and you will see one.  It will be prudent not to scream. (Just kidding!)

We are made of CLAY. 

Isai 64:8 (KJV) But now, O LORD, you are our father; we [are] the CLAY, and you our POTTER; and we all [are] the work of your hand.

By contrast, the word “LIKENESS” in God’s plan, Heb demooth, item 1823 in Strong’s, means “CONCRETELY MODEL”.  The key word is “MODEL”. 

According to the online dictionary, MODEL means:

a STANDARD or example for IMITATION or comparison.

Source: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/model?s=t

Real estate developers would advertise their products by constructing house models for buyers to choose from.  Then they would construct the house according to the SPECS (specifications) of the model chosen by the buyer.  The MODELS therefore are there for IMITATION.

In our case, GOD IS OUR MODEL.  God wants to create us after his own SPECS!  We are to imitate God!

The word “likeness” therefore means exact copy, or replicate looking the same as the original in material, form, size and features.  God is spirit; therefore his replicates are also spirit. But to become like God, we need to acquire his attributes:  we need to acquire his ways, even his thoughts. 

Phil 2:5 (KJV, Paul speaking) Let this MIND be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Isai 55:8 (KJV, the LORD speaking) For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, said the LORD.  (But we could acquire his thoughts and ways!)

In this exposition, we will also study the mind of Christ because God the Father wants us to be like his Son who is like God the Father:

Roma 8:29 (KJV) For whom God the Father did foreknow (both Israelites and Gentiles), he also did predestinate [to be] fashioned unto the likeness of his Son, that the Son might be the firstborn among many spirit brethren (italicized words derived from other translations)

Colo 1:15 (KJV) The Son is the likeness of the invisible God the Father, the firstborn of every creature: (Christ was already crucified and resurrected as spirit being at this time of Paul’s writing)

From clay images, God is molding man, beginning with the Israelites, into his likeness:

Jere 18:6 (KJV) O house of Israel (Gentiles were of late grafted into the House of Israel, so Gentiles are also being addressed here), cannot I do with you as this potter? said the LORD. Behold, as the clay [is] in the potter’s hand, so [are] you in my hand, O House of Israel.

In the Greek language used by Paul in his writings, the word IMAGE, Gr. eikon, also means LIKENESS so that King James translators interchanged them, but in the Hebrew medium used by Moses, they are entirely different.  Humans, at this time, are only in God’s IMAGE, but God wants to create us in his LIKENESS afterwards. 

WCG members would immediately recognize our topic of discussion as one of the major doctrines taught by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, and that is – God is reproducing himself, and we are the materials. 

To remind our readers, this dissertation is not for everybody else. This review material is written mainly for members, past and present, of the Worldwide Church of God, and for those who feel that God is calling them, especially after listening to the teachings of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong.

We were discussing God’s two-phased Work Plan for man and we can see that He is still in phase 1:

Gene 1:27 (KJV) So God created man in his [own] IMAGE (made of clay), in the IMAGE of God (i.e., phase 1) created he him; male and female created he them.

Gene 5:1 (KJV) This [is] the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man (in his image, phase 1), in the likeness of God (to be) MADE he him (phase 2, but God has not yet done that);

The word “MADE” Heb asah, item 6213, means “to do, to fashion, to accomplish, to make” – indicating unfinished work.  Its completion is still future.

David knows phase 2 of God’s purpose in creating man:

Psal 17:15 (KJV, David’s prayer) As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake (at the resurrection) with your LIKENESS.

David could not behold God’s face if he were not spirit like God.  No human may see God and live:

Exod 33:18 (KJV) And Moses said, I beseech you (the LORD), show me your glory (as spirit being)…20  And the LORD said, You cannot see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live (italics supplied).

God is therefore now working on the second phase of his Work Plan, i.e., to create man after his own likeness.  And issuing COVENANTS is one of his ways to doing it.

From here onwards, we can discuss the covenants of God.

GOD STARTS ISSUING COVENANTS

After destroying a whole generation of wicked humans in Noah’s time, God issued a series of covenants, not with everybody else but with select individuals, beginning with Noah.

We will now examine God’s covenants. 

GOD’S COVENANT IS NOT AGREEMENT

Not a few authors define covenant as agreement.  The Bible, however, does not substantiate that definition.  For, if “covenant” means “agreement”, then God’s words saying “my covenant” means “my agreement”!  Did God agree with himself?  That would be absurd!  Let’s substitute agreement instead of covenant in the following verse to see if it makes sense:

Gene 17:9 (KJV) And God said unto Abraham, You shall keep MY AGREEMENT (my covenant) therefore, you, and your seed after you in their generations.

If indeed covenant means agreement, then God would have said “you shall keep OUR AGREEMENT or OUR COVENANT!

From all indications, the word COVENANT was a mistranslation of the Hebrew word BERITH, item 1285 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.  

WHAT BERITHS ARE FOR

Most major players in God’s Plan were given each a BERITH.  Here is a brief summary of the first instance a berith was given.  The recipient was Noah.  We will discuss the details as we go along:

Gene 6:18 (KJV) But with you (Noah) will I establishMY BERITH (translated MY COVENANT in almost all Bible versions); and YOU SHALL COME INTO THE ARK, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

Note that God did not say, “Noah, would you like to go into the ark?”  If Noah would say “Yes, I would”, then they would have an agreement.

But, instead, God COMMANDED Noah and his family: “You shall come into the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your son’s wives with you”.  

Clearly, God did not negotiate an agreement with Noah.  On the contrary, HE ISSUED A COMMAND.  Noah’s choice was ONLY to listen – and obey!  He didn’t even say anything on record!

MEANING OF BERITH

God’s BERITHS therefore are mostly unilateral, that is, one-sided COMMANDS or Orders from a superior to a subordinate or subordinates; not negotiated agreements. 

David recognized God’s berith as command from God to man:

Psal 111:9 (KJV) He sent redemption unto his people: HE HAD COMMANDED HIS COVENANT (berith) FOREVER: …

BERITHS ARE DECREES

From all indications, the Hebrew word BERITH is GENERIC.  It could mean TESTAMENT, or WILL which are DECREES.  It could also mean AGREEMENT, but it needs to be RATIFIED.  The RATIFICATION is a decree and the basic agreement becomes part of it.

GOD RULES BY BERITHS

In 2002, the King of Nepal dissolved their Parliament and, as an absolute ruler, began to rule by DECREES. Early on in 1972, Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos also dissolved the Congress and ruled by DECREES.  

In the case of God, who is an absolute sovereign, i.e., no Congress, no Parliament, no Judiciary, he also rules by DECREES which are called BERITHS!

And that is one thing we need to remember about God:  GOD RULES BY BERITHS.  Once issued, his berith becomes law, which makes him THE lawgiver.

Isai 33:22 (KJV) For the LORD [is] our judge, the LORD [is] our LAWGIVER, the LORD [is] our king;…

Psal 105:7 (KJV) He [is] the LORD our God: his JUDGMENTS [are] in all the earth. 8 He keeps in remembrance his BERITH forever, the word [which] he COMMANDED to a thousand generations.

Note that a berith here is a command.  And God’s command is law.

9 Which [BERITH] he (issued for) Abraham, and his oath (he issued) unto Isaac (God’s berith for Abraham contained a promise to give Abraham an heir and, since the berith was under oath, then the promise was covered by the oath);

10 And (the LORD) confirmed the SAME (i.e., the same berith He issued for Abraham) unto Jacob for a LAW…

This verse confirms that a berith is LAW. The word law, Heb choq, item 2706 in Strong’s, means DECREE, not the Ten Commandments!

…and (confirmed the SAME berith for Abraham) to Israel [for] an EVERLASTING COVENANT (berith):

Note the words “everlasting COVENANT” in the confirmation to ISRAEL.  The COMMANDMENTS are in that COVENANT.  The STATUTES are in that COVENANT.  The JUDGMENTS are in that COVENANT.  All the contents of that COVENANT to Israel therefore are “everlasting” and valid forever.  They could not have been “done away” at any time as mainstream religions would make us believe.

As already mentioned at the outset, God keeps his own beriths or decrees:

Psal 89:34 (KJV, David quoting the LORD) My berith will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips

GOD’S BERITHS ARE UNDER OATH

God keeps whatever he had said in his beriths because his beriths were under oath.  In so doing, God expects his people to also keep his beriths:

Isai 14:24 (KJV) The LORD of hosts had SWORN, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, [so] shall it stand:

Deut 7:7 (KJV, Moses giving last-minute pep talk before the Israelites were to enter the Promised land) The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you [were] the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loves you, and BECAUSE HE WOULD KEEP THE OATH which he had SWORN unto your fathers, had the LORD brought you out (from Egypt) with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Psal 25:10 (KJV) All the paths of the LORD [are] mercy and truth unto such (persons) as keep his BERITH and his testimonies. …14 The SECRET of the LORD [is] with THEM that FEAR him; AND he will make known to THEM his BERITH (for them to keep!) 

Are we among those who fear the LORD?  He will make known to us his berith!  Prepare to be surprised!

Next:  PART  3 –  Berith’s Essential Elements

-by Belo Alvaran

Not a few dissertations posted on the web claim that the Covenant of God with the Israelites was the so-called “old covenant” that was “disannulled”.  A close look, however, would show that the said covenant was the “accession” of the Israelites to God’s original covenant with Abraham.  Since the original was under oath and valid forever, then the accession was covered by the same oath and also valid forever.

Here was God’s original covenant with Abraham:

Gene 17:7 (KJV, the LORD speaking to Abraham) And I will ratify my covenant between me and you AND (through accession) your seed after you in their generations for an EVERLASTING COVENANT… 

Here was the ratification, which was under oath:

Gene 22:15 (KJV) And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, BY MYSELF HAVE I SWORN (this was the oath!), said the LORD,…17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I WILL MULTIPLY YOUR SEED AS THE STARS OF THE HEAVEN, and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

There was one covenant, however, which God issued without an oath.  Here it is:

THE COVENANT OF LEVI

Mala 2:1 (KJV) And now, O you PRIESTS, this COMMANDMENT [is] for you…4 And you shall know that I have sent this COMMANDMENT unto you, that my COVENANT might be (sic) with LEVI, said the LORD of hosts. 

The Young’s Literal Translation is clearer:

Mala 2:4 (YLT) And you have known (shall know – past tense in Hebrew is future tense in English) that I have sent unto you this charge, For My Covenant BEING WITH Levi, said Jehovah of Hosts.

God’s covenant therefore was ALREADY with Levi:

Mala 2:5 (KJV) My COVENANT was already with Levi of life and peace; and I gave life and peace to him [for] the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity (lawlessness) was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. 

The Covenant that was ALREADY with Levi was the COVENANT OF AN EVERLASTING PRIESTHOOD which God issued to Phinehas, a son of Eleazar, a son of Aaron:

Numb 25:10 (KJV) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 11 PHINEHAS, the son of Eleazar, the SON OF AARON the priest, had turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. 

COVENANT OF EVERLASTING PRIESTHOOD ISSUED TO PHINEHAS:

12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him MY COVENANT OF PEACE: 13 And he shall have it, and HIS SEED after him, [even] the COVENANT OF AN EVERLASTING PRIESTHOOD; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. 

This was what Phinehas did:

Numb 25:1 (KJV) And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 2 And they (Moabites) called the (Israelite) people unto the sacrifices of their (pagan) gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. 

4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. 5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay you everyone his men that were joined unto Baalpeor. 

6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who [were] weeping [before] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

7 And when PHINEHAS, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw [it], he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four (24,000) thousand.

Note that God’s Covenant with Phinehas was a “COVENANT OF AN EVERLASTING PRIESTHOOD”.  Phinehas therefore, not Aaron, became the standard bearer for the tribe of Levi.  

But the children of Levi had imperfections:

Mala 2:8 (KJV) But you (Levitical priests) are departed out of the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law; you have CORRUPTED the COVENANT OF LEVI, said the LORD of hosts. 

Note the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood: the priests “departed out of the way.”  Samuel gave a detailed account on the reprehensible behavior of Levitical priests during his time:

1Sam 2:12 (KJV) Now the sons of Eli (the Levitical High Priest, a descendant of Aaron) [were] sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. 

13 And the priests’ custom with the people [was, that], when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; 14 And he would strike [it] into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook would bring up the priest would take for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came there. 15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant would come, and would say to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of you, but raw. 16 And [if] any man would say unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently (the fat should be burnt in burnt offering.  They were not allowed to eat the fat, Levi 7:23), and [then] take [as much] as your soul desires; then he would answer him, [Nay]; but you shall give [it me] now: and if not, I will take [it] by force. 

17 Wherefore the SIN OF THE YOUNG MEN WAS VERY GREAT before the LORD: for men ABHORRED THE OFFERING of the LORD. (Offerings were designed to bring men close to God, Levi 4:27, 31 – but the priests practically drove them away instead!)

To remind ourselves, we were looking for the “Old Covenant” which was disannulled and the “New Covenant” which superseded it.  We have seen that God issued a COVENANT WITH LEVI.  But earlier, the Levites were given to Aaron and his sons who were priests.  

Numb 8:19 (KJV, the LORD speaking) And I have given the Levites [as] a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel…

So the question is, was there a combined COVENANT OF THE PRIESTHOOD AND OF LEVITES?

The Prophet Nehemiah provides the answer:

Nehe 13:29 (KJV, Nehemiah lamenting over the Levitical priests’ “imperfections”: they violated the priests’ code of conduct) Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the COVENANT OF THE PRIESTHOOD AND OF THE LEVITES.   

From all indications, it was this covenant that was disannulled.  The disannulment was done during the time of Eli, the Levitical High Priest:

1Sam 2:27 And there came a man of God unto Eli (the Levitical High Priest, whose sons “defiled” the priesthood), and said unto him, Thus said the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of your father (Aaron), when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? 

28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel [to be] my priest, to offer upon my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of your father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? 

29 Wherefore kick you (Eli) at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded [in my] habitation; and HONOR YOUR SONS ABOVE ME, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? 

Here was the disannulment:

30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel said, I said indeed (to Phinehas, Numb 25:10 cited above) [that] your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me FOREVER: but now the LORD said, BE IT FAR FROM ME (i.e., the LORD would no longer fulfill what he said to Phinehas); for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me (like Eli and his sons) shall be lightly esteemed. 

THE LORD TO RAISE UP A FAITHFUL PRIEST

…35 And I WILL RAISE ME UP A FAITHFUL PRIEST [that] shall do according to [that] which [is] in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed forever. 

He did:

Psal 110:4 (KJV, David recording the LORD’s order) The LORD had sworn (i.e., this appointment was under oath, a covenant or testament or decree), and will not repent (irrevocable), You (referring to Jesus Christ) [are] a priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek.

Hebr 5:5 (KJV, Paul speaking to his Jewish converts) So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest; but he that said unto him,…6 …You [are] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

There it is!  We have found the COVENANT that was DISANNULLED and its REPLACEMENT!

NEW COVENANT UNDER OATH

Note that God’s Covenant for Levi was NOT made under oath and, as such, it may be subjected to change as God saw fit.  Note also that the New Covenant on Priesthood under the Order of Melchisedec was subscribed and sworn to by God thus making it irrevocable.  

Hebr 7:21 (KJV) For those (Levitical) priests were made without an oath; but this (priest, who is Jesus Christ, was made) WITH AN OATH by God the Father that said unto him, (as David recorded in Ps 110:4) The LORD swore and will not repent (this covenant is irrevocable), YOU (Jesus) [ARE] A PRIEST FOREVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC:  

THAT brief statement under oath is the NEW COVENANT!  It is THE New Covenant on Priesthood!

Now that we have shown without a shadow of doubt which covenant was disannulled, our next order of business is to prove that the covenant of God with the Israelites, which contained commandments, judgments and statutes, is still valid.

Watch for our upcoming articles on God’s covenants, arranged in legal format AND written in Philippine English!

To state plainly, our purpose is to make the Church of God ready for her wedding with Christ! For this reason, the author encourages other WCG splinter groups to copy these articles on their websites. ■ 

About the author:

Belo Alvaran is a retired employee of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.  While abroad, he held a diplomatic rank of Attaché. At the Home Office, he served, inter alia, as secretary and rapporteur to the National Committee on Illegal Entrants (NCIE) chaired by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.  (NCIE had since been taken over by the Office of the President).  He also worked with ASEAN Secretariat on cultural matters and saw firsthand the forging of international agreements.  He was assigned to Israel as Administrative Officer, Political Reporter and the Ambassador’s speech writer. While researching Jewish history for a speech, he learned that his maternal grandfather was a Sephardic Jew who enlisted in the Spanish expeditionary forces to the Far East. His Jewish neighbors upon hearing his heritage took him as one of them to his pleasant surprise.