Who is the New Testament Made With

Post
Draft
#Script

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfCLDR2bEDY

Goal: That the viewer would see that the Testament was made with Israel and Judah, and that gentiles that take part in it must become part of Israel.

A Covenant is an agreement, so who was this agreement made with?

Most Christians know that the New Covenant (or testament) was initiated during Jesus’ last meal with his 12 disciples, before he was betrayed. This is when he passed the cup and the bread, which Christians usually commemorate with a ceremony called communion. However, many Christians lose sight of its broader meaning. What is this “New Covenant” anyway?

We first need to understand that Jesus is referring to something that had already been established prophetically. Jesus didn’t to go into detail about what this new covenant actually was, which would be odd since an agreement has terms and clearly identified parties. However, he didn’t need to explain, because the disciples would immediately recall the words of Jeremiah –

Jeremiah 31:31-34

_“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Here we have the answer to the question of who the New Covenant is made with - the Northern and Southern kingdoms, or the Houses of Israel and Judah. But we know that people from all over the world are part of the New Covenant. So, this begs the question – how do gentiles become part of this covenant?

In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul speaks to those who were formerly gentiles, and called the “uncircumcision”, who were without the Hebrew Messiah, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. They were strangers from the covenants of promise (which includes the New Covenant) and without hope and without God in the world. Through Messiah, gentiles are reconciled to God, made partakers in the covenants, and made fellow citizens with Israel.

In other words, it’s a package deal. Not only do we get Jesus, we get the promised Holy Spirit, we get the covenants, we become citizens of God’s country - His chosen people called Israel.

Now, regarding the middle wall of partition and what He tore down and the ordinances that were abolished. The Greek word Dogma… (the ordinances that were abolished) always refers to human decrees. It is this "dogma" which contained, or was composed of a law of commandments (generic words - not used only for Torah). It is to this dogma that Peter refers to when he tells Cornelius (the first gentile to be covered) “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation.” No such law existed in the Torah. This is the enmity that Christ slain. There was nothing in the Torah about Israel not associating with gentiles or looking down on them. On the contrary, they were supposed to be an example to the world in order that they would see the light of God in them, and that the temple would become a “house of prayer for all nations”.

Do we have any other evidence that what Christ abolished were laws and customs of human origin? Yes, in this passage he refers to “the middle wall of partition” which has been torn down. This wall was of human creation. Nearly every Bible commentary and encyclopedia mention that this is a reference to a physical wall that existed in the temple court which prevented the Gentiles from going behind it under penalty of death. God did not design this wall of partition.

Pauls is saying that the two are now fully one. Christ annulled the man-made regulations separating Jews from gentiles and has symbolically removed the wall restricting the gentiles’ access.

Ephesians 2:11-22

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Ephesians 2 KJV (biblehub.com)

Romans 11:11-24 teaches that some of Israel was broken off of their own olive tree, which allowed the gentiles (wild olive branch) to be grafted into the tree of Israel (the cultivated olive tree).

Romans 11:11-24
“I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?”

In fact, the Old Testament scriptures foretold a time when those of the nations would become part of Israel and co-inheritors of the land of Israel during the reign of the Messiah on earth.

Ezekiel 47:21-23

“Thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord God.”

The following passages show that bloodline Israelites which are not part of the faithful remnant are not considered the Israel of God - but the faithful are, regardless of formal inclusion into Israel (represented by circumcision). It is important to note that this is not replacement theology. On the contrary, it shows that Israel was and is the identity of the true congregation of God. and that the existence of the unfaithful tares among the wheat does not change that identity.

Romans 9:6-8, Galatians 3:26-29 & 6:15-16, and 1 Corinthians 7:19.

Romans 9:6-8

“But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.”

Galatians 3:26-29:

"For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."

Galatians 6:15-16

“For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, even to the Israel of God.”

1 Corinthians 7:19

“Circumcision [ie, formal Judaism] is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.”

The idea of the “one new man” is a clear reference to another prophetic message from Ezekiel. He is told to take two sticks, and write Judah and the children of Israel on one and Ephraim and the whole house of Israel on the other. He was then told to join them together and the two would become one. This refers to the Northern tribes of Israel, represented by Ephraim, and the Southern tribes, represented by Judah. The northern tribes were scattered throughout the nations by the Assyrians, whereas the southern tribes returned to the land of Israel and are who we call “the Jews” today.

When Jacob was blessing his children he said of Ephraim, that he “would become a multitude of nations”. There are many prophecies about the return of these exiles in the last days and the reunification of the tribes of Israel. It is often mentioned in these passages how the nations (gentiles) will be blessed and flow into Israel with them.

It is clear that the move of God that returns Ephraim and Judah to the land of Israel will bring with it many from the nations. What we are experiencing in the Church right now is “the times of the gentiles” in which the Gospel is primarily going forth among the nations. However, we must remember that this does not diminish the fact that this only happens through them being grafted into the family and country of God’s chosen people. One day all Israel will say “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” and be saved.

The New Covenant was made solely with the house of Israel and Judah, symbolically represented by the 12 disciples. Everyone within the Church is part of the unified house of Israel and Judah through faith in Israel’s Messiah.

Ezekiel 37:15-18

“Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 16“As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’ 17Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.

18“And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show us what you mean by these?’— 19say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.” ’ 20And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.

21“Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; 22and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. 23They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

24“David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. 25Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. 26Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 28The nations also will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

There are many other passages in the New Testament that speak to the idea of Gentiles becoming part of Israel through faith in Jesus, such as Galatians 3:26-29 and Colossians 1:21-23.

are there any others?

Yes, here are a few more passages that speak to the idea of Gentiles becoming part of Israel through faith in Jesus:

Acts 10:34-35: "So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."

Romans 4:11-12: "He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised."

Galatians 3:26-29: "For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."

Colossians 1:21-23: "And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister."

1 Peter 2:9-10: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

These passages all speak to the idea that through faith in Jesus, Gentiles are included in God's family and become part of his people, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity.

So if the Church is Israel, when did the Church begin? We’ll look at that next.

Did the Church begin in Acts 2?

It is true that in the NT writings “Church” refers to the body of believers in Messiah. It is important to recognize that that is because the congregation of the righteous are those that accept Messiah. Those that do not are in their sins and have rejected God’s anointed. However, this does not mean that the Church only began after Jesus appeared.

There are 12 pearly gates in the New Jerusalem that comes down from heaven, and on those gates are written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. There is no gentile gate, so if you want to enter the city, you must enter through the gate

There is an identity crisis in the Church. Dispensationalism. Replacement Theology.

No gentles in the NT church until .. AD