A large part of our covenant walk with the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s ancient ways and the panorama of covenants He made in the Old Testament. These led to the New Covenant inaugurated by Jesus and his shed blood upon the cross.
In scripture we see that the Judeo-Christian faith is a religion that is bloody: “For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.” Such tradition and reality were continued in the death of the martyrs. According to the Book of Revelation, the fulfillment of the number of Martyrs collected under God’s throne has not been made complete. To quote Frances Schaeffer “How then should we live?” Jesus understood from before the foundation of the world His purpose on earth. He made peace with and embraced his call to martyrdom. Paul states in Galatians 2:20 (NASB1995) “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” In Acts 1:8 we are told to be his witnesses (marturia-martyrs). To be a witness for Jesus requires us to lay down our lives in order to live for Him. It is appropriate that we consider the covenant we have entered with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In scripture we see that the Judeo-Christian faith is a religion that is bloody: “For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.” Such tradition and reality were continued in the death of the martyrs. According to the Book of Revelation, the fulfillment of the number of Martyrs collected under God’s throne has not been made complete. To quote Frances Schaeffer “How then should we live?” Jesus understood from before the foundation of the world His purpose on earth. He made peace with and embraced his call to martyrdom. Paul states in Galatians 2:20 (NASB1995) “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” In Acts 1:8 we are told to be his witnesses (marturia-martyrs). To be a witness for Jesus requires us to lay down our lives in order to live for Him. It is appropriate that we consider the covenant we have entered with the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Our feature writer is Rona Spiropoulos. She is originally from southern Africa, and is a missionary evangelist who travels the nations teaching and preaching the Word of God. In her article, “The Power of the Blood Covenant”, she dives deeply into the meaning of the Old Testament covenants and how they relate to the New Covenant of Jesus’ shed blood. She provides an extensive nine-point comparison. She makes an interesting connection regarding the Edenic covenant stating,
The Hebrew word for “breathed” is “Nephach,” which also means “to kindle” or “ignite.” Adam was ignited by His Father’s fiery love. What flowed through Adam’s blood vessels was glorious light. It radiated out of him revealing the radiant light of the Father’s glory. When Adam sinned, the glory of God left him, and a change took place within his body. That light became the blood that we know today. Quantum physicists tell us that human blood is actually congealed light, it is light under intense pressure. It is still honored by God enough that covenants are cut with the shedding of blood.
She continues to recount the Abrahamic covenant from the Be’rith (cutting of covenant) where the fiery torch (a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus) represents the Father and the Son ratifying the covenant on Abraham’s behalf. She concludes by stating, “The Father must have said, ‘Abraham, you were willing to give your son, believing that I would raise him from the dead because of My promise to you of an heir. Now, I am giving My Son…and yes…I will raise Him from the dead and bring many sons into glory!’”
The Hebrew word for “breathed” is “Nephach,” which also means “to kindle” or “ignite.” Adam was ignited by His Father’s fiery love. What flowed through Adam’s blood vessels was glorious light. It radiated out of him revealing the radiant light of the Father’s glory. When Adam sinned, the glory of God left him, and a change took place within his body. That light became the blood that we know today. Quantum physicists tell us that human blood is actually congealed light, it is light under intense pressure. It is still honored by God enough that covenants are cut with the shedding of blood.
She continues to recount the Abrahamic covenant from the Be’rith (cutting of covenant) where the fiery torch (a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus) represents the Father and the Son ratifying the covenant on Abraham’s behalf. She concludes by stating, “The Father must have said, ‘Abraham, you were willing to give your son, believing that I would raise him from the dead because of My promise to you of an heir. Now, I am giving My Son…and yes…I will raise Him from the dead and bring many sons into glory!’”
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Renown Bible teacher E. W. Kenyon lectured on “The Blood Covenant”, an excerpt from his book bearing the same name as this reprinted article. In it he examines the blood covenant as a phenomenon among many religions. He investigates Jesus’ declaration “This is my blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many unto the remission of sins”, and then told them to eat the bread which he declared was His body and to drink the wine which He declared was His blood.
Kenyon states that revelation came when there was placed in my hands a book by Dr. H. Clay Trumbull (The Blood Covenant), the old editor of the Sunday School Times. In that book he discussed that there had been a Blood Covenant practiced by all primitive peoples from the earliest of time. He concluded that this Blood Covenant was the basis of all primitive religions. He gave data from all parts of the world showing that even to this day in Africa, India, China, Borneo, and the Islands of the Seas men practice a Blood Covenant very similar to our Lord’s Table.
Kenyon addresses the solemnity of the blood covenant in Africa. He states,
“Two men wish to cut the covenant; they come together with their friends and a priest. First, they exchange gifts. By this exchange of gifts they indicate that all that one has, the other owns if necessary. After this exchange of gifts, they bring a cup of wine, the priest makes an incision in the arm of one man and the blood drips into the wine. An incision is made in the other man’s arm and his blood drips into the same cup. Then the wine is stirred, and the bloods are mixed. Then the cup is handed to one man, and he drinks part of it, then hands it to the other man and he drinks the rest of it. When they have drunk it, ofttimes they will put their wrists together so that their bloods mingle, or they will touch their tongues to each other’s wounds. Now, they have become blood brothers. Mr. Stanley said he never knew this covenant to be broken in Africa, no matter what the provocation. Dr. Livingstone also bears witness saying that he never knew the Blood Covenant to be broken. It is one covenant that is perfectly sacred among all primitive peoples. In Africa, if one was to break the covenant, his own mother or wife, or nearest relatives would seek his death, and would turn him over to the hands of the avenger for destruction. No man can live in Africa who breaks the covenant…he curses the very ground he walks on.”
Kenyon continues by recounting the story of Abraham and David’s covenant with God and concludes by emphasizing the importance of the Lord’s supper’ saying, “First it is your loyalty and love to Jesus. Second, it is your loyalty and love for His Body, the Church. It is a confession of your love one for another. It is a confession that you have eaten and drunk with them, and now you are going to bear their burdens. You have identified yourself with each other, just as He identified Himself with you in His Incarnation and Substitution. That would be the Master’s attitude toward the Lord’s table.”
Kenyon states that revelation came when there was placed in my hands a book by Dr. H. Clay Trumbull (The Blood Covenant), the old editor of the Sunday School Times. In that book he discussed that there had been a Blood Covenant practiced by all primitive peoples from the earliest of time. He concluded that this Blood Covenant was the basis of all primitive religions. He gave data from all parts of the world showing that even to this day in Africa, India, China, Borneo, and the Islands of the Seas men practice a Blood Covenant very similar to our Lord’s Table.
Kenyon addresses the solemnity of the blood covenant in Africa. He states,
“Two men wish to cut the covenant; they come together with their friends and a priest. First, they exchange gifts. By this exchange of gifts they indicate that all that one has, the other owns if necessary. After this exchange of gifts, they bring a cup of wine, the priest makes an incision in the arm of one man and the blood drips into the wine. An incision is made in the other man’s arm and his blood drips into the same cup. Then the wine is stirred, and the bloods are mixed. Then the cup is handed to one man, and he drinks part of it, then hands it to the other man and he drinks the rest of it. When they have drunk it, ofttimes they will put their wrists together so that their bloods mingle, or they will touch their tongues to each other’s wounds. Now, they have become blood brothers. Mr. Stanley said he never knew this covenant to be broken in Africa, no matter what the provocation. Dr. Livingstone also bears witness saying that he never knew the Blood Covenant to be broken. It is one covenant that is perfectly sacred among all primitive peoples. In Africa, if one was to break the covenant, his own mother or wife, or nearest relatives would seek his death, and would turn him over to the hands of the avenger for destruction. No man can live in Africa who breaks the covenant…he curses the very ground he walks on.”
Kenyon continues by recounting the story of Abraham and David’s covenant with God and concludes by emphasizing the importance of the Lord’s supper’ saying, “First it is your loyalty and love to Jesus. Second, it is your loyalty and love for His Body, the Church. It is a confession of your love one for another. It is a confession that you have eaten and drunk with them, and now you are going to bear their burdens. You have identified yourself with each other, just as He identified Himself with you in His Incarnation and Substitution. That would be the Master’s attitude toward the Lord’s table.”
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Dr. Tom Reedy examines the blood covenant in this article “Jonathan and David: More than Friends.” He states “Covenants are based on relationships and not just laws. There are two kinds of covenants in the scripture, parity and suzerainty. Parity is a contract between two equals that requires both parties to honor the conditions of the contract for the covenant to be valid. A covenant of suzerainty is a contract made between a king and his subject. The king can bind himself to conditions that are in effect despite the subject’s inability to keep the conditions of the covenant.”
The covenant of Parity is represented by the covenant that David made with Jonathan and subsequently with his descendants. This covenant is reflected in E.W. Kenyon’s article on African blood covenants. The Covenant of Suzerainty is the covenant that God made with Abraham, and the covenant God made with us through the shed blood of Jesus. Rona Spiropoulos explores the Old Testament covenants and compares them with the New Covenant of Jesus’ shed blood.
The covenant of Parity is represented by the covenant that David made with Jonathan and subsequently with his descendants. This covenant is reflected in E.W. Kenyon’s article on African blood covenants. The Covenant of Suzerainty is the covenant that God made with Abraham, and the covenant God made with us through the shed blood of Jesus. Rona Spiropoulos explores the Old Testament covenants and compares them with the New Covenant of Jesus’ shed blood.
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Ras Robinson, author and founder of Fullness in Christ Church and Fulness magazine, explores the motif of The Lamb of Passover and how we as Christians benefit from His sacrifice on the cross. He goes on to encourage believers to live out the Sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God. In his article Ras describes Jesus as the Lamb of History, Healing, and Heaven. Ras describes our responsibility to Discern and Display the Body of the Lamb. He concludes by exhorting us to “Behold the Resurrected Lamb”.
Both our columnists, Jennifer Peikert and Budd Rodgers bring insightful teachings on The Heart of Fathers and Remnants Arising. Budd asserts that Father God can “make up the difference” in a lacking or dysfunctional father, while Jennifer speaks to the Remnant’s power to affect change in our nation. Both writers will challenge you to come up higher!
Blessings,
Tom
Blessings,
Tom