There is a tremendous amount of debate and confusion over the matters of Eschatology, that is, the Study of the End of Times. Two of the most prevalent school of thoughts are Covenant Theology and Dispensational Eschatology.
Covenant Theology claims that God deals with mankind through several Covenants. Most Covenant Theology theologians hold to a Covenant of Works in the Old Testament between God and Adam. The New Testament is the Covenant of Grace.
Dispensationalism is a method of biblical interpretation that teaches that Scripture is “unfolding” in a series of Dispensations beginning with Adam, changing with Noah, and so on as history progresses. Dispensationalists claim support for their interpretation through “literal” interpretation of scripture, but in fact a literal interpretation of scripture is that no “new” covenant can eliminate the original covenant of dominion over the kingdom of God.
The Basic Covenant of Dominion:
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion.” (Genesis 1:26)
This is an everlasting covenant from “God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Titus 1:2) and is expressly stated as such later in scripture.
“the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” (Genesis 9:16)
This covenant has never been discarded. The problem with this covenant is that it requires mankind to be in God’s image and likeness in order to be a partner, and over and over God had to single-handedly uphold this covenant, and make modifications to squeeze some men into qualifying for their side of the deal.
Everlasting Covenant of Dominion established / carried out with Noah
Plus a new clause also covenantal in nature and extent – never to flood the entire earth again
“I, behold I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven…But with thee will I establish my covenant [of dominion over the earth]; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee…I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you.” (Genesis 6:17-19, 9:9-10)
“NEITHER shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth…for perpetual generations [always the case with a covenant]: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a[nother] covenant between me and the earth…And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting [nature of the original] covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the [baseline] covenant, which I have established [made to stand despite the massive destruction of all life] between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.” (Genesis 9:11-17)
Everlasting Covenant of Dominion established / carried out with Abram The Hebrew
Plus a new clause also covenantal in nature and extent – a land grant
“the LORD appeared to Abram [the Hebrew], and said…I will make my [baseline] covenant between me and thee…my [baseline] covenant [of dominion over the entire earth] is with thee…thou shalt be a father of many nations [throughout the whole earth, see post on Abram’s father Eber]…I will establish my [baseline] covenant [of dominion] between me and thee [inheriting Eber’s position] and thy [spiritual] seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee…Abraham our father…believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness…the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was…through the righteousness of faith.” (Genesis 17:1-11, Romans 4:1-13)
Ishmael, father of the Arabs and Islam, inherits dominion under this baseline covenant. Shocking? As if Christianity doesn’t have its share of terrorists and departures from the one true God. More to follow in subsequent posts. For now, don’t deny the clear statement of scripture:
“And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee [have eternal life]…And God said…I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him [granted him an inheritance of dominion as my son], and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. BUT my [land grant] covenant will I establish with Isaac [ruler of the Hebrews], which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.(Genesis 17:18-20)
This is the logical sequela of the LORD’s commitment to refrain from once again destroying the whole earth by flood, despite the whole earth once again engaging in the exact same corruption that led to Noah’s flood – specifically in the territory given to Abram! This new clause parcels out a portion of the entire earth from the single culture that existed before the flood and entrusts it to the dominion of one of the many nations scattered after the flood.
“the LORD made a covenant with Abram the Hebrew. Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites…the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there…We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” (Genesis 15:18-21, Number 13:28-29)
Can we not see that being granted dominion is a burden before it becomes the honor of a Purple Heart? “Take point on the charge into battle against the enemy!”
“This is my covenant [of the possession of the land of Canaan only, not of becoming a son of God], which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised…and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you…And the uncircumcised man child…shall be cut off from his people [in the geographical state]; he hath broken my covenant.” (Genesis 17)
This covenant of possession of Canaan is established centuries later.
“And it came to pass in process of time, that…the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage…And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob…And God said…I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites.” (Exodus 2:23-3:17)
The Covenant of Dominion Offered to the International House of Hebrews
“Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to 1) the house(hold) / non-genetic members of Jacob, and tell 2) the (genetic) children of Israel i.e. combined together the entire world-wide Hebrew Commonwealth; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, 1) if YE [the Commonwealth] will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, 2) then YE [the Commonwealth] shall be…unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” (Exodus 19:3-6).
This exactly matches the requirement to be in God’s image and likeness in order to be a partner in the baseline Covenant of Dominion. However, the Hebrew Commonwealth promptly failed their side of the covenant.
“And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us…And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people [the Hebrews] which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt]…have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt….Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation…And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand…as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.” (Exodus 32)
By breaking the tablets before they could be ratified, Moses, the great intercessor forestalled immediate imposition of the death sentence as per the covenant.
New Clause / as a Covenant one-sided and everlasting giving priestly status to the tribe of Levi after they proved themselves worthy
“Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD‘s side?…And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them…go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay [the guilty]…And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men…And it came to pass on the morrow, that…the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.” (Exodus 32)
There was a lot more than ten commandments on this second go-round, including taking priesthood status away from what had been among the responsibilities of the the heads of families and assigning them exclusively to the Levites as “an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” (Exodus 40:15)
If we take God at his word there are now in existence generations of Levitical priests who still have priestly responsibilities. It was only the offering of a blood sacrifice that was done away with.
“such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” (Hebrews 7:26-27)
This does not eliminate the other functions of the priests.
“verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren.” (Hebrews 7:5)
Jesus the Christ is the High Priest, which by definition requires underling priests.
“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens…if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law…For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they [the priests] shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest…In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8)
But it hadn’t vanished simply because Jesus the Christ died, rose, and ascended into heaven.
“And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7)
The High Priest is waiting for the critical mass number of his under-priests to fall in line.
“For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Matthew 23:39)
“unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:28)
Kingdom Come 