The Covenant of the Torch. Abraham Park

This is the message conveyed in the phrase, “the blood of the covenant.” Jesus came according to the promise of the Old Testament (Gen 3:15; Gal 3:19). He came at the fullness of time (Gal 4:4; Mark 1:15), at the right time (Rom 5:6), and with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times (Eph 1:9–10). He died according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3) and was resurrected according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:4). At the proper time, He will surely come again to this earth to fulfill the promise of His Second Coming (1 Tim 6:15).

      The covenant and its fulfillment as revealed in the Bible play a vital role in properly understanding God’s administration of salvation. Even to this day, the work to fulfill the covenant has progressed according to God’s perfect plan. It is continuously being fulfilled today and will continue to be fulfilled according to His administration until it is complete.

      1. The Meaning of the Word Covenant

      (1) Hebrew –

      The word covenant is in Hebrew and refers to a mutual agreement between two parties. However, the covenant between God and His people is a unilateral agreement, with the emphasis on God’s sovereignty in its implementation because God is the Creator and mankind is the creature. By nature, God and human beings cannot be equal. In Genesis 6:18, God says, “But I will establish My covenant with you.” God is the One who establishes the covenant, and He is the rightful possessor of that covenant.

      The word also means “to break apart.” The word originates from an Ancient Near Eastern practice of cutting an offering into two pieces when an important covenant was established (Gen 15:10; Jer 34:18). This act signified that if either of the two parties in the agreement does not keep his part of the agreement, he will also be torn into two pieces like the offering.

      (2) Greek –

      In the Septuagint, often is translated as , which is a combination of the word (dia, prefix for “two”) and the word (, “to put,” “to place,” or “to lay”). Thus, the compound word means “to place (or settle) between the two.” The covenant is made between two parties: God and His people in the Bible. The word is also used to mean “a will” (Heb 9:16–17). Normally, a covenant is made between two parties, but a will is given unilaterally. Just as a dying person unilaterally leaves behind final words (i.e., will) for the family, so too, is God’s covenant made exclusively by His sovereign power.

      When considering the root meaning of the word covenant, one can see that the ultimate conclusion after entering into a covenant with God is for God and man to become one through a spiritual bond, thus forming a personal relationship. Accordingly, God’s use of the covenant as a tool to advance the plan of salvation is a clear display of His love toward mankind and strong will to save them.

      2. Characteristics of the Covenant with God

      (1) The unilateral and sovereign covenant

      Although a covenant is an agreement between God and man, it is always initiated by God. In love, God drew near to fallen mankind to save them (1 John 4:10, 19) because human beings are God’s creation but lost the ability to enter into a covenant with God since the fall.

      Thus, the covenant with God is unilateral by nature and is the sovereign covenant of His grace. Even when God’s people strayed from faithfully adhering to the covenant, He forgave them when they repented (Jer 33:8; 36:3). Furthermore, God Himself restored the covenant (Jer 31:31–34) and renewed it (Ezek 16:60–63; Rom 11:27).

      We have received a new covenant in Christ. As a result, we have an eternal hope that keeps us from wavering no matter how difficult our circumstances may be. This covenant is our greatest comfort and the guarantee of the ultimate victory for those who wait for His Second Coming.

      (2) The eternal covenant

      The greatest characteristic of the biblical covenant is that once a covenant is made, it is unchanging and faithfully fulfilled. This is why we call it the “eternal covenant” (Gen 17:13, 19; 2 Sam 23:5; 1 Chr 16:17; Ps 105:8; Ezek 16:60; 37:26). The Word of God possesses eternal efficacy. Thus, once it is proclaimed, it is definitely fulfilled (Ps 119:160; Isa 40:8; 55:11).

      1 Kings 8:56 Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant.

      God’s covenant is not altered by any human condition or time. It can never be nullified or made void, and it can never be cancelled or terminated. Before this generation passes, all that He has planned will be fulfilled (Matt 24:34). He will fulfill His word with perfection, and He will not delay (Hab 2:3; Heb 10:37; Rev 1:1; 22:6).

      Ezekiel 12:28 Therefore say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be performed,’” declares the Lord GOD.

      The covenant of the torch, which we will address in this book, is an eternal covenant. Psalm 105:8–10 states, “He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac. Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant.” Once God takes an oath, confirming it as a statute, the covenant becomes an eternally unchanging covenant.

      3. Types of Covenants

      The Bible is a historical account based on God’s covenant. Through the covenant, God promised redemption in Jesus Christ. Thus, the main contents of the covenant are Jesus Christ and the redemption fulfilled through Him, which is eternal life (1 John 2:25). In Titus 1:2, the apostle Paul says that he is writing “in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago.” Thus, this promise of eternal life can be traced all the way back to the eternal world before creation. There are many different types of covenants in the Bible, but the covenants that appear after creation include the covenant of works, the covenant of redemption, and the covenant of grace.

      (1) The covenant of works

      After God established the Garden of Eden toward the east, He placed Adam there (Gen 2:8). In the garden, God entered into the covenant of works with Adam, who represents all humanity (Hos 6:7). Then God said to him, “But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Gen 2:17). This covenant, which God established with Adam concerning the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, is called the covenant of works because Adam’s life depended on his works.

      The ultimate promise in this covenant of works is eternal life (1 John 2:25). If Adam and Eve had treasured, cherished, believed, and obeyed this divine Word wholeheartedly with fear, they would have eaten the fruit from the tree of life and lived eternally (Gen 3:22).

      However, Eve listened to the words of the serpent, which were in complete opposition to God’s covenant. The serpent completely altered God’s Word by asserting, “You surely shall not die” by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:4). The serpent also tempted her with a lie that they could be like God: “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:5). As Eve’s heart became tempted, she began to believe