Some streams of Christianity believe the church is Israel; thus, they take the Old Testament commands and promises to Israel and apply them to the church. Today’s Scripture reading tells us about a covenant that Yahweh made with Israel.
The New Testament also talks about a covenant. The covenant in the New Testament is called a new covenant. This tells us that the church operates under a covenant separate from the covenant under which Israel operated. This does not definitively say that the church and Israel are two different things, but it allows for it.
The 27th and 28th chapters of Deuteronomy contain lists of blessings and curses. If Israel entered the land of Canaan and obeyed Yahweh, then they would prosper and receive many blessings. On the other hand, if they entered the Promised Land and disobeyed Yahweh, then they would be cursed and suffer many plagues, droughts, and defeats.
Deut. 29:1 ¶ These are the words of the covenant which Yahweh commanded Moses to cut with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He had cut with them at Horeb.
The word “covenant” is a translation of the Hebrew word “berit” and refers to a binding agreement. The first five books of the Bible refer to numerous covenants. For example, after the flood, Yahweh cut a covenant with all flesh that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. The rainbow is a sign of that covenant (see Genesis 9:9-13). Yahweh made a covenant with Abraham that Abraham would have many descendants who would possess the land of his sojournings. Circumcision was the sign of that covenant (see Genesis 17). Yahweh made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give them and their descendants the land of Canaan (see Exodus 6:2-5). When Yahweh took Israel to Mount Sinai, He made a covenant with them. The Sabbath observance was a sign of that covenant between Yahweh and the nation of Israel (see Exodus 31:16-17).
The 29th chapter of Deuteronomy tells us about an additional covenant which Yahweh made with Israel. The covenant in chapter 29 was made while Israel was camped on the east side of the Jordan River, right before they crossed the river into the Promised Land.
Deut. 29:2 ¶ And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “You have seen all that Yahweh did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land;
Deut. 29:3 the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders.
These signs and wonders are the ten plagues and other miracles recorded in Exodus 5-14.
Deut. 29:4 Yet to this day Yahweh has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.
This is an interesting comment. We know that Israel constantly rebelled against Yahweh and doubted Him as they wandered through the wilderness for 40 years. This verse might imply their doubts and disobedience were due to the fact that Yahweh had not given them the ability to know, hear, and see. It could also mean Yahweh had allowed Israel to make their own choices. Yahweh had chosen to not force Israel to obey Him.
Deut. 29:5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out on your foot.
Deut. 29:6 You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or strong drink, in order that you might know that I am Yahweh your God.
Notice the words “in order that”. Yahweh used Israel’s time in the wilderness to provide for them in order to prove that He is Yahweh, their God.
Deut. 29:7 Then you came to this place, and Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out to meet us for battle, but we struck them down;
Deut. 29:8 and we took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites.
Deut. 29:9 So you shall keep the words of this covenant to do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.
Take note of the word “covenant”. Yahweh was establishing another covenant with Israel.
Deut. 29:10 ¶ “You stand today, all of you, before Yahweh your God: your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel,
Deut. 29:11 your little ones, your wives, and the sojourner who is within your camps, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water,
Deut. 29:12 that you may enter into the covenant with Yahweh your God and into His oath, which Yahweh your God is cutting with you today,
Deut. 29:13 in order that He may establish you today as His people and that He may be your God, just as He spoke to you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
There were many nations surrounding the land of Canaan. Each nation had its own gods. Part of the covenant Yahweh made with Israel was that Yahweh was the God of Israel.
Deut. 29:14 ¶ “Now not with you alone am I cutting this covenant and this oath,
Deut. 29:15 but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of Yahweh our God and with those who are not with us here today—
Verses 16-17 are a parenthetical expression. The thought of verse 15 is completed in verse 18.
Deut. 29:16 for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed;
Deut. 29:17 moreover, you have seen their detestable things and their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which they had with them—
Deut. 29:18 lest there be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from Yahweh our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood.
Look at the word “lest”. The purpose of this covenant in Moab was to prevent Israel from turning away from Yahweh and serving the false gods of the nations that surrounded them.
In the first century AD, Jesus established a new covenant with His followers. The bread and the cup are the sign of the new covenant (see Luke 22:20 and 1 Corinthians 11:25). 2 Corinthians 3:6 explicitly says we are ministers of a new covenant. Hebrews 9 gives more detail on Christ being the mediator of a new covenant.
Some streams of Christianity think that Israel and the church are the same thing. However, Christians in the church age operate under a different covenant from the covenant which was established with Israel. This fact alone does not prove that the church and Israel are two different things, but it allows for it.
Thanks for visiting Bible Mountain. If you have already joined my email list, thank you and please tell others about Bible Mountain. If you have not joined my email list yet, please do so now. In order to join, go to BibleMountain.com, click on subscribe, and that will take you to a page where you can sign up. Your email address will not be sold or given away. Once again, thanks for visiting Bible Mountain.
“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”