I think God offered them the same covenant He offered to Abraham, but they misunderstood His gracious promises as a bunch of rules they should keep in order to try to be good enough to make God happy. Rather than believe God's promises to make them good (i.e. remake them in the image of Christ), they undertook to promise to be good themselves.

Paul speaks of the OC in very negative terms. I have trouble understanding how God would have created something which would have these negative characteristics.

Hi Tom,

But if God’s intent was simply asking them to carry the seed of the Messiah and the prophetic evidence of Christ down through the ages and deliver it to the world then the only negative thing is their misunderstanding. Paul makes it clear that the problem was not with the law, but with Israel’s understanding of the law. He concludes that the law, that was done away with, is just and good.

If God were to look down today and ask us if we wanted to represent Him what would we say? What if we said yes so He gave us a health message so that we could be an example of health to the nations? What if He gave us instructions on how we could treat each other better and get along better so that we could represent Him better? What if He entrusted us with truth about His character that we were to carry to the end of time? What if He sent us prophets periodically to keep us on the right track?

What if we got so far off His purpose that He had to choose another group of people to represent Him?

What if we thought that God chose us because we were special and better than everyone else rather than because He wanted to use our physical, mental, and spiritual health as a witness of His goodness?

scott

I think what happened is that God made chicken soup out of chicken droppings. He wanted to do the same thing with them as He did with Abraham, but they weren't willing. But God, being God, was able to give them all sorts of good things.

The negativity that Paul expresses I think derives from their mind set, which was their desire to do the things (of themselves, by their own initiative and power) which God had promised them. Had they simply believed God's promise to them, as Abraham did, the negativity would have been avoided, and there wouldn't have been an Old Covenant. Instead (assuming they continued along the same vein) the Messiah would have come and the whole mess of sin would have been taken care long ago.

I agree! Had they seen the covenant in the right light they would have accepted Jesus and the Christian church would have been added to Israel of the flesh. They would have shut down the sacrifice, feast, ceremonies, and priesthood realizing that Jesus fulfilled them all. Israel would be overflowing with men beating there swords in to plowshares and spears into pruning hooks and we would learn war no more.

scott

Most of this they wouldn't even have had, right?

What do you think they were agreeing to if not to obey the laws of God?

I'm sorry, Tom, but I have to agree with Scott. God gave the COI a Covenant, which included the Law of Moses, as a blessing and benefit. Their unwillingness to cooperate with God to fulfill it in His strength is why they failed to honor and glorify Him. The conditions they were supposed to comply with (see quote above) were holy, just, and good - not a result of God compromising and accommodating their sinfulness.

I agree with this.



I agree with this too.



I agree with this too.

I think they believed that God was offering them a higher position on earth than any other man. They thought God was going to cause the world to serve them, but God was asking them to serve the world! They agreed to God’s terms totally misunderstanding God’s character. Had they known God they would have know that the greatest in His kingdom is the greatest servant of all.

Had they understood this they would have bowed before God and cried, “This is impossible for us Lord! We believe, but save us from our unbelief. We don’t know how to be slaves willingly. We’ve been forced to serve for 400 years and we hate our masters. How can we serve with love in our hearts for our enemies? Save us Lord!”

I really believe that had the COI understood what God was asking them they would have declined! God would have immediately given them the New Covenant written in Jerimiah 31 because their hearts were humble and the bible would have been written much differently as far as Israel goes.

scott

Do you disagree with anything I've posted on this thread?