The New Covenant and Its Possessions

Notes

1. Abraham asked for a sign by which he might know that he would inherit the land. God told him to prepare a sacrifice, which he did, cutting the sacrifice in two and separating the parts. Then the sign was given in the smoking furnace and the lamp of fire passing between the pieces,—"symbols of the divine presence," confirming the covenant with Abraham. See "Patriarchs and Prophets," page 137. These two symbols represent the two manifestations of God's power in carrying out the promises in the new or Abrahamic covenant. First, the "burning lamp," representing the work of the Holy Spirit in searching out sin, in purifying and refining the hearts of men, and thus developing the true seed who are heirs of the promise. Secondly, "the smoking furnace," representing the power of God in the destruction of sin and sinners, and the cleansing of the earth, thus preparing the possession for the seed.

A little later God gave Abraham a practical illustration of the one sign when he beheld the destruction of Sodom, etc., and saw the smoke ascend "as the smoke of a great furnace" which destruction was ever to stand before the world as a type of the destruction of the wicked; but notice that the righteous were first saved out of it.

2. The same day that God made a covenant with Abraham for the future possession of the whole earth, He also made a covenant with him that his seed should possess the land of Canaan, and this was literally fulfilled under the reigns of David and Solomon when the dominions of Israel were co-extensive with the description given in Gen. 15:18-21, and extended from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates. Thus this experience of the natural seed became an imperfect illustration (imperfect because of the sins of the natural seed) of the future possession of the whole earth by the spiritual seed. Thus the children of Israel did not take possession of the land of Canaan under the covenant made with them at Mount Sinai, as some suppose; but under this provision of the covenant with Abraham concerning the natural seed. This, God fulfilled by giving them possession of all the land He had promised, and separating them from all the other nations of earth, and continuing these conditions in spite of their sins, until the promised Messiah appeared. Then this special phase passed away, and that people was no longer the separate chosen people of God; and with this phase ceased all those types, symbols, ordinances, and ceremonies which in any way prefigure the first advent of Jesus.

Upon the question of the two promises and the two lands of promise, read "Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 472-477.

3. The renewal of the covenant involved the renewal of man and his inheritance. When this is done, the covenant will be fully renewed. Then the renewed, or new, man with the law of God in his heart, will live in the renewed, or new, earth under this renewed, or new, covenant throughout eternity.