 |  |
the necessity to warn his children concerning Judaism that would lead them back to
bondage. Therefore he institutes a comparison which it will be helpful to observe.
II Corinthians 3: & 4:
The old covenant.
The new covenant.
The letter that killeth (3: 6).
The spirit that quickeneth (3: 6).
The ministration of death (3: 7, 8).
The ministration of the spirit (3: 7, 8).
The ministration of condemnation (3: 9).
The ministration of righteousness (3: 9).
That which is done away (3: 11).
That which remaineth (3: 11).
Moses and Israel vailed (3: 13-15).
The vail done away in Christ (3: 13-15).
When Israel turn vail removed (3: 16-18).
We all with unvailed face (3: 16-18).
The glory of God in the face of Moses
The light of the knowledge of the glory of
"done away" (3: 7).
God in the face of Jesus Christ (3: 6).
II Cor. 4: 3 needs a fuller explanation than we can give in this tabular form:--
"But if indeed our gospel be vailed, by those things which are perishing they have
been vailed."
The "perishing" things are the things of the old covenant which are said to be "done
away" and "abolished". The god of this age uses the old covenant and ministration of
death to vail the light of the glory of the gospel that shone in the face of Christ. One
further word from Jer. 31: and then we must return to Exod. 19::--
"If these ordinances (see verse 35) depart from before Me, saith the Lord, then the
seed of Israel also shall cease from being a NATION before Me all the days"
(Jer. 31: 36).
It is not possible to hold to the inspiration of Scripture and deny the national character
of the new covenant. We do not wish to be aggressive or controversial, but in an article
purporting to deal with fundamentals of dispensational truth we must perforce "use great
plainness of speech", and we must state that we have no hesitation or diffidence with
regard to our attitude concerning the observance of the Lord's supper as a member of that
elect company called into favour during the time of Israel's rejection. Let us now turn to
Exod. 19: and read the terms of the first covenant.
The terms of the First Covenant.
"Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen
what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you
unto Myself. Now therefore IF ye obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, THEN
ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine: And ye
shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words that thou
shalt speak unto the children of Israel" (Exod. 19: 3-6).
Moses descended from the mount, called for the elders of the people, and laid before
them the words commanded him. There was an unanimous acceptance of the conditions.
"And all the people answered together, All that the Lord hath spoken will we do"
(Exod. 19: 8). From this point on to chapter 23: 33 we have the preparation of the
people, the descent of the Lord to Sinai, the giving of the ten commandments, and the