 |  |
II Corinthians 3: and 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 turn vail removed (3: 16-18).
The vail done away in Christ (3: 13-15).
The glory of God in the face of Moses `done
The light of the knowledge of the glory of
away' (3: 7).
God in the face of Jesus Christ (4: 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 those 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 abstention from 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 will 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 a unanimous acceptance of the conditions.
"And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will
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 judgments. Then Moses came once more to the people and told them all the words of
the Lord and all the judgments, and once more all the people answered with one voice
`All the words which the Lord hath said we will do' (Exod. 24: 3).