Thursday, August 22, 2013

Reading the Old Testament at face value implementing a normal, plain hermeneutic (interpretation) leads a person to futuristic premillennialism (that is, that Jesus Christ will return to earth in glory before the one-thousand year earthly kingdom.

Concerning the NEW COVENANT:

"The unconditional, unilateral (Ezek 20:37; 37:26), everlasting (Isa 55:3; 59:21; 61:8; Jer 32:40; 50:5; Ezek 16:60; 37:26; Heb 9:15), and irrevocable (Isa 54:10; Heb 7:22) new covenant assumes nullification, due to Israel's sin, of the conditional Old/Mosaic covenant (Jer 31:32; Ezek 44:7; Zech 11:10-11). Originally made with Israel (Jer 31:31) and containing redemptive blessings of both salvation (Isa 49:8; Jer 31:34) and prosperity (Isa 49:8; Jer 32:40ff; 50:5; Ezek 34:25; Hos 2:18ff), this autonomous covenant later allowed the New Testament church to participate salvifically (cf. Rom 11:11-32) through Christ, the messenger (Mal 3:1) and mediator (Heb 8:6; 9:15; 12:24) of a better covenant (Heb 7:22; 8:6) purchased with the blood and death of this unique High Priest (Zech 9:11; Matt 26:28; 1 Cor 11:25; Heb 9:15; 10:29; 12:24; 13:20). Old Testament believers anticipated (Heb 9:15) Christ's life-giving sacrifice (2 Cor 3:6) involving:

1. grace (Heb 10:29)
2. peace (Isa 54:10; Ezek 34:25; 37:26)
3. the Spirit (Isa 59:21)
4. redemption (Isa 49:8; Jer 31:34; Heb 10:29)
5. removing sin (Jer 31:34; Rom 11:27; Heb 10:17)
6. a new heart (Jer 31:33; Heb 8:10; 10:16)
7. a new relationship with God (Jer 31:33; Ezek 16:62; 37:26-27; Heb 8:10).

This covenant pictures Israel's new betrothal to God (Hos 2:19-20) initiated by the same divine mercy as the Davidic covenant (Isa 55:3)."

—from Richard Mayhue, "Why Futuristic Premillennialism," in Christ's Prophetic Plans: A Futuristic Premillennial Primer (Chicago: Moody, 2012), 73.
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