In the previous posts we have seen that when God brings Christians forth they are placed as adopted sons within God’s household and within the royal priesthood that corresponds to that of Melchizedek, with Jesus as their high priest. Gentiles are brought in from existing in relative ignorance under a Covenant of Behaviour, and Jews are transferred from being under the Levitical order and the Sinai Covenant. This royal priesthood exists alongside Sinai Covenant Law but it does not abolish or dissolve Covenant Law. So where do Christians stand in relation to Covenant Law?
The coming Millennium Reign offers further insights on this theme. The questions are these - What will happen to God’s chosen ethnic group, Jews, in the Millennium Reign? What about the promises made to the descendants of Abraham with regard to possessing an area of Promised Land and so on? What about the ‘silver linings’ found throughout the Hebrew prophets concerning the restoration and reconciliation of Jews? What priesthood will Jews be placed under then?
Returning to the letter to the Hebrews, the author looks forward to the restoration of Israel and says, ‘Look! The days are coming, says the Lord. I will fully accomplish and complete on the basis of the household of Israel, on the basis of the household of Judah. 9 A fresh, new Covenant, not down from the Covenant that I made with their ancestors within the day I took hold of them by the hand to lead them from out of the land of Egypt, because they did not persevere and remain within my Covenant and I am disregarding them, declares the Lord’, (Hebrews 8 v 8, 9).
At the end of verse 9 the current position of Jews – the household of Israel – is stated clearly. God says, ‘because they did not persevere and remain within my Covenant I am disregarding them’. God still continues to withdraw Himself away from Jews at this present time. Does this mean that God has abandoned His promises to, and agreement with, the household of Israel via the patriarchs such as Abraham and Moses? Have these promises failed? Not at all. In the future God ‘will fully accomplish and complete a fresh new Covenant on the basis of the household of Israel, on the basis of the household of Judah’. God has made an agreement and promises with His chosen ethnic group, the household of Israel. On the basis that they are His chosen ethnic group out of all the nations, God will bring matters to a full and complete conclusion. But this will not happen on the basis of the Sinai Covenant and its written codes that was established after God led them out of slavery in Egypt. Why? ‘Because they did not persevere and remain within my Covenant’. Because the leadership was corrupt and rebellious, and they and the people were wayward, playing the harlot with other, Gentile gods and idols.
