"If you believed Moses, you would believe me,
for he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe what he wrote,
how will you believe what I say?"
John 5:46-47 NRSV
The Messianic amendment to the Covenant should come as no surprise. Precedents already exist! For examples, see Covenant Amendments. Of them all, perhaps the Messianic Amendment is least documented. So, it's time to follow the Lord's wishes and subject the Scriptures to the most intense scrutiny possible. Time to pull out the finest electron microscopes currently available!
paymaster:
a person or organization that pays another to do something and therefore controls them (Dictionary of English).
Paul's paymaster is the lord Satan.
Not that Paul is paid in silver or gold! The payments are far more subtle than that. Payment is in kind (ie, goods or services). One sees the nature of those payments when one examines Paul's doctrine. Payment is made in terms of false ideas and notions and conclusions, which then become currency in Paul's emerging evil doctrine. And finally, to the lord Satan's delight, Paul attributes his evil doctrine to the authority, power, and direction of the Lord Spirit.
Too harsh!
Not! Jesus sets the precedent by calling Peter 'Satan':
[21] From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
[22] And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you."
[23] But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." (Matthew 16:21-23 NRSV)
Between them, Paul and the unknown writer to the Hebrews viciously attack and defile the Covenant.
They annul the Covenant on grounds that it was lethal:
[5] Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, [6] who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
[7] Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses' face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside (2 Corinthians 3:5-7 NRSV)
That the Covenant was based on inadequate promises:
[6] But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. (Hebrews 8:6 ESV)
Furthermore, that it was faulty:
[7] For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. (Hebrews 8:7 ESV)
And that it was obsolete, ageing, vanishing:
[13] In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:13 ESV)
Jesus said that it was necessary to understand and believe what Moses wrote in order to understand what He Himself was saying:
[46] If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.
[47] But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say? (John 5:46-47 NRSV)
Jesus' words (John 5:46-47) directly imply that He is amending the Covenant [with the Messianic Amendment].
So, on the one hand, Paul and the unknown writer to the Hebrews defile the Covenant and claim that it has been annulled at the direction of the Lord Spirit.
On the other hand, Jesus is claiming that His words amend the Covenant (the 'Messianic Amendment').
Who do you believe?
One final point. Jesus specifically warns against messing with the Covenant and its Law:
[17] "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. [18] For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. [19] Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20 NRSV)
How much more, then, will the Lord's anger be kindled against those who defile the Covenant and attribute their defilement to the Lord Spirit? How can the Lord not invoke their Blacklisting?
And now it's time to make your choice! The options are:
Those choices may be summarised as leading to Life or to Death. But, be warned, for Death comes without the option to appeal, since there will be no higher court on the Day of Judgement; and, once invoked, the Blacklist can never be revoked, either in this life or the life to come.
[Essay: When the truth is staring one in the face, there is no need to seek its justification by proving the error in every other false doctrine under the sun.]
[Essay: It's time to close the Book of Paul, and to teach and proclaim the Covenant in its purity to a world hurtling to its Death.]
33 Further, O mortal, prophesy and say: Thus said the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites (Ammonites; Ammonites) and their blasphemies: Proclaim: O sword! O sword unsheathed for slaughter, polished to the utmost, to a flashing brilliance! 34 Because they have prophesied falsely about you and have divined deceitfully concerning you, you shall be wielded over the necks of the dishonored wicked ones, for their day has come, the time set for their punishment.
35 Return it to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you. 36 I will pour out My indignation upon you, I will blow upon you with the fire of My wrath; and I will deliver you into the hands of barbarians, craftsmen of destruction. 37 You shall be fuel for the fire, your blood shall sink into the earth, you shall not be remembered, for I the LORD have spoken. (Ezekiel 21:33-37 (Tanakh))
Policy re the new-covenant church parallels that of the Lord's policy re the Ammonites (Ezekiel 21:33-37 (Tanakh)). Blacklisted, both are beyond the pail.
As of now - 9-Feb-2024 - this will be the policy here. There is enough evidence on this website to consign new-covenant doctrine to the Blacklist, and to provide ample warning to those attracted to defiant acceptance of Paul's doctrine. To persist in accumulating still more evidence would be both counter-productive and pointless.
[Assignment: Write notes on elements of a contract schema, and their relevance in the context of the Covenant.]
[Essay: Contract schema as it applies to Covenant amendments.]
Creation commenced at t = 0 on our timeline T. On God's timeline it is undetermined. Since then, the passage of time has been tracked using various calender systems.
Following expulsion from the Garden Annex, the Rescue Contract was implemented and was integrated into the Covenant (the 'Post-Eden Covenant'). The Lord's intention was that Jesus would be the scapegoat for those who fell into sin and error.
With the establishment of the Post-Eden Covenant, came the realization that He - the Lord God - would have to set a time-limit on mankind's existence:
5 The LORD saw how great was man's wickedness on earth, and how every plan devised by his mind was nothing but evil all the time. 6 And the LORD regretted that He had made man on earth, and His heart was saddened. (Genesis 6:5-6 (Tanakh))
As for the Rescue Contract, that was predicated on Jesus' one-time sacrifice. The problem for the Lord God was two-fold:
Today, we know and understand the Father's decision regarding the timing of Jesus' appearance on Earth!
More importantly, it was essential that those who lived prior to Jesus had the same view and conceptual understanding of His life and work, as did those who came after and who were able to look back on the actual events.
[Analysis: Paul's failure to see and to understand the consistent view of the Covenant across the timeline.]
Jesus' life and sacrifice would bring about the Messianic Amendment of the Covenant.
It was equally important, therefore, that those living following Jesus' sacrifice had a clear understanding of the Covenant prior to the Messianic Amendment. Jesus put it succinctly when He said to the Jews who were persecuting Him:
[46] "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. [47] But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?" (John 5:46-47 NIV)
The Book of Teaching comes to the rescue! For it helps people to know and to understand the changing view of Jesus' life and work, as well as the amendments to the Covenant. The Book of Teaching works together with the Covenant.
With regard to the Rescue Contract, it was important that the Covenant directed people's eyes to Jesus, whatever their position on the timeline:
[† Informal worship took place within the framework of the Post-Eden Covenant.
Formal worship was introduced at the time of Moses13C, when the Post-Eden Covenant was updated to the Mosaic Covenant.
The Mosaic Covenant was also given the title "David's Tent" when the Ark was brought into the City of David and placed in the Tent David had pitched there.‡
With the completion of Jesus' work on Earth, the Mosaic Covenant was updated with the Messianic Amendment.]
‡ 16 As the Ark of the LORD entered the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him for it.
17 They brought in the Ark of the LORD and set it up in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before the LORD. 18 When David finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts.
19 And he distributed among all the people—the entire multitude of Israel, man and woman alike—to each a loaf of bread, a cake made in a pan, and a raisin cake. Then all the people left for their homes. (2 Samuel 6:16-19 (Tanakh))
Those living prior to Jesus would have to have their eyes directed beyond animal sacrifice to the coming Saviour (Representation of Jesus in the Mosaic Covenant). Jesus' contemporaries would see the Man Himself. While those born after Jesus' sacrifice would have to have their eyes looking back on Jesus' birth, life, sacrifice, resurrection, and ascension.
Paul, the unknown writer to the Hebrews, and the new-covenant church deny Jesus' presence in the Mosaic Law. Their lies - springing from the heart of the Lord Satan, as they do - will not go unpunished!
It is the Representation of Jesus, found in Covenant Law, which gives the lie to the defilement of the Covenant by Paul and the rest of them.
Because the representation of Jesus in the Mosaic Covenant is explantory, it can be applied retrospectively. It confirms what was implied by the Post-Eden Covenant.
The representation of Jesus confirmed that He was a party - an offeree, no less - to the Covenant. And it was also a declaration of Jesus' authority. Since Jesus was yet to be born, His representation implied that Jesus was High-Priest-Designate in the Priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek. After His resurrection, Jesus became High Priest in the Order, both in fact and in Law.
So, at any point along the timeline, the Covenant directs all eyes to Jesus!
There would have to changes to the rituals of worship. Prior to Jesus, the rituals of worship would have to direct people's eyes to the coming Saviour; then, following Jesus' sacrifice, the rituals would have to be changed so that all eyes looked back on Jesus, commemorating His birth, life, sacrifice, resurrection, and ascension.
And so, with Jesus' death, animal sacrifice no longer applies, being replaced with the Bread and the Wine.
Finally, an explicit signature to the amendmenets would be required of those who chose to live within the framework of the Messianically Amended Covenant:
[18] And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
[19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NRSV)
[Essay: Rituals, and their importance in worship.]
[Essay: The microscope is an essential tool in understanding the Scriptures.]
The Covenant contract - David's Tent - has been razed to the ground. Yet hope is not lost, for the Lord God has promised to rebuild David's fallen Tent!
[Dissertation: A static Covenant contract would soon fail in a dynamic environment, since it would be unable to respond to real-time changes in circumstances.]
Although the Covenant is unenforceable at the Physical Level following the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70CE, it remains enforceable at the Spiritual Level following Jesus' shift of worship to the Spiritual Level (John 4:1-26).
Moses identifies the need for a general outpouring of the Spirit:
[26] However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. [27] A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." [28] Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!" [29] But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!" (Numbers 11:26-29 NIV)
It was a wish which would come to pass with the shift of Covenant worship to the Spiritual Level. Jesus announced the shift:
[4] Now he had to go through Samaria. [5] So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. [6] Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
...
[19] "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. [20] Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." [21] Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:4-6,19-24 NIV)
Furthermore, Jesus gave advance notice of the imminent arrival of the Lord Spirit:
[4] On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:
"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. [5] For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:4-5 NIV)
To complete the preparations, the Lord made explicit the operation of the Two Abstract Rules
Thus, the Lord had prepared against the time when the destruction of the Temple would render the Covenant unenforceable at the Physical Level.
In truth, the Two Abstract Rules have always applied, right from when the Covenant was implemented. This comes across so clearly in the narrative about Cain and Able. When Cain and Abel brought their offerings to the Lord, the offering of Cain was rejected:
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." (Genesis 4:2b-7 NIV)
The Lord doesn't throw rules and regulations at Cain. Instead, His words show an expectation of understanding from Cain which approaches that demanded by the Two Abstract Commandments.
This must necessarily be more of an appraisal than a study. At present, David's Tent lies in complete ruins. There is no infrastructure in place which would allow people to worship the Lord in the way He requires. There probably won't be until the Lord appoints Priests in the Order of Melchizedek to shepherd the flock, and to guide - under the Lord's direction - the rebuilding of David's fallen Tent. Nevertheless, that shouldm't deter us from looking, for there are a number of abstractions which will help focus our minds and channel our thoughts.
Animal sacrifice and offerings were designed not only to direct attention to the coming Messiah, but also to remind them of the cost, not only to their Messiah, but also to His Father in Heaven. It was a reminder that the Lord took sin seriously, and redemption too.
So, following Jesus' sacrifice, animal sacrifice was no longer relevant. No longer were people looking ahead to the promised Messiah, for He had already arrived and carried out His work of redemption. Jesus was no longer a promise awaiting fulfilment; the promise had been fulfilled, and Jesus and His work of redemption were now written into the history books.
The Covenant is a regular contract capable of being amended. Since it was no longer relevant, the Most High abrogated all the laws dealing with animal sacrifice.
It was Jesus Himself who instituted the replacement, namely the 'Bread and the Wine':
[26] While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
[27] Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. [28]This is my blood of the covenantThis is my Blood of the Covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28 NIV)
Notice the 'Blood of the† Covenant' in verse 28 (as corrected by AC), which maps directly to the Blood of the Covenant detailed in the Representation of Jesus in Contract Law.
[† Some manuscripts have 'the new', which the new-covenant church use in support of Paul's evil new-covenant. The reality is that the reference is to the amendment of the Covenant and the addition of 'new rules' to replace those which were abrogated.]
This is an explicit permission based on an assumption of greater knowledge and understanding than existed previously.
it was always necessary to see beyond the Covenant commandments to the intentions which lay behind them. Then, with the shift of the Covenant to the Spiritual Level, the Two Abstract Rules became an integral part of the Covenant. The reasons for this are not hard to find!
Up until Jesus declared that worship had shifted from the Physical Level to the Spiritual Level, Covenant guidance came from Covenant Law, as it existed at that time, and from various associated rituals. However, that would cease following the shift of worship to the Spiritual Level. How does one worship, how does one find guidance when all the physical components of worship have been discarded? To the casual observer, it looks like the Lord has left everyone in the lurch! Even more so with the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE which rendered the Covenant unenforceable at the Physical Level. "What am I supposed to do now?" is, perhaps, the common cry!
One of the problems Jesus had found with the Pharisees and teachers of the law, was their moralistic apporoach to the Law. They saw only a set of rules and regulations; and in their efforts to avoid sin, they hedged the Law with their own thoughts and ideas ... until the Law had become utterly defiled. Their conduct testifiedl to the fact that they did not know the Lord God personally, as the Covenant demanded. And because they did not know the Lord God, there was no dialogue between them. There existed only a corrupt set of rules and regulations existing in an ocean of emptiness...
From the Lord's point of view, the shift of worship to the Spiritual Level provided an opportunity to improve relationships between Himself and the flock. And He wasn't looking only at past events, for His Son commented on many who claimed allegiance, yet who didn't actually know the Lord:
[21] "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' [23] Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:21-23 NIV)
So, how did the Lord God fix the problems associated with the shift in worship to the Spiritual Level? Any 'fix' would have to take into account the ending of the age, when the faithful would have little or no access to places of worship in a world in which they were being hunted down - like the ethnic cleansing of the Jews in Germany during World War 2, but on steroids. Any fix had to be consistent with those facing annihilation.
Hence the need for the explicit introduction of the Two Abstract Rules.
The Two Abstract Rules are predicated on a knowledge of the Scriptures, knowing who and what God is, friendship with the Lord God, and dialogue between all parties of the Covenant. Points arising:
There is a suggestion of a change in the Festivals:
18 And the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying,
19 Thus said the LORD of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must love honesty and integrity. (Zechariah 8:18-19 (Tanakh))
There are no changes here. In order to dwell in the Lord's presence it is necessary to obey the Primary Contract. As for those who fall into sin, there is the lifeline of the Rescue Contract.
No changes here, other than Jesus is no longer High Priest Designate, but is now confirmed as Great High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek.
The offer remains open to the House of Israel. Converts are required to attach themselves to the Covenant and become integrated into the community:
1 Thus said the LORD:
Observe what is right and do what is just;
For soon My salvation shall come,
And my deliverance be revealed.
2 Happy is the man who does this,
The man who holds fast to it:
Who keeps the sabbath and does not profane it,
And stays his hand from doing any evil.
3 Let not the foreigner say,
Who has attached himself to the LORD,
“The LORD will keep me apart from His people”;
And let not the eunuch say,
“I am a withered tree.”
4 For thus said the LORD:
“As for the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths,
Who have chosen what I desire
And hold fast to My covenant—
5 I will give them, in My House
And within My walls,
A monument and a name
Better than sons or daughters.
I will give them an everlasting name
Which shall not perish.
6 As for the foreigners
Who attach themselves to the LORD,
To minister to Him,
And to love the name of the LORD,
To be His servants—
All who keep the sabbath and do not profane it,
And who hold fast to My covenant—
7 I will bring them to My sacred mount
And let them rejoice in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
Shall be welcome on My altar;
For My House shall be called
A house of prayer for all peoples.”
8 Thus declares the Lord GOD,
Who gathers the dispersed of Israel:
“I will gather still more to those already gathered.” (Isaiah 56:1-8 (Tanakh))
The offer is open to to all who will commit to the amended Covenant. However, those who have been Blacklisted are excluded. Eventually, the offer will end with the ending of the age. Despite the machinations of Paul, the unknown writer to the Hebrews, et al, the Covenant will endure:
[1] In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. [2] Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Micah 4:1-2 NIV)
Those rituals and activities which were linked to the Messiah's arrival have been cancelled, and have been replaced by those which commemorate Jesus birth, life, teaching, death, and resurrection.
Those who have been Blacklisted are forever excluded from the Covenant.
May be summarised with one word: 'Death'. However, bear in mind the classification of sin within the Covenant Framework:
Note that those old-testament sins which demanded the death penalty, will automatically fall into category (ii) above. So, although the death penalty is no longer enforceable following the destruction of the Teple in Jerusalem, it will still operate at the Spiritual Level as described. In view of the finality at the Spiritual Level of the old-testament death penalty, such conduct under the Messianic Amendment might yet be grounds for entry in the Blacklist.
No change.
No change.
Signature is as Jesus described it:
[18] Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
[19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)
[Dissertation: Informing the world of the Covenant, its model, and its amendments.]
The Lord will replace the Levitical Priesthood with shapherds after His own heart (namely priests in the Order of Melchizedek):
14 Turn back, rebellious children—declares the LORD. Since I have espoused you, I will take you, one from a town and two from a clan, and bring you to Zion.
15 And I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will pasture you with knowledge and skill. (Jeremiah 3:14-15 (Tanakh))
[Dissertation: The legal aspects and implications when amending or terminating a contract.]
[Dissertation: Paul's illegal attempt to terminate the Covenant. What are the implications.]
Version: 12-Feb-2024