The Meaning Of "An Oath For Confirmation Is For Them An End Of All Dispute?"

[Mr. M]

Faith With Patience Inherits The Promises

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6:9-18

 

 

 

[AdHoc]

52 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

Faith With Patience Inherits The Promises

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6:9-18

 

 

 

God's Word, whatever it may say, is sure. It stands. It is unchangeable. It is immutable. It will come to pass. But men, since Eden, are not so sure. They are not sure of God's Word and they are not sure of their own words. So, in the Old Testament, God stooped to men's weakness and made Covenants. Notice that God gave His Word to Abraham in Genesis Chapter 12 without any talk of a Covenant. But later, in Chapter 15, when it came to barren loins, Abraham falters and asks how he will know the veracity of God's Word. Immediately God calls for blood. Hebrews tells us that if God's things are to be dedicated to unholy men, blood must be shed (Hen.9:18-22).

In the New Covenant God deals with men who have been born again - men who have been made partakers of His life. Notice Matthew Chapters 5, 6 and 7. 5:1 says "He taught THEM ...". "Them, according to the grammar, is His DISCIPLES. So our Lord says "MY Father", "YOUR Father" and "OUR Father". You cannot say that unless you were born of that Father. So God's New Testament economy is based on God's life and not the life of the "Old Man". And this this overcoming LIFE our Lord makes His demands. "Turn the other cheek ... " "Give your whole fortune to te poor". "Forgive the one who drank and drove over your child". All these are impossible to the Old Man. The New Man with His New Life is addressed. So Covenants are forbidden (Matt.5:34-37). You should (1) keep your word, and (2) believe in God's Words without effort.

But Hebrews is addressed to once Jews. Now they were in danger of turning back to Moses. The author reminds men who once had the Covenants that the Covenant made with Abraham is secured by BOTH. No matter which way they turn, the Covenant made with Abraham, which is still valid for the Jew, and has now become valid for the BELIEVER (Gal.3:29) is DOUBLY secure. Not so the next Covenant - that of Sinai and with Moses. It serves to purpose for the Believer. Its terms are  are at enmity with the Believer (Eph.2:15).

P.S. For those who answer this note that I speak of the Covenant - not the Law. Abraham's Covenant is not one of Law. For the Jew, the Law and its Covenant stand till Israel are one nation again (Jer.31:31-33). For the Believer the Law is nailed to the cross.

[Mr. M]

1 hour ago, AdHoc said:

God's Word, whatever it may say, is sure. It stands. It is unchangeable. It is immutable. It will come to pass. But men, since Eden, are not so sure. They are not sure of God's Word and they are not sure of their own words. So, in the Old Testament, God stooped to men's weakness and made Covenants. Notice that God gave His Word to Abraham in Genesis Chapter 12 without any talk of a Covenant. But later, in Chapter 15, when it came to barren loins, Abraham falters and asks how he will know the veracity of God's Word. Immediately God calls for blood. Hebrews tells us that if God's things are to be dedicated to unholy men, blood must be shed (Hen.9:18-22).

In the New Covenant God deals with men who have been born again - men who have been made partakers of His life. Notice Matthew Chapters 5, 6 and 7. 5:1 says "He taught THEM ...". "Them, according to the grammar, is His DISCIPLES. So our Lord says "MY Father", "YOUR Father" and "OUR Father". You cannot say that unless you were born of that Father. So God's New Testament economy is based on God's life and not the life of the "Old Man". And this this overcoming LIFE our Lord makes His demands. "Turn the other cheek ... " "Give your whole fortune to te poor". "Forgive the one who drank and drove over your child". All these are impossible to the Old Man. The New Man with His New Life is addressed. So Covenants are forbidden (Matt.5:34-37). You should (1) keep your word, and (2) believe in God's Words without effort.

But Hebrews is addressed to once Jews. Now they were in danger of turning back to Moses. The author reminds men who once had the Covenants that the Covenant made with Abraham is secured by BOTH. No matter which way they turn, the Covenant made with Abraham, which is still valid for the Jew, and has now become valid for the BELIEVER (Gal.3:29) is DOUBLY secure. Not so the next Covenant - that of Sinai and with Moses. It serves to purpose for the Believer. Its terms are  are at enmity with the Believer (Eph.2:15).

P.S. For those who answer this note that I speak of the Covenant - not the Law. Abraham's Covenant is not one of Law. For the Jew, the Law and its Covenant stand till Israel are one nation again (Jer.31:31-33). For the Believer the Law is nailed to the cross.

The two immutable things form the basis of our Covenant relationship.

Hebrews 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

The Covenant originates with promises to the patriarchs,

but the nuts and bolts of a walk by faith is by the sure mercies of David.

Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.
4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,
A leader and commander for the people.

 

As to the end of all disputing, the terms of our

reconciliation achieved by the Mediator are final.

[AdHoc]

17 hours ago, Mr. M said:

The two immutable things form the basis of our Covenant relationship.

Hebrews 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

The Covenant originates with promises to the patriarchs,

but the nuts and bolts of a walk by faith is by the sure mercies of David.

Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.
4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,
A leader and commander for the people.

 

As to the end of all disputing, the terms of our

reconciliation achieved by the Mediator are final.

The following are the Covenants:
1. That between God and Noah who is proxy for "all flesh" (Gen.9:17). It stays valid as long as summer and winter occur. God's part is not to destroy the whole earth again with water. Man's part is to institute and uphold the death penalty for homicide and to refrain from drinking blood. Twice in Acts of the Apostles do the Apostles uphold it.

2. That between God and Abraham and his seed. God made about 15 promises the most important of which is that Abraham's seed would possess Canaan "for an everlasting possession" and "in Abraham would all families of the earth be blessed" - alluding to Jesus. This Covenant is everlasting and sill valid, but it has been enlarged to the whole earth (Rom.4:13). Man's part is circumcision.

3. That between Abraham's seed via Isaac and God at Sinai. Moses was mediator and angels delivered it. God's part was to keep Israel safe and blest in their Land. Israel's part was to keep the 613 Laws. This Covenant is not eternal and because of Israel's inability to keep it, it will be replaced.

4. Attached to the Covenant of Sinai are sub-Covenants like the one concerning David and the Priesthood. Since the Law remains in its entirety till heaven and earth pass, these sub-Covenants remain.

5. To replace the Covenant of Sinai, God predicted a better Covenant As the Law forms its conditions (Jer.31:31-33) it would fail like that of Sinai. "The better" part is that (i) God would write these laws INSIDE the Israelite, and (ii) He would give the Israelites a new heart and a new spirit. This would ensure that the Israelite was intrinsically fitted to keep the Law and never again be removed from his Land. This Covenant, because it is ratified in the blood of Jesus, is eternal.

The Church is under the Covenant of Noah and Abraham. It never received the Law so the Covenant of Sinai and the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31 do not apply to it. Both were made with Israel ALONE.

Christ is Mediator of the New Covenant as opposed to Moses of Sinai. The Church has nothing to do with the New Covenant. Because the new Covenant is made with men it needed to be ratified by blood. It was (past tense) ratified by Christ's blood. It will be (future tense) instituted when Israel is one nation again (Jer.31:31-33). Faith in a Messiah was NEVER a condition of any Covenant. The Mediatorial role changes from Moses to Jesus.

The "sure mercies of David" belong to the Davidic Covenant in which ISRAEL is promised a king forever from David's loins. It has nothing to do with the Church. David's House is restored AFTER the Lord has finished the Church (Act.15:14-16). David is an ISRAELITE king and remains so when he is resurrected (Jer.30:9)

It is all beautifully summarized in Ezekiel 37 - THE Chapter on Israel's restoration;

 21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

 

[Mr. M]

1 hour ago, AdHoc said:

4. Attached to the Covenant of Sinai are sub-Covenants like the one concerning David and the Priesthood. Since the Law remains in its entirety till heaven and earth pass, these sub-Covenants remain.

Not a sub-covenant; and not by Law, by Promise.

 

Psalm 89:

20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:

21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.

22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.

23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.

24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.

26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;

31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;

32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.