November
27, 2003
GOD'S
EVERLASTING COVENANT
"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. Indeed I have given him as a witness to
the people, a leader and commander for the people...
Since
the fall of Adam and Eve, the redemption of the human race
has always been a focus of the councils of heaven. The covenant
of mercy was made before the foundation of the world, and
is called the everlasting covenant.
"From
the opening of the great controversy it has been Satan's purpose
to misrepresent God's character, and to excite rebellion against
His law. But amid the working of evil, God's purposes move
steadily forward to their accomplishment; to all created intelligences
He is making manifest His justice and benevolence. Through
Satan's temptations the whole human race have become transgressors
of God's law, but by the sacrifice of His Son a way is opened
whereby they may return to God. Through the grace of Christ
they may be enabled to render obedience to the Father's law.
Thus in every age, from the midst of apostasy and rebellion,
God gathers out a people that are true to Him--a people "in
whose heart is his law...
"He
who proclaimed the law from Sinai-- is the same that spoke
the sermon on the mount. The Teacher is the same--, God's
claims are the same. The principles of His government are
the same" (God's Amazing Grace, p. 130). "Moreover,
brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers
were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were
baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the
same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.
For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them,
and that Rock was Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).
In the
closing work of God in the earth, the standard of His law
will again be exalted. "For assuredly,
I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or
one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is
fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18). "God will not
break His covenant, nor alter the thing that has gone out
of His lips. His Word will stand fast forever as unalterable
as His throne" (ibid. p. 130).
..
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He
is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will
have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly
pardon" (Isaiah 55:3-4, 6-7, NKJV).
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