THE SEVEN COVENANTS AND SEVEN MILLENNIUMS – PART 3 OF 3

This is the long awaited third and final part of the seven covenants series. This blog will continue to be updated at least a monthly. Whoever wishes to catch up on part 1, or part 2, should go to gospelofgod.chuch and check under the blogs menu. Part three of the seven covenants series seeks to create an understanding about the seventh covenant – especially in regard to the foundations. It also enables the reader appreciate the dispensational covenants. Why for example does the Gospel of God Church doctrine emphasize law? More importantly which law? Are they entirely the laws of Moses? Finally, how is the often quoted reading Joshua 1:8 to be understood?

Overview

For those who have taken time to study, it should be already clear that each covenant is unique in one way or another. For it is only in Adam’s time that several precedents were set between God and man – many of which still affect us today. Only in Enoch’s time were people asked to build an ark, in Abraham’s dispensation the ark of the tabernacle was introduced, in the next era the temple followed

After reading part one and part two, it is clear that each dispensation had a definite beginning and ended. No two covenants ran concurrently. At the same time it should be evident that each era was assigned 1,000 years. The last two Jesus and his Disciples did not run their full course because of interference or murder – leading to further consequences. How long the last covenant will run is still an open question. However, the millennium mentioned in revelations during which the beast is captured (Revelations 19:20) and eventually realized (Revelations 20:7) could be 1,000 years or there about – subject to God deciding. For it is in the context of the times of the second coming that the beast was thrown out of heaven (Rev 12:6) – meaning that it came down to the earth with full force, accompanied by a large number of fallen angels or stars. For God to achieve his agenda in light of human limitations, the beast must be subdued or weakened hence the binding.

The supremacy of God’s law in different covenants

All major religions believe that there will be a judgment day. The basis of this judgment can only be law. From the onset to the present day, God has never been a God of lawlessness. At this point it is good to differentiate. Those familiar with Baba Johane’s message may understand “law” or even “the law” to be what he taught. Others elsewhere will understand “the law” to be the laws of Moses.

The covenants indicate there have always been some laws. Looking at the Ten Commandments for instance, it is unlikely there is any dispensation when the Ten Commandments were absent. In Eden, Cain was found guilty because he had flouted the commandment “Thou shall not kill”. If it did not exist, then one may ask why he was punished. Understanding the will of God is the reason why there were prophets in Eden including Abel (Luke 11:50). The Ten Commandments and the other Mosaic Laws existed all through to the times of Jesus. He told them that: Heaven and Earth could pass away but not the slightest stroke of a pen of the law would be done away with (Matthew 5:17). One has to remember that this is Jesus, born under the Mosaic Law, who read the Torah and knew what he meant.

The Ten Commandments among the Apostles of Jesus Christ

Even in the next dispensation, the Apostles of Christ follow the Ten Commandments. This is evident in the teachings in the scriptures. Only a few would dare say, wrongly, that they did not observe the Sabbath as commanded. The Sabbath existed from creation. The instructions by God to Moses were: “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy”. This indicates that it not was a new day. This is more of a reminder about what already existed and was known.

While the apostles of Jesus who are claimed to have done away with Sabbath observance, they observed it just like their master (Luke 4:16) there are several references of Sabbath observance in the book of Acts. Meetings were every Sabbath every week about 78 times in Corinth alone (Acts 18:4 & 18:10).

When the word of God came to Africa on Mount Marimba, those familiar with the story will remember that among the first signs and wonders when the founder began his ministry, was a voice from heaven narrating the Ten Commandments. These are some of the laws that can be traced across the covenants. Indeed there is no covenant that was devoid of any law.

Jesus on the most important commandment

When Jesus was asked the most important commandment in the law, they did not invent anything new: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”.  And the second is like unto it, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”. (Matthew 22:37- 40). He was quoting from the already existing law in Deuteronomy 6:4-7 and Leviticus 19:18. Who would argue that these laws do not cut across dispensations? Put simply, if Eve would have loved her God as described, she would have resisted temptation. If Cain had loved his neighbor he would not have killed his brother. These might sound simple, but they are a challenge even to believers today. All over the world a lot of evil is pegged on this lack of love.

The Book of Joshua 1:8

After the death of Moses, Joshua was installed as a leader and the Lord said to him:

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful”. (Joshua 1:8).

In conclusion, let us mediate on one of the pivotal verses in the Gospel of God Church. After Father John (Johane) had formed his church, he was worried about the future survival of the institution. He was well aware that the same Satan who had caused problems in all dispensations was still around. When he wondered and worried about what should be given to his apostles to protect them, he was shown the Book of Joshua Chapter 1 Verse 8.  This did not imply that they were to enact Joshua in following the Mosaic Law. It simply meant that his followers should uphold whatever instructions had been given to them. They had rules how to dress, what to eat, how to relate to one another, what holidays to observe, how to pray and many more. They may or may not have been identical to the rules in the Torah, but that is not the issue. They were the laws of the time, given by God. Consequently, just as Joshua was empowered by his adherence to the Torah, so would members of the present day Church

Photo credits: Scrolls4all