FROM THE HOLY INFANT JESUS UNTO MATURE MANHOOD...Part 2

THE NEW MAN – NEW CREATION – NEW HUMANITY – NEW BIRTH

We started this two-part series emphasizing the “keys to the kingdom of heaven” are given to the two-fold revelation of Jesus Christ: His Person (“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God”) and His Work: “And I will build My Ekklesia and the Gates of Hades will not prevail against it” Matthew 18:16-18). Furthermore, He promised His Ekklesia (not just Peter alone) that they would be given the “keys to the kingdom of heaven” via these two revelations to “bind and loose” in fulfilling in the Name of the Father in bringing heaven’s message to the earth—being in harmony, in symphony, with His Ekklesia defeats the Gates of Hades and bringing heaven’s binding to earth! This all commences by becoming like a little babe in order to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven in the first place. But how could this infant appear upon the scene in order to be given the “keys to the kingdom of heaven”? How could this “binding and loosing” commence?

Certainly, the Pharisee, Nicodemus, “a ruler of the Jews [who] came to Jesus by night” and who was deeply impressed with Jesus’ miracle-working power when he said: “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2) . . . had no idea the response he was going to get from Jesus with such flattery:

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3)

Nicodemus understood these words of Jesus in a literal sense because Jesus did literal miracles; so Nicodemus replied:

“How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (John 3:4)

There’s no indication that Nicodemus was trying to be snide in his remarks. Who knows, Nicodemus readily could have thought, based upon the miraculous signs Jesus was performing, that Jesus could somehow make this happen . . . then he or someone else could actually “see the kingdom of God.”

Jesus then replied to Nicodemus:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:5-8).

A “spiritual REBIRTH” was mandatory in order to see the Kingdom of God. Such a rebirth directly related to seeing the Kingdom of God starts with a spiritual rebirth—commences with the regeneration of the human spirit by the Spirit of the Living God: Born of the Spirit is spirit—notice the capitalizations. Man’s spirit is likened unto the human egg and the Spirit of God is likened unto the human sperm. Man’s spirit is made for the Spirit of the Living God—that is precisely how one is “born from above”—this produces the New Man, the New Creation, the New Birth, the Infant Jesus, if you would. The New Birth is not generated by the mind of man, but must be “understood” by spiritual perception because it is the human spirit which is ignited by the Life of God’s Spirit . . . “born of the Spirit, is spirit.”

How can this be?

Jesus went on in his discourse with Nicodemus and emphasized the “heavenly things” He was conveying to Nicodemus:

“If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:12-16).

A man is “born from above” by “He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven” when the Spirit of Promise would commence His ministry of regeneration! Where does that begin? Of course, within the “spirit of man” – and what ignites or causes that New Birth? The Spirit of God! But the BORN-AGAIN regenerating work of the Spirit of God could not commence unless and until the following:

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).

Jesus took our sin and “captured” the “rebellious one”—even the SNAKE—and “became sin for us Who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). The brazen serpent was placed on Moses’ pole—all the Israelites who had been bitten by snakes for their rebellion against Moses could look at the snake upon the pole and would live, be healed:

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery [brass] serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and Moses mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live” (Numbers 21:8-9).

Yes, sorrow and pain, in that the Father offered up the Son upon the cross, the pole, the brass serpent reflects the judgment upon our sin!

Indeed, through the sorrow – then the birth – then the joy! Who or what was being born? I believe it was the NEWBORN – the NEW MAN – the EKKLESIA Jesus promised to build – the “revelation of the mystery” wrought through the Cross of Christ Who was made sin for us who knew no sin and nailed it to the tree!

THE NEW CREATION—THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS!

Furthermore, this “new birth” – this regeneration - seems perfectly in keeping with the NEW MAN of Paul’s writings to the Colossians . . . when a NEW MAN appears, this New Man is NOT full-grown . . . there is a beginning, growth, and then what happens follows the pattern below:

“His purpose was to create in himself one NEW MAN (new humanity—NIV) out of the two [Jew and Gentile], thus making peace, and in ONE BODY to reconcile both of them to God through the cross” (Eph. 2:15-16).

“And having put on the NEW MAN, having been renewed in full knowledge according to the image of the One creating him; where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, slave or freeman – but Christ is all things and in all” (Col. 3:10-11).

“And that you put on the NEW MAN which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24).

“. . . until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to MATURE MANHOOD to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13–ESV).

“Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the NEW CREATION . . . Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God (NIV)” or “. . . peace and mercy be on them, and on the Israel of God” (KJV) (Gal. 6:15-16).

“So, if anyone is in Christ, that one is a new creation (lit. “in Christ – NEW CREATION” – there is no indefinite article here).

Allow me to briefly exegete the NEW CREATION found in Galatians 6:16, comparing it with 2 Corinthians 5:17. It appears rather obvious that Galatians 6:16 – “nothing avails but a New Creation – nothing counts but a New Creation” tends toward the corporate in that “as many as shall walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on the Israel of God” or as the NIV suggests: “Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God” (in other words THEY who follow such a rule are now “a part” of the Israel of God—meaning, it has a corporate connotation).

Whereas in 2 Corinthians 5:17 it “appears” that an individual who finds himself/herself in Christ is a “new creature” or a “new creation”—and this is how most Bible translators have so translated the text—the translators have “personalized” the meaning of the “new creation.” However, that is NOT how it reads nor can it be taken in context as the singularity of an individual alone—i.e., that individual is in essence “a part of the new creation” and not the sum and substance of a New Creation.

The Greek is most fascinating here. Both Galatians 6:16 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 use Strong’s G#2537 (kainos) and G#2937 (ktisis) in succession—in that order. “A new creation” in BOTH cases, giving, in particular, 2 Corinthians 5:17 an altogether corporate rendering, which is the obvious case in Galatians 6:16—that is, the “NEW CREATION is THE ISRAEL OF GOD” (NIV). Yes, “all things are new” in the New Creation. Substantiating the corporate nature of this claim is the context in which it is given in 2 Corinthians 5, to wit:

“And all things are of God, who reconciled US to Himself through Jesus Christ, and giving to US the ministry of reconciliation . . . and putting the word of reconciliation in US . . . WE ARE ambassadors, as God is exhorting through US, WE beseech on behalf of Christ . . . we might become the righteousness of God in Him . . . but working TOGETHER, WE also call on you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor. 5:18-20; 6:1).

Attempting to tie in the NEW MAN – the NEW HUMANITY – a NEW CREATION (Gal. 6:15) to this INFANT being birthed is NOT a stretch of the “theological imagination” – indeed, the NEW MAN, the NEWBORN manifesting is the NEW CREATION where neither “circumcision” nor “uncircumcision” avails anything but a NEW CREATION – therefore, we can boldly assert, as Paul: “As many as shall walk by this rule, peace on them, and mercy, and on the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16). Yes, a NEW HUMANITY was being birthed . . . the very ISRAEL OF GOD!

As we decipher further Paul’s statement in Galatians 6:16, it is imperative that the claim of the INFANT JESUS be recognized as the NEW MAN wrought under both the New Covenant and the New Commandment be “theologically connected.” The “mature manhood” (Eph. 4:13—ESV) or “full-grown man” (ERV) or “a perfect man” (NKJV) has gone from infancy to maturity. Indeed:

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead speaking the truth in love, we will GROW to become in every respect the MATURE BODY of him who is the head, that is Christ . . . From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:14-16).

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN - FROM INFANCY TO MATURITY – TO THE ISRAEL OF GOD!

Yes, from infancy – this INFANT JESUS is growing by the “growth in life” to become the MATURE BODY – “unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Can we go so far as to say that this INFANT JESUS has been growing ever since the resurrection brought forth the FIRSTBORN of a NEW HUMANITY, a New Creation? I think so. So, what does this look like? Does it look like entering into the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God?

I affirm that this INFANT JESUS is in reference to the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, that it is mandatory "unless you convert, and become as the little children (lit., "infants" - Strong's G#3813 - paidion or paidia) . . . you cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens" (Matt. 18:3)? Yes, as already said, the same Greek word for INFANT is used here as it is used in Acts 4. An infant is altogether dependent . . . but these "little ones are believing in Me" (Matt. 18:6) - be careful, do not offend them . . . "woe to that man through whom the offense comes!" (Matt 18:7).

It is in this context Jesus immediately said:

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in Heaven continually look on the face of My Father in Heaven. For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost . . . So it is not the will before your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish" (Matt. 18:10-11, 14).

OFFENDING BABES – OFFENDING BROTHERS

Indeed, Jesus likened these little ones--these infants--akin to the sheep which was lost over whom He rejoices that this one sheep who was lost is found! The infant, the lost sheep, is so very dependent upon the Great Shepherd of the Sheep--yes, "always before My Father's face in heaven" . . . and again, immediately after this exchange concerning the infants believing on Him, THEN Jesus speaks of other offenses--these are the offenses between brethren which after one or two times must be brought to the EKKLESIA! (Matthew 18:15-20).

Yes, we can say that offending one of these infants is somehow connected to offenses between brothers? I think so. These little ones are linked to that of His Ekklesia He is building--where care and reconciliation can be administered and where brethren can find themselves in "harmony" - as in a symphony - in AGREEMENT and not in discord--having the "same care one for another."

And in case, if you're wondering whether or not Peter's immediate remarks in Matthew 18 are disconnected from these accounts of infants believing, of the lost sheep, of offenses taken ultimately to the Ekklesia--think no further . . . now, in this context listen to what Jesus said to Peter:

"Then coming up to Him, Peter said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you, 'Until seven times,' but, 'Until seventy times seven''" (Matt. 18:21-22).

Are we getting the picture here? Yes, offending one another--repeatedly--is serious business akin to offending these "little ones" - the Ekklesia should be a place of "agreement"--"if two of you shall AGREE on earth as to anything" (Strong's G#4956 - sumphoneo, soom-foneh" from G#4859 - sumphonos - "sounding together" "to be harmonious").

GOD’S “49”

NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER BUT BY MY SPIRIT SAITH THE LORD

But how can we be in reality His Ekklesia if we are not in agreement, in harmony, as part of His symphony - yes, distinct with our own instrument, but in perfect harmony? How? By forgiving one another 7 X 70 = 490! By being a little infant. By growing up in Christ in all things (Eph. 4:15). This speaks of "maturity in Christ" - unto MANHOOD. We can forgive 490 times? Yes, and this "49" is taken straight out of Zechariah 4:6 of the Universal Menorah with its 7 lamps and 7 conduits going to each of the 7 lamps or 7 X 7 = 49: "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD."

Moreover, maturity in Christ cannot be manipulated by human ingenuity or organizational gifting but solely by the Life of Christ—it is wholly organic, other worldly, without human endeavor but wrought by the Spirit of Promise, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Living God working in us all to mature and expand His New Creation--"but by My Spirit says the Lord" - that's how His Ekklesia is being built - is maturing "unto a full-grown man - unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).

THE ISRAEL OF GOD - Gal. 6:16

FINALLY . . . THE ISRAEL OF GOD . . . THE NEW CREATION

I would be remiss not to inject into this conversation that which yields itself to such maturity are those “whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:8-NIV) – but in vain are those “After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” (Gal. 3:3-NIV) – O FOOLISH GALATIANS!

Moreover, I would be greatly remiss in avoiding these controversial passages from Galatians 6 dealing with the “Israel of God” because they have everything to do with the New Creation, ipso facto the Truth of the Gospel, the One New Man, so making peace. They who vainly would attempt to bifurcate the benediction of Paul’s “peace and mercy” by claiming it is given, on the one hand, to the ethnic Galatian believers in Yeshua and then (separately), on the other hand, this same “peace and mercy” is given to those Jews known as the “Israel of God” do horrific exegetical injustice to the Word of God! NO, NO, NO – the only thing that avails is the NEW CREATION wherein both ethnic Galatians of the nations and Jews (uncircumcised/nations and circumcised/Jews) find themselves – TOGETHER as the New Creation – which IS the Israel of God.

Again, I am exceedingly please with those translators from the Greek into English who directly connect “peace and mercy” to the very Israel of God, and thence to the New Creation, to wit:

“For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, even to the Israel of God” (Berean Study Bible – Gal. 6:15-16).

But in Christ it is not circumcision or uncircumcision that counts but the power of new birth. To all who live by this principle, to the true Israel of God, may there be peace and mercy! (Phillips Version – Gal. 6:15-16).

Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God (NIV – Gal. 6:16)

These Galatians from the Ethnos/Nations and these Jews constitute not only the NEW CREATION but together they are the very ISRAEL OF GOD! To suggest otherwise flies in the face of Paul’s entire letter to the Galatians – Paul declared the ONE NEW MAN (viz., “The Truth of the Gospel”) when he withstood Peter to his face wherein Peter would NOT eat with Gentile believers in Galatia and separated himself to eat only with Jewish believers. Paul said that Peter was NOT LIVING BY THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL (Gal. 2:5, 14) – we are all in the “S”eed – we are all “children of promise” – (Isaac–Gal. 3:29) – and with this Paul asserts the One New Man principal:

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all ONE in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:27-29).

DISTINCTION YES – SEPARATION NO. The “inseparable message” contained in Commonwealth Theology was announced by Peter and John upon their return from their initial encounter with these religiopolitical leaders–their “fallback position” was this: The INFANT JESUS was being birthed through them! This was the New Man, the New Creation, the Israel of God – this is the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL and that is the “revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all NATIONS” (Rom. 16:25-26).

THIS IS A PROFOUND MYSTERY: CHRIST & HIS EKKLESIA

And, yes, this is the MYSTERY OF CHRIST, even His Ekklesia, to wit:

“I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles (ethnon) – if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the MYSTERY (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the MYSTERY OF CHRIST), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Nations, should be fellow heirs, of the SAME BODY, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power” (Eph. 3:1-6). (Lit. “Joint-heirs – a “Joint-Body” – “Joint-Sharers of the promise of Him”)

“This is a GREAT MYSTERY, but I speak concerning Christ and THE EKKLESIA” (Eph. 5:32)

The revelation of the mystery is the bringing together of two distinct peoples (i.e., JOINT HEIRS) into the ONE NEW MAN (the “One New Humanity”), so making peace through the blood of His cross, both Jew and Greek (Eph. 2:15). Hidden, yes, but wholly promised through the prophetic Scriptures! Even so, there is neither “male nor female” but there are “brothers and sisters” – there is neither Jew nor Greek but there are Jews and there are Greeks – but in Christ we are inseparable! Distinct, yes – but not separated! This is the EKKLESIA Jesus is building – from start (INFANT) unto the “whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:13) made for the New Creation – the Mature Man – the One New Man – the Perfect Man - the Body of Christ - His EKKLESIA!

Brethren, this is the true essence of the Kingdom of Heaven – the Kingdom of God – the Kingdom of His Beloved Son whereupon we enter as a “little babe” through the New Birth by the Spirit of God and grow in grace and knowledge of the Son of God unto a Perfect Man, Mature Man, Manhood – unto the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY – COMPLETE GOSPEL

I would like to expand upon the COMPLETION GOSPEL found in Romans 15:29:

“But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness (lit. “completion”) of the gospel of Christ.”

The Gospel of the Grace of God unto salvation from Acts 20:24 and the Gospel of Peace unto reconciliation of peoples (Rom. 10:15) is designed by the Almighty to make of the Two (Jew and Gentile) One New Man--so MAKING PEACE.

True, most folks do not fully understand the Gospel of Salvation to be saved from the Wrath of God (the penalty of sin--Jesus took the "rap" for us) but they scarcely comprehend the reconciliation of hostile peoples and the cure not only for sin but the cure for division -- not only in the Body of Christ but between the peoples of the world! It's the same Gospel but it's the complete Gospel - it's the SAME BODY - once, I believe, folks can be persuaded that He not only desires for sinners to be saved from sin's penalty and be granted eternal life in Him but (also) He prayed that they all may be ONE in the fellowship of the Father and the Son: personal peace - corporate peace.

Most folks can readily grasp the difference and most believers, sadly, hardly hear of the difference, let alone embrace the COMPLETE GOSPEL - but Paul's presentation to the Roman Christians (book of Romans) is simplified wherein Romans 1-8 reconciles the individual believer to God through the blood of Jesus unto personal glorification; while Romans 9-16 reconciles us to one another through the preaching of the Gospel of Peace--which is not just one's personal Peace with God but His Peace He prayed for in John 17: THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE.

"But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the COMPLETION of the blessing of the gospel of Christ . . . Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen" Romans 15:29, 33.

The fullness or COMPLETION of the blessing of the gospel of Christ is the manifestation of the Kingdom of God among the elect - both branches of the One Olive Tree (Rom. 11:11-27; Jer. 11:16) - now and into the prophetic future.

This FULL GOSPEL (sorry, my Pentecostal brethren) is the gospel we preach (or should be preaching) - this should be the dominant theme when the gospel is proclaimed - and, by the way, it is in full accord with Acts 15 at the Jerusalem Council regarding “what to do with the nations entering into the assembly” which was originally considered but a “Jewish sect.”

The restoration of the Tabernacle of David - the United Kingdom of David – was in view in Acts 15 and has embedded within its message the only place in the book of Romans where the Kingdom of God is mentioned: "For the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit" - smack-dab in the middle of brethren quarreling over their pet doctrines and practices--Romans 14:17 -instead we hear:

"Therefore let us pursue the THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE and the things by which one may EDIFY ANOTHER."

In other words, the United Kingdom—aka, Tabernacle of David—found in Acts 15:16-17 is intrinsically connected in matters of unity in diversity with the Kingdom of God in Romans 14 which is full of “divine tolerance” between members of the United Kingdom of David, the Tabernacle of David—which is in point of fact: The Commonwealth of Israel (Eph. 2:12)—dare I connect the dots?

Our beloved brethren who would twist Acts 15’s Jerusalem Council on this amalgamation of Jews and those elect from the Nations entering into the singularity of the Commonwealth of Israel—i.e., the Tabernacle of David--by projecting its exegesis into the future Second Coming of the Deliverer Who shall roar out of Zion, have not only completely missed the mark of the ultimate, immediate prophetic fulfillment of why the elect from among the nations were beating a path into the assembly of the Firstborn (in the first place) – but have inadvertently/ignorantly or purposefully separated God's Eternal Plan and Purpose for creating in Himself ONE NEW MAN, so making peace (the goal of the cross) - for “nothing else avails but a new creation” which is the very Israel of God--plain and simple (Gal. 6:15).

Cleverly devising and manipulating the conjunction kai (in Gal. 6:16) to grant peace and mercy to Galatian gentiles - AND that the same goes for Jews who alone bear the enlightenment as the Israel of God - is not only a contortion of the Word of God but the entire thrust of Paul's overall message domiciled in his confrontation with Peter over the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL (Gal. 2) - Jewish and Antiochian believers should all eat together at Messiah's Table - ENOUGH OF THIS SEPARATION STUFF . . . the CROSS produces the New Creation in the here and now—not in the sweet by-and-by (Gal. 6:12-14).

No, the proper "sense" of Galatians 6:16 is found in, oddly enough, the NIV: Galatians 6:16, NIV:

"Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule--to the Israel of God."

Likewise: Galatians 6:16 from God's Word Translation:

"Peace and mercy will come to rest on all those who conform to this principle. They are the Israel of God."

Even the Phillips translation gets it (if you interpret it properly)!

"But in Christ it is not circumcision or uncircumcision that counts but the power of new birth. To all who live by this principle, to the true Israel of God, may there be peace and mercy!" ******

Instead, distortions like this pervade Christendom:

16 Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule [who discipline themselves and conduct their lives by this principle], and upon the [true] Israel of God (Jewish believers). (Amplified version--parenthesis in the Amplified V.)

16 Peace and mercy to those who ·follow [walk/live by] this rule—and to ·all of God’s people [L the Israel of God; C either: (1) Jewish Christians or (2) the church as the “new Israel”]. (Expanded Bible) (Notice: Somehow keeping the two separated!)

******

There is but one New Covenant -the MYSTERY REVEALED!

The Healing of the Nations

In the strictest sense the New Covenant is the very essence of the COVENANT IN HIS BLOOD that cleanses ALL who call upon the Name of the Lord, for the forgiveness of sin and freedom from its penalty—both Jew and Greek; however, this New Covenant is likewise the very BASIS and ESSENCE of the COVENANT OF PEACE SHALL BE BETWEEN THEM BOTH . . . listen carefully:

"My servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will MAKE A COVENANT OF PEACE with them (with both Judah and Ephraim - Ref. Ezk. 37:15-23), and it shall be an EVERLASTING COVENANT with them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore" (Ezk. 37:25-28).

NOTICE: The New Covenant - THE COVENANT OF PEACE - was strictly made between these Two Houses (Judah and Ephraim/Joseph) - the MYSTERY revealed was to bring the ethnos/nations into His One New Man, New Creation, to wit (read carefully):

"If indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the MYSTERY (as I have briefly written already, by which when you read, you may UNDERSTAND MY KNOWLEDGE in the MYSTERY OF CHRIST), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it HAS NOW BEEN REVEALED by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: [NOW WHAT IS THIS MYSTERY NOW REVEALED, ONCE HIDDEN BUT NOW REVEALED?] . . . that the Nations (aka Gentiles) should be fellow heirs, of the SAME BODY, partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel . . . that I should preach among the Nations the unsearchable riches of Christ . . . to the intent that NOW the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the EKKLESIA to the principalities and powers in heavenly place" (Eph. 3:2-10 excerpts—my emphasis).

His EKKLESIA He is the building is of the INCLUSIVE Commonwealth of Israel!

On the one hand there is nothing new - BUT on the other hand, there is something altogether new: the ONE NEW MAN!

Brethren, it is this INCLUSION of the nations into the Commonwealth of Israel (viz., the MYSTERY OF CHRIST so revealed), into the singular New Covenant, the Covenant of Peace between them both--that is the REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY once hidden but is NOW revealed: That the nations/ethnos/gentiles should be fellow heirs of the SAME BODY! Ephraim, swallowed up among the nations (Hosea 8), who is no more, is brought back into this Covenant of Peace--EVEN ALL THE NATIONS, EDOM, MANKIND (Acts 15:17).

“After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David (aka, the United Kingdom of David), which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of mankind (lit. Edom—Amos 9:11-12) may seek the LORD, even all the Gentiles (lit. Ethnos/Ethnicities/Nations) who are called by My name, says the LORD who does all these things!” (Acts 15:16-17; Amos 9:11-12).

THERE ARE NOT TWO NEW COVENANTS - nor is the Covenant of Peace separate from the EVERLASTING COVENANT - the nations, the ethnos have been included, brought into, the Commonwealth of Israel - brought into the covenant He made and promised in Ezekiel 36:25-27 and Jeremiah 31:31-34.

God's ultimate plan is UNIFIED, SINGULAR, two nations, MADE ONE under King David WITH the inclusion of the Ethos/Nations! The only thing NEW about the Ekklesia is the following: ONE NEW MAN, SO MAKING PEACE! It was always there--IT JUST GOT BIGGER!! Do we SEE it?

In all above references the unmistakable imprint of the New Covenant is made with Judah and Ephraim (Israel) with the repeated statement: "I will be their God, and they shall be My people" - thus, the ultimate consummation throughout all time and eternity will be His New Jerusalem inclusive of His chosen, His elect, the full expansion, if you would of His Bride, the GREAT MYSTERY: Christ and His EKKLESIA (Eph. 5:32) - for: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people . . . God Himself will be with them and be their God" (Revelation 21:3). This is the ultimate manifestation of the New Covenant!

What is it about the “leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations” we don't understand (Rev. 22:2)? Thus ends the notion of repopulating the universe with humanoids (sorry - the NATIONS "which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King" at the Feast of Tabernacles in Zechariah 14:16-19 do so during His Millenarian Reign on the Earth--"from year to year" [vs. 16] but the NATIONS in the "eternal state" of the New Jerusalem are already HEALED, and, I hasten to add, stay healed - no need to repopulate the universe or earth - but who knows, I could be wrong - but I'm not wrong by INCLUDING the Nations/Ethnos into the immediate Commonwealth of Israel, into the One New Man, and ultimately into the New Jerusalem, the Holy City of Rev. 21-22 and Ezekiel 40-48, the multi-dimensional Bride of Messiah.

Let's not theologically tamper with the EKKLESIA He is building - let's enjoy the MYSTERY REVEALED! Doug Krieger -