Who is the leader of the covenant? What is this covenant all about? What does this holy sign of dedication look like? Why do we need to know who is the leader of this covenant today?
Exodus 28:36-38… And you must make a shining plate (H6731) of pure gold and engrave upon it with the engravings of a seal, ‘Holiness belongs to YHVH.’ And you must fasten it with a blue string, and it must come to be upon the turban. On the forefront of the turban, it should come to be. And it must come to be upon Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron must answer for the error committed against the holy objects, which the sons of Israel will sanctify, that is to say, all their holy gifts; and it must stay upon his forehead constantly, to gain approval for them before Jehovah.
The holy sign of dedication has a deep meaning, and it was an expression of a conviction for all to see. It was made of gold so when the sunlight hit it, it would reflect light. The plate or band had an engraving of words upon it. The words Holiness belongs to Jehovah was to remind the people that God is holy so that they should also become holy. What else do we know about this headdress or head covering?
Exodus 29:6-7… And you must set the turban (H4701) upon his head and put the holy sign of dedication (H853 & H5145) upon the turban. And you must take the anointing oil and pour it upon his head and anoint him.
Aaron had this turban placed upon his head then the sign was placed next, notice that oil was poured on his head after the turban went on. We could conclude that the top part of the turban was open at the time of the anointing. This also could be indicated to us when we look into Strong’s Concordance for the Hebrew word rendered up as turban H4701, the root word that this is taken from means to wrap. Thus, the turban was wrapped around the head but allowing an opening at the top of the head. This turban also helped hold in place the golden plate with the sign of dedication keeping it up off the skin of the forehead. That doesn’t mean that later on the turban was changed to be a full head covering.
Let us look at Strong’s Concordance for the Hebrew word rendered up as crown H5145 nezer, it can be rendered up as Crown, Consecration or Naziriteship.
This word Nazirite means one who vowed to undertake special religious observances. A holy person credited to having the spirit of the Lord.
Aaron was made holy, consecrated to perform a special duty as a high priest for the nation of Israel, he acted as the spiritual leader for God’s people. He was also charged with the duty of the oversight belonging to the observances of the covenant.
Let us look at this expression rendered up as holy sign of dedication. Strong’s Concordance H853 is very interesting. It is made up of two Hebrew letters the first is the letter Alpha, it pictorial meaning is Leader. The second letter is Tav and it means Covenant. That would make him the leader of the covenant.
Now let us get one thing straight, not at every spot in the Scriptures does it mean Leader / Covenant, it needs to be according to context. This is not a well-known fact for it has been hidden from the scholars, they are claiming that this is an untranslatable word to English. Matthew 11:25
Who was the leader of the covenant for the nation of Israel? It was none other than the high priest Aaron. So, are there other examples in the Scriptures that mention about the leader of the covenant? Yes, there are two good examples found in the following passages of the Scriptures.
Daniel 11:22… And as regards the arms of the flood, they will be flooded over on account of him, and they will be broken; as will also the (H853) Leader of [the] covenant.
Who was it that the Romans killed at the prodding of the religious leaders of the day, was it not the leader of the covenant, Yeshua / Jesus Christ the promised Messiah?
Zechariah 12:10… And I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of favor and entreaties, and they will certainly look to (H853 Leader of the Covenant) the One whom they pierced through, and they will certainly wail over Him as in the wailing over an only [son]; and there will be a bitter lamentation over him as when there is bitter lamentation over the firstborn [son].
Not all the Jewish people of that day accepted or identified Yeshua / Jesus Christ as the appointed leader of the covenant. They failed to understand what God spoke to the prophet Malachi.
Malachi 3:1… Look! I am sending my messenger (H4397), and he must clear up a way before me. And suddenly there will come to His temple the Lord (H113), whom YOU people are seeking, and the messenger of the covenant in whom YOU are delighting. Look! He will certainly come,” Jehovah of armies has said.
Some of you have been taught that this would be John the Baptist, clearing up the way. But who is the Lord of the temple and the messenger of the covenant? Was it not Jesus Christ / Yeshua?
Yeshua / Jesus came preaching about the kingdom of God, he brought to the people the message about the new covenant and how he was going to be the leader of this new covenant as he becomes the King & Priest of God’s Kingdom.
Before we start talking about this new covenant let us do a quick review of the covenants of the past that God made with mankind.
The Covenant of Noah
Noah was given a covenant for the preservation of life and a sign of the rainbow was a guarantee that God would never destroy the earth again by water.
Genesis 6:18… And I do establish my covenant with you; and you must go into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living creature of every sort of flesh, two of each, you will bring into the ark to preserve them alive with you. Male and female, they will be.
Genesis 9:12-13… And God added: “This is the sign of the covenant that I am giving between me and YOU and every living soul that is with YOU, for the generations to time indefinite. My rainbow I do give in the cloud, and it must serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
The rainbow became a sign for all mankind to see that the word of God would prove true. It is a shame to see the wicked people have picked up this sign as their personal symbol for freedom demanding their way of life to be accepted. God will repay them for their wickedness.
The Covenant of Abraham
Abraham was given a covenant for land, for a special possession by God and the promise for a seed. That covenant was validated by circumcision.
Genesis 15:18… On that day Jehovah concluded with Abram a covenant, saying: To your seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.
Genesis 17:19, 23… To this God said: Sarah your wife is indeed bearing you a son, and you must call his name Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him for a covenant to time indefinite to his seed after him… 23 Abraham then proceeded to take Ishmael his son and all the men born in his house and everyone purchased with money of his, every male among the men of the household of Abraham, and he went to circumcising the flesh of their foreskins in this very day, just as God had spoken with him.
Acts 7:8… He also gave him a covenant of circumcision; and thus, he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve family heads.
The Covenant of Moses
Moses was given the covenant of the 10 Commandments from God and was promised that the people would become a special property, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to God.
Exodus 19:5-6… And now if YOU will strictly obey my voice and will indeed keep my covenant, then YOU will certainly become my special property out of all [other] peoples, because the whole earth belongs to me. And YOU yourselves will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the sons of Israel.”
Exodus 34:28-29… And he continued there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights. He ate no bread, and he drank no water. And he proceeded to write upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words. Now it came about when Moses came down from Mount Sinai that the two tablets of the Testimony were in the hand of Moses when he came down from the mountain, and Moses did not know that the skin of his face emitted rays because of his having spoken with him.
Moses became a sign before the people because they all saw him and knew he had been before the presence of God because his face was emitting light.
The Covenant of Salt
God gave the covenant of salt to the priest as part of their holy contributions. It was a way for God to show that he was taking care of those who belong to him.
Numbers 18:19… All the holy contributions, which the sons of Israel will contribute to Jehovah, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as an allowance to time indefinite. It is a covenant of salt to time indefinite before Jehovah for you and your offspring with you.
The Covenant of Priests
Phineas acquired a personal covenant to be a part of the priesthood because of his love of God.
Numbers 25:12-13… For that reason, say, ‘Here I am giving him my covenant of peace. And it must serve as the covenant of a priesthood to time indefinite for him and his offspring after him, due to the fact that he tolerated no rivalry toward his God and proceeded to make atonement for the sons of Israel.
Covenant for the Kingdom
The covenant for the kingdom was given to King David because he had found favor with God, but to his seed he gave the privilege of building a house for God the temple and an everlasting kingship.
2 Samuel 7:8-16… And now this is what you will say to my servant David, this is what Jehovah of armies has said: “I myself took you from the pasture ground from following the flock to become a leader over my people Israel. 9 And I shall prove to be with you wherever you do go, and I will cut off all your enemies from before you; and I shall certainly make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones that are in the earth. 10 And I shall certainly appoint a place for my people Israel and plant them, and they will indeed reside where they are, and no more will they be disturbed; and the sons of unrighteousness will not afflict them again as they did at the first, 11 even from the day that I put judges in command over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. And Jehovah has told you that a house is what Jehovah will make for you. 12 When your days come to the full, and you must lie down with your forefathers, then I shall certainly raise up your seed after you, which will come out of your inward parts; and I shall indeed firmly establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one that will build a house for my name, and I shall certainly establish the throne of his kingdom firmly to time indefinite. 14 I myself shall become his father, and he himself will become my son. When he does wrong, I will also reprove him with the rod of men and with the strokes of the sons of Adam. 15 As for my loving-kindness, it will not depart from him the way I removed it from Saul, whom I removed on account of you. And your house and your kingdom will certainly be steadfast to time indefinite before you; your very throne will become one firmly established to time indefinite”.
This promise that God gave to King David was partly fulfilled with King Solomon. He built the temple to God, and he established a kingship, but it did not last because of the wickedness of the people in the land. However God’s word does not go unfulfilled and so by means of the prophets a word came out respecting the future fulfillment of this kingdom.
Isaiah 55:3-4… Incline YOUR ear and come to me. Listen, and YOUR soul will keep alive, and I shall readily conclude with YOU people an indefinitely lasting covenant respecting the loving-kindnesses to David that are faithful. Look! As a witness to the national groups, I have given him, as a leader and commander to the national groups.
New Covenant Prophesied
God promised through the prophets a new covenant with the people if they would be faithful, the new covenant would have the law written on their hearts.
Jeremiah 31:31-33… “Look! There are days coming,” is the utterance of Jehovah, and I will conclude with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant; 32 not one like the covenant that I concluded with their forefathers in the day of my taking hold of their hand to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt, which covenant of mine they themselves broke, although I myself had husbandly ownership of them,’ is the utterance of Jehovah. 33 For this is the covenant that I shall conclude with the house of Israel after those days, is the utterance of Jehovah. I will put my law within them, and in their heart, I shall write it. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people.
These prophecies were that of a hope for people who had become abandoned by God. These became known as the restoration prophecies. We know God will restore all things and God would give them a covenant of peace from their enemies.
Ezekiel 37:21-28… And speak to them, this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: Here I am taking the sons of Israel from among the nations to which they have gone, and I will collect them together from round about and bring them onto their soil. 22 And I shall actually make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king is what all of them will come to have as king, and they will no longer continue to be two nations, nor will they be divided any longer into two kingdoms. 23 And they will no longer defile themselves with their dungy idols and with their disgusting things and with all their transgressions; and I shall certainly save them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and I will cleanse them, and they must become my people, and I myself shall become their God. 24 And my servant David will be king over them, and one shepherd is what they will all come to have; and in my judicial decisions they will walk, and my statutes they will keep, and they will certainly carry them out. 25 And they will actually dwell upon the land that I gave to my servant, to Jacob, in which YOUR forefathers dwelt, and they will actually dwell upon it, they and their sons and their sons’ sons to time indefinite, and David my servant will be their chieftain to time indefinite. 26 And I will conclude with them a covenant of peace; an indefinitely lasting covenant is what there will come to be with them. And I will place them and multiply them and place my sanctuary in the midst of them to time indefinite. 27 And my tabernacle will actually prove to be over them, and I shall certainly become their God, and they themselves will become my people. 28 And the nations will have to know that I, Jehovah, am sanctifying Israel when my sanctuary comes to be in the midst of them to time indefinite.
Who is this leader of the covenant that would sit upon the throne of David?
The Leader of the Covenant
God identified this leader as the sprout, God also gave him a name that he should be called.
Jeremiah 23:5-6… Look! There are days coming, is the utterance of Jehovah, and I will raise up to David a righteous sprout. And a king will certainly reign and act with discretion and execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel itself will reside in security. And this is his name with which he will be called, Jehovah Is Our Righteousness
We will talk more about this new name later on in the writing of this blog.
By prophecy God identified characteristics of this servant as his king and a light to the world.
Isaiah 42:1-7… Look! My servant, on whom I keep fast hold! My chosen one, [whom] my soul has approved! I have put my spirit in him. Justice to the nations is what he will bring forth. 2 He will not cry out or raise [his voice], and in the street he will not let his voice be heard. 3 No crushed reed will he break; and as for a dim flaxen wick, he will not extinguish it. In trueness he will bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow dim nor be crushed until he sets justice in the earth itself; and for his law the islands themselves will keep waiting. 5 This is what the [true] God, Jehovah, has said, the Creator of the heavens and the Grand One stretching them out; the One laying out the earth and its produce, the One giving breath to the people on it, and spirit to those walking in it: 6 “I myself, Jehovah, have called you in righteousness, and I proceeded to take hold of your hand. And I shall safeguard you and give you as a covenant of the people, (Isaiah 49:8-11) as a light of the nations, 7 [for you] to open the blind eyes, to bring forth out of the dungeon the prisoner, out of the house of detention those sitting in darkness.
This servant of God would be a repurchaser for the people of Israel.
Isaiah 59:20-21… And to Zion the Repurchaser will certainly come, and to those turning from transgression in Jacob, is the utterance of Jehovah. And as for me, this is my covenant with them, Jehovah has said. “My spirit that is upon you and my words that I have put in your mouth—they will not be removed from your mouth or from the mouth of your offspring or from the mouth of the offspring of your offspring,” Jehovah has said, “from now on even to time indefinite”.
The prophet Isaiah wrote as this servant addresses his soon to be subjects, those who are putting faith in him, and this statement will be an identifier for the people, that he has been sent by God.
Isaiah 61:1-11… The spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah is upon me, for the reason that Jehovah has anointed me to tell good news to the meek ones. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to those taken captive and the wide opening [of the eyes] even to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah and the day of vengeance on the part of our God; to comfort all the mourning ones; 3 to assign to those mourning over Zion, to give them a headdress instead of ashes, the oil of exultation instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of the downhearted spirit; and they must be called big trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, for [him] to be beautified. 4 And they must rebuild the long-standing devastated places; they will raise up even the desolated places of former times, and they will certainly make anew the devastated cities, the places desolate for generation after generation. 5 And strangers will actually stand and shepherd the flocks of YOU people, and the foreigners will be YOUR farmers and YOUR vinedressers. 6 And as for YOU, the priests of Jehovah YOU will be called; the ministers of our God YOU will be said to be. The resources of the nation’s YOU people will eat, and in their glory, YOU will speak elatedly about yourselves. 7 Instead of YOUR shame there will be a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will cry out joyfully over their share. Therefore, in their land they will take possession of even a double portion. Rejoicing to time indefinite is what will come to be theirs. 8 For I, Jehovah, am loving justice, hating robbery along with unrighteousness. And I will give their wages in trueness, and an indefinitely lasting covenant I shall conclude toward them. 9 And their offspring will actually be known even among the nations, and their descendants in among the peoples. All those seeing them will recognize them, that they are the offspring whom Jehovah has blessed. 10 Without fail I shall exult in Jehovah. My soul will be joyful in my God. For he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; with the sleeveless coat of righteousness, he has enwrapped me, like the bridegroom who, in a priestly way, puts on a headdress, and like the bride who decks herself with her ornamental things. 11 For as the earth itself brings forth its sprout, and as the garden itself makes the things that are sown in it sprout, in like manner the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will cause the sprouting of righteousness and of praise in front of all the nations.
God prophesied that he would send a messenger to get ready a people. Then the Lord the messenger of the covenant would appear in his temple.
Malachi 3:1… Look! I am sending my messenger, and he must clear up a way before me. And suddenly there will come to His temple the [true] Lord, whom YOU people are seeking, and the messenger of the covenant in whom YOU are delighting. Look! He will certainly come,” Jehovah of armies has said.
John the Baptist proved to be the messenger sent in advance of the Lord to get ready a people and to help identify the incoming Messiah who would be the messenger of the new covenant. The father of John the Baptist prophesied about these future events.
Luke 1:67-79… And Zechariah its father was filled with holy spirit, and he prophesied, saying: 68 “Blessed be Jehovah the God of Israel, because he has turned his attention and performed deliverance toward his people. 69 And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant, 70 just as he, through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, has spoken 71 of a salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those hating us; 72 to perform the mercy in connection with our forefathers and to call to mind his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to Abraham our forefather, 74 to grant us, after we have been rescued from the hands of enemies, the privilege of fearlessly rendering sacred service to him 75 with loyalty and righteousness before him all our days. 76 But as for you, young child, you will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go in advance before Jehovah to make his ways ready, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender compassion of our God. With this [compassion] a daybreak will visit us from on high, 79 to give light to those sitting in darkness and death’s shadow, to direct our feet prosperously in the way of peace.”
The Messiah did make his appearance to give light to the people. He helped create the world of mankind, but they did not accept him.
John 1:6-18… There arose a man that was sent forth as a representative of God: his name was John. 7 This [man] came for a witness, in order to bear witness about the light, that people of all sorts might believe through him. 8 He was not that light, but he was meant to bear witness about that light. 9 The true light that gives light to every sort of man was about to come into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into existence through him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own home, but his own people did not take him in. 12 However, as many as did receive him, to them he gave authority to become God’s children, because they were exercising faith in his name; 13 and they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from God. 14 So the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only begotten son from a father; and he was full of undeserved kindness and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, yes, he actually cried out—this was the one who said [it]—saying: “The one coming behind me has advanced in front of me, because he existed before me.”) 16 For we all received from out of his fullness, even undeserved kindness upon undeserved kindness. 17 Because the Law was given through Moses, the undeserved kindness and the truth came to be through Jesus Christ. 18 No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten god who is in the bosom [position] with the Father is the one that has explained him.
Those that accepted this Messiah, (Yeshua / Jesus Christ) he gave authority to become God’s children by the use of his name. The apostle Paul explained the public service of the priesthood and the new covenant for those who accepted Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 8:6-13… But now (Jesus) has obtained a more excellent public service, so that he is also the mediator of a correspondingly better covenant, which has been legally established upon better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second; 8 for he does find fault with the people when he says: Look! There are days coming,’ says Jehovah, ‘and I will conclude with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant; 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their forefathers in [the] day of my taking hold of their hand to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, so that I stopped caring for them,’ says Jehovah. 10 For this is the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days, says Jehovah. I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts, I shall write them. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people. 11 And they will by no means teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying: “Know Jehovah!” For they will all know me, from [the] least one to [the] greatest one of them. 12 For I shall be merciful to their unrighteous deeds, and I shall by no means call their sins to mind anymore. 13 In his saying “a new (covenant)” he has made the former one obsolete. Now that which is made obsolete and growing old is near to vanishing away.
Hebrews 9:15-22… So that is why he is a mediator of a new covenant, in order that, because a death has occurred for [their] release by ransom from the transgressions under the former covenant, the ones who have been called might receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance. 16 For where there is a covenant, the death of the [human] covenanter needs to be furnished. 17 For a covenant is valid over dead [victims] since it is not in force at any time while the [human] covenanter is living. 18 Consequently neither was the former [covenant] inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment according to the Law had been spoken by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of the young bulls and of the goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled the book itself and all the people, 20 saying: “This is the blood of the covenant that God has laid as a charge upon YOU. 21 And he sprinkled the tent and all the vessels of the public service likewise with the blood. 22 Yes, nearly all things are cleansed with blood according to the Law, and unless blood is poured out no forgiveness takes place.
Hebrews 12:22-25… But YOU have approached a Mount Zion and a city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, 23 in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, 24 and Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and the blood of sprinkling, which speaks in a better way than Abel’s (blood). 25 See that YOU do not beg off from him who is speaking. For if they did not escape who begged off from him who was giving divine warning upon earth, much more shall we not if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens.
Accepting The New Covenant
Matthew 26:26-29… As they continued eating, Jesus took a loaf and, after saying a blessing, he broke it and, giving it to the disciples, he said: “TAKE, eat. This means my body.” 27 Also, he took a cup and, having given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: “Drink out of it, all of YOU; 28 for this means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out on behalf of many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell YOU, I will by no means drink henceforth any of this product of the vine until that day when I drink it new with YOU in the kingdom of my Father.”
Luke 22:15-20… And he said to them: “I have greatly desired to eat this Passover with YOU before I suffer; 16 for I tell YOU, I will not eat it again until it becomes fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And, accepting a cup, he gave thanks and said: “Take this and pass it from one to the other among yourselves; 18 for I tell YOU, From now on I will not drink again from the product of the vine until the kingdom of God arrives.” 19 Also, he took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This means my body which is to be given in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 20 Also, the cup in the same way after they had the evening meal, he saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in YOUR behalf.
Luke 22:29-30… However, YOU are the ones that have stuck with me in my trials; and I make a covenant with YOU, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom, that YOU may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26… For I received from the Lord that which I also handed on to YOU, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over, took a loaf 24 and, after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body which is in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did likewise respecting the cup also, after he had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, as often as YOU drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as YOU eat this loaf and drink this cup, YOU keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.
John 6:53-58… Accordingly Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to YOU, Unless YOU eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, YOU have no life in yourselves. 54 He that feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I shall resurrect him at the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 He that feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me, and I in union with him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me forth and I live because of the Father, he also that feeds on me, even that one will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. It is not as when YOUR forefathers ate and yet died. He that feeds on this bread will live forever.”
How do we feed on Christ the bread of life? How do we drink the blood? If you don’t know you better reread the last 9 scriptures, you were given to read.
John 1:12… However, as many as did receive him, to them he gave authority to become God’s children, because they were exercising faith in his name.
Repent from Your Sins
Acts 3:19-26… Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get YOUR sins blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the person of Jehovah 20 and that he may send forth the Christ appointed for YOU, Jesus, 21 whom heaven, indeed, must hold within itself until the times of restoration of all things of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old time. 22 In fact, Moses said, ‘Jehovah God will raise up for YOU from among YOUR brothers a prophet like me. YOU must listen to him according to all the things he speaks to YOU. 23 Indeed, any soul that does not listen to that Prophet will be completely destroyed from among the people.’ 24 And all the prophets, in fact, from Samuel on and those in succession, just as many as have spoken, have also plainly declared these days. 25 YOU are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God covenanted with YOUR forefathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed.’ 26 To YOU first God, after raising up his Servant, sent him forth to bless YOU by turning each one away from YOUR wicked deeds.”
The New Name
I would like to now refer back to the new name that the leader of the covenant shall receive. And ask this question what is in a name?
Jeremiah 23:5-6… Look! There are days coming, is the utterance of Jehovah, and I will raise up to David a righteous sprout. And a king will certainly reign and act with discretion and execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel itself will reside in security. And this is his name with which he will be called, Jehovah Is Our Righteousness
The leader of the covenant helps bring us into a relationship of righteousness with God and he identifies that God is our source of righteousness. So, his name also declares an action. The new Jerusalem also receives a new name for it is the city for God. God uses names to describe deeper meanings by use of the prophetic word. Look to the names of the prophets, in the names of the fathers of the prophets. Yes, God uses names to help identify aspects as he is revealing what is yet coming. Remember back to the sign of dedication that was upon the forehead of Aaron the high priest.
Isaiah 62:1-3… For the sake of Zion I shall not keep still, and for the sake of Jerusalem I shall not stay quiet until her righteousness goes forth just like the brightness, and her salvation like a torch that burns. 2 And the nations will certainly see your righteousness, (O woman,) and all kings your glory. And you will actually be called by a new name, which the very mouth of Jehovah will designate. 3 And you must become a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a kingly turban in the palm of your God. 4 No more will you be said to be a woman left entirely; and your own land will no more be said to be desolate; but you yourself will be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Owned as a Wife. For Jehovah will have taken delight in you, and your own land will be owned as a wife. 5 For just as a young man takes ownership of a virgin as his wife, your sons will take ownership of you as a wife. And with the exultation of a bridegroom over a bride, your God will exult even over you.
The new Jerusalem will have God’s delight in her, she will become the bride and the wife in the near future.
Ezekiel 48:35… and the name of the city from [that] day on will be Jehovah Himself Is There.
Revelation 2:17… Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white pebble, and upon the pebble a new name written which no one knows except the one receiving it.
Those who will accept what God is giving them, they too will receive a new name written upon their foreheads.
Revelation 3:11-13… I am coming quickly. Keep on holding fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. The one that conquers—I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will by no means go out [from it] anymore, and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which descends out of heaven from my God, and that new name of mine. Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.
Revelation 21:1-5… And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” 5 And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.” Also, he says: “Write, because these words are faithful and true.”
Anyone Conquering Will Inherit!
Revelation 21:6-8… And he said to me: “They have come to pass! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning, and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of life free. Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and Sulphur. This means the second death.
Revelation 22:12-16… Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. 14 Happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority [to go] to the trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the city by its gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and those who practice spiritism and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone liking and carrying on a lie. 16 I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to YOU people of these things for the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star. Revelation 1:8
We should know that it was God that said he is the Alpha and the Omega and the Almighty. But I cannot help but think back to the Hebrew alphabet where the first letter is Aleph, and its pictorial symbol means leader and the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Tav and its symbol means covenant. And I immediately think of the Leader of the Covenant. Yes, it is God that is the Alpha and he Omega but is our Lord Jesus who has become the Leader of the Covenant for us today.
Yes, Come Lord Jesus!
Writingwithlogos.com – Last Updated 3/20/22