The Old Covenant and the New

Males in the old covenant were circumcise as a sign that they were  under the Law.  (Leviticus 12:2, 3; Galatians 5:3)  After the Christian congregation began, some felt that non-Jewish Christians should also be circumcised. But the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, guided by God's Word and by holy spirit, perceived that this was not necessary.  (Acts 15:1, 5,28, 29) A few years later, Paul said:  "He is not a Jew who is one on the outside, nor is circumcision   that which is on the outside upon the flesh.  But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit, and not by a written code." (Romans 2:28, 29) Literal circumcision, even for fleshly Jews, had no further spiritual value in Jehovah's eyes.  For those in the new covenant, the heart, not the flesh must be circumcised. Everything in their thinking, desires, and motivation that is displeasing or unclean by Jehovah's eyes must be cut out.  Many today are living testimony to the power of the holy spirit to transform  thinking patterns in this way. -Ephesians 4:22-24.

In the Law covenant arrangement, Jehovah was King of Israel, and in time he exercised his sovereignty through human kings in Jerusalem.  (Isaiah 33:22)  Jehovah is also King of the Israel of God, spiritual Israel and since 33 C.E., he has ruled through Jesus Christ, who received "all authority . . . in heaven and on the earth." (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:19-23; Colossians 1:13, 14)  Today, the Israel of God recognizes Jesus was established in 1914. Jesus is a far better King than were even Hezekiah, Josiah, and the other faithful kings of ancient Israel. -Hebrews 1:8, 9; Revelation 11:15.

Israel not only was a kingdom but also had an anointed priesthood. In 33 C.E., the Israel of God replace fleshly Israel and became Jehovah's "servant,"  his "witnesses." ( Isaiah 43:10) Jehovah's words to Israel  recorded at Isaiah 43:21 and Exodus 19:5, 6 henceforth applied to the spiritual Israel of God.  God's new spiritual nation was now "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, responsible for 'declaring abroad Jehovah's  excellencies.' (Galatians 3:28, 29)  As the subsidiary part of the seed of Abraham, they now say:  "Be glad, you nations, with is people." (Deuteronomy 32:43)  those of spiritual Israel still remaining on earth make up  "the faithful and discreet slave." (Matthew 24:45-47)  Only in association with them can acceptable sacred service be rendered to God.

Next time: God's Kingdom-The Final Fulfillment

From the Watchtower magazine, 1998