God established a covenant with the earth and all who dwell upon the earth, an everlasting covenant. He gave a token so that we would remember this covenant, the rainbow. God revealed Himself to Noah before the Great Flood and of all who lived on the earth God chose Noah because there was no one besides Noah who sought to avoid evil as Noah did.
God reveals Himself to people and establishes His covenant with whom He wishes but that does not mean that the person or persons chosen were chosen without reason. He gives a reason for His revelation and defines the nature of its purpose. God establishes a covenant or an everlasting covenant with people and promises to honor the covenant unconditionally based upon defined parameters. In each case God gives enough information through His revelation to those who wrote it for people to understand the covenant. Clearly, God does not hide knowledge from us, nor does He mislead us in any way. His revelations are plain and refer to factual events that are verifiable. Verification of these facts come forth as appropriate, forcing those who seek Him to think in terms of eternity, beyond the time that any who seek Him live. The fulfillment of His prophecies that have been given to us happen as they are, not as we might suppose them to be. The fulfillment of covenant on the part of God is perfect, whereas the fulfillment of the covenants on the part of people is imperfect. In order to understand what we see, what we hear, and what we experience the nature of reality forces us to seek to know God. We seek to know what God is like, what His attributes are, and what is in the Bible for us to know. The establishment of covenants with people by God establishes the predicates for order in the universe. The establishment of a covenant with people therefore, imparts more than the promises, terms, and conditions of it. Apart from God the universe appears to be chaotic and random based on our limitations. Apart from God's revelation to us we are unable to discern reality as it is or apprehend it as it will be. The addition of factual knowledge about the universe to our application of reasoning yields some discernment of the nature and order of the universe but it is incomplete. Mankind often lives in the deceit of arrogance and pretends that enough facts can be gained and understood apart from God. The universe cannot be understood apart from God or apart from His covenants with us. Mankind is uncomfortable with the idea that the universe cannot be wholly understood except by God. Part of the reason for the covenants with people that God has established is to reveal God to us. His revelation to us is so that we may be reconciled to Him everlastingly.
Some aspects of His covenants may not be known to us because we may not know what is in Scripture that is already plainly stated. Some things are not understood because it is not time for us to understand them, not meant for our generation or the generations previous to us. The revelation of these things are meant specifically for those to whom it applies. God revealed Himself to Abraham and made a covenant with him, an everlasting covenant. God has revealed His Holy Name to us through His servant Moses and established an everlasting covenant with him. In both cases, the promises, terms, and conditions were plainly established as was the covenant with Noah. Abraham was the father of a nation of people and Moses was the lawgiver to mankind. A lack of understanding of the intent and purposes of the covenants comes from not knowing the Bible, seeking the face of God, and yielding to Him. The Apostle Paul said that the Good News is foolishness to those who are perishing. The covenants were given so that mankind would not only survive as life on earth unfolded anew each day, each year, each millennium, but also so that mankind could find God and everlasting life in God.
Covenant
A "covenant" (berit, Hebrew) is the most solemn and binding form of divine promise, an assurance to man of divine commitment, and a reminder given by God of His faithfulness. God offers the covenant, makes the covenant, fixes its terms and conditions, and remains everlastingly faithful (Genesis 3:15; Genesis 12:1–3; Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 30:3; II Samuel 7:16).
There are seven covenants made between God and man:
Innocence—Edenic Covenant Genesis 1:28
Conscience—Adamic Covenant Genesis 3:15
Human Government—Noahic Covenant Genesis 9:12
Promise—Abrahamic Covenant Genesis 12:1
Law—Mosaic Covenant Exodus 19:5–8
Grace—New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31
Fullness of Times—Davidic Covenant Ephesians 1:10
The Everlasting Covenant
1Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 2She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. 9They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. 10Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. 11For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
Proverbs 8
The following verses from the Bible at the end of the discussion were parsed according to the words "everlasting covenant". Enough of the verses surrounding this phrase are here to give the context of the use of the phrase. In cases where the covenant has been broken or is predicted to be broken, the outcomes are according to the promises, terms, conditions of the agreement. It would be impossible for any person to initiate and keep an everlasting covenant. We are finite beings as far as this life is concerned and cannot speak on behalf of humanity on the whole, now or in the future. It is necessary for us to seek the LORD because He is the only One who can keep the covenant perfectly everlastingly. The promises of good and life are dependent upon the LORD because He is the only One who is good and He is the giver of life. We may imitate good and bring things by our intelligence and work that imitate life or have an impact upon life in some way but we cannot give life. Of a necessity it is plain that life comes from somewhere outside of our world, it is from God. All that is was created by God. Not only this, but He also provided for us to live and understand with knowledge and wisdom.
1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.5
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.John 1
At Creation the Word was and all that was made was with Him. At the Creation Lady Wisdom was with Him, set up from eternity, from the beginning and was with brought forth by Him.
22The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
Proverbs 8
People shy away from Knowledge, Wisdom, and Understanding because we do not trust God. What is the fear of the LORD? Lady Wisdom tells us.
13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 8
Even if we were to manufacture something that is considered a living thing, it is based on the material of this creation that already is, we are just rearranging things to suit us. We are not the authors of life and at best we can only seek to understand what already is as we are not sovereign over life, nor can we be. The most powerful being aside from the Creator of life is at best only able to do anything by the permissive will of the LORD.
The covenants that the LORD has established with people are only understood at all by us through our recognition that only God knows the outcomes from the beginning. Our choices alter how the promises, terms, and conditions apply to us. We choose life and death on a daily basis whether we are conscious of it or not by what we choose and what we do. We have free will and we may choose to listen and hear or ignore and not hear what the Holy Spirit has to say to us. How we choose has something to do with every aspect of us and what we offer to God of ourselves. If our choice-making is done without knowledge or concern for the things of God our choices will be different that those made while actively seeking God. We may seek Him in prayer, in His revealed Word, His Holy Spirit, and worship. We may seek Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, obedience to Him, through His Sabbath Rest, through the Peace that He gives to us, and in His Love. In all these things we think, choose, and act by the Faith that He gives us. We can know that He exists through the observation of His creation. Our reason can lead us to agree with Him and choose correctly renewing our minds to the Mind of Christ if we choose to seek Truth. Obedience to the Truth yields opportunities to know more of the Truth and see everyday facts in a proper perspective. Rest, Peace, Love, Faith, and Truth are ways to find Him, to be reconciled to Him, and to know Him. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father but by Him and that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Jesus is the fulfillment of the whole of the Law and the Prophets.
Personal breaking faith with God consists of breaking our part of the covenant with Him. This is determined by our relationship with God and others and our actions. One who has rejected fellowship with God, one who rejects the offer of eternal life, one who has refused to listen to Lady Wisdom acts in a certain way:
12
A scoundrel, a villain, is hewho deals in crooked talk.
13
He winks his eyes,shuffles his feet,
makes signs with his fingers;
14
He has perversity in his heart,is always plotting evil,
sows discord.
15
Therefore suddenly ruin comes upon him;in an instant he is crushed beyond cure.
16
There are six things the LORD hates,yes, seven are an abomination to him;
17
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,and hands that shed innocent blood;
18
A heart that plots wicked schemes,feet that run swiftly to evil,
19
The false witness who utters lies,and he who sows discord among brothers.
Proverbs 6
The Holy Bible, The New American Bible, (Nashville, Tennessee: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) 1997.
Isaiah 24:5
The "everlasting covenant" refers to the Noahic covenant in Genesis 9:1–17. God promised to preserve creation. Man’s responsibility under that covenant was to produce and preserve life. This included the establishment of human government and law, including capital punishment for taking life.The judgment of God in Isaiah 24 is for the violation of that covenant by rampant violence and the failure of human government to establish righteousness.
W. A. Criswell, Believer’s Study Bible [computer file], electronic ed. , Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1991 by the Criswell Center for Biblical Studies.
12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
Genesis 9
7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 9And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. 12And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. 13He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
Genesis 17
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. 3Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations. 4He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually. 5And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. 6And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. 7And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 8Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 9And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.
Leviticus 24
The covenant that David declares God made with him begins with the conditions in which David declared the covenant. The last words of David are the declaration of a covenant. His end of life on this earth came with him as the King of Israel. He therefore spoke with the authority of one who spoke for his people and to people under his authority. The last words of people are taken to have a certain gravity in some cases, with this being such a case. He is the son of Jesse, he was raised up on high by God, he was the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel. The son of Jesse is a messianic term in scripture and can be compared to the new growth from a tree that has been cut down. David was raised up from the obscurity of the least son of Jesse in the eyes of his family to the King of Israel and is another foreshadowing of the Messiah. The word translated as anointed is the same word for Messiah, a term reserved for those consecrated by God. He is described as the sweet psalmist of Israel. The word translated as sweet means delightful, causing delight. David said that the Holy Spirit spoke by him and that the words of God were spoken by David. He was therefore a prophet by his own declaration. David says that the God of Israel and the Rock of Israel spoke to him. This is the first time that God is referred to as the Rock. The word "rock" is literally a steep cliff of stone, something seen as solid and immovable. David goes on to describe the way a proper king should rule while admitting that he was unable to do so and in spite of his failings God made an everlasting covenant with him. David is foreshadowing the advent of the Messiah and giving information as to what His rule will be like. He also says that those of Belial will be thrown away and that anyone who touches them should be destroyed by fire. The word translated as "touch" is a euphemism for "lie with" as in having intercourse with a woman. One who become intimate with those of Belial and partaking in the practices of them will be burned with fire. In a way this anticipates the activities of his son who lost the Kingdom of Israel because of participating in the worship of the gods of his concubines and wives from foreign lands. Again, God made an everlasting covenant with David in spite of the fact David's house was not as it should be and was imperfect. The covenant is to find its fulfillment in the coming Messiah, the one described as being able to rule according to the terms God established.
1Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. 5Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. 6But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: 7But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
II Samuel 23
7Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. 8Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 11Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 12Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 13O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 14He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 15Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; 16Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 17And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; 19When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. 20And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; 21He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 22Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 23Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation. 24Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. 25For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. 26For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 27Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. 28Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 29Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 30Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. 31Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. 32Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 33Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. 34O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 35And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. 36Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.
I Chronicles 16
8He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. 9Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; 10And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
Psalm 105
Isaiah relates the message from the LORD that the earth will be annihilated over time in separate and distinct phases. The literal sense of this passage is plain enough on the face of it. However, a careful reading of it reveals that all of the ordinances have been changed by mankind, all of the laws have been transgressed, and all of the covenants between the LORD and mankind have been broken by mankind. One day there will be a shaking of the earth that is so violent and so thorough that the face of the earth will be disfigured and the earth knocked off of its axis. The destruction will be so thorough that few men will be left. Those who are left will be charred by fire. At this time the host of heaven, those on high and the kings of the earth will be dealt with by God. The earth will be thoroughly destroyed in stages. The first destruction will leave some alive and finally the earth will be destroyed completely at some later time. The LORD could stay the destruction of the earth, but He does not. The reason given is because the ordinances are changed by people, the laws are transgressed, and the everlasting covenant is broken. What follows the description of the destruction of life and the earth is a reward for those who are the LORD's. Those who are the LORD's will escape the destruction and death will be swallowed up. There will be no more tears and sorrow. This passage and those related to it refer to the end of time and a new heaven and a new earth. In the letter written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy, he explains the everlasting covenant that we now have with God. In this great epistle, Hebrews 11 explains how important faith is, and how by it a good report was obtained by those who have gone before. He says "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." in the first verse. The gift of faith allows us to understand that which does not appear in this world visibly and tangibly. The visible and tangible come from the unseen. In verse three he writes: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."
1
Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 2And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. 3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. 4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. 7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. 8The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. 9They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. 10The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in. 11There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 12In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.13
When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. 14They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea. 15Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.16
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. 17Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. 18And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. 19The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. 20The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. 21And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. 22And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. 23Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.1O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. 2For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. 3Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. 4For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. 5Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.
6
And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. 7And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. 8He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.9
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. 10For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. 11And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands. 12And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.Isaiah 24,25
1
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 5Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.6
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.1Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
3
Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. 6Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. 8The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.9
All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. 10His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 11Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 12Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.1
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 2He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.3
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. 4Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, 5Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? 6Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these? 7Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. 8Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it. 9And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. 10Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. 11And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not? 12I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.13
When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain; 14And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. 15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 16For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.17
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. 18I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. 19I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him. 20But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.Isaiah 54-57
1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.4
And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 5And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 7For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. 8For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.10
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 11For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.Isaiah 61
31
For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face, 32Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction. 34But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it. 35And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. 36And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; 37Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: 38And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 41Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. 42For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. 43And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. 44Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.1
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 2Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; 3Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. 4For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword; 5They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city. 6Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. 7And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. 8And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. 9And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.10
Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, 11The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD. 12Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 13In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD. 14Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. 15In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 16In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.17
For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; 18Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually. 19And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying, 20Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; 21Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. 22As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. 23Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 24Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them. 25Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; 26Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.Jeremiah 33
60Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. 61Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. 62And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: 63That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 16
. 21And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. 26Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
Ezekiel 37
20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13