Celebrating the New Covenant

There is much talk nowadays about Covenants. Americans consider themselves the Covenant Nation. Evangelicals talk about belonging to the New Covenant. To some the Old and New Testament (covenant) are just books of the Bible. At the closer examination not many really understand this New Covenant thing.
Many know that there was an Old Covenant, rather CovenantS – as in plural and they all failed. Not because of God but because of human element in it. Abraham made a Covenant with God (Genesis 15), then broke it for the lack of faith, and had God almost end the deal by taking Isaac (Genesis 22). Israelites understood well that their covenant was new and different from the one that was made with their fathers before (Deuteronomy 5:2-3). Yet, they failed to keep their end of the agreement, and got dismissed.
Paul says that the first covenant had been faulty and that is why there is a need for the second covenant to replace first (Hebrews 8:7). The fault of the First Covenant was human factor. Do you really think that you and I can keep promises better that Israel of old? Do you really think that you are more obedient than saints of from the past?
The strength of the Second is the Testator of it! No more faulty human factor! It is the Covenant between God and Jesus Christ – the Faithful and True, the One who does not fail to complete what He had began. The New Covenant is between the Father God and Son Jesus!
Some of you were perplexed about ancient tradition of swearing an oath by putting a hand under a man’s thigh, a bit too much for cultured imagination of Western mind (Genesis 24:2,9; & 47:29). Yet, it is precisely to this tradition John the Revelator alludes as he sees Jesus at the end riding victoriously having the Name written on His Thigh as a sign of Covenant being fulfilled. (Revelation 19:16)
Two Millennia ago Jesus told his friends in the Upper “this is My blood of the new covenant” (Matthew 26:28) The Blood of the eternal, everlasting, permanent covenant (Hebrews 13:20) that brought Jesus back from the dead and guarantees our resurrection.
The first covenant was written on stone, just as well – since our human hearts are no different than a stone. But the New Covenant is to be written on hearts. Best Christmas gift you could wish for is to let Jesus in your heart so he may seal His Covenant by making you complete in good work to do His Will. Best Christmas gift – walking in faith and relying that Jesus will make things right.