Ancient Israel had failed to fulfill her commission to be God’s light to the Gentile world.  With the exception of the Jews, the descendants of Abraham had become spiritual Gentiles by embracing their gods, their languages, their social customs, etc.  So Gentilized had they become that they believed themselves to be Gentiles.  The time had come for God to create a new covenant with Israel.  There had been a “fault” with the old covenant: “For if that first covenant (two-way agreement) had been faultless, then there would not have been a need for another covenant.  Having found fault with them, God said, ‘Behold, the days will come when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah ….  For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, I will put My LAW (commandments) in their minds and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they will be My people” (Heb. 8:7-10).  The first covenant required Israel to obey His Ten Commandment Law using their own self will.  But a “fault” had been detected in the agreement.

Notice that the fault was with “them”–the “house of Israel and the house of Judah.”  God’s chosen people had proved to be incapable of obeying God’s Law that had been written on stone.  The solution to the problem–to correct the fault– was for Him to write His Law on their hearts (minds) by the power of the Holy Spirit that would abide within them.  Notice that the fault was not with the Law.  The Law was not the problem; the problem was the people.  The new covenant required two acts on the part of the Lord: 1) the placing of the Holy Spirit within the hearts of the people and  2) the writing of the Law in their hearts.  The need for these acts did not come as a surprise to the Lord.  He had prophesied generations earlier that there would come a time when He would do those two things.  That prophecy is recorded in Jeremiah 31:31-33.  That prophecy was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D. in an upper room in Jerusalem where some 120 disciples were meeting to celebrate Pentecost.  Let us return to that fateful day when God instituted His New Covenant with a few Jews and their spiritual leaders–11 men whom Jesus had personally led and taught the “things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).  These men had worked with Him in bringing to the Lord approximately 120 souls who had embraced Him, His Son and the Gospel of His kingdom.

Jesus had returned from heaven to the Mount of Olives where, for 40 days He had taught His disciples about the coming Kingdom of God on earth that would last forever (Acts 1:3).  In verses 4 and 5 He had instructed them to return to Jerusalem and to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit with which He would baptize them.  This was the Spirit that had been promised true Israelite (initially Jews) in Joel 28.  The Spirit would write God’s Law on the hearts of God’s true believers and would take up residence within them from which it would empower them to obey the Law.

On the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D. God poured out His Holy Spirit on those few Israelites who had embraced His Son.  This world-changing episode is recorded in the second chapter of the Book of Acts.  The commotion caused by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit attracted the attention of the multitude of Jews who had gathered in Jerusalem from many nations to celebrate Pentecost.  Estimates put the population of Jerusalem and its environs at over a million during the Passover-Pentecost season.  Literally dozens, perhaps hundreds of languages were being spoken throughout the city, which was to be expected.  What attracted their attention was not the various languages, but the fact that they were being spoken by local Jews who did not know their languages.  Read The Tongues Question.  Key word–Tongues.

The multitudes who had gathered outside the house wanted to know what was happening.  Peter explained that what they were hearing and seeing was the fulfillment of a prophecy God had given through the Prophet Joel in which He said that in the last days He would pour out His Holy Spirit on those who truly sought Him (Joel 2:16-18).  By Peter’s use of the words: “THIS IS THAT which was spoken by the Prophet Joel” concerning the “LAST DAYS” of this world, we know that the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D. marked the beginning of the final days of this world.  Since that time mankind has been living in the “last days” of the world as we know it.

That day also marked the beginning of the prophecy Jesus gave concerning the seven church eras that would take place in the last days of the age.  Since then the church has passed through six eras and is now in the final (Laodicean) era.  On that day some 2000 years ago the “last days” and the “seven eras” countdowns began.  But that was not all that happened at that time.  On that day God instituted a new covenant with Israel that He had prophesied about in Jeremiah 31 and Joel 2:28.  On that day He began writing His Law in the hearts of those who would comprise His New Covenant Church and placing within them His Holy Spirit which would empower them to obey that Law.  Later, in Hebrews 8:6-12, the Apostle Paul reported that God had done exactly what He said He would do.

Let it be clear: GOD MADE HIS NEW COVENANT WITH ISRAEL, BEGINNING WITH THE JEWS OF JUDEA.  JESUS MINISTERED THE GOSPEL OF KINGDOM OF GOD TO THE JEWS HIMSELF.  HE THEN SENT HIS APOSTLES TO THE ISRAELITES SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO TELL THEM THAT THEIR MESSIAH HAD COME.  THEY WOULD LEAD THOSE WITH HEARTS YEARNING FOR HIM TO RETURN TO HIS LAW AND TO OBEY IT UNTO HOLINESS WHICH WOULD QUALIFY THEM TO ENTER GOD’S KINGDOM.

Numerous passages of Scripture attest to the above-stated facts about Israel in God’s eternal plan.  The following are some examples: God promised to restore the kingdom to Israel and no one else.  Devout Israelites (Jews) had come to Jerusalem from all over the world.  Peter told them to “repent and be baptized,” for “the promise” (of the Holy Spirit) was to them (Jews) and to “… all (of Israel) who are far off …”–THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.”  Peter told them to go home and tell their relatives what they had seen and heard (Acts 1:6; 2.5, 36,39,42/ Amos 9:11).

Numerous Scriptures reveal that Jesus came to earth in order to bring Israel back to God.  For example: Jesus came to “save His people from their sins.” He came to shepherd “… My people Israel.”  He was sent to “… the lost sheep of the “house of Israel.”  He came to “His own and His own received Him not.”  Jesus is the “King of Israel.”  Jesus will “rule over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever.”  Jesus provided “redemption for” and gave the “knowledge of salvation” to “His people.”  He came to “redeem Israel.”  He died for “the children of Israel scattered abroad.”  (Mat. 1:21; 2:6; 15:24/ Lk. 1:33, 68,77; 24:21).

In John 4:34-38 Jesus noted that He had come to FINISH the Father’s work.  He sent the disciples out AT THAT TIME to begin the HARVEST of souls that were READY FOR HARVESTING AT THAT TIME, not “four months later.”  They were to reap a crop that OTHERS HAD LABORED TO PRODUCE, a crop that was at that time “WHITE (READY) FOR HARVESTING.”  In Matthew 9:36-38 Jesus told the disciples that “… the HARVEST IS (THEN) PLENTIFUL” but the laborers ARE (then) few.”  In Jeremiah 16:16 God promised to send “fishers” to find His scattered people.  Recall that Jesus told the disciples that they would become “fishers of men.”

THE NEW COVENANT CHURCH OF GOD IS COMPRISED OF ISRAELITES WHO HAVE HEARD GOD’S GOSPEL MESSAGE, EMBRACED IT AND OBEY IT.  GENTILES WHO HAVE HEARD, BELIEVED AND OBEYED THAT GOSPEL/LAW ARE JOINT HEIRS WITH THEIR ISRAELITE BRETHREN.  ALL WHO LOVE GOD ENOUGH TO OBEY HIM ARE FELLOW HEIRS WITH JESUS CHRIST.  ALL TRUE SAINTS  WILL INHERIT THE UNIVERSE.  Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe.  Key word–Caretakers.  L.J.