Covenant of Peace

Promise

Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord is continually pointing to His promise to save His people. This salvation is specifically referred to as the time when God will dwell with them. He says you will be my people and I will be your God (Ezekiel 37:26). The hope of man is not to simply escape the torments and punishments of God but to actually live with God and at peace.

I think that the sense we have of dwelling with God is enhanced as we meditate on God being with us or us being with God. The more we ponder the reality of eternity and what the scripture reveals about that eternal condition the more we are filled with awe and wonder. Also, when we are focusing on the simplicity and humility of God invading our current condition we are filled with astonishing amazement. Of course, many are captured more by nostalgia than Christ this time of year, but for us believers I think that as we are more given to think about the beauty and glory of the incarnation we are prone to experience more deeply the profound reality of God coming to dwell with us. Remember, the name prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 7:10-14) and proclaimed to be fulfilled by Matthew – Immanuel, means God with us (Matthew 1:18-25).

Even in John’s gospel we are told that the Word of God became flesh so that He could dwell among us (John 1:14-18). Of course, Jesus had to have a body like ours to take our guilt and shame on Himself on the cross but He also came to live with us and know us (Hebrews 10:1-14). But Jesus came to bring us to God and fulfill the promise of us living with God. Jesus came to live with us so that in the eternal state of His kingdom we will reside with Him forever (1 Peter 3:18;  2 Peter 3:13)!

Peace

In the Ezekiel passage mentioned above, the prophet proclaims a coming reunification of the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. However, as we examine the text it seems that this extends to people from all the nations. The meaning of the prophecy is that God is promising a better covenant than the one He had formerly made with the physical descendants of Abraham. This is the new and better covenant that comes through the blood and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:22-28).

However, Ezekiel does not call it the new covenant in this passage but rather the covenant of peace (Ezekiel 37:24-28). The Old Covenant with its conditions and stipulations could not because of the sin and failure of the people bring true peace but only enmity between God and the people because of their sin. Rather mankind both Jew and gentile need a covenant that can forgive our sin and make peace with God.

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he teaches them and us that the righteousness of God going all the way back to Abraham was received by faith. So that, by faith in Jesus who was offered for our sins and resurrected for our justification, we could receive His righteousness credited to our account (Romans 4:3-9;16-25).

Paul then writes in Romans 5 that the result of being justified by faith is that we are now at peace with God. Through Jesus, the promise of the covenant of peace prophesied by Ezekiel has been granted to us. Since this is true, that we now have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, we can also see the definitive fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy that He would be called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7). Our prince will reign forever and of the increase of His peace there will be no end. Come to this great prince, King Jesus by trusting in Him completely and you also will enjoy this eternal happiness and peace with God!

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