This is a question that came up in an email recently, and I will answer it here:

Quote:One question. Did EGW herself ever say that the Covenant was broken when the tables of stone were thrown down, at the Golden Calf incident?

Quote:20 Thus 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;
21 Then 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. Jeremiah 33:20-21 (KJV)

The covenant of God cannot be broken. See also: Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 89:28; Malachi 3:6; Matthew 24:35; Romans 11:29; James 1:17.

The Everlasting Covenant of God, “My” Covenant, and the “New” Covenant (all one and the same) were made between the Father and the Son in the eternity before creation of this earth. Man had no part in making this covenant, and cannot alter or break this covenant. Man can only reject this covenant or accept it by faith.

However, there is another covenant (See PP 370-373) whereby man promises to obey the law of God. This is the “old covenant” but not a bad covenant. It is the covenant of “dedication.” Moses asked that this covenant be renewed in Deut 5:3,4. This covenant was renewed by six of the kings of Judah whenever there was a return to God from idolatry. I believe that God is pleased whenever we determine to obey Him.

This covenant points to the Everlasting Covenant of God which cannot be broken. The ceremonial law (which is NOT the covenant) also points to Jesus Christ, which is the focus of the Everlasting Covenant.

If a human covenant is done by faith, it is a good covenant. The fault in this covenant is when it is done without faith, or if it points to a distorted view of the Everlasting Covenant. These "human covenants" are local and temporary. They must be renewed with every generation, and as Christians we need to renew this covenant every day.

Did Ellen White ever say that the Covenant was broken? The following quotation refers to Israel after the heathen festival where they worshiped the golden calf:

Quote:“They could not hope for the favor of God through a covenant which they had broken; and now, seeing their sinfulness and their need of pardon, they were brought to feel their need of the Saviour revealed in the Abrahamic covenant, and shadowed forth in the sacrificial offerings. ...” Patriarchs and Prophets 372.

Patriarchs and Prophets, 370-373 speaks of two covenants. It requires some thought to be able to clearly define the two covenants; but it is very needful and worthwhile for us to do so.

Was the Sanctuary made as a result of the Old Covenant?

Quote:The dedication of the earthly sanctuary was made after, and as a result of, the old covenant. The old covenant was given by the people in their promise to God: "And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do" (Ex. 19:8), and by so promising told God they could handle this just fine without Him. As a result, God gave them the Ten Promises in Exodus 20 to give them a chance to receive them as promises or, in their old-covenant mindset, make them into a list of commands that had to be carried out--which, of course, is exactly what they did. It was the same sin of Adam and Eve when they tried to make their own (fig leaf) garments to replace the robes of light that God had given them when they were created.

Sabbath School insights have been excellent, and this one is too. However, there is a problem in the first sentence of the above paragraph.

What made the “old covenant” old? Were the promises of the people wrong? I would propose that they made good promises. God’s people are asked to choose Him, even on a daily basis. Every good king of Israel made “human covenants” (1) in which they dedicated themselves anew to serve the Lord anew, and to again come under His everlasting covenant.

So the Old Covenant was old only because it was lacking in faith in God. The promises were good, and God still asks us to respond, to consent, to decide for Him, to accept His promise. Read these verses:

Quote: “And the Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the Lord said unto me, I have heart the voice of the words of this people. Which they have spoken unto thee: They have well said all that they have spoken.
“O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, ...” (Deuteronomy 5:28,29).

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The sacrifices were instituted in Genesis 4. Abraham offered sacrifices. Exodus 25:8 states, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.”

It is difficult sometimes to discern the sequence of events in the Bible. But it seems here that the above statement was made after the ratification ceremony of Exodus 24, and while Moses was in the mount communing with God. It would seem that this was before the heathen ceremony at the base of the mount.

Exodus 33:7 speaks of the “tabernacle of the congregation” that was apparently a temporary tabernacle before the special tabernacle was constructed. In conclusion I believe that the sacrificial service was ordained by God from Eden, and that the tabernacle was God’s plan to illustrate and emphasize that Jesus would die for their sins (A new covenant concept?).
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(1) Here is a list of the human covenants made in the Bible:
At Sinai, Exodus 19:8; 24:3-8
In Canaan, Joshua 24:24,25
King Asa, 2 Chronicles 15:12,13
Jehoida, 2 Kings 11:17; 2 Chronicles 23:16,17
Hezekiah, 2 Chronicles 29:8,10
Josiah, 2 Kings 23:2; 2 Chronicles 34:30-32
Restoration, Jeremiah 33:17-26; Ezra 10; Nehemiah 9:38 - 10:39

Dial Daily Bread on the Covenants:

Quote:“If you or I make the promise to God, immediately it's Old Covenant.”

Is it Old Covenant (old, faulty, deficient, about to pass away) just because humans make a promise to God? In there no part for the human agent in following Christ? The Bible uses words like seek, choose, come, follow, in describing the Christian life. Ellen White speaks of decision, the right action of the will, consent, the hard stern battle with self. Six of the good kings of Judah made “human covenants” with God when they repented of their idolatry. Were these unnecessary or even bad?

Moses spoke of the faulty Sinai covenant in these words:

Quote: “And the Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they had well said all that they have spoken.
“O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever” (Deuteronomy 5:28, 29)!

In these verses God did not chide the people for making the promises. Rather the problem was that the people did not have faith. Of course, our promises are like ropes of sand. But having faith, we still must decide or consent to the work of grace. We must open the door to Christ who is knocking. Then He will come in and sup with us. Then He will write the law on our hearts, as in the New Covenant.

(10-22-2009 02:54 AM)hfsturges Wrote:  In [Deuteronomy 5:28, 29] God did not chide the people for making the promises. Rather the problem was that the people did not have faith. Of course, our promises are like ropes of sand. But having faith, we still must decide or consent to the work of grace. We must open the door to Christ who is knocking. Then He will come in and sup with us. Then He will write the law on our hearts, as in the New Covenant.

It sounds to me like God is sad for the people. Theirs mouths wrote a check that their hearts couldn't cash. The emotional climax or God's statement is when He says, "Oh, that there were such an heart in them..." That sounds like a wish. It doesn't sound like Him saying, "Oh, I'm so happy they have such good hearts."

This may have been God's sadness with the old covenant all along. When a man is working, especially if he is in a hurry, he sometimes dreads to hear that little voice at his feet saying, "Daddy, can I do that." It's even worse, and sometimes dangerous, if he doesn't ask, but takes the initiative by picking up some tool and attempting to do what he sees his father doing. We often say it's cute, but I think that's because we think we're cute when we do it.

God is a much better Father than this, and He provides little "jobs" for us to help Him with, and we grow and learn. On the other hand, look at what the Israelites said. "All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. That's like a kid looking at the plans for a new room and saying, "Ah, I can do all that just as well as the he can do, it. Probably better." That's how stiff necked kids talk, you know.

George.

George,

Israel made two mistakes: They had a heathen concept of God in spite of all God had done for them in their deliverance from Egypt. They thought of God in human terms, being cruel, judgmental, vengeful, and requiring appeasement. Thus they were terrified when God came down to them on the mount in fire, smoke, and an earthquake. They refused to talk to Him any more and asked Moses to intercede.

They did not understand their own weakness. They should have said, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief."

In their ratification ceremony, Exodus 24, they did not once refer to the covenant God offered to them in Exodus 19:4-6.

I agree.

George.