Mediator of the Old Testament
In this post we will review some insights found in Hebrews chapter 9. It is a chapter full of information regarding the mediator and testators of the New and Old Covenants.
“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:28 KJV
When Jesus returns He will be fulfilling our promise of salvation. This is why the dead will rise to life. This is because their promise of salvation will be satisfied at this point. The ones who do not believe will not be saved but it appears in the scriptures the Lord will use them during the Lord’s reign as an example when they disobey. We can see there will be disobedience in the millennial kingdom. The millennial kingdom is when Jesus will rule on earth for 1000 years. These are the years the Jews have been waiting for so long. This is when the King will come to claim His throne in person and rule over all humanity.
“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Zechariah 14:16-19 KJV
As we read in those scriptures we learn any disobedience will be dealt with through the plague. First, there is a warning of no rain. If they still do not come to worship the Lord, then they will experience the plague described in verse 12. In this particular type of plague no one who is disobedient can survive.
* The Mediator of the New Testament *
In this next section we will review an interesting little piece of information that shows us a link regarding the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11.
“And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.” Hebrews 9:15-18 KJV
Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant. These few scriptures are complex but bear with me. The Lord God made a promise to the Israelites. He promised them salvation and the land where they would dwell.
I have read from other ministers that say God had placed a “pause” towards the nation of Israel because they rejected their Messiah Jesus. He will do an “unpause”, or take off from where He left off, so to speak, in the last days of Israel. This unpause will take place when the Lord sends Israel their two witnesses. It seems He will take off from where they rejected Jesus. These witnesses were mentioned in Revelation 11. These two witnesses are Moses and Elijah. Jesus mentions these two when He walked on the earth. These two represent the Law and the Prophets.
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Matthew 5:17 KJV
* The Mediator of the Old Testament *
The Lord made a covenant with Moses and Elijah, as the prophet, helped carry it out. Moses received the covenant and Elijah upheld it in service for the people of God. This means the testator of the covenant must die as it states in the scripture we read in Hebrews 9. You may ask but if they were already dead then why must they die? This is tricky since Moses died at an old age and Elijah was taken up to heaven. I suppose we can say they did not die for the covenant while ministering.
If you look at what happened to Jesus you will notice Jesus had to die to seal the New Covenant. He was sealing it with His blood. Moses and Elijah did not die while sharing the truth of the Old Covenant. These were very important men to Israel. But if you read in Revelation 11 the two witnesses will die and then resurrect after 3 days. It will fulfill the blood requirement for the covenants God made for Israel. Does this mean Jesus was not enough? Not at all. But according to the scripture the testator must die. In the last days Israel will have two testators and the testators of the Old Covenant require blood. This would be fulfilled through Moses and Elijah when they die on the streets of the Holy City of Jerusalem.
* Death of the Testator *
“For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.” Hebrews 9:16 KJV
Let us dissect this scripture to get a better understanding using the Strong’s Bible dictionary. We will begin with the word “testament”. We know “testament” is an agreement, a type of will, so to speak. This means the person who dies will leave an inheritance. The death of the testator will seal the promises made to the nation of Israel and this will also give them (Israel) access to receive their eternal inheritance as a nation. Wow, it fits like a glove. I did not see this before but it all makes sense why the Lord would use Moses and Elijah in the end times.
The Bible says Jesus is the “mediator” of the new testament as you read in the first portion of the scripture below.
“And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death…” Hebrews 9:15
This New Covenant was made with the gentiles. What do we receive as an inheritance when the testator or mediator died? We inherited Jesus himself and everything that pertains to Him. This is what the scriptures say.
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:17 KJV
The Lord does not leave anything unfinished. This is why in the last days we will see the Lord deal with Israel from the point of where the “pause” was placed. If the covenant with the mediator needs to be finalized this would be the reason we see Moses will be sent to Jerusalem. He is still considered the mediator of the old covenant.
If you read in Jude, you may recall a dispute about the body of Moses. Have you ever wondered what was that dispute? Well, this just seems to connect the dots even more.
“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” Jude 1:9 KJV
Is it possible the reason the devil disputed with Michael is because the covenant was not fulfilled at the time of his death? But Moses believed God and he was considered righteous just like Abraham. Moses would have a right to be in Abraham’s bosom, like the rest of the Old Testament saints and they waited for Jesus to set them free from Sheol. This is another one of those mysteries revealed.
Now if we go back to the scripture in Hebrews we can see the correlation of the mediator who is Moses, and Elijah, who helped carry out the service of the testament.
* The Dead Hear *
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” John 5:25 KJV
Not everyone who is dead will hear the Lord’s voice. This pertains to the call when the Lord Jesus returns. This event is considered as the “first resurrection” spoken of in Revelation 20. The people who did not listen to Jesus when they were alive will also not hear Him when they are dead. But they will hear the Father’s voice when they are resurrected out of hell.
“Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.” John 8:43 KJV
“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47 KJV
When Jesus spoke to the Pharisees He told them they could not hear His words or understand what He said to them. This scripture ties in with why there are two resurrections. There will be a trumpet call for the dead in Christ to rise. They will hear the Lord Jesus’ voice when He calls to rise up. The dead in Christ means these are people who believe in Jesus and receive Him as their Savior. The second resurrection will be for those who did not accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
* The Ones Who Reject Jesus *
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:48 KJV
Jesus stated if someone rejects Jesus there is one who will judge him in the end. The words that Jesus spoke will also come into play when the people are judged. This judgement is revealed when we read about the great white throne in Revelation 20.
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Revelation 20:11-12 KJV
In this scripture we see there is a great white throne. This white throne is the judgment seat of the Father who will judge the dead. In this scenario Jesus has already judged and rewarded His faithful followers before the millennium began. That previous judgment setting is called the “judgment seat of Christ” or “Bema seat of Christ” and is not this setting of the white throne.
The dead small and great are those who did not accept His Son Jesus. Jesus stated the one who judges is implied to be the Father. The gathering of the great white throne will happen after the 1000 years reign. This event happens at the end of the millennial reign because Satan will expose the final enemies of the Lord. They will quickly be annihilated when they charge the Holy City. Once more Satan’s futile attempt to overcome God’s people will be stopped and cease for good. Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Once this final rebellion occurs the Bible shows us this gathering at the great white throne.
This is why the feast of tabernacles is still in effect during the millennial reign. This particular feast is a shadow of what is to come. All the other feasts will have been fulfilled at this point. You can read more about the feasts and which ones were already fulfilled in an earlier post called “When Will The Rapture Occur?” Please do check it out!
We hope you were blessed by this post. Tune in next time for more…
