I ask them, “Why do you believe this?”
They say, “Because God said he wouldn’t”. (Referring to Genesis 9:11-16)
Let us look at the promise God made about never flooding the earth again.
Genesis 9:11-16
And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant,... and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
By looking at the above verses, I will have to agree that God said that this covenant was “everlasting” and it will continue generation after generation perpetually. God also used this terminology to describe the “New Covenant”. And people have faith that the “New Covenant” will be “everlasting” too. But how can someone, who thinks that God can break his “everlasting” covenants, have faith that he won’t do the same with these two covenants? Do you think he can break his “everlasting” covenants?
Exodus 31:16
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
The Hebrew word translated as “perpetual” in Exodus 31:16 is the same Hebrew word translated as “everlasting” in Genesis 9:16 (referring to the flood) and Jeremiah 32:40 (referring to the New Covenant).
I have faith that God won’t abolish the new covenant because I know when God says, “everlasting covenant”, he means it. I don’t see how others can have the same faith.
Here are just a small percentage of scriptures that clearly state that the law is forever.
Exodus 12:14
And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
Exodus 12:17
And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
Exodus 12:24
And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
Exodus 31:17
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Almost everyone, with some biblical background, will sooner or later ask me, “So do you think we should stone people for breaking the Sabbath?” Well, presented that way, it is not too clear which way I should answer, so I’ll answer this, “Should a private citizen in the United States today, go out and stone someone for breaking the Sabbath?” The answer to that is no. The reason is the same as “should an ambassador to the United States enforce the United States’ laws while he is living in Russia?” The answer to that is “no” as well. You see, the ambassador is not a police officer (a high priest servant) hired to find people who transgress the law (sinners), to bring them to the Court house (the Temple), in front of a judge (a Levite priest). And until God’s system is back in place, one (that is a Citizen of the Kingdom of God) can not enforce any penalties of God’s laws while in a foreign land (any nation that does not have God’s laws as the laws of the nation). Just as an American ambassador, while over in Russia, can not enforce the laws of the United States (even though he is still bound by US law), you as an ambassador of Christ, can not enforce the laws of God.
To put it another way, let us say that King David or a Levite was taking a trip to another country, and he saw someone breaking the Sabbath. Even though they have the authority to arrest them when they are in Israel, they have no authority while in another country. (Not to mention that everyone needs a trial and at least 2 witnesses for the death penalty. If David brought the Sabbath breaker to the foreign court, it wouldn't do any good because their laws were different than Israel's laws.)
We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven (Philippians 3:20). Christ is our King (Revelation 19:16). We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Unless God sets up a country again with his laws and his temple, we as ambassadors have no authority to enforce God's penalties anywhere on Earth.
Leviticus 16:29
And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
Leviticus 16:31
It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
Leviticus 23:21
And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
Leviticus 23:31
Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
2 Chronicles 2:4
Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
Psalm 119:159-160
Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness. Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever
Deuteronomy 5:29
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 11:1
Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.
Leviticus 10:15
The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.
Now, almost everyone that doesn’t know the law (which is most Christians) would say, “If you think the law of God is not abolished, then doesn’t that mean that we should sacrifice animals for our sins”? Well, I’ll answer that question with two questions:
1. Do you know a Levite priest that can do this for you (who can trace his genealogy back to Levi)
2. Can you make a sacrifice when God’s temple is destroyed?
Many people have said to me, “If you are going to follow God’s law, then you need to make sacrifices”. These people do not have a clue about God’s law. It would be a sin for me to make a sacrifice right now (or forever) for at least a couple of reasons. One, I am not a Levite. Second, the temple is destroyed.
Most people do not know why God created the sacrifices in the first place. Sacrifices never forgave anyone for any sin (except Yahshua’s sacrifice on the cross). The sacrifices were for shadows, for a remembrance of sin, for feasting (it is hard to have a feast without food), for a fine (like paying money for a traffic ticket), and for feeding the government officials (the Levites).
Deuteronomy 4:30-31
When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
Okay, this scripture just said that in the latter days when we are in tribulation, if we turned to the Lord...and be obedient¼.he will not forget the covenant of their fathers. What covenant do you think he is talking about? If you read all of chapter 4 he is with out a doubt talking about the covenant he made with Israel. Most Christians think that God already forgot about this covenant, but God clearly said that he will remember it (“even in the latter days”)!
*I believe that the word “forever” is relative to this earth and universe. “Forever” refers to time. Physicists can tell you that “time” is relative. Many physicists who believe the Big Bang theory, say there was no time before the Big Bang. Physicists who believe that God spoke a mature creation into being (2 Peter 3:5) also say there was no time before “the beginning” (Genesis 1:1). So, either way, time (relative to this earth and this universe) started when the earth and universe began. Time (relative to this earth and this universe) will end when the earth and universe ends.
I believe that “Forever” actually means, “Until the end of time”. So this would mean that when the heavens and earth pass, “forever” has passed.
When Christ comes back, he will make “new heavens and a new earth”.
Revelation 21:1
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
At this time God will make a “new covenant” because God’s perfect law (Psalm 19:7) will become flawed for instance: Laws concerning marriage will change tremendously (Matthew 22:24-30). Also, today God does not send drought and plagues to nations who do not go to the Feast of Tabernacles [as He will in the millennium reign (Zechariah 14:16-19)]. I also doubt that there will be need for laws concerning: Wars, Teaching the laws to your children (see Hebrews 8:11), gorging oxen, or circumcision.
Matthew 5:17-19
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The above verses imply that the law will pass, when heaven and earth pass.
Also see:
Deuteronomy 28:15-46
Exodus 27:21
Exodus 28:43
Exodus 29:28
Exodus 30:21
Exodus 31:16
Leviticus 24:8
Malachi 3:6
Hebrews 13:8
(to name a few)
