Do you think the new covenant will expire after the week?
No. Allow me to explain for a moment.
The Promise "IS" the New Covenant, a last will and Testament leaving an inheritance far greater than a plot of dirt in the Middle East. And that is what Old Covenant Israel (and her cousin, Premills) couldn't grasp. That they would never enter the promised land by law, but by Grace aquired in the New Testament of Christ. As they still do not grasp to this very day.
Gal 3:16-18
(16) Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And
to thy seed, which is Christ.
(17) And this I say, that the
covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
(18) For if
the inheritance be of the law, it is
no more of promise: but
God gave it to Abraham by promise.
In theology, a Testament is a Covenant or oath. Yes, I know some people define a Covenant as an "agreement." And indeed, by implication, it
can be a two-way promise such as in "an agreement."
But that is not the actual definition. The definition of Covenant is an
Oath, or
Promise. Likewise, a Biblical Testament is a Promise or Oath. Even today in our society a "will" is a Testament or "Promissory" note of action after the death of the Covenant maker or Testator. The Covenant or "PROMISE" that God made with Abraham is a sort of last will and Testament bequeathing the inheritance of the promised land. This Covenant was a Testament of God-given
its strength by the death of Christ. (not baptism as some claimed).
Hebrews 13:20-21
- "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting Covenant,
- Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
This everlasting Covenant "IS" the
eternal Testament. So I just don't want there to be any misunderstanding of what I believe the Covenant/Testament is, and what it is all about. The Old Covenant/Testament saints
were saved just like we are, and that is why scripture says Christ was slain "
from the foundation of the world." Because the blood of His Testament bequeathing an inheritance to His people
reaches back to
before the cross, to cover all Old Testament saints. Remember my explanation in another post about Zechariah 14 where the Living Water (Spirit) from forth to the Former Sea (before the Cross) and the Hinder Sea (after the Cross). Being confirmed or fulfilled by His death on the cross.
Revelation 13:8
- " And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."
It indeed is a Testament. And a blood Covenant/Testament is a promise or oath that is only of force
after one is dead. Not Baptism. For example, the Old Testament sacrifices were a blood Covenant/Testament testifying to and "prefiguring" Christ. He is the Messiah prophesied to strengthen or fulfill it. Again:
Hebrews 9:17-18
- "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."
There is Messiah "Giving Strength" to the Covenant for many as prophesied in Daniel 9. The Hebrew word there for "confirm" in Daniel 9 is actually the word meaning "STRENGTHEN" or Make Strong. The first (Old) Testament/Covenant, or promise, made to the saints was with blood sacrifice signifying that it would be
fulfilled or given strength in Christ. For example, the old was imperfect, and only a "figure" looking forward to Christ. That's why Scripture says the Old Covenant had to pass away, because when the "true" comes, the old prefiguring it cannot remain. By Christ's blood giving strength or force to the Testament making it new, we are no longer condemned by Old Testament law. The Old Testament shadow passes away.
Hebrews 10:1
- "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."
Christ would be the one who would come to strengthen, confirm, give efficacy to the Testament. It was "HE" who Daniel prophesied of doing exactly this! Not antichrist and his so-called 7 years peace agreement like premills falsely teach:
Daniel 9:26-27
- "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
- And he shall confirm (MAKE STRONG) the Covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."
Confirming [gabar], or "literally" strengthening the Covenant for many. This is precisely what Messiah did when He was cut off after 69 weeks, and it is exactly what Hebrews chapter 9 says (not implies) about Messiah/Christ giving the Covenant/Testament strength by His shed blood.
I just think these points needed to be clarified. So here is the answer to your question:
The
blood of the everlasting Covenant is eternal, from Abel to the last elect on earth. It was there for Abel, Noah, Abraham and Peter, etc.
Positionally Christ is the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world, in that sense. We all know this. But
this final week of the prophecy of Daniel obviously concerns the "
New Testament Period Only," not the lifespan of all those under the Everlasting Covenant. If it wasn't, it would say Christ confirmed the Covenant for the full 70 weeks for His people, not only this final week. Clearly, this "Final" week is a specific prophesy of a time period. Not the period of our salvation, which obviously extends well beyond this week into eternity. The context is time:
1.) Seven weeks (7)
2.) Threescore and two weeks (62)
3.) One week equals 70 weeks.
God's not prophesying about eternity here, He's talking about time, and what is determined to happen in this time period. Selah!
God deemed this time period of this covenant week to last only "this period,"
in the middle of which sacrifice and offering will cease. Let me say it again for emphasis, because people like to gloss over this part. Sacrifice and offering cease in the middle of this Covenant week
after Christ's death that confirmed the week! Again... Christ confirmed the covenant when He went to the cross. This began the one week, but
in the midst of THIS week, Christ will cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. Get it? Therefore, this has NOTHING to do with Jewish animal sacrifice. This has to do with Christ's ceasing of NECESSITY for salvation 'after' He has secured all of His Saints first (Revelation 7:1-4). So it actually will be the midst of the Covenant week (whole New Testament period). Nothing to do with physical animal sacrifice and city in 70AD.