Now we should note the contrast between Israel's "Old Covenant" and Jesus' promise of a "New Covenant." The words of Jesus were:

"This cup is the New Covenant In My Blood, which is shed for you"; "drink ye all of it"; "this do ye...in remembrance of me"; "and they all drank of it" (Luke 22:20, Matt. 26:27, 1 Cor. 11:26, Mark 14:23).

Jesus said the "New Covenant" for Israel is to be found in His "in my blood... shed for you." The new covenant was dependent upon His death. Unknown to His disciples at that time, Jesus' instruction to drink of the cup meant they were to partake of the blessings and privileges that New Covenant affords. The "cup" was a ceremonial act to convey a great  truth. The observance was to be REMEMBRANCE of the gift of His death and His Resurrection Life To Dwell Within Them, upon which their hope or expectation depended.

What exactly are the "blessings" of the "New Covenant"?

To understand the "blessings" of the New Covenant we need to see that under the "Old Covenant" the knowledge of God was NOT innate, NOT within the Israelites. The "New Covenant" is in stark contrast to this foregoing condition.

Consider that, historically, the Holy Spirit has interacted with men differently in different dispensational ages. In the Old Testament and before the cross no person had "the Spirit of the Lord" abiding (dwelling) in them permanently, as Christians have and enjoy today.

Consider Saul, the King of Israel who had the Spirit's presence "UPON him," but later "the Spirit of the Lord DEPARTED from Saul."

"And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him (Saul); and the Spirit of God came UPON him, and he prophesied among them. (1 Sam 10:10)
"But the Spirit of the Lord DEPARTED from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. (1Sam 16:14)

Rather than having an innate knowledge of the Lord  and communion with Him by His indwelling Spirit, Moses was instructed to teach Israel that They Needed To Work At Keeping The Things Of The Lord In Mind And Heart (see below). Moses gave Israel specific instructions whereby they would keep God's words in mind.

"Hear, O Israel...5 thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And THESE WORDS, which I Command Thee this day, shall be (kept) In Thine Heart: 7 And Thou Shalt Teach Them Diligently Unto Thy Children, And Shalt Talk Of Them When Thou Sittest In Thine House, and When Thou Walkest By The Way, And When Thou Liest Down, And When Thou Risest Up. 8 And Thou Shalt Bind Them For A Sign Upon Thine Hand, and They Shall Be As Frontlets Between Thine Eyes. (Deut 6:4-8)

In according with verse 8 (above), you may have noticed that certain Jews today dress in black with the little cube-shaped boxes on their foreheads as a sign of keeping God's word "In Mind." These boxes  are called Tephillin or phylacteries. There are two small cube-shaped boxes made of leather with long straps attaching them. They contain four passages of Scripture hand written on parchment. These are Exodus 13:1-10 (the redemption from Egypt), Exodus 13:11-16 (the dedication of the first born), Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 (God's unity and God's Word), and Deuteronomy 11: 13-21 (the Promised Land). The Tephillin on the left arm is laid first, the strap passes seven times round the forearm, it then goes three times round the middle finger. This reminds the wearers of God's betrothal, bound to his covenant people, Israel as His Bride. Contrary to common opinion, the "body of Christ" is not the Lord's bride (read Hosea).

Such was the Israelite's situation regarding the knowledge of "the word of the God." Under the "Old Covenant," the children Israel did NOT have "the Spirit of truth" abiding IN them, so they had these specific instructions as to how They Had To Work At Keeping Their Mind Set Upon The Words And Covenant Promises Of The Lord to Israel.

But then, in the gospels, we have the account of Jesus of Nazareth's coming and speaking of a "new covenant" relationship for "the house of Israel," which was to come to be actualized "in the kingdom" that Jesus said was at that time "at hand." Note that the verse below is taken from the "Book of Hebrews," obviously written to "the Hebrews" (NOT to the Gentile "body of Christ"), and it refers to the "new covenant" as a "better covenant."

"But now hath he (Jesus) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he (Jesus) is the mediator of A Better Covenant (for Israel), which was Established Upon Better Promises (to Israel). (HEBREWS 8:6)

"Paul, The Apostle to the Gentiles" (Rom 11:13), plainly tells us, we who are of the Gentile "body of Christ" were NOT covenant people at all. The Gentiles were without any "Old Covenant" and therefore this "New Covenant" actually applies only to Israel only.

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision ...12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and Strangers From The Covenants Of Promise, (to Israel) having no hope, and without God in the world: (Ephesians 2:11-12)

Though the "New Covenant" does not actually in all its detail apply to the members of "the body of Christ," there actually are some aspects of the "New Covenant" that actually do apply to the members of "the body of Christ."

These "things" that do apply to "the body of Christ" are some of The Blessings of the "New Covenant." These blessing are

• the freely given redemption, reconciliation, salvation
• and the indwelling of "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus."

The "body of Christ" has essentially come to enjoy these Blessings of the "New Covenant" outside of the due time when Israel will later enjoy these blessings in the Millennial Kingdom on earth. You see, the Gentiles, being blessed before Israel is much the same as Paul was blessed before Israel even though he was an Israelite. Paul says he was an Israelite "born out of due time (Gk. ektroma, untimely born)" (1Cor 15:8). Here Paul is saying he, as an Israelite, was blessed to receive regeneration and be reborn by the resurrection life of Christ during the Gentile age of grace, rather than having to wait to receive their Messiah and the Blessings of the "New Covenant" with the rest of Israel. Israel will also ultimately enjoy the fullness of the "New Covenant," but only with the 2nd coming of Christ and His Millennial Messianic Kingdom on earth.

An important question we might ask and then answer in the next installment is this; "How exactly is this new covenant to be a 'Better Covenant' for the believers of the nation of Israel?"