Na faavaeina e le Atua Lana feagaiga ma Aperaamo ma lana fanau. O se faailoga o le feagaiga a le Atua ma Aperaamo, Na poloaiina e le Atua Aperaamo e peritomeina tama tane uma i le aso lona valu. The circumcision in the flesh on the eighth day was not only a token of the covenant between God and Abraham but also a foreshadow of the circumcision in Christ. When Christ died on the sixth day and rose from the dead on the eighth day, a New Covenant came into existence that replaced the Old Covenant. Let’s look at how the eighth day became the day of the New Covenant.
What does the Bible say about the covenant between God and Abraham?
God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs (Galuega 7:8)
I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Ma ou te avatu ia te oe, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.And God said unto Abraham, thou shalt keep My covenant therefore, oe, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
O laʻu feagaiga lea, o le a outou tausia, i le va o aʻu ma oe ma lau fanau pe a uma oe; O tama tane uma o le a pe asi. Ma outou aleni le aano o lau forekin; Ma o le a avea ma faailoga o le feagaiga Bewixt ia te au ma oe.
Ma o ia o le valu aso o le matua o le a tuaoi ma oe, tagata tane uma i ou tupulaga, o le ua fanau i le fale, pe faʻatau ma tupe o soʻo se tagata ese, e le o lau fanau. O loo fanau mai i lou fale, Ma o le ua faatauina ma lau tupe, e tatau ona le aoga: e tatau foʻi laʻu feagaiga i lou tino mo se feagaiga faavavau e faatatau i le feagaiga. Ma le tagata e le uriki a le tamaloa e le o le aano o lona forreskin, o le agaga o le a vavae ese mai ona tagata; Ua ia solia laʻu feagaiga e pei ona tusia ai laʻu feagaiga (Kenese 17:7-14)
The circumcision in the flesh on the eighth day was a token of the covenant
All the males, who were with Abraham, had to be circumcised, including Ishmael. Ae peitai, God specifically said, that He would establish His covenant with Isaac and not with Ishmael.
Although Isaac wasn’t born yet, God promised this child to Abraham. God kept His promise and fulfilled His words, despite the fact that Abraham and Sara had doubts about God’s promise.
Na tausia e le Atua lana folafolaga and fulfilled His words, as God always does.
When Sara became pregnant and Isaac was born, Isaac was circumcised on the eighth day. And all those, who were born of the seed of Isaac were circumcised on the eighth day. It didn’t matter what day the eighth day was. Whether it was on a Sabbath day or a feast day, every male child was circumcised on the eighth day.
An everlasting covenant
God said to Abraham, that His covenant would be an everlasting covenant between God and Abraham and his Seed. The Seed refers to Jesus Christ (Kalatia 3:16).
God mentioned the Seed, aua, in the Book of Genesis, God prophesied, that the Seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head. (Faitau foi: The head of the serpent bruised, aua ua manu'a le mulivae o Iesu).
Uso e, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. O lenei na faia ia Aperaamo ma lana fanau folafolaga. Fai mai e leai, Ma i fatu, e pei o le toatele; ae pei o le tasi, Ma i lau fanau, o Keriso lea. Ma o le mea lea ou te fai atu ai, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, Le Tulafono, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
O le mea lea ‘ua ‘au‘auna ai i le tulafono? Na fa'aopoopoina ona o solitulafono, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; ma sa faauuina e agelu i le lima o le puluvaga. O lenei o le puluvaga e le o se puluvaga o se tasi, a o le Atua e tasi.
“Is the law against the promises of God?”
Is the law then against the promises of God? Malo: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. Ae a o le i faia le faatuatua, Na matou tausia i lalo o le tulafono, tapuni i le faʻatuatua e tatau ona faʻaalia mulimuli ane. O le mea lea, o le tulafono o lo matou faiaoga e aumai matou ia Keriso, Ina Ia Faamaoni e ala i le Faatuatua. Ae ina ua mavae lena faatuatua, Matou te le o toe i lalo o se faiaoga.
Aua o outou uma o fanau a le Atua i le faatuatua ia Keriso Iesu. Aua o le toatele o outou ua papatiso ia Keriso ua outou ofuina Keriso. E leai se Iutaia po o se Eleni, e leai se noataga po o se saoloto, e leai se alii po o se tamaitai: auā ‘ua tasi ‘outou uma ‘iā Keriso Iesu. Ma afai o outou o Keriso, o outou la o fanau a Aperaamo, ma suli e tusa ai ma le folafolaga (Kalatia 3:15-29).
God’s promise of a New and better Covenant
I Ieremia 31, God promised a New Covenant, which would be a better covenant than the Old Covenant.
Faauta, Ua o mai le aso, ua fetalai mai ai le Alii, O le a ou faia se feagaiga fou ma le aiga o Isaraelu, Ma ma le aiga o Iuta: E le tusa ai ma le feagaiga na ou faia ma o latou tamā i le aso na ou aveina ai i latou e lima e taʻu atu ai i fafo ma le laueleele o Aikupito; which my covenant they brake, E ui o aʻu o se tane ia te i latou, ua fetalai mai ai le Alii:
Ae o le a avea o le feagaiga o le a ou faia ma le aiga o Isaraelu; Ina ua mavae na aso, ua fetalai mai ai le Alii, O le a ou tuu laʻu tulafono i latou vaega i totonu, ma tusi i o latou loto; O le a avea ma o latou Atua, and they shall be My people.
Ma o le a latou le aʻoaʻoina se tele o tagata uma o lona tuaoi, Ma tagata uma lona uso, fai mai, Iloa le Alii: auā e iloa a‘u e i latou uma, Mai le mea sili o latou i le sili o latou, ua fetalai mai ai le Alii: aua ou te faamagaloina la latou amioletonu, Ma o le a ou le toe manatua a latou agasala (Ieremia 31:31-34)
God promised He would establish a New Covenant, not only with the house of Israel, but also with the house of Judah.
This covenant would be different than the covenant, which God made with their fathers on the day that God took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
God promised a New Covenant; the Covenant in Jesus Christ and the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Born again in the spirit
This New Covenant would make it possible for humanity to become born again in the spirit. Faʻafefea? Saunia e le Faatuatua ma le Toefaatumauina ia Iesu Keriso (through the baptism in water, o le oti o le tino ma le toetū mai o le agaga mai le oti, ma le papatisoga i le Agaga Paia) and become sons of God (alii ma tamaitai).
The token of the Old Covenant, between God and the seed of Abraham and Isaac, took place on the eighth day.
The New Covenant on the eighth day
I le aso lona valu, the resurrection of Jesus Christ took place. The redemptive work was accomplished. The Old Covenant passed away. As a token, O le ie puipui o le Malumalu sa mautotogi i le lua mai le pito i luga i le pito i lalo, when Jesus Christ died as Man on the cross.
The New Covenant was established on the eighth day and replaced the Old Covenant.
E le o se mea lena! The circumcision on the eighth day was a token of the Old Covenant, and that the New Covenant was established on the eighth day, when Jesus rose from the dead?
Aua o le tasi ofo o ia ua mafaia ona ia mafaia ona o ese mai ia mea o loo faapaiaina. O le mea lea e molimau mai ai le Agaga Paia ia i tatou: auā ‘ua uma ‘ona fai mai o ia muamua, O le feagaiga lea ou te faia ma i latou pe a mavae ia aso, ua fetalai mai ai le Alii, O le a ou tuuina atu Aʻu tulafono i o latou loto, ma o le a ou tusia i latou i o latou mafaufau; Ma o a latou agasala ma amioletonu o le a ou le toe manatua. O fea la o i ai le faamagaloga o nei mea, e leai se toe taulaga mo le agasala. O lea, Uso, lototele e ulu atu i le sili ona fetaui lelei i le toto o Iesu, E se fou ma ola, o ia ua faapaiaina ia matou, ala i le veli, o le tala lena, Lona aano; Ma i ai se faitaulaga sili i luga o le fale o le Atua; Sei o tatou Aperaamo latalata i le loto le moni lotomau mautinoa o le faatuatua, O i ai o tatou loto ua liligiina mai le leaga le mafaufau, Ma o matou tino ua fufuluina i vai mama
Eperu 10:14-22
Is there only one way, to be saved?
The New Covenant was not only meant for the people of Israel, ae faapea foi mo Nuuese. Jesus made a way for the world to be reconciled with God through faith and regeneration in Him, (a.o. Ioane 3:16).
Only through Christ, by faith and regeneration in Him aka the circumcision in Him, you can be saved and reconciled with God. E leai se isi auala!
God only wanted one thing and that was to be a God for His people. Ae peitai, God was rejected by His carnal people Israel. His people Israel had broken His covenant. Therefore a New Covenant had to come.
The New Covenant is a better covenant
This New Covenant would be so much better than the Old Covenant. In this new Covenant, God would deal with sin and death that reign as king in the flesh of fallen man (le toeaina). Faʻafefea? Through one sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ.
But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, Fai mai o ia, Faauta, Ua o mai le aso, ua fetalai mai ai le Alii, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: E le tusa ma le feagaiga na ou osia ma o latou tamā i le aso na ou tago atu ai i o latou lima e taitai ese ai i latou mai le nuu o Aikupito.; auā ‘ua latou lē tumau i la‘u feagaiga, ma sa ou le manatu ia te i latou, ua fetalai mai ai le Alii.
Aua o le feagaiga lenei o le a ou faia ma le aiga o Isaraelu ina ua mavae i latou aso, ua fetalai mai ai le Alii; O le a ou tuu aʻu tulafono i lo latou mafaufau, ma tusi i latou io latou loto: Ma o le a ou i ai i luga o latou atua, ma o le a latou i ai ia te au se tagata: Ma latou te le aoaoina i tagata uma lona tuaoi, Ma tagata uma lona uso, fai mai, Iloa le Alii: Aua o le a iloa uma au, from the least to the greates For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, Ma a latou agasala ma a latou amioletonu o le a ou le manatua.
I lena ua Ia fetalai mai ai, A New Covenant, Ua ia faamatuaina le muamua. O lenei, o le mea ua pala ma ua tuai ua sauni e mou ese atu (Eperu 8:6-13)
God dealt with the sinful nature of fallen man
I le Feagaiga Fou, God would deal with the sinful nature of fallen man through the death of the flesh. (Faitau foi: Le Eseesega i le va o le Taulaga o manu ma le Taulaga o Iesu Keriso)
By the blood of Jesus Christ and regeneration in Him, God wouldn’t remember the sins and the former life as a sinner anymore.
Le toeaina (tagata pau) with all his sins and iniquities, who lives under sin and therefore is a sinner, doesn’t live anymore but has died in Christ. (Faitau foi: Na toefuatai mai e Iesu le tulaga o le tagata pau ma O Le Filemu, Na Toefua mai Iesu i le va o le Tama Manumalo ma le Atua)
God created a new species, a new generation, o se tagata fou; atalii o le Atua (alii ma tamaitai).
The new man is born of God through regeneration in Christ. E ala i le i ai i le lotolotoi o le Agaga Paia, God put His law in the hearts of the new man.
Tagata uma, who believes in Jesus Christ and accepts Him as Savior and Lord, shall be saved from eternal death and receive eternal life.
the circumcision in Christ is a token
O ai foi e te peritomeina ma le peritomeina na faia e aunoa ma lima, I le lafoaia o le tino o agasala a le aano e le peritomeina o Keriso: Tanumia ma ia i le papatisoga, o le mea fo‘i lea ‘ua ‘outou toe tutū mai ai fa‘atasi ma ia i le fa‘atuatua i le galuega a le Atua, O lē na toe fa‘atūina mai o ia nai ē ‘ua oti (Kolose 2:11-12)
The New Covenant was meant for the old man; le tagata faaletino, who was born of Abraham, Isaako, ma Iakopo; Israel and through natural birth belonged to Israel, and as a token was the circumcision in the flesh on the eighth day. But due to the fact, that the covenant was broken by God’s people, there had to come a New Covenant, a better covenant.
The New Covenant came whereof Jesus Christ is the High Priest and Mediator and is sealed with His blood. Everyone can have access by faith and regeneration in Christ.
I le Feagaiga Fou, there is no circumcision in the flesh. That’s because the New Covenant is not for the old carnal man. The token of the New Covenant is the circumcision in Christ.
You become circumcised in Christ by putting away, le tino o agasala, and laying down and burry your flesh. You bury your flesh through the papatisoga i le vai.
What is the significance of baptism?
In the water baptism you lay down your old life. E ala i le toetu mai o le agaga mai le oti, you will be raised in newness of life. From that moment you have become a new creation.
You are reconciled to God and your fallen state is restored. You’ll live in the New Covenant, which was first meant for God’s carnal people Israel, and then for the Gentiles.
From the moment you entered the covenant with God and became a new creation, you’ll no longer walk after the flesh in the kingdom of darkness and live under the authority of the devil and the spirits of this world in the power of sin and death.
You shall live in Christ in the Kingdom of God and represent, preach and bring the Kingdom of God, Lea o Iesu Keriso o le Tupu ma Tauii, i le Lalolagi.
‘Ia fai ma masima o le lalolagi’
