God established His covenant with Abraham and his seed. As a token of God’s covenant with Abraham, God commanded Abraham to circumcise every male child on the eighth day. 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 (Liketso 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. And I will give unto thee, 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, uena uena, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
Sena ke selekane sa Ka, tseo le tla di boloka, pakeng tsa Ka le wena le peo ya hao ka mora hao; E mong le e mong e motona ho lona a bolotswe. Le bolotse nama ya ntlha ya ntlha ya bonna ba lona; mme e tla ba pontsho ya selekane pakeng tsa Ka le lona.
Le ya matsatsi a robedi a bolotswe hara lona, ngwana e mong le e mong e motona melokong ya lona, ya tsoaletsoeng tlung, kapa ho rekoa ka chelete ho motho ofe kapa ofe osele, eo e seng wa peo ya hao. Ea tsoaletsoeng tlung ea hao, le ya rekilweng ka tjhelete ya hao, o tlameha ho bolla: mme selekane sa ka se tla ba nameng ya lona, e be selekane se sa feleng. Le ngoana e motona ea sa bollang eo nama ea ntlha ea botona ba hae e sa bollang, motho eo o tla kgaolwa setjhabeng sa habo; o robile selekane sa Ka (Genese 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. Leha ho le joalo, 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.
Modimo o ile a boloka tshepiso ya Hae and fulfilled His words, as God always does.
When Sara became pregnant and Isaac was born, Isaac was circumcised on the eighth day. Le tseo kaofela, 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 (Bagalata 3:16).
God mentioned the Seed, Hobane, in the Book of Genesis, God prophesied, that the Seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head. (Bala hape: The head of the serpent bruised, hobane serethe sa Jesu se ne se longoa).
Baena, 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. Jaanong ditsholofetso di neetswe Aborahame le losika lwa gagwe. Ha a rialo, Le ho dipeo, joalo ka ba bangata; empa joalo ka e le 'ngoe, Le ho peo ya hao, e leng Kreste. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, molao, 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.
Ka baka leo, molao o sebetsa? E ile ea eketsoa ka lebaka la litlōlo, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; + mme e ne ya tlhomiwa ke baengele + ka seatla sa motsereganyi. Jwale mmuelli ha se mokena-lipakeng wa motho a le mong, empa Modimo o mong.
“Is the law against the promises of God?”
Is the law then against the promises of God? Molimo ha ho joalo: 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. Empa pele tumelo e fihla, re ne re bolokoa tlas’a molao, kwallwa tumelong e tlang ho senolwa hamorao. Ka baka leo, molao e bile motataisi wa rona ho re isa ho Kreste, re tle re bewe ba lokileng ka tumelo. Empa kamora moo tumelo e fihlile, ha re sa le tlas’a mosuoe oa sekolo.
Hobane kaofela ke bana ba Molimo ka tumelo ho Kreste Jesu. Ho ba ba bangata ba lona ba kolobelitsoe ho Kreste ba apere ho Kreste. Ha ho na Mojuda kapa Greek, Ha ho na tšoane, Ha ho na monna kapa mosali: Hobane kaofela ke e mong ho Kreste Jesu. And if ye be Christ’s, Joale, ke peō ea Abrahama, le majalefa ho latela ts'episo (Bagalata 3:15-29).
God’s promise of a New and better Covenant
Ho Jeremia 31, God promised a New Covenant, which would be a better covenant than the Old Covenant.
Bonang, Matsatsi a tla, Saith Morena, hore ke tla etsa selekane se secha le ntlo ea Iseraele, le ba ntlo ya Juda: E seng ka selekane seo ke neng ke se hlabile le bontata bona, mohla ke ba tshwarang ka letsoho, ka ba ntsha naheng ya Egepeta.; which my covenant they brake, le hoja ke ne ke le monna ho bona, Saith Morena:
Empa sena e tla ba selekane seo ke tla se etsa le ntlo ya Iseraele; Kamora matsatsi ao, Saith Morena, Ke tla kenya molao oa ka lithong tsa bona tse ka hare, mme o e ngole dipelong tsa bona; mme e tla ba Modimo wa bona, and they shall be My people.
Ha ba sa tla hlola ba ruta e mong le e mong wa habo, mme monna e mong le e mong oabo, ho bua, Tseba Morena: hobane kaofela ba tla ntseba, ho tloha ho e monyenyane ho bona ho isa ho e moholo ho bona, Saith Morena: hobane ke tla ba tshwarela bokgopo ba bona, mme ha ke sa tla hlola ke hopola sebe sa bona (Jeremia 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. Joang? Ka tumelo le tsoalo e ncha ho Jesu Kreste (through the baptism in water, Lefu la Nama le Tsoho ea Moea Ho Bafung, Le Kolobetso ka Moea o Halalelang) and become sons of God (banna le ba batšehali).
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
Ka letsatsi la borobeli, the resurrection of Jesus Christ took place. The redemptive work was accomplished. The Old Covenant passed away. As a token, lesira la tempele la hahoha ka lehare ho tloha hodimo ho ya tlase, when Jesus Christ died as Man on the cross.
The New Covenant was established on the eighth day and replaced the Old Covenant.
Isn’t that something! 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?
Hobane ka sehlabelo se le seng o entse hore ba halaletswang ba phethehe ka ho sa feleng. Ke tseo Moya o Halalelang le tsona e leng paki ho rona: hobane o ne a boletse pele, Sena ke selekane seo ke tla se etsa le bona kamora matsatsi ao, Saith Morena, Ke tla kenya melao ea Ka lipelong tsa bona, mme ke tla di ngola mehopolong ya bona; Le dibe tsa bona le makgopo ha ke sa tla hlola ke hopola. Joale moo tšoarelo ea tsena e leng teng, ha ho sa le sehlabelo sa sebe. Hoba le hona, baena, sebete sa ho kena sehalalelong ka madi a Jesu, Ka mokhoa o mocha le o phelang, tseo A re khethetseng tsona, ka lesira, ke ho re, Nama ea hae; Le ho ba le Moprista e Moholo ya okametseng ntlo ya Modimo; A re atameleng ka pelo ea ’nete ka kholiseho e tletseng ea tumelo, re fafalitsoe lipelong tsa rōna ho tlosa matsoalo a khopo, mme mmele ya rona e hlatsuwe ka metsi a hlwekileng
Baheberu 10:14-22
Is there only one way, to be saved?
The New Covenant was not only meant for the people of Israel, empa le bakeng sa Baditjhaba. Jesus made a way for the world to be reconciled with God through faith and regeneration in Him, (Oh. Johanne 3:16).
Only through Christ, by faith and regeneration in Him aka the circumcision in Him, you can be saved and reconciled with God. Haho tsela enngwe!
God only wanted one thing and that was to be a God for His people. Leha ho le joalo, 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 (monnamoholo). Joang? 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, O re, Bonang, Matsatsi a tla, Saith Morena, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Eseng ho ea ka selekane seo ke se entseng le bo-ntate ba bona ka letsatsi leo ke neng ke ba tšoara ka letsoho ho ba lebisa naheng ea Egepeta; hobane ha ba ka ba tiisetsa selekaneng sa Ka, 'me ke ne ke se joalo, Saith Morena.
Hobane sena ke selekane seo ke tla se etsa ka ntlo ea Isiraele kamora matsatsi ao, Saith Morena; Ke tla beha melao ea ka kelellong ea bona, u ba ngole lipelong tsa bona: Ke tla ba ho bona molimo, 'me e tla ba batho: Ba ke ke ba ruta motho e mong le e mong moahisani oa hae, mme monna e mong le e mong oabo, ho bua, Tseba Morena: Hobane bohle ba tla ntseba, from the least to the greates For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, le libe tsa bona le batho ba mehleng ea bona boo ke ke keng ba hopola ha ke hopole.
Ka lebaka la hore o nepile, A New Covenant, O entse khale a khale. Hona joale seo se senyeha le saxth ea khale se se li loketse ho khaola (Baheberu 8:6-13)
God dealt with the sinful nature of fallen man
Selekaneng se secha, God would deal with the sinful nature of fallen man through the death of the flesh. (Bala hape: Phapang pakeng tsa sehlabelo sa liphoofolo le sehlabelo sa Jesu Kreste)
By the blood of Jesus Christ and regeneration in Him, God wouldn’t remember the sins and the former life as a sinner anymore.
Monnamoholo (motho ya weleng) with all his sins and iniquities, who lives under sin and therefore is a sinner, doesn’t live anymore but has died in Christ. (Bala hape: Jesu o ile a khutlisetsa boemo ba motho ea oeleng le Khotso, Jesu o ile a khutlisetsoa pakeng tsa monna oa oele le Molimo)
God created a new species, a new generation, Monna e mocha; bara ba Modimo (banna le ba batšehali).
The new man is born of God through regeneration in Christ. Ka ho kena ha Moya o Halalelang, God put His law in the hearts of the new man.
Bohle, 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
Le ho yena le bolotse ka lebollo le sa etswang ka matsoho, ka ho hlobola mmele wa dibe tsa nama ka lebollo la Kreste: E patoa le eena ka kolobetso, moo hape le tsohileng le yena ka tumelo ya tshebetso ya Modimo, Ea Mo tsositseng bafung (Bakolose 2:11-12)
The New Covenant was meant for the old man; motho wa nama, who was born of Abraham, Isaka, le Jakobo; 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.
Selekaneng se secha, 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, mmele wa dibe, and laying down and burry your flesh. You bury your flesh through the kolobetso ya metsing.
What is the significance of baptism?
In the water baptism you lay down your old life. Ka tsoho ya moya bafung, 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, moo Jesu Kreste e leng Morena le ho busa, lefatsheng.
‘E be letsoai la lefatše’
