Zion/Jerusalem Keeps God’s Law and Word – Chapter 5, Part 2

​This week in Isaiah Decoded we’ll continue with our review of chapter 5 – Zion/Jerusalem, God’s Covenant People. When we survey chapter 5, five primary topics immerge – keeping the terms of God’s covenant, the concept of ascent, God’s Endtime Servant, tests of loyalty, and Zion achieving paradise. This week we’ll tackle the first of these topics – keeping the terms of God’s covenant.

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Chapter Five References
Here are the statements where Dr. Gileadi makes references in chapter five about Zion/Jerusalem keeping the terms of God’s covenant.
 
"Zion/Jerusalem keeps the terms of God’s covenant." – P. 135
 
"When God covenanted with his people Israel anciently, that if they kept his law and word he would be their God and they would be his people, he gave them the opportunity to be blessed above every other nation on earth." – P. 136
 
"He responds to his people’s needs to overcome every obstacle when they observe his law and word, not those of men." – P. 138
 
"God, therefore, will not imbue with power anyone on the highest levels until, like Isaiah, that person proves unselfish in keeping the terms of God’s covenant." – P. 139
 
"In contrast to Zion/Jerusalem, for example, Jacob/Israel and people in descending categories are “blind” and “deaf.” So long as they don’t “repent” and “return,” by keeping the terms of God’s covenant, they are unfit to govern others." – P. 141
 
"Just as Moses, Joshua, and King Josiah renewed God’s covenant with his people, so does God’s servant at the end of the world. God’s law and word are the terms of the covenant from which all blessings flow, whether to ourselves or to our descendants. Just as Moses and Israel’s prophets taught the terms of the covenant, so do the servant and those who assist him." – P. 146
 
There are many more references, but suffice it to say that we get the point!

Though Dr. Gileadi doesn't go into detail about the terms of the covenant, its obvious that the Law given to Israel is integral to God's Endtime Servant's message when we see statements like the one Dr. Gileadi makes on page 146.

 
Keeping God’s Law and Covenant Signs
One of the important aspects of entering into a covenant with God and keeping it is the concept of covenant signs. God uses covenant signs as on-going witnesses that a person is actively keeping a covenant. For instance, the covenant sign for the Sinai Covenant is the Sabbath.  When we honor the Sabbath and keep it holy, it is a confirmation that we are active in that covenant with God.  Let’s consider the covenants that we saw in our table of being Born Again.

The Doctrine of the Messiah
A poorly understood concept of Christianity is what covenant does a believer commit to when they accept Yeshua’s(Jesus’) gospel? Some faith systems have morphed baptism into a covenant – a “baptismal covenant”. Baptism is not a covenant. It is a ritual washing representing changing one’s life – putting an old self away and coming forth anew. The practice of baptism originated in the Torah when Israel was commanded to cleanse themselves as part of their reconciliation with God - Yeshua commanded his fellow Jews to believe, repent and be baptized.
 
Christianity, who has rejected the Torah, has improperly connected baptism with the Messianic Covenant or Yeshua’s redemption from eternal death. Baptism is only required by those who seek to be Born Again to become Zion/Jerusalem, God’s covenant people.

The Sign of the Messianic Covenant
Those who take upon them the name of Yeshua, as their redeemer, are saved from eternal death. We see this symbolism in the Passover narrative with the sacrificing of an unblemished male lamb. The covenant sign are the nail prints in Yeshua’s feet and hands, which covenant is a covenant of grant. - John  20:24-29

​The Sign of the Abrahamic Covenant
Probably the most recognizable of all the covenant signs is Yehovah’s command to Abraham to be circumcised and his male posterity. That through him and his posterity all of the nations of earth would be blessed. When a believer desires to be numbered with the House of Israel they are circumcised and take a Hebrew name. In Judaism, converts are typical given the names of Abraham and Sarah. We see this with Dr. Gileadi who was given the name of Abraham. Others may want to choose an ancestral name. - Genesis 17:9-11

​The Sign of the Threshold Covenant
Anciently, the door threshold represented the sacred boundary of dominion - the father as sovereign over his home and family, and Yehovah as sovereign over the entire world. When the fathers of Israel sacrificed an unblemished male lamb and put its blood on their door frames of their homes at Passover, they were declaring the deity that they recognized as their god. Today, we can post the name of God above the door frames of our homes, which is the sign of the Threshold Covenant. - ​Exodus 12:7,13,22,23

The Sign of the Priesthood Covenant
Closely allied with the Threshold Covenant is the Priesthood Covenant. Anciently, the door threshold was also considered a home altar and was the location for praying, covenant making, offerings to god and acts of reconciliation. Israel was commanded to post the Law on their door frames. Altars are an important religious and priesthood fixture that we see in the Book of Genesis and in Israel’s tabernacle/temple. Today, we could make the door threshold an altar, but it may be more practical to dedicate a table or another kind of furniture to be a home altar.

​​When we look at the Threshold Covenant and the Priesthood Covenant, fathers of Israel in their homes are kings and priests.

Fathers are Kings and Priests in their homes.

 
The Sign of the Sinai Covenant
Another covenant sign that we can recognize is the sign for the Sinai Covenant. This sign was established at Creation when God rested from His work to create the earth and man. It is the fourth commandment of the Ten Commandments that God declared at Sinai. Scripturally, the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week. There is no expressed command by God changing the Sabbath to the first day of the week – another corruption that has been perpetrated on New Testament believers. So effectively, believers who worship on the first day of the week are out of covenant. - Exodus 31:14-17

​Summary
These five covenants and signs comprise those covenants to become Zion/Jerusalem, which we can add to our Born Again table.