THE EVERLASTING COVENANT
Kevin J. Conner and Ken Malmin

HIS GLORY REIGNS
B. Childress
Jun 6 2008

The Everlasting Covenant is that Covenant made in Eternity, before Time began, in the counsels of
the eternal Godhead, between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  It was made before the creation of
man and the entrance of sin into the human race.  It embodies, as an all-encompassing Covenant,
God's complete plan involving Creation and Redemption.  It is the heavenly foundational Covenant
in eternity for all Covenants revealed in Time.  Man was not a party to it but the object of it.

INTRODUCTION

The Scripture clearly teaches that God had an "eternal purpose" before Time began and before the creation of man
and the entrance of sin into the human race by the Fall of Adam and his wife.  This "eternal purpose" was contained in
the form of the Everlasting Covenant, for God declares no purpose apart from Covenant.  This overriding purpose of
the Everlasting Covenant provided the basis for the purposes revealed in the covenants made on earth in Time
(Ephesians 3:11; Romans 8:27-30; Ephesians 1:9; Hebrews 13:20).

Of the eight Divine Covenants revealed in time, these being the Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic,
Palestinian, Davidic, and New Covenants, the first pertains to God's purpose in creation, while the next six are
covenants of promise - promising and symbolizing redemption before the cross, while the remaining or eighth covenant
pertains to God's realized redemptive purposes in Christ Jesus.

As seen in the Edenic Covenant, God had a purpose for Adam and his offspring.  This Covenant involving God's
purpose for man was made before the entrance of sin.  There we see the covenant cycle begin.  Man is put on a period
of probation, which ends in failure and judgment.  Then God initiates the first link in the chain of the Covenants of
redemption, the Adamic Covenant.

As tragic as the entrance of sin was into the human race, it should be recognized that God was not caught unawares.  
Because of His essential attributes He foresaw the fall of man from His creative purposes.  Thus He set in motion the
Covenants of redemption to redeem man from sin.  The culminating New Covenant actually becomes the covenant of
redemption by which God restores man back to His original purpose in the Edenic Covenant of creation.  The New
Covenant makes the Edenic Covenant possible.  However, it was the pre-existent Everlasting Covenant in heaven that
made possible all the Covenants of Creation and Redemption on earth.  The Everlasting Covenant, as unfolded in
creation and redemption could only be realized because of God's essential and moral attributes (Hebrews 13:20).  
Therefore the Everlasting Covenant is:

1.  Possible because of God's Essential Attributes

    a.  God is Eternal - that is, He inhabits eternity, hence He could and did plan things in eternity (Isaiah 57:15;
    Genesis 21:33; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 41:13; 90:2; 93:2).

    b.  God is Omniscient - He is all knowing and knew before the creation of man as a freewill being that he would
    choose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Because of His omniscience He purposed to redeem all men
    who would come to Him on His terms (Acts 15:18).  Omniscience includes wisdom, knowledge, and understanding
    required to carry out covenantal purposes.

    c.  God is Omnipotent - He is all-powerful.  Because of this His power can be operative both in creation and
    redemption.  His sovereignty over creation and creatures is evident (Daniel 7:17).

    d.  God is Omnipresent - He is everywhere present at all times.  No person can hide from His presence and the
    convicting power of the Holy Spirit (Psalms 139:7-12).

    e.  God is Immutable - He is unchanging as to His nature, being and character and covenant purposes (Malachi
    3:6; Hebrews 13:8).

    f.  God is Self-Existent - He exists in and of Himself and is independent of time, space, and all creatures.  He is
    the Life-source and can act out of this eternal life accordingly and give life to all creatures (John 1:1-4; 3:16).

If it were not for these essential attributes of God, no covenant could have been made in eternity and certainly none
could have been made and fulfilled in time.

2.  Available because of God's Moral Attributes

    a.  God is Holy - He is absolute holiness and purity and cannot tolerate sin (Leviticus 19:2; 11:44,45; I Peter 1:
    16).

    b.  God is Righteous - He is perfectly just and must judge sin.  Righteousness is the holiness of God in
    judgment upon man's sinfulness (Psalms 119:142; Deuteronomy 32:4; Romans 1:17).

    c.  God is Love - He is perfect love, grace, mercy, and kindness manifested towards His creatures.  Love was
    the divine motive in the covenant of creation, and love was the motivation in the Covenants of redemption (I John
    4:8,16; John 3:16; 14:23; Galatians 2:20).

    d.  God is faithful - He is absolutely reliable, dependable, and will be stedfastly committed to His covenant words
    and obligations to the man He created (Psalms 119:144; Hebrews 6:12-20; II Timothy 2:13; I Peter 4:19).

3.  Eternal because of the Eternal Godhead

    The "everlasting covenant" is an eternal covenant because it is not a covenant between God and man, though it
    involves man.  It is a covenant between the persons of the eternal Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  
    Each person in the Godhead would fulfill their part in the contract which involved creation and redemption.  The
    eternal characteristics of the Godhead are thus stamped upon this covenant as well as all other covenants.

    a.  The Father is the originator of the covenants.  He makes the promises; He gives the words and the terms of
    the covenants.

    b.  The Son is the sacrifice, the mediator of the covenant, functioning in the sanctuary as both offering and
    offerer, sacrifice and priest.

    c.  The Holy Spirit is the seal, the sign and the token.  He is the person in the Godhead who would be the
    executor of the covenant and see that it would be carried out in full.

The great doctrines of Foreknowledge, Election, Sovereign will of God, Purpose, and Predestination all declare the
language and truth of covenantal revelation in the Godhead in eternity and time (Romans 16:26; Psalms 106:48; 112:6;
Habakkuk 1:12; Hebrews 13:20).

4.  Eternal because it is Spiritual

    Only by understanding the Everlasting Covenant can we understand many of the "everlasting" promises spoken
    of in certain of the other covenants.  Following are some of the most important factors about this covenant that
    illustrate its eternal value.

    a.  It is the only covenant made in eternity, before time began.

    b.  It is the covenant made in the counsels of the persons of the eternal Godhead. Man was not party to it but the
    object of it.

    c.  It is the only heavenly covenant, all others pertaining to earth.

    d.  It is the only covenant without temporal elements, for it involves, from the Divine point, the eternal persons in
    the Godhead, and for man it involves eternal life.

    e.  It is the most comprehensive covenant for all others are but the progressive unfolding on earth and in time of
    that which is in the Everlasting Covenant.

    f.  It is the fulfillment, by the New Covenant, of the "everlasting" elements of all other covenants.  Earthly
    covenants generally had both temporal and everlasting elements in them.  Most of the temporal elements were
    fulfilled and abolished at the cross, while the remaining temporal elements pass away at Christ's second coming.  
    This is seen in the following examples:

    (1)  The rainbow token belonged to the "everlasting Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9:12,16).  This can only be
    "everlasting" in Christ (Revelation 10:1).

    (2)  The promised land was to be an "everlasting possession" to Abraham and his seed (Genesis 17:8; 48:26).  
    This can only be in the heavenly Canaan, for the earth is to pass away with fervent heat (II Peter 3:3-10; Hebrews
    11:10-16).

    (3)  The rite of circumcision of the Abrahamic Covenant was to be an "everlasting token" in the flesh of Abraham's
    seed (Genesis 17:13).  The physical token was but temporal and therefore the circumcision that is everlasting is
    of the heart and spirit, and therefore spiritual (Romans 2:28,29: Colossians 2:12; Galatians 6:15,16).

    (4)  Certain of the rituals of the Mosaic Covenant were to be "everlasting" and "perpetual" (Leviticus 24:8; 16:
    34).  All such were fulfilled and abolished at the cross.  So it is the spiritual principle in these things that are
    eternal.

    (5)  Aaron and his sons, Phinehas also, were promised "the covenant of an everlasting priesthood" (Exodus 40:
    12-15; Numbers 25:12,13).  This could not be the Aaronic priesthood as Hebrews clearly show that the
    priesthood pertaining to the Mosaic Covenant was done away.  Therefore, Phinehas could only receive the
    covenant of an everlasting priesthood through the New  Covenant priesthood, after the order of Melchisedek.  
    This is the priesthood of Christ and His Church that lives on in the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16; Psalms
    110; Revelation 1:6, 5:9, 10; 20:6).

    (6)  The Lord promised the Levites that they would never lack priest to offer the continual sacrifices as His
    ministers (Jeremiah 33:17-22).  However, the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us that the Levitical order and animal
    sacrifices of the Old Covenant are done away (Hebrews 7-10).  Therefore these promises can only find fulfillment
    in a spiritual and eternal priesthood in the New Covenant priesthood and sacrifices (I Peter 2:5-9).

    (7)  The "everlasting" seed, house, throne, and kingdom of the Davidic Covenant also can only find fulfillment in
    Christ, who is the seed of David, and in His house, throne and kingdom in the Church (II Samuel 23:5; Isaiah 55:
    3).

    (8)  All covenants which are spoken of as "everlasting" can only be such through the Everlasting Covenant made
    by the Godhead (Genesis 9:16; 17:7,19; II Samuel 23:5; I Chronicles 16:17; Psalms 105:10; Isaiah 24:5,6; 61:8;
    Jeremiah 32:40; Ezekiel 16:60; 37:27).

So it is with all "everlasting" promises in covenants of earth having both temporal and everlasting elements in them.  
The temporal elements flow to and are fulfilled and abolished at the cross, while everlasting elements flow through the
cross into the New Covenant.  The New Covenant with its promise of eternal life brings redeemed mankind into the
Everlasting Covenant.  The New Covenant makes possible the creative and redemptive parts of the Everlasting
Covenant, bringing God and man together in covenantal relationship eternally.  God counts the things that are not as
though they were because of His attributes (Romans 4:17).  As far as the believer in the New Covenant is concerned he
is ushered into the Everlasting Covenant at the second coming of Christ.

I.  The WORDS of the Covenant

The Scriptures show that God's foreknowledge, election, calling, and predestined purposes took place both before the
foundation of the world (John 17:5, 24; Ephesians 1:4,9,11; 3:10,11; II Timothy 1:9,10; Ephesians 2:10; I Corinthians 2:
7), as well as from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34; Revelation 13:8; 17:8).  Numerous promises are given by
God in the Bible.  All are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus (II Corinthians 1:20).  Only the major promises are noted here.

    A.  The Promises of the Covenant

    1.  Promises of Blessing

    a.  Everlasting Life

    The major promise of this covenant is the all-inclusive promise of eternal or everlasting life.  This was
    promised by God, who cannot lie, before the world began (Titus 1:2,3; I John 2:25).  It is the greatest
    promise that Jesus ever gave and it was made possible and available through the New Covenant
    (John 3:16,36; 4:14; 5:24; 6:27,40,47; 12:50; Acts 13:46; Romans 6:22; Matthew 19:29; Galatians 6:
    8; I Timothy 6:16; Luke 18:30; Daniel 12:2).

    The words of the New Covenant are actually the words of the Everlasting Covenant which had been
    hid in God and later revealed by Christ (Deuteronomy 29:29; John 1:14-18; Romans 16:25,26;
    Ephesians 3:9-11).

    b.  Immorality

    To have eternal life as God does also involves the promise of immortality (II Timothy 1:9,10;  I
    Timothy 6:16; Romans 2:7; II Corinthians 5:1-5; I Corinthians 15:15-57).  Mortality means death-
    doomed.  Covenant promises make immortality available to man in Christ by which he will receive an
    immortal body, never to die, but to live in the power of eternal life.

    c.  Everlasting Kingdom

    God's kingdom is an everlasting kingdom which the believer inherits.  Having been taken out of the
    kingdom of darkness he now comes into the kingdom of life and light (Psalms 145:13; Matthew 25:
    34; I Corinthians 6:9,10; Ephesians 5:5; Galatians 5:21; II Peter 1:11; Daniel 4:3,34; 7:14,27).

    d.  Eternal Inheritance

    That inheritance lost in Adam is restored in Christ (Hebrews 9:14).  

    e.  Everlasting Love, Kindness, and Mercy

    Saved from everlasting judgment, the believer finds everlasting love, kindness, and mercy from God
    through Christ (Jeremiah 31:3; Isaiah 54:8; Psalms 100:5; 103:17).

    f.  Everlasting Righteousness

    Christ brought man an everlasting righteousness which he could never obtain of himself (Daniel 9:
    24).

    g.  Everlasting Habitations

    The New Covenant believer will be received into everlasting dwelling places (Luke 16:9).

    h.  Everlasting Joy (Isaiah 51:11; 61:7).

    i.  Everlasting Strength (Isaiah 26:4).

    j.  Everlasting Name (Isaiah 56:5; 63:12,16).

    k.  Everlasting Promises to Overcomers

    Each of the promises to the overcomers involve eternal realities.

    (1)  The overcomer is given the tree of eternal life forfeited under the Edenic Covenant
    (Genesis 2:9,16,17; Revelation 2:7; 22:2,14).

    (2)  The overcomer is given the promise that he should not be hurt of the second death, which
    death began in Adam (Revelation 2:11 with Genesis 2:16,17, Revelation 21:4).

    (3)  The overcomer is further given the promise of hidden manna and a white stone with a new
    name in it.  To eat of this manna one shall never die (Revelations 2:17; John 6:53-63).

    (4)  The overcomer is given the promise of power over the nations, ruling with a rod of iron.  
    He is also given the morning star of light.  It speaks of ruling and reigning with Jesus over all
    enemies (Revelation 2:26-28; 22:16).

    (5)  The overcomer is given the promise of being clothed with white raiment and having his
    name confessed before the Father and the angels (Revelation 3:4,5).  It will be the white
    raiment of light from his glorified body; that raiment which Adam and Eve lost in the Fall.

    (6)  The overcomer is given the promise of being a pillar in the temple of God and having the
    name of the Father, the name of the bride-city, and the Son's new name written upon him
    (Revelation 3:12).  It speaks of the perfect nature, image and character of God in Christ upon
    them.

    (7)  The overcomer will inherit all things and God will be his God.  (Revelation 3:12).  This is
    the promise of promises for it comprehends all the promises of God ever made.  Those
    promises having eternal elements in them will be enjoyed forever.

2.  Promises of Cursing

    The curses of any of the earthly covenants find their consummation in the curse of the Everlasting
    Covenant.  The greatest of all curses is to be banished from the presence of God and the Lamb rejected,
    and to be cast into the eternal Lake of Fire, the final Hell.  This is the curse of curses.  All who reject God's
    New Covenant in Christ, rejecting the words, the sacrifice and the seal of the covenant, are cast into Hell
    after the Great White Throne Judgment.  This final Hell is spoken of as:

    a.  Everlasting shame and contempt (Daniel 12:2).

    b.  Everlasting lake of fire and brimstone (Matthew 18:8; Revelation 14:10,11; 19:20;    20:14,15; 21:
    8).

    c.  Everlasting Punishment (Matthew 25:41,46).

    d.  Everlasting Destruction (II Thessalonians 1:9).

    e.  Everlasting chains of darkness (Jude 6; II Peter 2:4).  For sinful angels also.

    f.  Perdition (Revelation 17:8; I Timothy 6:9; John 17:12).

    g.  The Second Death (Revelation 2:11; 20:13-15; 21:8).

    Those who go to this terrible place chose to reject God's redemptive covenant terms in Christ, and thus are
    eternally out of covenant relationship with God.  They reject the "everlasting Gospel" (Revelation 14:6-11).  
    Hell was not prepared for man but for the Devil and his angels.  But all who make their "covenant with death
    and hell" (Isiah 28:14,15,18,19) and serve the Devil and sin will live eternally with him in this prison.  Such
    punishment and torment will last as long as eternal bliss does for those who have accepted God's covenant
    in Christ (Matthew 25:41,46).

    B.  The Terms of the Covenant

    1.  Faith

    God's love for the world is demonstrated in the giving of His only begotten Son and whosoever believes on
    Him is given everlasting life (John 3:16; I Peter 1:19-20).

    2.  Love

    In that love was God's motive in both creation and redemption it is entirely appropriate that man has a love
    response to God's loving initiative (I John 4:19; Jeremiah 31:3).  If we love Him we will keep His
    commandments (John 14:15; 15:9,10; I John 3:22-24; 4:11-18; 5:2,3).

    3.  Obedience

    Jesus Christ is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him (Hebrews 5:9; Revelation 22:14).

    Adam fell from faith and loving obedience under the Edenic Covenant.  Through the New Covenant in
    Christ we are restored to that faith and obedience of love for all eternity.  Such will be the terms of the
    Everlasting Covenant promises in the eternities to come.

    God's ultimate intention in the creation of man was to bring man to a state of sinless perfection, from which
    it would be impossible to fall.  This "making" process was interrupted by the fall of man, but it is through the
    full working of the New Covenant that God imparts His own sinless perfection to man ensuring his perfect
    faith and loving obedience for all eternity.

    C. The Oath of the Covenant

    In the counsels of the Godhead, the Father gave His Son His oath.  This oath involved the fact that, upon the
    Son's incarnation and voluntary and substitutionary death for sin, the Father would raise Him from the dead and
    give to Him an eternal priesthood after the order of Melchisedek (Psalms 110:1-4; Hebrews 7:20-25; Acts 2:23-
    26).

    The Oath of the Noahic, Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenants are but the expressions on earth of this oath of
    the Everlasting Covenant.

    D.  The Book of the Covenant

    Because the Everlasting Covenant is based on the essential attributes of God, upon God's foreknowledge,
    elective and predestined purpose (Romans 8:28-30; 16:25,26; I Peter 1:1,2), God was able to place the names of
    the redeemed in His book.  It is spoken of as "the Lamb's book of life" (Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 3:5; 22:19; Exodus
    32:32; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 20:12-15).

II.  The BLOOD of the Covenant

Because the covenants of God involves both the creation and redemption of man, and because God foresaw the Fall of
man, the Everlasting Covenant necessitated the incarnation of the eternal Son of God.  It was this eternal purpose of
God contained in the Everlasting Covenant that was fulfilled in the work of Christ in the New Covenant.

    A.  The Sacrifice of the Covenant

    1.  The Body

    Man was made a triune being; spirit, soul, and body.  The fact of man's sin necessitated man's
    redemption.  None of Adam's race could redeem as all are born in sin and shapen in iniquity.  Hence it
    necessitated God to come and redeem man.  But God could not redeem man as God only, but God had to
    become man to redeem man.  It was the Son of God who became man by taking on Himself a human body.  
    The WORD was made flesh (John 1:1-3, 14-18).  The Son was God incarnate.  By taking upon Himself a
    sinless human body, Jesus Christ made the supreme sacrifice for man's sin.  All animal body sacrifices
    simply pointed to the sacrifice of the sinless body of Jesus offered once for all (Hebrews 9-10).

    This virgin-born, sinless body was crucified on Calvary.  Then after three days it was raised incorruptible,
    immortal and glorified.  Jesus has this same glorified body in heaven at the Father's right hand and this
    becomes the surety of the New Covenant and the Everlasting Covenant.  It is the covenant body of the
    eternal Son of God (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:30-33; John 1:1-3, 14-18; Hebrews 10:5-14; Romans 1:3;
    Galatians 4:4).

    As such, He is the seed of the woman, and the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and David, after the
    flesh (Romans 9:5).  As such He is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29,36).

    2.  The Blood

    Because the blood is the life of man, and of all flesh, and man's blood became corrupted by the entrance
    of sin, sinless blood was needed to redeem man.  Hence because "the children are partakers of flesh and
    blood" it was necessary that the eternal Son of God, by reason of the Everlasting Covenant, take upon
    Himself "flesh and blood" (Hebrews 2:14).

    This also was done in the incarnation.  The Holy Spirit overshadowing the Virgin Mary planted within her
    the Divine seed of the Father and with it the sinless blood needed for the atonement.

    The blood of Jesus was poured out as the cleansing agent for sin.  This blood is sinless and therefore
    incorruptible.  It is in heaven for us now and it is upon the throne of God.  It is there as "the blood of the
    everlasting covenant" (Hebrews 13:20; 9:11-28; 10:29).  All sacrificial animal blood under the Old
    Testament altars pointed to the blood of God in the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28; I John 1:7).  Jesus Christ is
    the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, as well as before that foundation (Revelation 13:8; 17:8; I
    Peter 1:19-20).

    It is through this blood that, ultimately, an end will be made of sin, transgression will be finished, iniquity
    purged, and the heavens and earth shall be cleansed of the presence of Satan and his evil hosts
    (Revelation 12:4-12; Job 15:15; Hebrews 9).

    B.  The Mediator of the Covenant

    1. The Lord Jesus Christ

    In the counsels of the eternal Godhead, the Covenantors, the Son, as the central person was ordained to
    be the mediator as well as the sacrifice.  The sacrifice of His sinless body and blood pertains to His perfect
    humanity.  The priesthood and mediatorial ministry pertain to His diety.  Thus human nature and Divine
    nature are brought together in Jesus Christ, the God-Man and the mediatorial person in the Godhead.

    This priesthood is sworn by oath to be the priesthood for ever after the order of Melchisedek.  Jesus Christ
    lives in the power of an endless life by the resurrection.  Therefore there can never be a successor or
    change of His priesthood.  All earthly priesthood, patriarchal, Aaronic, and Levitical, shadowed forth His
    priesthood  They were temporal; His is an eternal priesthood because of His eternal Sonship in the eternal
    Godhead.  He is our Melchisedek, the King-Priest of the Abrahamic Covenant  and fulfilled in the New
    Covenant (Genesis 14:18-20; Psalms 110; Hebrews 5-7; 8:6; 12:22-24).   All of His Old Testament "goings
    forth" consummated in His incarnation to be our Saviour and Mediator under the New Testament (Micah 5:
    2; John 16:27,28).

    2.  The Church

    Because the Everlasting Covenant pertained to the redemption of all who would believe and obey, it made
    possible a priestly body to be joined to the Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  Hence, Christ and His Body which is
    the Church, together, constitute the priesthood after the order of Melchisdek.

    The believers will be kings and priests unto God and His Christ eternally.  This covenant of an everlasting
    priesthood is the one that Phinehas, and other priests and saints enter into, whether on this or the other
    side of the cross.  Patriarchal, Aaronic and Levitical priesthoods and orders all shadowed the eternal
    priesthood of this order of Melchisedek (Revelation 1:6; 5:9,10; 20:6; Numbers 25:12,13; Acts 6:7; I Peter 2:
    5-9; Hebrews 5,6,7; Jeremiah 10:10).

    It is "in Christ" that God sees the believer as a king-priest forever after the order of Melchisedek, King of
    Righteousness and King of Peace (Ephesians 1:4,5,9,11; 3:11).

    C.  The Sanctuary of the Covenant

    The Scriptures clearly state that there is an heavenly sanctuary, tabernacle or temple.  It is the archetype, the
    prototype or the original sanctuary.  The earthly sanctuaries of other covenants were only the shadows on earth
    of the true and heavenly sanctuary which the Lord pitched and not man (Revelation 15:5-8; 11:19).

    Again, all the ministry in earthy sanctuaries only shadowed forth Christ's ministry "within the veil" of the heavenly
    sanctuary.  The Book of Hebrews especially deals with the sacrifice, the priesthood and the sanctuary of Christ
    (Hebrews 6:19,20; 8:1-5; 9:11,12,25; Isaiah 66:1-4; Acts 7:48-50; I Kings 8:27).

    The ultimate and eternal "tabernacle of God" and the dwelling place of the redeemed will be the heavenly city,
    New Jerusalem.  In it is the throne of God and the Lamb, the covenantors of the Everlasting Covenant (Revelation
    21-22).  It is this city that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob looked for, a city having foundations, whose builder and
    maker is God (Hebrews 11:10-16; 12:22-24; 13:14; II Peter 3:8-10; Isaiah 60:19,20).  It is situated on the New
    Heavens and New Earth.

III.  The SEAL of the Covenant

There are two aspects of the Everlasting Covenant; that which pertains to God and that which pertains to man.

    1.  The Seal of the Holy Spirit

    When the Everlasting Covenant was made in the counsels of the Godhead, the blessed Holy Spirit, the
    third person in the Godhead, was ordained to be the sign, seal, and token of this covenant.  With the
    promises of the Father, the sacrifice of the Son, the Holy Spirit Himself would be the executor of the
    covenant.  Hence the Holy Spirit is spoken of as:

    a.  The Promise of the Father (Luke 24:49; Acts 2:39).

    b.  The Spirit of Promise (Ephesians 1:13,14).

    c.  The Seal (Ephesians 1:13,14; 4:20; II Corinthians 1:22).

    d.  The Earnest (II Corinthians 1:22).

    e.  The Firstfruits (Romans 8:23).

    The Holy Spirit Himself as the seal of the New Covenant, as the Earnest, and as the Firstfruits points
    to the completeness of the seal and work of the Spirit which takes place under entrance into the
    Everlasting Covenant.  This complete work pertains to the other part of the seal as it pertains to man.

    2.  The Seal of the Glorified Body

    a.  Pertaining to Christ

    The bodily resurrection and glorification of Christ's humanity, His virgin-born, sinless and crucified
    body, by the power of the Holy Spirit, became the seal of the Everlasting Covenant (Romans 1:1-4;
    Hebrews 13:20).  In the Godhead counsels in the Everlasting Covenant, it was agreed that, upon the
    Son's completed sacrifice for sin and His burial in the tomb for three days and three nights, the Holy
    Spirit would raise Him from the dead.  The Spirit would quicken the body of Jesus to life and glory to
    live in the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16).  This body would be the same body but spiritual
    and glorious.  It would be the seal of the Spirit upon the accepted and finished work of Christ
    (Romans 8:11; Acts 2:23-26; Romans 7:4; Ephesians 1:13-23; Philippians 3:21; Romans 1:1-4).

    In His ascension, Jesus took this virgin-born, sinless, crucified, and now glorified body back into
    heaven.  There is a glorified Man in the Godhead.  His glorified body has become the surety, the
    token, and seal of that which the Holy Spirit will do for all believers in the consummation of
    covenantal promises (Hebrews 7:22).

    The glorious spiritual body cannot be separated from the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will
    quicken our mortal bodies as He quickened Christ's body (Romans 8:10,11).

    b.  Pertaining to the Church

    As pertaining to the believer, the final and complete aspect of the seal of God is the immortalization
    and glorification of his redeemed body (II Timothy 1:9,10; I Timothy 6:16; Romans 2:7; 8:9-11; Titus
    1:2).

    That the believer is redeemed spiritually by the New Covenant is noted by many Scriptures.  He is
    "born of the Spirit" and "sealed by the Spirit" (John 3;1-5; Romans 8:16,17; II Corinthians 1:22;
    Ephesians 1:13,14; 4:30).  However, the Scriptures also show that the final redemption that the
    believer will experience is that which pertains to the physical body.  We groan within ourselves,
    waiting for the redemption of our body (Romans 8:22-25; I Corinthians 6:19,20; Luke 21:28).

    When Christ comes the second time, the dead in Christ are raised first and the living believers are
    changed.  Together they receive an immortalized and glorified body.  All believers will receive a
    glorified body like unto Christ's glorious body (Philippians 3:20,21).  The promise is the ultimate of
    that which was promised and made possible by the New Covenant (II Corinthians 5:1-5; I Corinthians
    15:51-57; I Thessalonians 4:15-18; Philippians 3:20,21; John 11:24-27).  This will indeed be the seal
    of God upon those in covenantal relationship with Him through Christ.

    The resurrected and immortalized bodies of the saints will shine in the varied glories of the sun, moon, and
    stars; all will shine as light (I Corinthians 15:35-50).  This takes place at Christ's coming, at the last trump.  
    This ushers the believer, by the New Covenant, into eternity and the complete benefits of the Everlasting
    Covenant made in eternity past before time began (Ephesians 1:1-12; 2:7; 3:9-12).

    The "sample" glorious body is the body of Christ (Philippians 3:20,21).  The Man in the Godhead is our
    surety of the full and complete seal (Hebrews 7:22; Luke 24:36-40; I John 1:1-3; John 1:14-18).

    All seals of previous covenants flowed to the cross and pointed to the New Covenant seal, the Holy Spirit.  
    The New Covenant seal of the covenantal name in baptism and the Holy Spirit of God point to and make
    possible the completeness of the seal of the Everlasting Covenant; the redemption, immortalization and
    glorification of the believer's body.

    The New Covenant seal is but the earnest, the foretaste, the firstfruits of the Spirit's work.  The completion
    of the Spirit's work is the glorified body; a spiritual, yet real and eternal body like Christ's.

    The Holy Spirit and the spiritual body together, therefore, constitute the seal, sign, and token of the
    Everlasting Covenant for the redeemed of all ages, those redeemed out of every kindred, tongue, tribe,
    and nation.  In terrible contrast there will be those who have rejected the covenants of God, rejected Christ
    and thus forfeit their bodies in Hell fire and suffer spiritual torments for eternity (Mark 9:43-49; Matthew 10:
    28).

    It is because of the work of the Spirit to be completed in the redemption of the believer's body that the new
    Covenant person will seek to glorify God in his spirit and body for he has been bought with a great price (I
    Corinthians 6:19,20).



Source:

The Covenants, by Kevin J. Conner and Ken Malmin, Copyright 1983, Bible Temple Publishing.
2010 - HIS GLORY REIGNS
LIFE IN JESUS-MINISTRIES