He didnt do it.

[postroad]

God didn't restore the lost tribes of the northern kingdom to their homeland as he expressly comments in this chapter of Ezekiel.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV
Why not?

[Zzyzx]

.

What, exactly, are the terms of the "New Covenant" (who agrees to do what) and who are the parties involved?

The "new covenant" (2 Cor 3:6) is an between God and spirit-anointed Christians (mediated by Jesus) to declared them (the anointed) righteous , actually having human perfection credited to them.

What does "God" agree to do?

What do "spirit-anointed Christians" agree to do?

Where is "human perfection" specified in the covenant?

And I would add:

Part of a Covenant can't be kept.

What do you mean "can't be kept"? Naturally, as with all agreements, it is possible that one or both parties not keep their part of the agreement. That is stating the obvious. What is the relevance of this statement?

If terms of the agreement / covenant cannot be kept the agreeing party is guilty of fraud. If the terms are not kept the agreement is null and void.

Has God demonstrated ability to keep "his" part of the agreement (whatever that is supposed to have been)? Have "spirit-anointed Christians" demonstrated ability to keep their part?

[postroad]

[Replying to post 3 by JehovahsWitness]

The nation and peoples resulting from the return under Cyrus were dispersed in 70 AD by the Romans. Now how exactly could they be a fulfilment of Ezekiel's prophecy?

I did not say that the dispersion of 70 CE was a fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy.

But you did say the return under Cyrus was.

So Cyrus' decree marked the fulfillment of the prophecy that the Israelites would be restored to their homeland

Now how could that be true if they were again dispersed in 70 AD and the temple destroyed?

Ezekiel 37:21-28New International Version (NIV)

21 and say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding,[a] and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

24 My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their childrens children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.

[tam]

God didn't restore the lost tribes of the northern kingdom to their homeland as he expressly comments in this chapter of Ezekiel.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV
Why not?

I'm not sure the dilemma. Why could it just not have happened yet?


I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.


New heart, new spirit, His spirit in them... would all of that not go along with the new covenant that God also said in various places that He would be making? Wasn't God's spirit in the Temple before (in the Most Holy Place, in the ark of the covenant)... and then later that Temple is the Body of Christ (beginning with Christ as the head, and the rest of the Body being people.) So that it IS Christ who is building the Temple now, but with people, rather than bricks and stones.


So this promise has not happened yet.


All Israel will be saved. That is the promise. And just because we (humans) don't know who today is from the ten tribe kingdom of the north, doesn't mean that God does not know where every drop of blood of Israel (from each of the twelve tribes) exists.


Peace to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[tam]

Also, if the new covenant is in fact the everlasting covenant referred to in chapter 37 how does this harmonise with Christian doctrine.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV

I don't know what Christian doctrine you are referring to; and I don't know what the issue is with this passage in Ezekiel. Perhaps you could be more specific? Thank you.


Peace again,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[postroad]

Also, if the new covenant is in fact the everlasting covenant referred to in chapter 37 how does this harmonise with Christian doctrine.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV

I don't know what Christian doctrine you are referring to; and I don't know what the issue is with this passage in Ezekiel. Perhaps you could be more specific? Thank you.


Peace again,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

Are you indicating that at some future date all those that rejected Christ for the past two millennium and counting will be resurrected and led into belief in him? At that point they will be rendered perfectly Law observant as far as it is possible with Christ and all believers being the sanctuary as opposed to the temple proper. Also at that time forward into eternity they will live in the land of Israel surrounded by all other nations. Also life will continue in a ideal reflection of the past with sowing .harvesting child bearing etc.?

[JehovahsWitness]

Now how could that be true if they were again dispersed in 70 AD and the temple destroyed?

Ezekiel 37:21-28New International Version (NIV)

21 and say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.

Ezekiel prophecied they would return from exile. They returned from exile. What happened later doesn't mean the promise wasn't fulfilled.


To illustrate:

Suppose a man promised to take his wife to Paris for their 25th wedding anniversary. He kept that promise and they had a wonderful time. Could we say he did not keep the promise if three years later they were divorced?

The fact that the nation was eventually rejected because they violated the terms of the Mosaic Law covenant to remain faithful to God in no way negates that they were indeed gathered back(as promised through the Prophet Ezekiel) after the Babylonian exile.

JW

[tam]

Also, if the new covenant is in fact the everlasting covenant referred to in chapter 37 how does this harmonise with Christian doctrine.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV

I don't know what Christian doctrine you are referring to; and I don't know what the issue is with this passage in Ezekiel. Perhaps you could be more specific? Thank you.


Peace again,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

Are you indicating that at some future date all those that rejected Christ for the past two millennium and counting will be resurrected and led into belief in him?

As the passage itself states, Israel will be resurrected (dry bones being brought back to life). In fact everyone (with few - if any - exceptions, that I know of) is resurrected. But all of Israel is also saved. They do not all rule with Christ (though 12000 from each of the tribes listed in Revelation do so, at least) - but they are still resurrected and invited into the Kingdom, given eternal life.

(the second part of that Ezekiel passage is about uniting the two kingdoms under one King - and so that will be fulfilled as well)

At that point they will be rendered perfectly Law observant as far as it is possible with Christ and all believers being the sanctuary as opposed to the temple proper.

The law is love - and that law is written upon hearts, rendering no other law necessary.

No temple building is necessary, yes.

Also at that time forward into eternity they will live in the land of Israel surrounded by all other nations. Also life will continue in a ideal reflection of the past with sowing .harvesting child bearing etc.?

[/quote]

Does the passage state that these specific things will continue into all eternity? I believe these things will happen during the millenial reign, and after that (and after the judgment/armageddon), God will be all in all. I doubt I know all that will happen at that time. Except of course that it will be good, because God will be all in all.


Peace to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[postroad]

Now how could that be true if they were again dispersed in 70 AD and the temple destroyed?

Ezekiel 37:21-28New International Version (NIV)

21 and say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.

Ezekiel prophecied they would return from exile. They returned from exile. What happened later doesn't mean the promise wasn't fulfilled.


To illustrate:

Suppose a man promised to take his wife to Paris for their 25th wedding anniversary. He kept that promise and they had a wonderful time. Could we say he did not keep the promise if three years later they were divorced?

The fact that the nation was eventually rejected because they violated the terms of the Mosaic Law covenant to remain faithful to God in no way negates that they were indeed gathered back(as promised through the Prophet Ezekiel) after the Babylonian exile.

JW

The gathering together and the eternal covenant of peace are a combined unit with God himself through the Spirit acting as surety of their obedience.

[postroad]

[Replying to post 17 by tam]

Unless "forever" means something less than forever?

Ezekiel 37:24-26New International Version (NIV)

24 My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their childrens children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever.

[tam]

[Replying to post 17 by tam]

Unless "forever" means something less than forever?

Ezekiel 37:24-26New International Version (NIV)

24 My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their childrens children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever.

That passage is true. But it does not state anything specifically about harvesting, childbearing, etc, much less that these specific things will continue eternally.

That is all I meant when I asked you about those specific things.



Peace to you and to yours,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy