Has God only had One Covenant with the Nation of Israel?

God has only been in A Covenant relationship with One Nation in history, National Israel under the Old Covenant!

 

Are you listing those such as myself and Logos1560 in among that group than?

 

Please define a Scriptural Covenant - we need to understand what we are discussing.

 

A God instituted relationship between Himself and a nation, a person, in which the other party receives the benefit of what God started and finished for their behalf... Like when God declared that he was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, due to Him setting up that relationship with Himself, by the Lord Himself setting it up!

 

The New Covenant was made for Israel, Jeremiah 31:31-34; Revelation 21:12.

 

Actually, was made for spiritual Israel, and the saved Jews are part of that!
Those Jews still living when Jesus returns shall see Him, and shall mourn and be saved by Him, as they will at that time be saying now "blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"

 

One physical nation ( Exodus 19:5-6 ), I would agree.

" But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" ( 1 Peter 2:9 )

God has made a spiritual covenant with individual peoples out of all tongues, tribes and nations ( Revelation 5:9, Revelation 7:9, Revelation 21:24 ) .

 

That's a good working definition. How does it work out in practice?

While the Covenant of grace with Noah (Gen. 6 was personal in that his household was saved by obedience & faith, the Covenant is developed into a general Covenant with all the earth In Gen. 9. An unconditional promise that God would maintain a fruitful earth that required no obedience of man. There were however specific occasions when the providential care was suspended for particular purposes or because of gross sin. e.g. The 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine that took Israel into Egypt, and the plague of locusts in Joel. There are in Scripture many judgmental famines in God's dealings with Israel.

We need to note the terms of the Old Covenant.

Exo. 19:3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, ‘This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.’​

THe Covenant requirements are given more fully in the Commandments that follow. THen in Exo. 24 the Israelites declare their commitment to obedience, and the Covenant is ratified by a blood sacrifice.

3 When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, ‘Everything the Lord has said we will do.’ 4 Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.

He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, ‘We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.’

8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.’​

God is gracious & realistic; he didn't demand perfect, sinless obedience for the Israelites to be in Covenant relationship. He required willing obedience, & provided sacrifices for disobedience.

Repeatedly Israel violated the Old Covenant Law, & suffered in consequence. A better Covenant was needed, the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31.

33 ‘This is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,’ declares the Lord.
‘I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.​

The New Covenant in Jesus' blood ratified at Calvary, and declared to the people of Israel at Pentecost, when the indwelling Holy Spirit was promised to all repentant sinners who trust in Jesus.

The Old Covenant relied on man's obedience, & failed. The New Covenant relies on Jesus' obedience & blood, & cannot fail.

Peter takes up the wording of the Old Covenant & applies it to all believers in 1 Peter 2.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.​

There is no continuing Old Covenant; the rejection of their Messiah by the unbelieving Israelites placed them outside the Covenant they relied on. As Peter explained in Acts 3:

22 For Moses said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.”
24 ‘Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, “Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.” 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.’​