This is the 5th post in a series titled “Leaving Adventism”.  For the previous post please click HERE.

In the book of Jeremiah we find an interesting passage where it is prophesied that:

• A new covenant would be made
• It would not be like the old covenant
• That the old covenant was broken

In the future I intend to blog on what it means for the old covenant to have been broken, to do this I will have to post scripture on covenant theology.   But for now just accept the text on its own for what it is saying.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord , when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the  Lord .  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord : I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord ,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the  Lord . For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jer 31:31-34 ESV

Notice the words “not like” in the above passage.  There are some SDA I have spoken with that will say that the law written on our hearts is the ten commandments.  But this isn’t stated in the text at all.  Besides that, why would we assume that “not like” means “same as”.  We should be expecting a very different Covenant.  Which is what Jesus did.

“And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22:20 ESV

In Hebrews we see the author actually quotes the Jeremiah 31 prophecy.  And then  declares it fulfilled with the new covenant.

“For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts ,and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord, ’for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.Heb 8:8-13 ESV

Remember that I said SDA teach the law written on our hearts is the Ten Commandments?  Well we will find just a few verses later in the above passage that this is impossible.

“Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.  For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. ; Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, ; having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.” Heb 9:1-4 ESV

There really is no escaping this, since verse 4 above plainly identifies the ten commandments as part of the old Covenant, we know they are obsolete too!

There really is just no getting around the word “obsolete”.  The ramifications of this on Adventist doctrine cannot be ignored.  Among many conclusions we are certain of the following:

• With the Sabbath only being taught prescriptively in the old covenant and never in the New, this means that the 7th day Sabbath is now obsolete.
• Which of course means the Sabbath cannot be the Seal of God in Revelation.
• It therefore follows logically that going to church on Sunday cannot be the mark of the beast either.
• Also, it is perfectly legal to eat pork, lobster, and shrimp.  You can even drink coffee in public if you want.  None of these things are forbidden in the New Covenant.