Bible Truths Illustrated by J. C. Ferdinand Pittman

"
BIBLE TRUTHS ILLUSTRATED
rear. That would, at least, prevent him from disgracing the
cause he represented. But in actual conflict he was the bravest
of the brave."
232. At the Centennial Convention of churches of Christ, held
at Pittsburgh, U. S. A., in October, 1909, Mr. W. H. Book said:
"The business of a soldier is to fight. I was in a court-room
one day when a soldier applied for a pension. It was necessary
that he establish his reputation for bravery and service. His
witness testified that he had known the applicant for a long
while.
The judge said, 'Do you know his reputation for service?'
'Yes, sir ; I know he did camp service.' Many who have enlisted
under the blood-stained banner of King Immanuel have never
been in any other than camp service ; all they have done was to
occasionally warm a bench while they listened to a sermon on
'Reasons for Our Existence.'
THE COVENANTS
233. A covenant is a solemn agreement between two parties.
There are many such covenants recorded in the Bible. Of those
between God and man, there are two that stand out conspicuously
and in contrast. They are called the "old" and "new" covenants.
The old covenant was that which God made with the Israelites
when He led them forth from Egypt into the wilderness. It was
the outcome of a promise of God to Abraham. It was purely
earthly, having to do with the possession of the land of Canaan
and the increase and prosperity of the Israelites. The law, with
all its commands and ceremonies, was included and was to be
obeyed as the grand condition of this covenant remaining in
force.
But the Israelites broke away from the law of God, and
"continued not" in God's covenant. Having been broken, it
could not be renewed. Therefore God made a "new covenant."
When a man makes a new will, the former will becomes null
and void. So God's "new covenant" "made the first old," and
it therefore "vanished away" (Heb. 8).
The "new covenant" is infinitely "better" than the old. Its
peculiar features, as contrasted with the "old covenant," are as
follows : It was made in Christ Jesus, who ratified it with His