Old is not bad, it’s just old

Every covenant has its purpose and can be utilized for parenting wisdom.  The New Covenant, however, is the standard that should dominate what you do with your children.   It is a covenant with incredible power; a God given arrangement your children will need to draw on in the years ahead.   The first installment in understanding this covenant is the implementation of the Holy Spirit’s power.  

Now the presence of the Holy Spirit did not just all of a sudden show up in the New Covenant; His presence has permeated every generation of God’s children in every covenant (Exodus 31:1-4, I Sam. 16:13, John 7:38-39).   The Spirit’s presence in the Old Covenant, for example, was much like that of a protective mother.  Along with God the Father and the Son, the Spirit helped create for the children of Israel fixed law boundaries, the knowledge and consequences of sin (Exodus 21:12), and a plan of salvation, hope, and faith (Leviticus 4:26, Jeremiah 29:11, Habakkuk 2:4).     The Spirit’s role in the Old Covenant was especially significant because He was an overwhelming presence, helper, encourager, and equipper in this household of Israel’s faith, much like the role of a mother in the home.  David, for example, was closely shadowed by the Spirit ( I Samuel 16:13).   The Spirit was with David when he challenged Goliath; He was with David in his struggles against Saul; He was at David’s inauguration, and He remained with him until he passed on (Psalm 139:1-10, I Samuel 16:14-16, Isaiah 11:2).  Even though there was not a permanent filling, there was enough influence to accomplish God’s will.  The Spirit in the Old Covenant was very comparable the to kindergarten mom who accompanies her child to school, helps in the classroom, escorts on a field trip, is the transportation home, performs the role of dinner cook, tutors homework, and tucks her child into bed.   The Spirit was not any less present in the Old Covenant, but the role of the Spirit did change His position when Christ introduced the New Covenant ( I Cor. 11:25, Ephesians 3:16).  

Why did God surround young Israel with the Spirit and not indwell them permanently like He did the church in the New Covenant?    The answer can perhaps be understood best in respect to a comparable analogy.  Children grow up in the safe confines of the home, for they are not ready to strike out on their own.   But as the years pass, they one day are old enough to leave the home.   They are ready to take all the biblical wisdom, morals and values that are instilled inside of their hearts and minds into the world with their own families.   And that is why the New Covenant came when it did; the time was ready for the Spirit to shift from an outside parenting role to a permanent inner presence (Galatians 4:4, I Peter 2:9, John 21:16).

Parent Application

While raising your children, pursue some of the principles of the Old Covenant for it provides a great spiritual foundation for understanding the New Covenant freedom and responsibility.  A protective environment with rules, verbalized right and wrong, and the daily need to say, “ I’m  sorry, “ are appropriate for young children.  It is okay to progress in your parenting from God’s Old Covenant model to His New Covenant plan.    The big difference though is that your children do not have to wait for the eventual permanent filling of the Spirit; they have a full measure right now if they are believers.   This is of great advantage to you as a parent,  because you have the wisdom of the entire Bible to help you raise your children according to His plan and you have a full measure of the Spirit to help you.   You have a parent (Spirit) still doing His job, and you are a parent doing your job.  

Teachable Moments

In your teachable moment, plan to take a drive with your children to their favorite ice cream store.   But before you pile into the car have them dictate to you the process needed to operate and drive your car to its destination.      Follow their instructions implicitly.  If I am not incorrect they will forget to mention some critical instructions, like putting the key in the ignition and stopping at a red light.  Make it a fun activity, but when you arrive home put them in the driver’s seat and say, “Now it’s your turn; you are the driver.”   Hopefully, they will shy away from the responsibility.   If they don’t tell them the dangers of not being ready to take on this responsibility.   Parallel this driving lesson with the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Covenant.   In the Old Covenant, the Spirit did the driving and God’s people were the passengers.   In the New Covenant God’s people become the drivers, with an incredible distinction.   The Spirit does not move to the passenger seat, He moves inside the driver.   Together, under His control, the car gets to its destination (I Cor.3:16).

Word of God

Exodus 31:1-4 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 3  “I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge,

I Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel anointed him and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah. 

John 7:38-39   “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ”   But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Exodus 21:12     “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.

Leviticus 4:26 Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin, and he will be forgiven.

Jeremiah 29:11-13  11  ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” 

Habakkuk  2:4  “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.

Psalm 139 1-10   1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.            4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all.  5            You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. 7            Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?  8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

I Samuel 16 13-14   Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.  Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord terrorized him.

Isaiah 11: 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom andunderstanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

I Cor. 11: 25   In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Ephesians 3: 16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality. 

Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.        

I Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

John 21: 16   He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”