and the Baal-worshiping Midianite woman that the man had taken for himself, contrary to the law of God. Because of this zeal Jehovah made with Phinehas a covenant of peace, promising him that the priesthood would remain in his family. It appears that he became a leader over the family of Korahites who guarded the entrances of the sacred tent and the camp. Since this was a covenant for the priesthood, it might be considered as part of the covenant with Levi. “Here I am giving him my covenant of peace. And it must serve as the covenant of a priesthood to time indefinite for him and his offspring after him.”—Num. 25:12, 13.

THE KINGDOM COVENANT

Due to his faith and obedience, King David was singled out by Jehovah to become party to an outstanding covenant. It was a kingdom covenant that backed up the covenant with Abraham, for it made certain the fulfillment of the promise to bless all nations and families of the earth. “I shall certainly raise up your seed after you, which will come out of your inward parts, and I shall indeed firmly establish his kingdom. He is the one that will build a house for my name, and I shall certainly establish the throne of his kingdom firmly forever.”—2 Sam. 7:12, 13.

The seed that God raised up from David, and whose kingdom he firmly established, is Jesus Christ. “This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will be king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom.”—Luke 1:32, 33.

The kingdom covenant is of vital importance to mankind, for it insures the establishment of permanent peace upon earth and just rule for all peoples. God will not fail to keep it.—Ps. 89:33-37.

THE NEW COVENANT

Long in advance, Jehovah foretold the establishment of a new covenant to replace the law covenant after it had served its purpose. Since the purpose of the Law was to lead descendants of Abraham to the promised Seed, Jesus Christ, it was due to end when Christ fulfilled its purpose by laying down his life as a ransom. “Christ is the accomplished end of the Law.”—Rom. 10:4.

It was through the prophet Jeremiah that Jehovah foretold the new covenant. “‘Look! There are days coming,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and I will conclude with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant.’” (Jer. 31:31) Jesus announced this covenant to his followers on the night before his death by saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood.” (1 Cor. 11:25) The blood of his perfect sacrifice validated it, putting it into force. Fifty days after his resurrection it became fully operative when the first of 144,000 spiritual Israelites were brought into it.

The new covenant was not made with fleshly Israel but with spiritual Israel, consisting of Jews and non-Jews. “Moreover, if you belong to Christ, you are really Abraham’s seed, heirs with reference to a promise.” (Gal. 3:29) These spiritual Israelites were given the marvelous promise of being made priests and kings with Christ in his heavenly kingdom. Their being taken out of the nations as a people for God’s name fulfilled the purpose of the covenant. The perfect sin-atoning merit of Christ’s sacrifice makes possible for them the fulfillment of the promise: “I shall forgive their error, and their sin I shall remember no more.” (Jer. 31:34) On the basis of that sacrifice their errors and inherited sin are forgiven and righteousness is imputed to them so they can be begotten as spiritual sons of God.—Ps. 50:5.

The new covenant does not cancel the Abrahamic covenant or the kingdom covenant but is a valuable addition to them that makes their fulfillment possible. Although the 144,000 spiritual Israelites are the only ones taken into it, they are not the only ones it benefits. In due time it will cause blessings to come to a great crowd of faithful people.

By means of these various covenants God has manifested his great unselfishness and love, proving that his greatness and exaltedness do not mean he is not interested in lowly humans. Instead of ignoring them he shows them undeserved kindness. The covenants he has made with faithful humans give us hope for a glorious future on a beautified earth. His word will not return to him “without results.”—Isa. 55:11.

Pursuing Peace in the Love of Life

WHAT person in his right mind does not love life and want to see good days? Without life we could not enjoy anything. However, life without peace would not have good days. Peace with whom? Peace, first of all, with God. Why so? Because without it peace with one’s fellow man would not be possible. It is because men today are not concerned with making peace with God that there is so little peace between them.—1 Pet. 3:8-12.a

As dedicated Christians we have made peace with God, have become reconciled to him; now we want to pursue peace with our fellow creatures both outside and within the Christian congregation. To this end we must make our minds over. All old-world notions about one race or nation as being superior to others must be got rid of. Jesus Christ by his sacrifice did not break down the barriers or wall between Jew and Gentile only to let us raise others, but so that all his followers throughout the earth might be united in one fold.—Eph. 2:11-18; Col. 3:11.

Greatly helping us in the pursuit of peace are the Kingdom, established in 1914, and the theocratic rule set up among us in 1938. How so? Because even as, when there was a king in Israel, men could no longer do what was right in their own eyes, so the Kingdom’s establishment brought stricter supervision, especially from 1919 onward. And since 1938 the inequalities that existed among God’s people world-wide have been done away with by the fulfillment of Isaiah 60:17.

Exercising self-control is imperative to our pursuing peace. “Safeguard your tongue against what is bad, and your lips against speaking deception.” We may not pay back injury for injury and reviling for reviling but must attempt to bestow a blessing, remembering that “an answer, when mild, turns away rage.” We simply have to refrain from all provocative speech.—Ps. 34:13; Prov. 15:1.

Nor may we overlook the need of praying for peace. If we really have the good of God’s organization at heart we will heed the psalmist’s words: “Ask for the peace of Jerusalem. Those loving you will be free from care. May peace continue within your rampart . . . For the sake of my brothers and my companions I will now speak: ‘May there be peace within you.’” That such prayer for peace is fruitful the apostle Paul shows: “By prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God, and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.”—Ps. 122:6-8; Phil. 4:6, 7.

No doubt the best way to pursue peace is by our “always having plenty to do in the work of the Lord.” Peace with God and our fellow man does not mean laziness, careless ease or inactivity. Far from it! At peace among ourselves we go forth with our “feet shod with the equipment of the good news of peace,” and say, in effect, to the householders we meet, “May this house have peace.” We urge all who will hear to make peace with God. Pursuing peace also means being kind and tactful when presenting the message and particularly when coming face to face with opposition. This is a most joyful work, for “those counseling peace have rejoicing.”—1 Cor. 15:58; Eph. 6:15; Luke 10:5; Prov. 12:20.