Insurgency: Arrest of Jordanian Tied to Bondi Attack

The AFP has released an update on how many reblese have been neutralized.  Let's see what they have to say. Will the numbers be broken down properly?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1270260

Government troops have "neutralized" 106 New People's Army (NPA) rebels and their supporters during operations conducted from Jan. 1 to Feb. 26, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Wednesday.

"Neutralized" is a military term that refers to the surrender, capture, or killing of enemy troops.

For the 106 neutralized, the AFP said 91 surrendered, nine were killed in military operations, and six were arrested.

"That is significant (referring to the surrenders). It tells us that sustained operations, coupled with community engagement and development efforts, are working," the AFP said.

In the same period, military units recovered and seized 123 assorted firearms and 66 anti-personnel mines from the communist insurgents and their allies.

About 12 NPA camps were also seized in the same period.

The military said its units neutralized 2,018 NPA members and supporters from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 last year.

Of the 2,018 communist insurgents and followers neutralized, 1,798 surrendered, 93 were arrested, and 127 were killed in various military operations nationwide.

"A total of 1,134 firearms and 531 anti-personnel mines were either seized or surrendered (during this period)," the AFP said.

It added that 149 NPA encampments were also captured from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 last year.

No, they didn't break it down. The last official count of remaining NPA fighters was 780. Without breaking down the number 106 into actual NPA fighters and mere supporters that number is meaningless. Likewise the 2,018 number is worthless. It would seem there are more NPA supporters that actual NPA fighters which is kind of odd to say the least. 

The deadline to apply for amnesty is fast approaching. 41 more ex-rebels in Aklan have finally applied.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1270340

Forty-one former rebels from Aklan province have applied for the government's amnesty program in an activity facilitated by the Local Amnesty Board (LAB) in the municipality of Ibajay on Tuesday.

The initiative formed part of the government’s continuing efforts to end local armed conflict and strengthen initiatives for lasting peace, the Philippine Army's 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The amnesty seeks to provide former rebels with the opportunity to rebuild their lives, correct their paths, and fully reintegrate into society by participating in government programs and advocacies.

"Through this initiative, authorities hope to enhance community reintegration and give former combatants renewed hope for a better future," it added.

Facilitating the application for amnesty were Regional Prosecutor and LAB Iloilo chair Louie Doligosa, Prosecutor II Flosemer Chris Gonzales of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, and 82nd Infantry Battalion commanding officer Lt. Col. Elmar Salvador.

Meanwhile, 3ID commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Samson, lauded the former rebels for their decision to formally apply for amnesty.

“This program is about giving former rebels the chance to rebuild their lives, reunite with families, and contribute to nation-building. We commend those who chose peace and returned to the fold of the law, and the government stands ready to support their reintegration," he said in a statement.

He also urged those who are still in the mountains to lay down their arms, come home, and help build a peaceful and prosperous future. 

The government has also assisted the MILF with applying for amnesty. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1270078

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) on Monday said members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) took part in an "on-site amnesty intake activity" under the Normalization Track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) last week.

The event was held at the gymnasium of Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte and at a training center in Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur on Feb. 25 to 26, ahead of the March 4 deadline set for amnesty applications.

The two-day field intake operation generated 95 applications: 53 from Camp Darapanan and 42 from Mamasapano. All submissions will undergo legal evaluation by the National Amnesty Commission (NAC).

In a statement, the OPAPRU said the event is part of the continuing collaborative efforts between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF following their 37th Meeting in Davao City last December.

"The mass intake increased accessibility and expedited submissions ahead of the March 4, 2026, filing deadline for amnesty applications. The activity included an Information, Education and Communication session to support the informed decision-making of amnesty applicants, followed by the on-site processing of applications," OPAPRU said.

OPAPRU said the initiative brought the GPH-MILF’s amnesty program directly to the communities.

The activity aims to facilitate the transition of MILF members into peaceful, productive civilians and to restore their civil and political rights as provided for in the CAB.

The granting of amnesty is a critical component of the normalization process for the MILF seeking to participate fully in the peace, development, and governance of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The number of ex-rebels applying for amnesty remains low. Perhaps the government could have taken more initiative in bringing the "amnesty program directly to the communities."

Rebels in Agusan del Sur have surrendered citing exhaustion and disillusionment.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1270191

Four New People's Army (NPA) rebels surrendered Monday to troops of the 26th Infantry Battalion (26IB) in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, the military said in a statement Tuesday.

The surrenderers were identified as Alias Prix, former vice commanding officer of the dismantled Regional Sentro De Grabidad COMPAQ of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee; Alias Jeda, political officer of the Regional Operations Command; Alias Front, a member of Squad 2; and Alias As-As, squad leader of Squad 2 of the Headquarters Force NEO.

They turned over five high-powered firearms—three M16 rifles, one Galil rifle, and one M4A1 carbine—along with ammunition, magazines, bandoliers, handheld radios, and medical supplies.

"One of the surrenderers, who served as a political officer, cited exhaustion, hardship, and disillusionment as key reasons for returning to the fold of the law," the Army's 4th Infantry Division (4ID) said.

The four also said life in the mountains had become unstable, with constant movement, food scarcity, and fear of armed encounters.

Lt. Col. Redentor Gilbuela, 26IB commander, welcomed the surrenderers and assured them of humane treatment and support as they begin reintegration into mainstream society. They will undergo custodial debriefing and documentation before being endorsed for assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.

Maj. Gen. Michele Anayron Jr., 4ID commander, said the decision of the four rebels was commendable not only for their future and families but also for the peace and progress of their communities. He urged remaining NPA members in Caraga to be inspired and choose the path of peace.

Now they will be able to avail of E-CLIP benefits which means free housing, money, food, and job assistance. 

In December of 2025 there was a terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Australia. The attackers had recently spent a month in the Philippines. Local officials decried the subsequent labeling of the Philippines as a hot bed of terrorism and noted that the two men visited Davao and rarely left their hotel room. Now they have arrested a Jordanian national tied to that attack. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1270299

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has mobilized its elite intelligence units to dismantle possible terror cells after the arrest of a Jordanian national linked to the suspects in the deadly Bondi Beach shooting.

The PNP Intelligence Group is coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to investigate Mohammad Saleh Odeh, 65, arrested in Pagadian City on March 2.

"We are leaving no stone unturned in tracing the movements and connections of any terror group in the country," PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement Wednesday.

"Our goal is to ensure that any potential threats are neutralized in the soonest possible time; the safety of every Filipino remains our top priority," he added.

Odeh was arrested for overstaying and conducting business without a visa. He reportedly obtained a Temporary Residence Visa in 2023 that was valid until March 2025.

Investigators found he had links to individuals suspected in the Dec. 14, 2025 attack near Bondi Beach, where father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram opened fire during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 people.

"We want to clarify his actual connections with the suspects and understand what activities he engaged in while in the Philippines," Nartatez said of Odeh.

It is not clear what his ties are or what groups he is associated with. Hopefully all of that will be revealed. 

Insurgency: Arrest of Jordanian Tied to Bondi Attack

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Tobacco Hypocrisy

The government of the Philippines has a hypocritical attitude towards tobacco usage and farming. On the one hand the Department of Health urges everyone to either quit or never begin smoking in the name of living a healthy lifestyle. 

http://tribune.net.ph/2025/04/05/doh-sounds-alarm-on-rising-tobacco-use

The Department of Health (DoH) has expressed alarm over the rising prevalence of tobacco use by Filipinos.

In a statement on Friday, the DoH reminded the public that nicotine addiction from tobacco products remained a critical public health concern in the Philippines.

Citing the 2023 National Nutrition Survey, tobacco prevalence went up from 19 percent in 2021 to 24.4 percent among adults aged 20 to 59.

With this, the DoH stressed that tobacco use is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates over eight million annual deaths attributable to tobacco.

In the Philippines, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority for 2023 and 2024 indicate that the top three causes of death — heart attacks, cancer and strokes — are all linked to tobacco use.

“Beyond its association with the top three causes of death, cigarette smoking is also linked to a range of other serious health conditions. These include lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and harmful reproductive health effects,” the DoH noted.

Additionally, smoking contributes to other diseases, including certain eye disorders and immune system problems like rheumatoid arthritis, the Health department noted.

The agency also emphasized the dangers of exposure to second-hand smoke, which is known to cause coronary heart disease, strokes and lung cancer in adults, and increases the risk of respiratory and ear infections, asthma attacks and sudden infant death syndrome in children.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa recently came under fire for posing for pictures with executives of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Co. at a Malacañang event.

Health reform advocates slammed Herbosa for “promoting tobacco products,” citing Joint Memorandum Circular 2010-001 of the Civil Service Commission and the DoH which explicitly mandates that government officials should avoid unnecessary interactions with and not accept donations from the tobacco industry.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, however, said there was no evidence Herbosa accepted donations from tobacco companies.

“If the DoH didn’t receive any donation from the tobacco company, we don’t see anything wrong with that,” she added.

Yet, if people stop smoking excise taxes will stop being paid and Universal Healthcare will lose funding. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/933863/p27b-reduction-in-uhc-funding-seen-with-sin-tax-moratorium-on-tobacco-party-list/story/

The proposed moratorium on the implementation of the Sin Tax law on tobacco products will result in P27 billion worth of lost funding for the Universal Health Care Law, the Anakalusugan party-list said Thursday.

Anakalusugan party-list Representative Ray Reyes is referring to House Bill 11279 which seeks to postpone the existing 4% increase in tobacco products taxes for 2026 to make way for a 6% increase in tobacco products in 2027 and every two years thereafter.

The same proposed moratorium also provides that on years without a scheduled increase in the rate of tax except for 2026, the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Finance, may increase the tax rate by up to 5% in case the actual national government deficit of the previous year exceeds the programmed deficit by an equivalent of the 2% of the gross domestic product of the previous year.

"The ‘Health Sabotage Bill’ threatens over P27 billion worth of government revenues over the next five years- funds essential for Universal Health Care, building health facilities, hiring medical staff, and other critical health services. Anakalusugan party-list strongly opposes the proposed moratorium on sin taxes, also known as the ‘Health Sabotage Bill.’ Its approval would drastically harm public health, burden the economy, and undermine our progress toward a healthier, more resilient nation,” Anakalusugan said.

The group urged the public to oppose the moratorium on sin taxes, saying the "financial loss would seriously cripple programs aimed at improving public health and welfare.”

Anakalusugan party-list said that projected health costs are set to increase by 18% by 2025, making the proposed moratorium “untenable.”

“Removing or freezing sin taxes will cause a rise in smokers across all demographics. Data from the Department of Health reveals that despite the current tax rates, the number of smokers has increased. Halting tax hikes means lost revenue for the government and rising healthcare costs,” it said.

The party-list also cited studies that claim sin taxes deter smoking and the use of harmful products like traditional tobacco, vape, and heated tobacco, while the proposed moratorium opens the door for 400,000 more smokers by 2030.

“The broader economic toll is alarming. Smoking results in P414 billion in lost productivity and disease treatment annually. This represents the untapped potential of our workforce, which is crucial for the Philippines' global competitiveness,” the group said.

“Failure to address these avoidable losses jeopardizes the nation's health, economy, and resilience. Public health is non-negotiable,” Anakalusugan added.

They say removing taxes will cause a rise in smokers but that would also mean more funds for Universal Health Care. Isn't that a win? 

Perhaps more perplexingly is how a local government in Ilocos Norte is treating tobacco farmers. They want to give financial rewards. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1254408

This municipality, considered as the rice granary of Ilocos Norte, is shifting its sight to expand its tobacco industry this planting season to generate more revenues for local farmers.

According to Mayor Joemelle Saguid Go-Sy, a series of meetings with farmers groups are ongoing to encourage more farmers to plant tobacco and help the local government unit (LGU) achieve its expansion target of 200 hectares from the current 123-hectare tobacco plantation.

In return, Go-Sy vowed to reward farmers who can help the municipality get its share of tobacco excise tax.

"For every 200 kilos of tobacco harvest delivered, a farmer will be given a cow, 100 kilos for goat, or an egg-laying chicken to boost their livelihood," Go-Sy told the Philippine News Agency in a recent interview.

The mayor noted that the terms are flexible depending on the needs of farmers.

Rice is the major agricultural product of Dingras, followed by tobacco, corn, garlic and lowland vegetables.

Planting tobacco also has added benefits to farmers because of the tobacco excise tax under Republic Act 7171, which grants benefits to farmers in towns and provinces that produce Virginia tobacco.

Under the law, local governments units that produce Virginia tobacco are entitled to a 15-percent share of national tax collections.

Farmers here earn an average of PHP50,000 to PPH70,000 per hectare from raising tobacco, which has a sure market from established buyers like the Universal Leaf Philippines Inc., the country’s biggest tobacco growing and processing company.

A cow, a chicken, and a goat for growing tobacco? But what about the DOH wanting to reduce tobacco dependence? Rewarding tobacco farmers would seem to not be in line with DOH goals. It is in line with retaining and reaping new smokers who will pay those excise taxes to fund Universal Health Care though. And isn't Universal Health Care a goal of the DOH? Shouldn't DOH encourge people to smoke?

The God Culture: 100 Lies About the Philippines: Lie #48: Maharlika Is A Hebrew Word

Welcome back to 100 lies The God Culture teaches about the Philippines. Today's lie concerns Timothy Jay Schwab's claim that Maharlika is a Hebrew word. As we shall see that is simply not true. 

Tim teaches this lie in his videos. 

Maharlika Origin. Is the Philippines Changing it's Name? Solomon's Gold Series - Part 6B  

38:39  Could Maharlika be Hebrew? Oh, well unthinkable right? Well, let's see for yourself. Why yes it does. The Hebrew word "mahar," same exact spelling, is a direct Hebrew word meaning, check this out, to acquire by paying a purchase price, endow surely, to bargain for a wife. Example "to Wed." So, a bride purchased for a price. Hmm. Who might that sound like? We'll get there. And "lecha." Again, direct Hebrew word, same sound and practically the same spelling. "Lecha" means "to for or of you" indicating possession. Whose  possession? Whose bride? Well, when you review Solomon's Gold Series as well as our Lost Tribe Series the answer becomes obvious. His bride, the bride of Messiah, and she was purchased or  redeemed with His blood. Now, look at this word this is an etymology with an exact match,  exact and abundant history to confirm that. No, we cannot possibly prove out in this video. We do it over 20 videos in Solomon's gold series and then another 20 in the Lost Tribe series. Maharddhika to Merdeka which was actually used in the Philippines not Maharddhika but the shortened version which discounts the original word completely in use in the Philippines. No it wasn't there. Maharddhika is not Maharlika nor is it its origin. It sounds a little similar. It has some of the same letters we admit, but this direct Hebrew makes far more sense as it  is an exact match. 

1:06:01  The real  complete history of the Philippines as the land of Ophir and a Lost Tribes location demonstrates a direct Hebrew etymology. Maharlika is Bride of Messiah as some may term the Bride of Christ and the land of the Lost Tribes of Israel. Yes, we do prove all of that. 

Tim also makes this claim in his book The Search for King Solomon's Treasure. 

The Search for Solomon's Treasure, pgs. 192-193

Maharlika:

Former Name Associated with the Philippines

Hebrew: mahar: מהר: to acquire by paying a purchase price, endow, surely, to bargain (for a wife), i.e. To wed. [238]

Hebrew: lecha: l’cha: lekha: לך: to/for/of you (indicating possession). ]239[

Our Interpretation: His Bride Purchased With A Price

We all know this as a reference to His ekklesia in the last days. Very interesting. There are linguists who represent the general academic position on this word originating in the Sanskrit as Mahardhika. No doubt it seems sort of close, but here is the challenge to that thinking. They have not followed the word’s migrations and evolution which requires one skipping and going back a generation and then changing the word and somehow we are supposed to believe that is logical etymologically.

This word migrated in use to Indonesia and Malaysia as Merdeka not Mahardhika. That word then travelled into Mindanao and was in use as Merdeka but not Mahardhika. However, we are then told we must believe that it is logical to say that the Filipinos took this word back to it’s origin in Sanskrit and made it longer back to Mahardhika and then, transformed it into Maharlika with no historical basis in the slightest yet it is a direct Hebrew word when one audits it. We find it far more logical to acknowledge the connection to Israel and the Hebrew origin of Ophir than to execute such gymnastics which never relate.

How is it that Maharlika and Guimaras both lead in Hebrew to the Bride of Messiah? We will cover this in the prophecy chapter and then, all will come into focus. Yah’s people are indeed in the Philippines. Some of these words have the same meaning in Philippine languages and Hebrew.

Tim claims Maharlika is a compound word composed of the Hebrew words "mahar" and "lecha." Mahar is Strongs #4117.

Solomon's Treasure Sourcebook, pg. 190

Oddly enough H4117 is only used in the Bible twice in a single verse! However, there is another "mahar" which is Strong's #4116.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4116/kjv/wlc/0-1/

This word is used 64 times in 60 verses. It has nothing to do with marriage but means hastily and is translated in that manner every single time albeit using different synonyms. Is Tim unaware of this?  Or did he simply pass it over as not convenient for his thesis that Filipinos are Hebrews?

If Maharlika is a Hebrew compound word how is he sure mahar is Strong's H4117 and not H4116? He does not tell us. He doesn't even mention this word. That is dishonest. 

Tim's interpretation of Maharlika as Bride of Messiah is also theologically unsound. The only Bride of Christ is the church, those united to Jesus Christ through faith, not the Lost Tribes of Israel. And what sense does it make that a single class of people was named The Bride of Christ? None.

The fact is Maharlika is not a Hebrew word. It is a native Filipino word derived from Sanskrit. Crucial to understanding the etymology of Maharlika is how that word has been used to describe a class of people in the Philippines. 

Fransiscan missionary Juan de Plascencia is the first to mention the maharlika class. He does so in his book On The Customs of the Taglogs. Tim mentions him in his video but brushes him off as being an untrustworthy Jesuit. 

56:25 So, where did this narrative originate? Well, Maharlika has been all but erased  in history largely. As what we're about to show you is the very first account of the word in writing. The only contemporary account of the Maharlika  class was by the Franciscan friar Juan de Plasencia in the 16th century. He distinguishes them from the hereditary nobility class of the Tagologs, the maginoo class which included the datu. So, in his account he's saying they were not nobles, they were not royals, and that's the history that we have. The historian William  Henry Scott believes that the class originated from high status warriors, which he doesn't prove either, who married into mega new blood, he doesn't prove either, or were perhaps remnants of the  nobility class of a conquered line. he doesn't prove either. They were not nobility, they were lost tribes of Israel. They come from even the ones back to the land of Ophir before the lost tribes arrived. They come from Eber same that Abraham does. They are Hebrews. So similar high  status warriors in other Philippine societies like that of the Bagobo and the Bukidnon did not inherit their positions but were acquired through marital prowess, martial prowess sorry. So, the Jesuits are the origin of the narrative and  they can't even agree with themselves somehow. Hmm. 

No, the Jesuits are not "the origin of the narrative." Juan de Plascencia was a Franciscan who wrote about the customs of native Filipinos. Native Filipinos are the origin of the narrative. But Tim does not care about accuracy. What is his point anyway? Are we supposed to believe Juan de Plascencia  made up the word and the definition? Here is what he wrote concerning the Maharlika. 

The Philippines Islands 1493-1803, vol. 7. pgs. 174, 177-178

In addition to the chiefs, who corresponded to our knights, there were three castes: nobles, commoners, and slaves. The nobles were the free-born whom they call maharlica. They did not pay tax or tribute to the dato, but must accompany him in war, at their own expense.

In these three classes, those who are maharlicas on both the father's and mother's side continue to be so forever; and if it happens that they should become slaves, it is through marriage, as I shall soon explain. If these maharlicas had children among their slaves, the children and their mothers became free; if one of them had children by the slave-woman of another, she was compelled, when pregnant, to give her master half of a gold tael, because of her risk of death, and for her inability to labor during the pregnancy. In such a case half of the child was free—namely, the half belonging to the father, who supplied the child with food. If he did not do this, he showed that he did not recognize him as his child, in which case the latter was wholly a slave. If a free woman had children by a slave, they were all free, provided he were not her husband.

If two persons married, of whom one was a maharlica and the other a slave, whether namamahay or sa guiguilir, the children were divided: the first, whether male or female, belonged to the father, as did the third and fifth; the second, the fourth, and the sixth fell to the mother, and so on. In this manner, if the father were free, all those who belonged to him were free; if he were a slave, all those who belonged to him were slaves; and the same applied to the mother. If there should not be more than one child he was half free and half slave. The only question here concerned the division, whether the child were male or female. Those who became slaves fell under the category of servitude which was their parent's, either namamahay or sa guiguilir. If there were an odd number of children, the odd one was half free and half slave. I have not been able to ascertain with any certainty when or at what age the division of children was made, for each one suited himself in this respect. Of these two kinds of slaves the sa guiguilir could be sold, but not the namamahay and their children, nor could they be transferred. However, they could be transferred from the barangay by inheritance, provided they remained in the same village.

In Juan de Plascencia's narrative Maharlika means a free-born noble. That contradicts Tim's claim  Juan de Plascencia said they were not nobles. He also writes that this status was inherited through birth and marriage which contradicts Tim's claims. Did he even read what Juan de Plascencia wrote? It seems not. How does that correspond to Tim's alleged etymology of Maharlika meaning The Bride of Messiah? Why would free-born nobles be called Bride of Messiah? Oh, I know. Filipinos forgot their Hebrew heritage and this name is lost to time only for Timothy Jay Schwab to restore this lost knowledge.

The fact is Tim has not proven anything. He has asserted a false etymology based on his false history of the Philippines being a location of The Lost Tribes of Israel. But it turns out "mahar" has two meanings. The one Tim employs is used rarely and he does not even consider the more common word. It is evident he did not read what Juan de Plascencia wrote about the Maharlika. His etymology does not explain why the Maharlika were described as free nobles. Maharlika as a Hebrew word is simply one more lie taught by Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture. 

The God Culture: What Is Covenant?

Having looked at the definition of faith as given by Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture let's take a look at his definition of covenant. Both faith and covenant relate to one another. It is by faith one is grafted into the covenant. But as we saw previously, Tim defines faith as works which means one has to work, be obedient, to be in the covenant. 

What Is Covenant?

 

FOUNDATIONS

What Is Covenant? (Biblical, non-denominational framing)

Here is the first problem. It sounds like Tim is being neutral. Like he is gung-ho for Sola Scriptura. Alas, that is not the case. His rejection of "non-denominational framing" is really a rejection of the Church. Tim is on record calling the Church the synagogue of Satan and claims he is here to restore the truth. 

The synagogue of satan was installed and their doctrines as what we call the early church today but the true early church was wiped out. 

New Sabbath Series Trailer

Any Statement of Faith or creed from the Church amounts to Freemasonry.

So how then do we govern ourselves? Who do we follow? What church do we attend? Is there a denomination that gets this right?

You will never find denominations in scripture. His ekklesia cannot be broken into such. In our age, there are a Remnant of believers only. It is not 1.5 billion but a few in terms of the population of the world. They are one and defined as keeping His commandments. Those come from the Bible as should all of our doctrine.

Any organization one enters is a creation of men. You will notice just about all of them attempt to boil down their theology into a Statement of Faith or Mission Statement of sort. These are meaningless as any Statement of Faith that does not include every letter of the Word is no such. The origin of such practice is freemasonry as the Bible never says to create a Statement of Faith. You will find every False Prophet comes from the church within and has a great resume and great sounding Mission Statement. That is Pharisaism not Bible. If one can whittle their faith down to a sentence or paragraph, they are extremely shallow.

Rest: The Case For Sabbath, pg. 416

That is all more than a little ironic since this definition amounts to a Statement of Faith. Tim is not only using the scriptures but he is using his own words to explain them. That is not much different from the Westminster Confession of Faith which explains doctrines and provides the Bible passages which prove those doctrines. 

Covenant is the relational framework Elohim established from creation to govern His kingdom, define humanity’s purpose, and restore what was broken by sin. It is not a contract between equals, but a binding oath initiated by Elohim, rooted in His character, promises, and authority.

In Scripture, covenant means:

Elohim binds Himself by oath (Gen 15; Gen 22:16–18; Ps 89:3–4)

Humans are invited into loyalty, obedience, and trust, not negotiation

Blessing flows from alignment; curse from rebellion (Deut 28)

Covenant is always relational before it is legal

From the beginning:

Creation itself is covenantal (Gen 1–2: order, authority, boundaries)

Adam’s role was priest-king stewardship under covenant

Sin is covenant violation, not merely rule-breaking 

Throughout Scripture, covenant is progressive, not replaced:

Adamic → Noahic → Abrahamic → Mosaic → Davidic

All find their fulfillment and confirmation in Messiah, not cancellation

This is partially correct. The covenant God has established with men is initiated by Him. However, man is not merely invited into the covenant. God unilaterally enters into covenant with whomsoever he will, namely the elect. To make the covenant a matter of invitation tramples on the doctrine of God's decree and sovereign election. He chooses whomsoever he will and passes by all the rest. He chose the nation of Israel above all other nations.

Deut 10:15 Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.

Amos 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Every Israelite child was automatically a member of the covenant God made with that nation. The sign of the covenant was circumcision. Of course while every member of the nation was part of the visible covenant people not all were actually members of the elect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel (Romans 9:6). Meaning the covenant is much deeper than blood or promises of land.

Here is the covenant given to Abraham. 

Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Note that the promise is given to Abraham's seed. Who is that? Ultimately it is Jesus Christ. 

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

In his definition of covenant Tim has left out Jesus Christ. He has omitted the covenant between the Father and the Son. 

Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

This is called the pactum salutis or the covenant of redemption. In this eternal, pretemporal covenant, the Father appoints the Son to redeem the elect. That covenant is foundational to understanding the Gospel and the covenant of grace. However, this is no place to discuss it as the topic is too immense. See Herman Witsius' two volumes On the Economy of the Covenants for a thorough discussion of covenantal theology. 

The so-called “New Covenant” is not new in content, but renewed, internalized, and written on the heart (Jer 31; Ezek 36), just as the prophets foretold.

Covenant explains why Messiah came, what sin is, what obedience means, and how restoration works.

Without covenant:

The Gospel becomes abstract

The Kingdom becomes vague

Grace becomes disconnected from purpose

With covenant:

The story is unified

Messiah is correctly understood

Scripture speaks with one voice

Shabbat Shalom. Yah Bless.

The end of this definition, that the covenant is necessary to understand why Christ came, is correct but the first part is woefully wrong. Tim says there is no new covenant. There is only a renewal of the old! That's not what the Bible says. 

Hebrews 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. 

Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 

And if Tim does not wish to listen to Paul let him hear Christ. 

Matt 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Yes, the new covenant is indeed...NEW! The old has been fulfilled and is no longer in force. The entire purpose of the old covenant, namely the law, was to lead us to Christ! 

Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Tim cites Jeremiah 31 in support of the covenant being not new but renewed. However, Jeremiah disagrees with him. 

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Tim is correct in noting that the covenant is internalized with the law being written on the heart but that only undermines his contention that it is renewed. The old covenant was with ONE NATION, Israel. Yes, gentiles could be grafted in but the covenant was with that one nation only.  The new covenant is with the world, the gentiles, all those whom Christ has elected to salvation and who he will graft into Himself by regenerating them, drawing them, and giving them the gift of faith to believe the promises. But Tim teaches we are to keep the law and the measure of our law keeping is what grafts us into Christ, makes us righteous, and keeps us in covenant with Him. 

20:05 For us to not keep his law, uh-oh here it comes, is also to not love Him. As if we love Him what do we do? John 15, keep my commandments. Even in revelation what are they found doing at the very end the end times remnant? Keeping His commandments, His law.  Do we love him? This is a covenant folks and it is  the way it works. See that's the way he defines this. It's a covenant relationship. This is intimacy with the Creator.  He loves you that much. He wants to be intimate with you in relationship. Are we in relationship with Him or not?

Sabbath Series: Part 3B. Messiah Kept the Sabbath.

Thus law keeping is the essence of the covenant according to Tim. 

A more Biblical definition of the covenant is to be found in the Westminster Confession of faith. 

I. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him, as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant.

II. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.

III. Man by his fall having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of grace: wherein he freely offered unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in him, that they may be saved, and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life, his Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.

IV. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in the Scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ, the testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.

V. This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all fore-signifying Christ to come, which were for that time sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation, and is called the Old Testament.

VI. Under the gospel, when Christ the substance was exhibited, the ordinances in which this covenant is dispensed, are the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; which, though fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity and less outward glory, yet in them it is held forth in more fullness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy, to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles; and is called the New Testament. There are not, therefore, two covenants of grace differing in substance, but one and the same under various dispensations.

https://thewestminsterstandard.org/the-westminster-confession/#Chapter%20VII

There are only two covenants of God made with man. One is the covenant of works made in the Garden of Eden which Adam broke when he ate the forbidden fruit. Because Adam is our federal head all men are subject to this covenant and its penalty which is death. The second is the covenant of grace made to all of God's elect people through faith in Christ. This covenant was administered differently in times past but is now revealed in its final form under Jesus Christ. All of the law including the sacrifices and ordinances pointed to Him and are now fulfilled and abrogated. 

Tim's definition of covenant is not Biblical at all. It leads one away from trust and faith in the promises of God to trust in one's own works instead. It also presents a false view of the new covenant as being a renewal of the old. Tim’s covenant is actually a repackaged Covenant of Works. Ultimately there is nothing but heresy in this definition. The fact that it sounds good on its face is what makes this poisoned apple so dangerous.