1. Biblical Covenant Theology: Unfolding God’s Redemptive Plan
Covenants in the Bible serve as the very framework for understanding God’s relationship with humanity. God, through His covenants, establishes clear terms of relationship, obedience, and promise. From Adam to Noah, Abraham to Moses, David to Jesus, these covenants reveal the progressive nature of God’s plan to redeem mankind from the fall and provide salvation.
1.1 The Role of Covenants in Biblical Theology
A biblical covenant is a divinely established relationship between God and His people, marked by promises and stipulations. Each covenant is designed to teach something significant about God’s nature, His will for humanity, and His plan for redemption. The covenants are progressive, moving from the promise in Genesis to the fulfilled prophecy in the Gospels. The New Covenant, initiated by Jesus Christ, is the climax and final revelation of God’s redemptive plan.
- The Adamic Covenant: The first covenant between God and humanity, found in Genesis 1:26-30, is built around humanity’s dominion over the earth and the call to image God. With Adam’s fall, this covenant is not voided but shapes the framework for the need for redemption.
- The Noahic Covenant: After the flood, God makes a covenant with Noah, promising to never destroy the earth again with a flood. The rainbow symbolizes God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises, even when humanity remains unfaithful (Genesis 9:12-17).
- The Abrahamic Covenant: In Genesis 12, God promises Abraham that his descendants will become a great nation, and through them, all nations will be blessed. This covenant points forward to the Messianic fulfillment in Christ, who is the ultimate Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16).
- The Mosaic Covenant: Established at Mount Sinai after the Exodus, this covenant includes the Ten Commandments and the Law, which serve as a temporary schoolmaster leading to Christ. It reveals the holiness of God and the moral expectations for His people but is incapable of providing salvation (Galatians 3:24).
- The Davidic Covenant: God promises David that his descendants will reign on the throne forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). This is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the eternal King in the line of David (Matthew 1:1).
- The New Covenant: The final covenant, promised by the prophets (Jeremiah 31:31-34) and fulfilled in Christ (Luke 22:20), replaces the previous covenants. It is one of grace and forgiveness through Jesus’ death, establishing a new relationship with God for all believers.
1.2 The Finality of the New Covenant in Christ
The New Covenant represents the culmination of all preceding covenants, with Jesus Christ serving as the mediator. In contrast to previous covenants that required continual sacrifices, the New Covenant is sealed by the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Through His blood, believers are forgiven, justified, and adopted into God’s family (Hebrews 10:10-18).
- Hebrews 9:15-17 tells us that Jesus, as the mediator of the New Covenant, has secured eternal redemption through His sacrifice. This covenant offers full salvation and does not need to be supplemented by additional rituals or laws.
- The finality of Christ’s work is emphasized in Hebrews 10:14: “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” This perfection is complete in Christ, and nothing else is required for salvation.
1.3 The Danger of the Seventh Covenant
The Seventh Covenant proposed by the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light is a direct contradiction to the sufficiency and finality of the New Covenant in Christ. The New Covenant is one of grace and is eternal, as Jesus Himself declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Introducing a new covenant after the completion of Christ’s redemptive work distorts the gospel, undermines Christ’s sacrifice, and leads believers away from the finished work of the cross. The false doctrine of the Seventh Covenant fails to recognize the eternal nature of the New Covenant and the finality of God’s plan for salvation.
2. The Prophecies of the Coming Messiah in the Old and New Testament
The Messiah is the focal point of the biblical narrative. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible paints a consistent portrait of the coming Savior, whose work would restore the relationship between God and mankind. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of these prophecies, and there is no scriptural basis for the assertion that figures like Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan fulfill these messianic roles.
2.1 Old Testament Messianic Prophecies
The Old Testament is replete with prophecies about the coming Messiah. These prophecies point to a future Savior who will be divine (Isaiah 9:6), will suffer for the sins of the people (Isaiah 53), and will rule forever as king (Micah 5:2).
- Isaiah 9:6-7: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… and the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
- Isaiah 53: The suffering servant, who would bear the iniquities of the people and provide atonement for sin.
- Micah 5:2: The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, a detail that fulfilled the specific prophecy concerning His birth.
These prophecies are fulfilled explicitly in Jesus Christ, who is identified by the New Testament writers as the promised Messiah (Matthew 1:1-16, Luke 2:11). His life, death, and resurrection fulfilled the messianic promises of the Old Testament in every way. To claim that figures like Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan or Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq fulfill these prophecies is a theological distortion.
2.2 The New Testament Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecies
The New Testament directly affirms that Jesus is the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies. The Gospels make it clear that Jesus is the Messiah. For example, when Jesus reads from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth, He declares:
“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)
Moreover, the Apostles continually teach that Jesus is the fulfillment of all Old Testament promises regarding the Messiah. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 15:8 that Jesus came to fulfill the promises made to the patriarchs, and in 2 Corinthians 1:20, Paul says, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him.“
2.3 Theological Error of Claiming a New Messiah
To claim that Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan is the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies is to deny the biblical teaching that Jesus Christ is the only Messiah. There is no room in biblical theology for any post-biblical fulfillment of the messianic role. Jesus Christ alone is the fulfillment of all prophecy (Matthew 5:17).
3. Refuting the Seventh Covenant: Theological Examination of Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan and Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq
Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan and Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq are key figures in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light’s claim to establish the Seventh Covenant. These men are purported to have special divine roles, but such claims are without biblical or historical support.
3.1 Examining the Life and Claims of Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan
Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan, the central figure in the Ahmadi movement, claims to be the Imam Mahdi, a messianic figure in Islamic tradition. He asserts that he is the fulfillment of prophecies, but this claim directly contradicts biblical and Christian theology.
- No Biblical Evidence: The Bible provides no support for the claim of any Islamic Mahdi or figure like Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan fulfilling biblical prophecy.
- Christ’s Finality: As we have established, Christ is the final revelation and the final Messiah. There is no place for any subsequent figure who fulfills the role of the Savior.
3.2 Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq: A False Prophet
Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq is another figure who claims divine status in the context of the Seventh Covenant. Like Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan, he asserts a special prophetic role that cannot be substantiated by biblical revelation.
4. Syncretism: Mixing the Qur’an with the Bible
One of the most dangerous aspects of the Seventh Covenant is the syncretism of Qur’anic and biblical teachings. The attempt to blend the Qur’an with the Bible results in a distorted view of God’s truth.
4.1 The Incompatibility of Qur’anic and Biblical Teachings
- The Nature of God: The Qur’an presents a very different view of God than the Bible. While the Qur’an teaches that God is a singular entity, the Bible teaches that God is Trinitarian—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Jesus’ Divinity: The Qur’an denies the divinity of Jesus and His atoning death, while the Bible proclaims Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
4.2 Theological Consequences of Syncretism
Mixing the Qur’an with the Bible is not only theologically impossible but spiritually dangerous. It confuses the clear message of salvation through faith in Christ alone and undermines the essential doctrines of the Trinity, the incarnation, and the atonement.
Conclusion
The doctrine of the Seventh Covenant proposed by the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light is not only theologically untenable but also leads its followers into serious doctrinal error. By rejecting the finality of the New Covenant in Christ and syncretizing the teachings of the Qur’an with the Bible, the movement undermines the very foundation of the Christian faith. As Bible students, we must hold fast to the inerrant Word of God, reject false teachings, and stand firm in the gospel of Jesus Christ.