Old And New Covenant

The Old Covenant

God created a covenant with Israel to bring Him glory. The covenant stated that if they did what He said, He would bless them.

The initiation of the old covenant

God had led the nation of Israel out of captivity from Egypt. He had displayed his power in this miraculous deliverance. Now He was going to show them how to live for Him, so they could be a lighthouse to the rest of the world of how to bring glory to God. We see this in

3 Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My [a]own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him. 8 All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” And Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord.

God told the people that He was going to establish a covenant with them. If they would fulfill their part of obedience, then they would be His own possession. The people said they would do everything the Lord commanded

The proclamation of the old covenant

In God tells them everything they have to do. He gives them the ten commandments in chapter 20. In chapter 21 He gives them the ordinance on how to live with others and personal injuries. In chapter 22-23 He tells them about property rights and sundry laws.

This is God’s instructions on how to live life the way He wants them to live it. The instructions are good and wholesome. They are right in nature. However they are difficult to live out.

The acceptance of the old covenant

The people hear and understand the covenant and agree to it in .

3 Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the Lord and all the [a]ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!”4 Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar [b]at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has [c]made with you [d]in accordance with all these words.”

The people hear the covenant and in their excitement they agree to do everything the Lord ask them to do. They did not consider their ability to do it.

The transgression of the old covenant

In while moses is getting the covenant in writing the nation of Israel break the covenant.

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us [a]a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 Aaron said to them, “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “[b]This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” 6 So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go [c]down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘[d]This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’”

The nation of Israel couldn’t even get the covenant in writing before the transgressed it.

The old covenant was never meant to be fulfilled by Israel.

God knew that the nation of Israel would break the covenant so he gave them the tabernacle to serve as a foreshadow of the knew covenant in Christ. Man cannot fulfill a covenant with God. Only God can fulfill a covenant. The law was not given for the purpose of salvation, but for the purpose of revealing that everyone needs a savior.

The New Covenant

He will write the laws on their hearts and mind

God will give people understanding of His law. He gives the ability to retain and recall them when necessary. He will give people a love for His law and a desire to obey them.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is [a]born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

A person that belongs to Christ desires to please God. This person will know God’s word and strive to live according to it. The word of God is a joy to the believer. They crave it and know it.

Practically speaking, a person that belongs to God and knows His Word, will instinctively live according to it. When you face a decision, God will give you direction by using His Word. He will make His word an obvious answer in your situation.

God uses His word to guide our lives.

He will be our God and we will be His people

Through Christ we are adopted into the family of God.

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery [g]leading to fear again, but you have received [h]a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Through Christ we are adopted into God’s Family. God is our Father! We are heirs to the kingdom. This means we are royalty.

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

It is only those who accept Jesus Christ that have the right to be children of God.

We will not teach one another “know the Lord”

We will know the Lord by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

“But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.

We know we belong to the Lord from these characteristics

Conviction - When we transgress the law that is written on our heart the Holy Spirit will convict us.

The Spirit will guide us into all truth - The Holy Spirit will teach us the truths about God’s word. Christians understand the word of God deeper than unbelievers. Unbelievers see the logical and intellectual properties of the word. The Holy Spirit reveals the deep truth of God’s word. 14 But [a]a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually [b]appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

The Spirit discloses Christ and what is to come - The believer knows that Christ is the Son of God and that He is going to return and receive the children of God.

God will remember our sin no more

Jesus paid the price for our sins. The wrath of God that was due to us, He poured onto His Son at the cross. Jesus

Jesus paid the price for our sin. The wrath of God that was due to us was poured out onto Jesus at the cross. He bore our guilt and our shame and took our punishment. He is the sacrificial lamb that takes away the sins of the world.

Jesus is the only one that can take away your sin. You can’t make up for it. You must put your faith in Jesus Christ.

In order to enter into the new covenant you must come through the blood of Christ!