A Journey Through the Covenants: Exodus, Deuteronomy, Hebrews
“If there is a single most important theological structure in the Old and New Testament, few would disagree that it must be the covenant. Both the Old and New Testaments weave their theology on the loom of history with the thread of the covenant” (Walton, 10). While the Old Testament and New Testament share many unifying values, it is important to look at how Jesus’ death and resurrection altered and further developed certain aspects of the Old Testament. Specifically, the coming of Christ directly affects the use and purpose of covenants. In the Old Testament, the Mosaic Covenant, or the Old Covenant, was a preparation for the New Covenant (Weston, 26). As the first covenant outlines …show more content…
By dying on the cross, Jesus enabled everyone to have a personal relationship with God. Jesus Himself spoke of the New covenant in His blood (Murray 10). While Exodus and Deuteronomy used the blood sacrifice of animals for covenants, Jesus acted as a sacrifice and used His own blood to symbolize the covenant’s completion. Hebrews 9:15 says, “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” The passage goes on to remind the reader that even the first covenant was put into effect with blood when Moses sprinkled the Ten Commandments and the people with blood. As Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant, now Jesus acts as the mediator of the New Covenant. This New Covenant is laid out in Hebrews 10:16, which states, “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” This covenant is spiritual in nature, instead of on tablets of stone (Grant & Wilson, …show more content…
The Old Covenant demonstrates humankind’s inability to follow God and His commands, but the New Covenant promises and ensures obedience is possible (Murray 116). God promises that He will make an everlasting covenant with His people, and they will not depart from Him. The covenant secures that God will not turn from His people. He is undertaking both sides of loyalty for Himself and for Christians (Murray 7). The New Covenant acts as a window into heaven, in which the face and heart of God is revealed (Murray 9). In the Old Testament, Moses acts as the mediator between God and the people. Hebrews reveals that Jesus acts as the mediator. Instead of using the blood of animals to signify the covenant, Jesus died on the cross and acted as a blood sacrifice. This sacrifice symbolized the New Covenant written on the hearts of people, unlike a written treaty or document as shown in the Old Covenant. “The New Covenant is sealed with the blood of Christ. Nothing can ever supersede it. To turn back to the letter of the old is a departure from Christ” (Weston, 59). The New Covenant established is everlasting and
“If there is a single most important theological structure in the Old and New Testament, few would disagree that it must be the covenant. Both the Old and New Testaments weave their theology on the loom of history with the thread of the covenant” (Walton, 10). While the Old Testament and New Testament share many unifying values, it is important to look at how Jesus’ death and resurrection altered and further developed certain aspects of the Old Testament. Specifically, the coming of Christ directly affects the use and purpose of covenants. In the Old Testament, the Mosaic Covenant, or the Old Covenant, was a preparation for the New Covenant (Weston, 26). As the first covenant outlines …show more content…
By dying on the cross, Jesus enabled everyone to have a personal relationship with God. Jesus Himself spoke of the New covenant in His blood (Murray 10). While Exodus and Deuteronomy used the blood sacrifice of animals for covenants, Jesus acted as a sacrifice and used His own blood to symbolize the covenant’s completion. Hebrews 9:15 says, “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” The passage goes on to remind the reader that even the first covenant was put into effect with blood when Moses sprinkled the Ten Commandments and the people with blood. As Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant, now Jesus acts as the mediator of the New Covenant. This New Covenant is laid out in Hebrews 10:16, which states, “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” This covenant is spiritual in nature, instead of on tablets of stone (Grant & Wilson, …show more content…
The Old Covenant demonstrates humankind’s inability to follow God and His commands, but the New Covenant promises and ensures obedience is possible (Murray 116). God promises that He will make an everlasting covenant with His people, and they will not depart from Him. The covenant secures that God will not turn from His people. He is undertaking both sides of loyalty for Himself and for Christians (Murray 7). The New Covenant acts as a window into heaven, in which the face and heart of God is revealed (Murray 9). In the Old Testament, Moses acts as the mediator between God and the people. Hebrews reveals that Jesus acts as the mediator. Instead of using the blood of animals to signify the covenant, Jesus died on the cross and acted as a blood sacrifice. This sacrifice symbolized the New Covenant written on the hearts of people, unlike a written treaty or document as shown in the Old Covenant. “The New Covenant is sealed with the blood of Christ. Nothing can ever supersede it. To turn back to the letter of the old is a departure from Christ” (Weston, 59). The New Covenant established is everlasting and