What is the New Covenant?

To understand the New Covenant we begin with the Old Covenant. 

Summary: the Old Covenant was an agreement [a deal] between the God of Creation and Israel [the descendants of Abraham]. God promised to protect, to provide for, and to give honored status to Israel. Israel promised to obey God’s commandments, laws and judgments. If Israel failed to obey… blessings from God would stop and instead they would receive curses [punishments].

Deuteronomy 5:29 God knew Israel would not be able to keep up their end of the deal. They did not have the heart and mind to obey. Through animal sacrifice He provided a temporary way for them to pay a penalty for sins and reconcile themselves to Him.

That temporary setup of the Old Covenant was always intended to be upgraded to the everlasting system of the New Covenant. The perfect and complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ would proved the true saving power the temporary system of animal sacrifice could only hint at. Only through the receipt of the Holy Spirit the heart be transformed to love and obey God always.

Ephesians 1:3-14

SPS: to give a comparison and contrast between the Old Covenant and the New itemizing key elements such as: promise, commandment, sacrifice, tabernacle, and priesthood.

God’s word presents the New Covenant as BETTER… everlasting promises, heartfelt understanding of His commandments, a real and effective sacrifice instead of a placeholder, a perfect and all knowing priest with 24/7/365 access to both the presence of God and the believer.

The goals are better and the means to accomplish them is also made better.

1. The Promises

The old covenant was framed around promises from God. If Israel would love and obey Him… He would be their God and bless them with land and crops, physical well-being and health, protection from their enemies.

Numbers 26:53 the promise of the land in the old covenant was referred to as Israel’s inheritance. The land was to be their possession all the days of their lives and then passed on to their children. The covenant also included various laws and statutes to ensure the ownership of the land stayed in the family… the 50 year jubilee, laws of property boundaries etc. The idea was a permanent and lasting possession of material property.

Exodus 23:25-26 the promise of physical well-being, long life, and plenty of children to carry on the family name was great… but you still end up dead. What ever joy and abundance God provided came to an end the day you died.

The new covenant contains a better promise of resurrection to everlasting life and a place of honor within the family of God Himself. Currently, we are His begotten children but after our resurrection we will be brought into the family and given full rights and responsibilities… including our share in the possession of all things, because the God family owns all the universe.

Ephesians 1:11 – eternal life

Revelation 21:7 – all creation

2. The Commandments

The commandments and laws of God hold a key position in the framework of the covenant agreement. Israel promised to obey and do what God commanded in response to His offer of blessings and land.

Exodus 24:7-8 signed the deal in blood.

Exodus 31:19 God gave Moses 2 stone tablets personally inscribed with the commandments. These were to be placed within the ark as a witness to the terms of the covenant.

The commandments represent the mind and will of God. They were inscribed on stone to create as permanent a record as we can achieve on our earth. But even that wasn’t enough.

A law written on stones could only serve to inform about, or remind of, what constitutes sin. Such a presentation of God’s commandments was a condemnation of sin and the proscribed the penalty of death. Note: this is why the old covenant is referred to as a law of death… or as a guardian meant to keep the people fenced in until the appointed time when the new covenant would be introduced.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 the commandments also hold a central place in the new covenant as much as the old. The role of the commands in the new covenant is better because it’s upgraded function is to change the person rather than merely to provide a fence or condemnation Romans 12:2.

In the New covenant the commands of God are active and alive in you through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Through its active power you are convicted that His commands are right and good, you receive courage to move forward in obedience, and help to stay committed to the task.

In the framework of the new covenant the commands of God are actively at work to change you into a person modeled after the pattern set by Jesus Christ.

3. The Sacrifices

The blood sacrifices of an animal’s life were added to the old covenant agreement as a mechanism to pay the required penalty of sin incurred by human beings… God knew in advance that Israel would sin and fall short of the glory of Godly living spelled out in His righteous commands. He wanted a way to restore a right relationship between Himself and each one of them whenever sin came between them and caused separation.

These laws and regulations of sacrifice were added to atone for transgressions against God’s commands until Jesus Christ came to establish a new covenant sealed in His own blood.

Analogy: The old testament sacrifices of a perfect animal’s life were a temporary measure. The purpose of such sacrifices was to be like an IOU… with an IOU a person writes a note saying they will pay the required amount at some future date. The piece of paper has no real value except as a promise of payment in real cash or goods at some future date.

Hebrews 10:4 the life of an animal could never really pay the price for a human beings life. The old testament sacrifices were a symbolic placeholder until the real thing came along.

The real payment of the penalty for sin would be the sacrifice of a perfect human life… Jesus Christ who was without sin [like the sacrificial animal which was to be without any defect]. Christ’s life was worth more than the sum total of all human beings ever created… because He was the one by whom, through whom, and for whom, all of humanity were created… So, He can pay the penalty for all.

Colossians 2:11-14 through your baptism the life which Jesus sacrificed is applied to pay the penalty for your sins. You are baptized into His death and enter into a new covenant written in His blood. The old covenant with its codes of conduct, its blessings and cursings was terminated with the death of Christ.

Until that point in human history the old covenant was the only mechanism for a person to enter into a relationship with God. After the death of Jesus Christ a relationship with God would only take place within the framework of the new covenant. [Judaism]

4. The Tabernacle

Within the framework of the old covenant God said He would dwell among the people of Israel. Like a general among His army, or a chieftain among His tribes God would have a big fancy tent set up in the middle with everyone else around Him.

God’s tent was made of wood, precious metals, jewels, animal skins and it would be set up in a way that symbolized the throne room of God in heaven. Lots of detailed instructions were given to Israel about how this tabernacle was to be set up, as well as many regulations about its maintenance.

The rules regarding the tabernacle were added to provide a setting where the people could come before the presence of God with their sacrifices and offerings. Not just anyone could enter the tabernacle. Only the priests could enter as representatives of the people. So, there were also many rules added for the priesthood’s service in the tabernacle.

Nothing unclean or defiled was to enter the tabernacle area. The priests had to maintain a rigorous life devoted to maintaining moral and ceremonial purity. Once a year the tabernacle itself had to be cleansed and purified through the sprinkling of animal blood.

The tabernacle and the regulations regarding uncleanness and impurity attached to the old covenant were also symbolic placeholders. The presence of God, the creator of the universe, was never really limited to a tent made of badger skins.

Symbolism Made Clear

Colossians 1:27 through the ministry of the new covenant the symbolism is made clear. God dwells within you. This is realized through the Holy Spirit which you receive after you have been baptized.

• You are a tabernacle in whom God dwells through His Spirit [1 Corinthians 6:19]
• The assembly of believers are stones built together temple, collectively acting as the body of Christ to do His work and maintain His presence in the world.

The Holy Spirit is the active ingredient that places the power and quality of eternal life within you… the active ingredient that washes you with the word... transforming your life. Under the new covenant the presence of God is active and at work writing His laws on your living heart and mind not on in-animate tablets of stone.

1 John 1:7; Hebrews 9:13-15,23 the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses the new covenant dwelling place of God.

6. The Priesthood

The priesthood were added to the old covenant to

• Serve in the tabernacle administering the sacrifices and offerings
• Teach the commands, administer, and also enforce the regulations regarding cleanness and holiness within the temple and among the people

The priest was just a normal human being. He lived out his allotted days then died. He had to struggle with personal sins and forgiveness. He was appointed to his office because of his ancestry, from the tribe of Levi, or in the case of the High priest a descendant of Aaron.

Like the tabernacle and the sacrificial system, the priesthood of the old covenant was a symbolic place holder for a future reality. That reality would come in to effect after the death of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the new covenant.

Hebrews 7:11- 8:6

The priesthood of Jesus Christ is not based on arbitrary ancestry but by the direct appointment of God after the order of Melchizedek. It is a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Psalm 110 [quoted in Hebrews].

The new covenant priesthood of Jesus Christ is an upgrade and improvement because:

• His life is everlasting, not subject to death
• His life is without sin, He does not have to overcome and atone for His own sin before He can effectively administer the sacrifice for the sins of others
• His life in the flesh gave Him empathy for our suffering and understanding of our temptations

Where does the priest operate? Within the framework of the old covenant the priest worked within the tabernacle acting as a buffer between the most holy God and sinful, unclean people o Israel. Within the framework of the new covenant Jesus Christ our perfect High priest works within each and every believer and within His church… but there is more!

The High Priest serving in the old covenant tabernacle served in a compound designed according to the pattern of the throne room of God. The High Priest of the new covenant serves on our behalf in the actual throne room of God which is in heaven.

Hebrews 4:14-16 Jesus Christ your High Priest is present in both the true tabernacle in heaven, and in the earthly tabernacle which is the disciples. Offering His personal assistance as God writes His laws upon your heart… also serving as your advocate before the actual throne of God in heaven.

7. Conclusion

Once these better mechanisms [upgrades] of the New Covenant were put in place the old system was no longer needed. The Jewish people were not going to give it up and so in 70 AD. God allowed the Roman armies to destroy and demolish Jerusalem and the temple.

2 Corinthians 3:6-11; Hebrews 8:13

The new covenant is the only deal on the table, the old is gone. To those outside the covenant God says: repent & believe, seek baptism for the washing away of your sins, that you may receive the holy spirit. To those already within the covenant He will give you a reminder at Passover each year.

1 Corinthians 11:25