This week is the anniversary of my blog. I am starting my 6th year!! I have 235 posts and over 15,640 views. Thanks to all of you who take the time to read my words. They are totally inspired by God as I journey through life. I apply my heart to what I observe [seeing it, reading it, living it] and I learn a lesson from what I see. (Proverbs 24:32)
Inadequacy of the Old Covenant
The Mosaic covenant was temporary and that covenant was used to point to Christ. How does it point us to Christ? It shows us how impossible it is to keep it and the only way to become holy and righteous is to accept the blood Jesus shed for us and remain in Him. Paul said, “if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.” (Galatians 2:21) The old covenant was inadequate for getting God very close to us. Now, with the new, He can live IN us. How wonderful! my mother would say.
It is so simple” When Adam and Eve sinned, they were expelled from the garden. However, God wanted to badly to be with his people he provided a way for himself to live with them again, in the temple, between the cherubim, on the ark. A side note: The ark was the symbol of the old covenant, Jesus is the symbol of the New. However, God cannot be in the presence of sin so people had to clean themselves over and over. Even the high priest could only be with God behind the curtain once a year. God made it possible for himself to live in our hearts instead of between the wings of the angels. He gave Jesus. Jesus is our sin covering. We appear righteous. Jesus is our holiness that makes it possible for God to live with his people again, not just walking beside us like with Adam and Eve, but indwelling with us, in our hearts. However, it is our choice to accept that sin covering or reject it. I accept it…will you? If you accept it, there is no reason to follow all the old covenant rules to make one holy so God can live with you. If you follow the old testament rules because you believe they are a requirement, you negate the blood Jesus spilled and his death is in vain for you. The new requirement is to accept his Son. That is the New Covenant. The New Covenant has only two rules. “Love the Lord God with all you strength, mind, heart and soul and Love your neighbor as yourself.” Will you follow some of the old rules because you follow the New rules? Sure, but you do it because you love God, not to be accepted by God. You do it because you love your neighbor and you put their conscience first and put them above yourself.
- God made an unconditional covenant with Noah to never destroy the earth with the waters of a flood. (Genesis 9:11) A side note: God also gave everything to Noah and his family to eat. “Just as I gave you the green plants, now I give you everything.” (Genesis 9:3) This makes me wonder if they were vegetarians before this time. God does not give them any restrictions at this time.
- Abraham was involved in TWO covenants. One was an unconditional covenant to fulfill the land grant God promised. The other was a conditional pledge of consecration to the Lord through circumcision.
- The Sinaitic or Mount Sinai, also called the Mosaic Law, was a conditional covenant where the people were to be consecrated to the Lord by living by his rules.
- The Phinehas covenant was unconditional. It promised that Israel would forever have faithful priesthood. The heirs only benefit if they continue in their father’s loyalty and service.
- The Davidic covenant was an unconditional promise to keep a descendant of David on the throne. It was not an entirely earthly throne as we find out later, it is a heavenly throne through Jesus.
- The New covenant is an unconditional promise to forgive sins and form a new relationship with the people by writing his law on their hearts. This covenant was grace.
Next week I will discuss how to know if you have transitioned to living like a New Covenant Christian. It is like transitioning from #3 to #6. And transitioning from #4 to #5.
Stay tuned!!
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