Pastor Ryan kicks off a new series where we look at how the New Testament (New Covenant) radically changes how we interact with God.

Most people are familiar with the Old and New Testaments in the Bible, but do you understand everything that changed from one to the other?  If you see both haves as the equal in how they are to be applied in your life, you may run into a problem plaguing many Christians today: they live in a New Testament world, as Old Testament Christians. That’s what this series is going to teach us to correct.  THIS NOT THAT will show you how sacrifice, the temple, and priests all changed to THIS from THAT.  

And I know, some of you may be thinking, BORING… but I promise, understanding these changes actually brings the old testament to life as you see how it foreshadowed what Jesus came to do.

Today we are going to look at the big picture of this difference between the testaments: the change in covenant. A word we don’t often use, covenant is like a promise between two sides, like a treaty.  

Covenants in the Old Testament

Now when we look at the Bible, we see that God began to make covenants, promises, first with Adam, Noah, and Abraham.  But the bulk of the Old Testament focuses on the covenant God made with Moses and the Israelites after he led them out of Egypt.

3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Exodus 19:3-6

And now the next 4 chapters include the 10 commandments and all the laws the Israelites were to keep, including rules on how to handle servants, what to do when a person injures another person or damages private property.  It included laws for how to treat one another and how to take care of the poor by showing mercy. It also taught them how to connect with God – by following Sabbath, remembering certain festivals, and offering sacrifices. And at the end of this section which is later referred to as the Book of the Covenant,  we read this:

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.” 8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Exodus 24:7-8

As you continue reading the story of the Israelites, within days of receiving this law, they make an idol and worship it.  And then they fail to trust God will lead them into the Promised land when they hear about how tall the people in the land are.  So God leads them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, until all the adults who sinned against God after receiving the covenant have died off.  And then in the book of Deuteronomy, God gives the law a 2nd time, thats what the word Deuteronomy means – 2nd law.  And at the end of receiving the covenant AGAIN, Moses tells the people:

15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. Deuteronomy 30:15-18

You see, the Old Testament tied blessings and curses to your adherence to the law.  If… Then.  And we see that played out all through the remaining pages of t