The New Covenant        

“Covenant” means promise or agreement. God’s covenant is His promise and plan to save us. It is His “plan of salvation.” The Bible speaks of two covenants—the old one, made at Sinai, and the new one, established at the cross. Let us compare the two as we search for eternal truth.

1.      From where does Jesus carry on His new-covenant ministry for us?

        Hebrews 8:1-2 (Revelation 1:13; 4:5; 8:3-4; 11:19)

8:1   Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;  

8:2   A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

At the right hand of God in the heavenly sanctuary.

2.      Where were the old-covenant services performed?

        Hebrews 9:1-5 (Exodus chapters 25-27; 16:33-34; Numbers 17:10)

9:1   Then verily the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.  

9:2   For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein [was] the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary.  

9:3   And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;  

9:4   Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein [was] the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;  

9:5   And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

In the earthly sanctuary

3.      What did Paul call the old-covenant sanctuary and it‘s earthly services?

        Hebrews 9:24 (Hebrew 8:35)

 9:24   For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

The old covenant is a picture of the new covenant. It is the plan of salvation illustrated! In some respects it is like a picture of a man’s wife. The man may show it to you and say, “This is my wife.” But is it really? No, it is only a picture! He may treasure the picture, but it cannot replace his wife. The Jewish nation hung on to the old-covenant “picture” but rejected the One to whom it pointed forward—Jesus and His ministry.

4.      When God illustrated His plan of salvation at Sanai, what covenant did the people make with Him?

        Exodus 19:8 (Matthew 1:21; John 8:34-36; Exodus 25:8)

19:8   And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

When God gave the old covenant at Sanai, the people promised to keep it, and they intended to, but they could not do so in their own strength (Romans 8:3). They should have asked God for help; then the Savior, to whom the old covenant pointed forward to, would have come into their hearts and delivered them from the power of sin.

5.      What was the purpose of the laws of the earthly sanctuary?

        Galatians 3:24 (John 5:46-47; Hebrews 10:1)

3:24   Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

6.      Everything in the old covenant—its people, sanctuary and services, capital city, etc…—represented (or pictured) something in the new covenant established at the cross. Who did the HIGH PRIEST represent?

        Hebrews 4:14-16 (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; 3:1)

4:14   Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession.  

4:15   For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.  

4:16   Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

7.      Who did the TEMPLE of the old covenant, the literal children of Abraham, represent?

        Galatians 3:9, 29 (Romans 2:28-29; Genesis 17:17; John 8:37, 44)

3:9   So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

3:29   And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Christ’s people.

8.      What new-covenant capital city corresponds to the old-covenant CAPITAL?

        Galatians 4:24-26; Revelation 21:2 (John 8:34-36; Hebrews 10:4; 11:8-10)

4:24   Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

4:25   For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.  

4:26   But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

21:2   And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Some people still look to old-covenant Jerusalem for the fulfillment of God’s promises. Like the Pharisees, they are clinging to the old-covenant “picture.” The old covenant was like Hagar. Hagar was intended to be the “midwife” to deliver the child of promise, but she was never intended to be the “mother” of that child. Thus the old covenant was perfect for leading God’s people to Christ and to the New Jerusalem, but it was never intended to take its place.

9.      How did the old covenant SACRIFICES take away sins?

        Hebrews 10:4-5 (Acts 4:12)

10:4   For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.  

10:5   Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

They didn’t. Those who trusted in these sacrifices alone, were lost. The sacrificial system was designed to develop and show one’s faith in the coming Messiah.

10.     Who did the LAMB represent?

        John 1:29 (1 Corinthians 5:7)

1:29   The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

11.     In the old covenant, what was one purpose of the ten-commandment LAW written on stone?

        Romans 7:7-10 (James 1:23-24; 2:10-12; Exodus 24:12; Deuteronomy 4:13)

7:7   What shall we say then? [is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

12.     Besides providing forgiveness for breaking God’s law, why else did Jesus come to earth?

        Romans 8:3-4 (1 John 3:4-6)

8:3   For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:  

8:4   That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

To give us power to KEEP God’s law!

13.     God‘s law was written on STONE in the old-covenant “picture.” Where is it written in the new covenant ?

        Jeremiah 31:32-33, Hebrews 10:16 (Ezekiel 11:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:7-10, 18)

31:32   Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:  

31:33   But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

10:16   This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

14.     What should be our attitude toward the LAW—the Ten Commandments?

        John 14:21 (1 John 5:1-3;  2:4-6)

14:21   He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

The law reveals the perfection of character required, and so gives a knowledge of sin;  but it is powerless to confer the character demanded.  In the gospel, the law, first written in the heart of Christ, becomes “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” and is thus transferred to the heart of the believer, in whose heart Christ dwells by faith.  Thus the new covenant promise is fulfilled, that the law shall be written in the heart.  This is the genuine experience of righteousness by faith—a righteousness which is witnessed by the law, and revealed in the life in harmony with the law. The gospel is thus seen to be the provision for restoring the law to its place in the heart and life of the one who believes in Christ, and accepts His mediatorial work.  Such faith, instead of making void the law, established it in the heart of the believer.  The gospel is not against the law, therefore, but upholds, maintains, and presents the law to us in Christ.

Do you want Jesus to perform this new-covenant ministry in your life and write His laws upon your heart?