As most of us, we probably learned about Jesus when we were children in some capacity. I, specifically, was baptized when I was ten years old. But looking back, could I honestly say I understood salvation? Did I understand the covenant of God? Unfortunately, I don’t think so – and for the next 12 years, I did not live a life that was following Jesus. So before we get into the New Covenant overview, let’s review the Old Covenant.
The Old Covenant Overview
Genesis Chapter 1
At the very beginning, with Adam and Eve, God offered them a covenant. God’s part of the covenant was to create and give them life. Our part of the covenant was to multiply, care for the garden, and not eat of the tree of knowledge. In a Covenant or contract, there are always two parties.
Genesis Chapter 3
Men and women broke the first covenant, and God changed the contract. God cursed the serpent, increased pain in childbirth, took away the garden of Eden, cursed the earth that man would work harder to grow crops, and shortened man’s life span. These were the consequences of breaking God’s first covenant. At this time, God also promised that He would send a savior.
Genesis Chapter 9
There was so much sin on the earth that God removed this sin with a flood. After the flood, God came to Noah and re-established the Old Covenant. Noah’s part of the contract was to be fruitful and multiply in numbers, not to kill humans because they are an image of God and could now eat animals. In God’s part of the contract, He said he would never destroy the earth again by flood and continue being their God.
Genesis Chapter 15
God came to Abram and revised the Old Covenant. God told Abram that he was to have a son, and Abram’s son would be the beginning of a great nation. God’s part of the contract is that He promises a savior will come from His son, Isaac, and his descendants will continue to multiply.
Exodus Chapter 19
God came to Moses and issued the Covenant of Law with the people of Israel. And the Law stated that men would offer animal sacrifices as a substitute for the punishment of their sins because sin must be paid for (Romans 6:23). God allowed them to substitute the death of an animal in place of themselves. And these guys meant business. They took their best, brought it to God, and killed, cut it into pieces, and that blood sealed the covenant. God cannot overlook sin; He cannot ignore sin.
Hebrews 9: 22
In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Out With The Old, In With The New
As we see, throughout the history of man, God has repeatedly come to us and offered us covenants. However, we know that man has often rejected God and his covenants. We live in a time that we are currently seeing most people desperately finding joy apart from God. They are seeking fame, riches, status, and independence. The battle is the same whether you live in America, Africa, India, etc. And the battle we fight is the battle that has been fought through the years. That battle is to trust God or to trust ourselves. To seek after the world or to seek after Him.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
When I was 23, a man came to me and asked if I wanted to study the Bible with him. Nobody had ever asked that of me before, and I didn’t know what to say. So I hesitantly decided to try it over a decade ago. I’ve studied the history to understand why the need for a New Covenant. Each day I try to understand what it means to be free. I look towards The New Covenant for that.
John 8:31-32
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
