Covenant - With Moses
"After they had set out from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to tell the house of Jacob and explain to the sons of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine." Exodus 19:2-5
Continuing with this series on covenants*, we will next talk about what very well is the Old Covenant, or the Old Testament Covenant.
Old Covenant
So what is this Old Testament Covenant? Well, it is not unlike the 3 covenants that we have discussed previously in this series, but is much more complex.
For one, it is about the fulfillment of God's prophecy to Abraham -- deliverance of God's chosen people (Genesis 15:13-14, the exodus) -- God showing them He is God.
It is the giving of the law -- the 10 commandments (and the other commands).
It is about the Old Testament rituals and of course there is another sign from above (the tablets of stone with writings downloaded from a cloud).
The Ten Commandments
"And God spoke all these words:
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens above, on the earth beneath, or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not coveth your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:1-17
These 17 verses make up the Old Testament Covenant Law, given through Moses, otherwise known as the well-known but no one has ever kept 10 Commandments.
And More Commandments
But these weren't the only commands, as there were much more, more rules, rituals and regulations given.
And even those didn't seem enough, as throughout the succeeding generations, Old Testament religious leaders made up hundreds of more laws, rules and regulations. And all of these laws were still in place when Jesus was born in the City of David that first Christmas morning.
It is interesting to note that God would also make a Covenant (pledge or agreement) with David. And that Jesus would be the embodiment of the New Covenant or the New Testament Covenant -- the promised Messiah who would come down from heaven almost 2,000 years after Moses. These two remaining covenants we will discuss in the next messages of this series.
*Covenants Series
-With Adam
-With Noah
-With Abraham
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to tell the house of Jacob and explain to the sons of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine." Exodus 19:2-5
Continuing with this series on covenants*, we will next talk about what very well is the Old Covenant, or the Old Testament Covenant.
Old Covenant
So what is this Old Testament Covenant? Well, it is not unlike the 3 covenants that we have discussed previously in this series, but is much more complex.
For one, it is about the fulfillment of God's prophecy to Abraham -- deliverance of God's chosen people (Genesis 15:13-14, the exodus) -- God showing them He is God.
It is the giving of the law -- the 10 commandments (and the other commands).
It is about the Old Testament rituals and of course there is another sign from above (the tablets of stone with writings downloaded from a cloud).
The Ten Commandments
"And God spoke all these words:
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens above, on the earth beneath, or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not coveth your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:1-17
These 17 verses make up the Old Testament Covenant Law, given through Moses, otherwise known as the well-known but no one has ever kept 10 Commandments.
And More Commandments
But these weren't the only commands, as there were much more, more rules, rituals and regulations given.
And even those didn't seem enough, as throughout the succeeding generations, Old Testament religious leaders made up hundreds of more laws, rules and regulations. And all of these laws were still in place when Jesus was born in the City of David that first Christmas morning.
It is interesting to note that God would also make a Covenant (pledge or agreement) with David. And that Jesus would be the embodiment of the New Covenant or the New Testament Covenant -- the promised Messiah who would come down from heaven almost 2,000 years after Moses. These two remaining covenants we will discuss in the next messages of this series.
*Covenants Series
-With Adam
-With Noah
-With Abraham
Comments
Post a Comment