In the Old Testament there were Unconditional Covenants and Conditional Covenants that God had made with Himself and with man, for man. A sign always accompanied each Covenant that God made.

The Covenants called Royal Grants were unconditional when God bound Himself with an oath to fulfill the commitment made. An unconditional treaty is to a loyal servant, but heirs would only benefit if they continued in allegiance and service.

A Conditional Bond is a pledge of protection if regulations were carried out but also included loyalty and faithfulness which governed the relationship. Whatever was demanded was to be secured for the reliance of protection.

God Himself confirmed the promises. He, being God, cannot lie, and does perform all that He has promised. God affirms his own commitments to His people and their requirements to Him. Serious consequences result of breaking a covenant oath. There are obligations and responsibilities to be honoured by both God and His people. Covenants mean commitment.

These regulations were given to the Nation of Israel under the direction of Moses when the Israelites were in the wilderness at Mount Sinai approximately 1500 years Before Christ. The covenant made with Israel at Mt. Sinai was a fulfilment of a promise God made to Abraham. The Laws of The (temporary) Covenant was mediated to the people from God through Moses, who was a member of the tribe of Levi, but was brought up in the palace of The Pharaoh. The giving of The Laws were accompanied by signs of God's presence. The nation of Israel inherited God's promises, provision and protection. The requirements of The Mosaic Covenant was obedience to The Law and whole-hearted devotion to God.

• -The people under The Old Covenant were required to bring gifts, offerings and sacrifices to cover their sin and guilt.
• -The Law focused on a physical meeting place where all were called for worship and festivals, all of which were preparing them for the reality of The New Covenant made with The Blood of Christ.
• -The Old Covenant was a hedge of protection around the Nation of Israel for 1500 years. It was a type, a model to prepare the people for a much needed deliverer, for they themselves could not be successful in fulfilling the Laws.
• -These Precepts were limited, the people failed miserably to keep their part of the promises to God.
• -The Israelites kept to external standards, values and rules which were a prototype of the new.
• -There was limited access to God; much of the Laws were added to with man-made traditions and rules and became based on fear.
• -The Code demanded legal cleansing, purification and continual sacrifice to be obedient, for forgiveness was earned by doing and repetition.
• -Man had to be physically involved in the sacrifices to cover sin and guilt.

The Old Covenant was made up of Religious, Civil and Moral Laws for the Nation of the physical Israel for a certain period of time, although some Principals are carried through to the New Testament, most of these were in use before The Mosaic Law.

The Tabernacle of Moses itself, the materials, buildings, colours, furniture, fabrics and all arrangements, including tribal positions, speaks of and points to the person, works and ministry of Christ and the way of redemption. The Tabernacle of Moses is Christian theology in a physical form. The Foundation of the New Covenant that the prophets spoke about was Christ.

The Old Covenant was continually being broken by the people. The Law defined sin, but sin could only be covered, not taken away. Israel's objective was to show other nations that something better was needed. They themselves had sinned by rejecting Divine Love. It has always been a one-sided Love, for it was God who loves His people so much. He forgives them, even when they do not acknowledge Him.

God allows His blessing and mercy upon them, such as living and enjoying all in this world, having access to all of His creation and the seasons by which food is produced, for God is The provider of all things.

Mankind today still lacks the power and commitment to obey the laws of God by himself, and the Mosaic Law which was in place for 1500 years untill the time of Christ, was an example to prove it.

The Old Covenant (Mosaic) was of Law, and was taken out of the way by The New Covenant with Christ of Grace (undeserved favour) and Spirit.

The Mosaic Covenant put in place was never given so that by keeping it people would be saved, but that they realise they cannot keep the law, humanly, but need God's help. Their only hope to receive righteousness before God was through the Messiah, Jesus. Jesus placed a stamp of approval on the Law by declaring, "Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the prophets but I have come to fulfil." (them) Matthew 5:17. Luke 16:16 The Law and the prophets were until John, The Baptist.

Those under the Old Covenant mainly had unchanged hearts. The people, not God, were responsible for breaking the Old Covenant, by worshipping 'foreign, useless, dead, pagan demi-gods', so He promised to put His Law internally on the hearts of people.

The New Covenant focused on the reign of Jesus as Lord in people's hearts, making God directly involved in personal lives. In the New Covenant, God provided a way free from under the curse of sin, which always required blood sacrifice because of God's holiness. In the New Covenant, God declared that the Blood of Christ would be for the remission of sin. He took upon Himself and suffered for the sake of humankind, and never counts those sins repented of, nor confronts people about them again. The Old Covenant was never designed for Salvation, but The New Covenant was and for forgiveness through faith and gives people access to The Throne of God. This has been made personally available to them through trusting Christ, no matter who, the young, the aged, male or female or nationality.

The New Covenant which was promised was mediated by Jesus Christ, sealed with His blood, and is a covenant of Grace, which includes forgiveness of sins, a renewed relationship with God through The Holy Spirit, because of The Death and Resurrection of Christ. This New Covenant fulfils all of The Old, and is an inward transformation. It is a superior Priesthood, a superior Mediator, a superior Sacrifice and is a lasting Covenant.

Jesus was God's Passover Lamb. Passover Festival was the time to announce the beginning of The promised New Covenant, as it was the commemoration of when the Israelites were delivered from the bondage of Egypt. That time was followed by the Old Covenant given at Mt. Sinai. Under the New Covenant all could be delivered from the bondage of sin.

• -Jesus was selfless in giving of His Life for others.
• -This bonded treaty was a reality, not temporary as the Old Covenant was but eternal and with limitless promises.
• -Christ was faithful in His agreement, He did not falter with His commitment in carrying out the Will of The Father.
• -All people need Christ, to accept Him as their deliverer, their redeemer, for without His faithfulness and obedience humans could not, did not and can not keep their bond of oath with God, nor have a right relationship with God, The Father.
• -The New Covenant was inward change, a new heart with The Laws of God written upon it instead of Tablets of Stone.
• -People are accountable to God but with not a set of legalistic rules and rituals.
• -In The New Covenant there is unlimited access to God, based on love and forgiveness.
• -God is personally available to help from breaking covenant with Him through His mercy.
• -Personal internal cleansing that makes a person complete, sins are not just covered over they are removed.
• -Christ's sacrifice was permanent, final, conclusive and perfect. People have a bond relationship to serve and not operate because of regulations.
• -Sins are freely and completely forgiven by God's grace through His love for His people when asked and His Grace is available to all.
• -Jesus proved to be a loyal, reliable, devoted, constant and faithful servant who kept His part of the covenant on the behalf of mankind.

All Covenant Promises meet their fulfillment in The Person of Jesus Christ and most conditions of the Old Testament were momentary, a shadow of what was to come in the New Covenant.

There are many prophecies which let it be known of a New and Better Covenant. The most used scriptures are Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 36:25-28

Jeremiah 31:31-34 NIV
31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, " declares the LORD.
33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Ezekiel 36:25-27 NIV
25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

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Managed by Stefan Kreslin,Last updated August 2017