In the first part of this study, we confirmed that there is indeed a new covenant in Jesus. In the second part, we saw some of the things that stayed the same between the old and new covenants. In this final part, we will look at what has changed and what it means for us.

It is interesting that, so far, quite a bit about the new covenant is the same as the old covenant. Not as much has changed as some have claimed. Of course, God did say He wouldn’t alter it or defile it (Psalm 89:34). However, there is one aspect of the former covenant that was changed, though not removed, in the new covenant. Our first hint is in Jesus’ statement that the new covenant would be “in His blood” (Luke 20:22; Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24). Thus, the answer to what is new about the covenant can only found in His blood.

As we had learned in the last blog, Jesus’ statement has led some to believe that His death made an end to the law and obedience. However, we also saw how neither of those had changed at the cross. So what has changed?

To begin, we go to this interesting passage in Exodus: “Then [Moses] took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. and they said, ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.’ And Moses took the blood [from the animal sacrifice – see verses 5, 6] and threw it on the people and said, ‘Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance to all these words’” (Exodus 24:7, 8 – notes and emphasis mine).

According to this passage, one of the aspects of the old covenant was that it was inaugurated through the blood of animals. We find this same idea written in Hebrews 9:18–22, where the author makes the concluding statement, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” It is no coincidence that, at both the beginning of the first (old) covenant as well as the start of the new covenant, there is mention of the “blood of the covenant.” In the old covenant, it was the blood of animals. Therefore, it is Jesus’ blood makes the new covenant new.

This change was prophesied long ago. In a messianic prophecies found in Isaiah 42:6 and 49:8, it says the Messiah would be given “as a covenant for the people.” In other words, Jesus, the Messiah, would become the covenant to us. Another interesting messianic prophecy is found in Daniel 9:27—“He will confirm a covenant with many for one week. In the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering.” This may seem confusing at first, but should become clearer as we look at what Jesus did.

We know that the Last Supper was to symbolize His death, and it would be on the cross where His blood would be shed. So how could this change the covenants? (Again, we established that Jesus did not do away with the law on the cross, but rather our debt.)

As we learned, the sacrifice of animals was necessary during the old covenant. In fact, the whole sacrificial system, including the priesthood, was for forgiveness under that covenant. The priests would mediate on behalf of the people by presenting their sacrifices before God inside the Holy Place. However, that system was obviously flawed. Besides the fact that God promised to make a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34), it was mediated by men who were temporary (they died), and flawed (they sinned), and the paid by insufficient blood (animals—which cannot pay man’s debt of sin). Then Jesus died and everything changed.

When He died, the temple curtain (that separated the Holy and Most Holy Places) was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 25:51). This very direct miracle interrupted the sacrifices, but for a moment, because a greater sacrifice had taken place. But, Jesus didn’t die because of His sins, but He died for our sins (Isaiah 53:5)! He became the sacrifice for us.

Instead of relying on the blood of animals, Jesus presents His own blood as payment. “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:12–15).

Not only did Jesus become the payment of the new covenant, but also the mediator. Psalms 110:4 (a messianic prophecy) said that Jesus would be “a priest forever.” As a result of Jesus’ sacrifice—and resurrection!—all of the flaws of the old covenant were covered. As Hebrews 7:23–25 says, “The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost, those who draw dear to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

It is in this way that there is a new covenant in Jesus: His sacrifice and priesthood makes the first one obsolete (Hebrews 8:13). No longer do we need to sacrifice animals for our sins—Jesus paid it all! No longer do we need a human priest to mediate on our behalf—Jesus is our High Priest! This means that after three and a half years of ministry (half of seven), Jesus ended the need for sacrifices and offerings, by becoming the offering. This is what makes the new covenant new. What changed was our payment and our priest.

Did you notice that when Israel entered into the covenant with God, in Exodus 24, Moses poured the blood on the people (I know, gross isn’t it?). They started their relationship covered in the “blood of the covenant.” After the cross, we are to start our relationship with God covered completely in Jesus blood.

Yes, the new covenant is much better. Not because it might have done away with all the rules and requirements—because when you love God, His “rules” are not burdensome (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3). It is better because it is 100% effective. Because His sacrifice covers sins committed under the new and the old covenants. Because Jesus, our Creator, is our Sacrifice, our Savior, and our Mediator. The new covenant in Jesus’ blood is greater because it is the only way eternal life is possible. Praise God for the new covenant!

In an upper room, hours before He would be crucified, Jesus was eating what many refer to as the Last Supper with His disciples. During that meal, Jesus took a couple of items from the meal and told His disciples how they would now symbolize aspects of His soon sacrifice: broken bread and poured out drink. As He took the cup and presented it to His disciples, He said something very interesting, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20). He told them that there was a new covenant in His blood.

His statement has brought out some very interesting ideas as to what the new covenant is and what it has replaced, or done away with. Needless to say, not all of the ideas that are taught agree with each other. It is easy to think that we can just pick one that sounds most logical (or suits our current thinking), but I am learning that merely choosing a side based on my own wisdom isn’t being a good student of scripture. I need to study for myself (like the Bereans of Acts 17:10, 11) and see what God says about the subject. So I did.

In order to keep this blog from becoming huge (it was a big study), I will share what I have learned over the next few blogs. In this one, I will start where I began with my own study by asking, if there is a new covenant, what was the old covenant?

First, a covenant in the Bible is an agreement between two people. In most cases in the Bible, two individuals are involved with each party having some requirements to hold up their end of the covenant. Once a covenant had been entered into, it could be broken (and often was) but breaking it came with consequences.

Now, of the many covenants of the Bible, not many really impact us today. There are covenants between two humans: Like the one between Laban and Jacob (Genesis 31:44 — however, this one was made based on lack of trust), or the one between Jonathan and David (1 Samuel 18:3).

There are also a few covenants mentioned between God and individuals: God made a covenant with Noah for deliverance from the flood (Genesis 6:18); He made a covenant with Abraham promising to make him a father of nations (Genesis 17:2, 4); and He made a covenant with Phinehas promising a permanent priesthood (Numbers 25:12, 13).

Finally, there are covenants made between God and a group of people (mainly the Israelites – see Exodus 31:16, 19 and 34:10 for examples). He made only two covenants that impacted all of mankind, one of which was promising to not destroy mankind again by a flood (Genesis 9:9–17). Yet, could any of these covenants be made new with Jesus’ sacrifice? How could they? None of these were impacted by the cross (ie: Jesus didn’t die to keep a flood from happening again).

However, the other covenant God made that impacts all of mankind is often missed. At first glance, it appears to be made with an individual, Abraham. However, it is also made with his offspring (some translations say “seed”). It may be easy to assume that Abraham’s offspring simply refers to the Israelites, but we must remember Galatians 3:29 — “And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.” Abraham’s offspring represents all who follow God as Abraham did—in faith. This covenant was not made with a specific nation, or a specific blood-line, but with all who chose to walk with God. In fact, as we read it, we will realize that entering into this covenant is entering into a relationship with God.

The foundation of this covenant is first mentioned in Genesis 17:7 – “And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offsprings after you.”

In this covenant God says, “I will be your God.” It is a covenant of relationship. And this covenant language continues throughout the Bible (here are a few examples):

• Deuteronomy 29:12, 13 – “…that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the Lord your God, which the Lord your God is machine with you today, that He may establish you today as His people, and that He may be your God, as He promised you, and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
• Jeremiah 24:7 – “I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.”
• Ezekiel 37:23, 26, 27 – “… I will save them from all the backsliding in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. … I will make a covenant of peace with them … My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
• Zechariah 10:6 – “…and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

Why do I believe that this covenant is the covenant that is made new? Besides the frequency of its language (especially when connected to a covenant) throughout scripture, notice what Jeremiah 31:31–33 says: “Behold the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that i made with their fathers … For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (emphasis mine).

Here is God’s promise to make a new covenant and notice how the language is very similar. We can already see some differences, yet the underlying relationship language is the same as the covenant made with Abraham. In addition, in Hebrews 8, when talking about the new covenant replacing the old covenant, the writer quotes this very passage!

Finally, this is what the last book in the Bible has to say: Revelation 21:3 – “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘behold the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” When all is said and done—when sin is no more and the earth is made new—this is the relationship God will have with His people. It’s the same relationship spoken of in the original covenant with Abraham and his offspring.