God set up a certain covenant through Moses, but then fulfilled it in Christ! He then offered us a new covenant — through grace and by the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ rather than our own.
“By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete” (Hebrews 8:13)
The old covenant was based on law and man’s faithfulness. The new covenant is based on grace and God’s faithfulness.
The old covenant was mediated by prophets and priests; the new covenant is mediated by Jesus who is our sole, final prophet and priest.
The old covenant was the regular sacrifice of animals (temporary covering); the new covenant is the one-time sacrifice of Jesus (eternal forgiveness).
The old covenant was outward obligation; the new covenant is inward devotion.
The old covenant was rituals, rites, food laws, sabbath laws, temples. The new covenant is GRACE. Jesus did away with all those things. The were only to point to Him! “The reality is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17)
The law revealed the moral code of God, but it also showed us that we cannot live up to it (Romans 3:20, 5:20, 7:7; Gal 3:24). Hence, we need that old covenant fulfilled in Christ and a new covenant offered to us—the covenant of grace!
