There are two main covenants in the Bible, the old and the new.

The typical understanding of these is that God made a covenant with the literal nation of Israel in point of time and at some later point in time the new covenant, made with whoever is willing, came into existence. That is, it came into existence after the death of Jesus and at the beginning of the church.

Essentially, the old proceeds the new and the new follows the old.

Another view says that the covenants should be understood, not as two sequential covenants in time but that they should be understood experientially and individually. What this means is that they run parallel to each other from the beginning of time and each individual is essentially under the old covenant until they have faith and transition into the new.

Either way, there is a lot of confusion about the topic of the covenants and in order to understand them better there are some basic questions that need answers.

  1. What is a covenant
  2. What is the basis of the old and new covenant
  3. When did each covenant begin
  4. What is the difference between the old and the new

What is a covenant? A covenant is an agreement, alliance or pledge.

Before comparing the differences between the old and the new covenant we should realize two things. The first is that the old and new covenants are not the only covenants that God made and the second is that a covenant is not always between two parties.  Concerning these two points we can see them brought out in the covenant God made after the flood.

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.Gen 9:13-15

The covenant made by God was with the earth and with every living creature of all flesh.The earth, animals living in the earth and also wicked men benefit from this covenant and see the token of this covenant, the rainbow. They benefit from the covenant despite having never agreed to any terms by which God demands in order to not flood the earth again with water. God simply makes a promise.It is a one-sided covenant.

This story also reveals our first point. The old and new covenant are not the only covenants that God has made.

The old and new are simply the most prominant and arguably, the most important ones in the Bible because of their relevance to salvation and Gods dealing with humans.

So what is the basis for the old and new covenant? In other words, what is the agreement that was made between God and the people.What were the terms of these agreements?

Starting with the old covenant we go to Ex 19.

In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.EX 19:1-6

There are several important things to note:

  1. This covenant was made with the literal descendants of Jacob (children of Israel)
  1. This covenant was made after the exodus from Egypt
  1. It was made at mount Sinai
  1. It is conditional ( if,then)
  1. The agreement was based upontheir performance(obey & keep)
  1. Gods part was that they would be a favored people on the earth (peculiar treasure above all people)

There is also another important part of the covenant made with the descendants of Jacob.

And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord.Gen 6:7-8

Gods agreement was to bring them into the land of Canaan and establish them as a literal nation above all other earthly nations.

The agreement of the old covenant was that God would do all these things for them upon the condition of obedience.

What is God’s part in the new covenant?

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 10:16

  1. God will put His laws into the heart and mind
  2. Forgiveness of sins

Who is the new covenant for? Is it only for a select group of people or is it for everyone?

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.Matt 24:14

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Eph 3:4-6

The gospel is the good news and the preaching of the good news is the means by which the new covenant is presented to others. The fact that the gospel is to be preached to all peoples and all nations reveals that the new covenant can include anyone regardless of their nationality or race.

This leads us to another question that will highlight a major difference between the two covenants. Was the old covenant for gentiles as well?

No, the peoples that possessed the land of Caanan were gentiles. Had the old covenant been for them as well then they would have had the opportunity to possess the land with Israel but instead we read in the Bible that they were to be driven out of the land.

What is the agreement that those under the new covenant make with God?

Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.Luke 8:12

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.Romans 10:9-10

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.Rom 1:16-17

The part of all the people under the new covenant is that they believe or live by faith. Their acceptance with God is not on the basis of their performance or obedience. Fallen man cannot earn acceptance with God through his performance.His acceptance therefore has to be through some other means, namely, faith.

This does not negate the necessity of obedience for those under the new covenant.Obedience is not the basis of the new covenant but the fruit of it.

When was the new covenant established?

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20

 The blood of the everlasting covenant is the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the blood of Christ is the blood of the new covenant. Therefore the everlasting covenant is the new covenant.

 This verse also states that the everlasting covenant works in the people. The everlasting covenant is the new covenant because the work of God in the new covenant is to put the laws into our hearts and mind.It is the working of God IN US. This is contrasted with the Old Covenant which was based upon outward obedience to Gods commands.

If, therefore, the new covenant is the everlasting covenant, then how is it the new? Why is it the new if in reality it is older than the old covenant?

This is where most of the christian world is confused.They assume since it is new then it did not exist until after the old but the truth is that it is everlasting. And if it didn’t exist until after the old then those under the old would necessarily attain to salvation in a different manner than those under the new. Essentially, God saved the patriarchs and prophets by their own works and not by grace through faith. This is a serious misconception.

Remember that the new covenant is:

  1. The work of God for us (forgiveness of sins)Heb 10:16
  2. The work of God in us (writing His law in our hearts)Heb 10:16

The forgiveness of sins makes us righteous in His eyes by cancelling past sins. The work of God in us, through the Spirit makes us righteous in practice.

  1. Our part in the new covenant is to believe or live by faith in what He has done and will do.

Do we see anybody in the old testament that had this experience? Yes!

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Romans 4:3

The new covenant was clearly revealed to Abraham.

And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Gen 26:4

In the new testament Paul reveals the seed that will be a blessing to all nations.

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.Gal 3:16

The fact that this is the everlasting covenant or new covenant should be seen in that the promise to Abraham is centered in Christ and it was Abrahams by faith. The next verse reveals that the covenant made with the descendants of Abraham, the old covenant, cannot undue the new covenant given to Abraham.

And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.Gal 3:17

Put more simply, the new covenant that was confirmed by the death of Christ cannot be undone by the old covenant, the law, which was given 430 years after the new covenant was given to Abraham.

Now, is the law spoken of here in Galatians the old covenant? Most certainly! Notice Deut 4:13.

And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.Deut 4:13

Once again, we see the difference between the old and new. The old was on the basis of performance but the new is based upon promise.

Did Abraham, understand the larger, spiritual application of the promise or did he understand the promises to be literal and earthly?

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.Hebrews 11:8-10

What kind of country did he look for?

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:16

So although he “soujourned” in the “land of promise”, Abraham understood that that land was not the promised land in the greatest sense. Otherwise, he would not have looked for a heavenly country.

We have already noted that the preaching of the gospel is the means by which the new covenant is presented to the world. And if the gospel was preached in the old testament then it stands to reason that the new covenant was available to them. So was the gospel preached to them?

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Heb 4:2

What other evidence do we have that some under the old testament dispensation received the new covenant?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. Heb 11:1-4

The new covenant is seen all the way back to Abel. It was by faith that he offered a sacrifice.If faith is the substance of things hoped for it stands to reason that they could have the new covenant before it was instituted or a reality if it was the very thing they hoped for and looked to!

Also included in this list of those who had faith in the Old Testament are:

Enoch

Noah

Abraham

Sarah

Isaac

Jacob

Joseph

Moses

Rahab

Gideon

Barak

Samason

Jepthae

David

Samuel

And others.

The important thing to understand here is that the new covenant is by faith and since they had faith in that which was to come then they had the very heart of the new covenant.

With that established, we ask the question, if the new covenant was available in the Old Testament times then why is it called the new?

It is called the new because the two covenants were based on the blood of sacrifices.In other words, it is based upon the time in which the blood of each covenant was confirmed.

And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.ex 24:8

Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.Heb 9:18-23

Both covenants were ratified or confirmed with blood. The blood of the new covenant which is the blood of Christ, was shed after the blood of the sacrifice of the old covenant. From the standpoint of the blood of the sacrifice it is referred to as new. Since each covenant, based upon blood, was not in force until that blood was shed, it is also new and old in relation to when it was of force (instituted).

For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Heb 9:16-17

Those that lived by faith in the Old Testament dispensation did not receive the full force of the new covenant. They only had the promise because it is only of force after the death of the testator.The New Covenant, based upon the death and blood of the Son of God, could not therefore be in force or instituted until after he came and died, although it was available prior to that time.

This is exactly what we see in the gospels because one of the last acts of Jesus before His death was to institute or confirm the new covenant.

 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.Matt 26:26-28

Also, we read in Hebrews that the Old Covenant did not provide for the forgiveness of sins.Forgiveness of sin only comes by the blood of Christ under the new covenant.So, those that lived before Christ had only the promise of forgiveness provided under the new covenant.

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9:15

So all who are saved that lived during the time that the old covenant was in force were in reality saved by the blood of Christ under the new covenant because the blood of bulls, goats, calves and lambs cannot forgive sins or cleanse anything.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Hebrews 10:4

So though those under the old testament had faith and were under the new covenant their sins were not forgiven until Christ died as stated in Hebrews 9:15. Although the blood of animals were typical of the blood of Christ, it did not have any merit in and of itself. Therefore, those that trusted in the sacrifice and ceremonies and in their performance of these instead of having faith in what it represented, did not have the guarantee of salvation.

When was the old covenant established? Does the old covenant run parallel with the new covenant throughout history or did it begin and end at a certain time?

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.Gal 4:22-27

The old covenant was established at Sinai as referenced later on by Pauls writings.It is also interesting to note that during the time of Paul writing this letter, Jerusalem and the temple were still standing and refers to the old covenant to Jerusalem which “now is”. According to Pauls thinking the old covenant was still in effect because of the presence of the city and the sanctuary. This along with other passages negates the idea that the covenants are to be understood only in an experiential sense. Now, the truth of Daniel 9 may not have been revealed to Paul. We know that the 70 weeks of Daniel 9:24-27 clearly reveals the end of God’s regard toward the nation of Israel made under the old covenant. Why?

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,Daniel 9:27

Here in Daniel, we see the confirmation of the covenant. Which one? The one that has to do with the messiah, the new covenant. The confirmation of the new covenant by Christ caused the sacrifice and oblation, along with the old covenant to cease.

If one upholds the correct understanding of Daniel 9 then they must also believe that the old covenant ended at a certain time since part of the old covenant was to establish them as a nation in the land of Canaan along with the sanctuary and its service, which ceased at the confirmation of the new covenant.

According to Paul in Gal 4, what is the difference between the old and the new? The old gendereth (brings forth) to bondage but the new brings liberty or freedom.

Why does the old gendereth or bring forth bondage?

And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.Deut 4:13

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: Ex 19:5

The first covenant, gendereth to bondage because it was on the basis of the obedience or performance of the people.Because the Spirit of Christ or The Comforter was not yet given according to John 7:39, God could not offer the same help to obey that He could to those when once the new covenant was instituted. Furthermore, the people understood the basis of this covenant when they answered:

… All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. Ex 19:7-8

In essence, the Old Covenant is based upon the works of the people. Since, it is impossible to for fallen man to obey in and of himself it was necessary that a better covenant be established.And as we have already seen, that covenant was already available by promise but not in reality until after its confirmation.

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:Hebrews 8:8

The fault of the Old Covenant was with the people. Not because of their unwillingness to obey but because of their inability to do so.

Also, under the old covenant there was a necessity to continually teach each other about God.

And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.Hebrews 8:11

Under the new covenant, all know God, because they have been born of Him. This was apparently not so under the old covenant. Not everyone under that covenant knew God, therefore it was instituted that they should continually tell each other to “know the Lord.

Going back to the old covenant, why would God establish a covenant that was doomed to fail because of the fault of the people? Wouldn’t that be unfair?

First, we already established that the new covenant was available by promise. This negates that God would be unfair. In reality, the only way that they could keep the old would be through the new.Which, would beg the question, why even have the old? What did it profit?

The Old Covenant was given for several reasons. I believe it was to be illustrative of mans inability to be righteous and do righteousness. He would therefore have to rely on another way for righteousness. Namely, that way which is provided in the new covenant.

Also, the system of the sanctuary, the sacrifices, and feast days were typical. They were instituted as a tool to teach them and us of greater realities under in the new covenant dispensation.

While the old covenant is based upon the obedience and performance of the people the new covenant is based upon faith and living by faith in the works of Christ for us and in us.

Here is Pauls illustration between the two covenants that can help us identify the difference.

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.Gal 4:4-6

Another difference between the old and the new is that under the first you relate to God as a servant. Under the new ,you relate to God as a Son.A servant remains a servant based upon performance. Obedience to the commands of the Master of the House. Based upon his performance he receives a reward.  A son is an heir and receives all things of the Father based upon inheritance a gift. The relationship between the two is vastly different.

Were not a servant but a son but what does a son do? He serves. He serves not to receive a reward though. He serves because he is of the same character or nature as the Father.

We receive the adoption as a son. As a Son we have the spirit of the Son. That Spirit is a spirit of service and obedience to the Fathers will because of love for Him in the heart.

Under the new covenant, the Spirit of the Son is the same as writing the law in the heart and mind because it is the Spirit that does it.And it will only do it when we have faith in the one who does it, Christ.

This leads us to one final and significant question. By What was the Old covenant confirmed and what is the significance?

For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. Heb 9:19-20

The old covenant was confirmed by the blood of calves and goats. This is in contrast with the new covenant which was confirmed by the blood of the Son of God. Now, the Bible says that the life is in the blood. Blood represents life.

The qualities of the life of the Son of God verses the qualities of the life of calves and goats should not be overlooked. The life that is in the Son is eternal life but that of earthly animals is only temporary life. The blood reveals the nature of the covenants. One was temporal(earthly) and temporary (blood of calves and goats) and one was eternal and everlasting( blood of the Son). Now notice what was sprinkled by the blood of the old covenant:

  1. The book of the law or the book of Moses
  2. The people
  3. The tabernacle
  4. The vessels of Ministry

This is a revelation that all those items listed were simply temporary by virtue of the blood in which they were dedicated.That is, once the new covenant was instituted and the old covenant abolished, these things were no longer of force. In other words, those earthly items did not translate or make their way into the new covenant.

I am not saying that they do not possess any value. On the contrary, many of these do have tremendous value. But that value is only in teaching us the realities of the new covenant. For example, the book of the law has value in the principles upholding the statutes and judgements. The feast days have value in teaching us of the work of Christ through human history. The tabernacle reveals the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary.

To teach that these things are of force under the new covenant is to rob others of the liberty we have in Christ and is actually seeking to bring others under the bondage of a system that has been abolished. An old covenant mindset.

To summarize what we have seen so far, the old covenant was to the literal earthly descendants of Abraham and the promise was that God would bring them into the literal, earthly land of Canaan and that they would be honored above all other peoples.It centered around an earthly tabernacle and earthly sacrifices. This was based upon the condition of their obedience or performance. The covenant was faulty because of the people. In spite of them, God fulfilled His part of the covenant as seen in the history of the Jewish people. Now, the earth and all things therein being temporary,and the sprinkling of the blood of animals, reveals that this system and covenant were temporary and ended with the confirmation of the new covenant when Christs blood was shed.

The new covenant was based upon better promises, better sacrifices, a better tabernacle, a better land etc. That is to say, it is based upon eternal or heavenly realities which will not perish with the earth. The people that make up this covenant (all nations) also have eternal life. This covenant was given by promise from Adam but was in force only after the death of Jesus.

So while it is true that the covenants were dispensational (covering certain time periods) based upon the confirmation of the covenant, the new was available by promise to those in the Old Testament. In other words, those under the Old Testament did not attain salvation or forgiveness of sins because of the old covenant. They attained those things under the same method (by grace through faith)  but that promise to them became a reality when the new covenant was instituted in time.