Reading: Exodus 19
Have you ever wondered, “What's
so new about the New Covenant?” There
are certainly a broad range of perspectives in Christendom as to how
much continuity or discontinuity there is between the Old Covenant
(specifically, the Sinai or Mosaic covenant), and the New Covenant.
One pastor was asked why he has preached through the whole New
Testament in his church, but never preached through an Old Testament
book. He responded by saying that he didn't preach through Old
Testament books because they didn't have anything to do with us as
Christians. This was right after another pastor had just finished
preaching a message about how to preach the Old Testament as
Christian scripture (after all, the apostles did).
Exodus
19 is where we find the origins of the Sinai or Mosaic covenant.
This is often referred to as the Law. Here we can discover some real
distinctions between that
covenant and the New Covenant which is made through Christ's
blood.
And
the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them
today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11and
be ready by the third day, because on that day the
LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
12Put
limits
for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that
you do
not approach the
mountain or
touch the
foot of it. Whoever
touches the mountain is to be put to death."
(Exodus
19:10-12)
Three
days later, when the Lord did come down on the mountain, we read,
“Go
down and warn
the people so they do not force their way through to
see the LORD and many of them perish.”
(Exodus
19:21)
A
constant theme of the covenant made on Mount Sinai is a warning to
not draw near, or come close to God. Before anyone could come close,
and that only once a year by a priest, blood had to be shed for him.
The presence of God was a fearsome place. The
idea of being invited to draw near with confidence was foreign to the
covenant made through Moses at Sinai.
However,
when we arrive at the New Covenant, all this has changed. Instead of
a warning to stay away, we have invitations to draw near.
In
him and through faith in him we may approach God with
freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:12)
Therefore
let us approach the throne of grace with boldness,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper
time. (Hebrews 4:16 HCSB)
19Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence
to enter the Most Holy Place by
the blood of Jesus, 20by
a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his
body, 21and
since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let
us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance
that faith brings,
having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience
and having our bodies washed with pure water.
(Hebrews 10:19-22)
This
is the confidence
we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And
if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have
what we asked of him. (1
John 5:14 NIV)
Is there any doubt that
this invitation, this open door from God to come right into His
presence, is, practically speaking, the biggest difference between
the two covenants? And it is here, in this place of sensing God's
invitation to come right to him through Christ, without any fear of
condemnation, without any guilt for anything we have or haven't done,
that most Christians struggle. When we don't approach the throne
of grace, when we stay away from God because of guilt or
condemnation, we are wasting the precious blood of Christ through
which the way has been made. Let us ever remember,
18You
have not come to a mountain that
can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and
storm; 19to
a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who
heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20because
they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal
touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." 21The
sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with
fear." 22But
you have come to Mount Zion,
to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come
to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful
assembly,
23to
the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You
have come to God, the Judge of all, to
the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
24to
Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that
speaks
a better word than the blood of Abel.
25See
to it that you do not refuse him who speaks.
(Hebrews
12:18-25)
Under
the Mosaic law, we were warned to stay away. We had to stay away
because the way to God had not been opened. However,
in Jesus Christ, God has drawn near to us. He broke the barrier and
has made a way whereby we can waltz into His presence without fear.
Not only will we not die, but rather, we are coming to life itself,
for in Him is life. Let's see to it that we do not refuse the
invitation that says, “Why are you
waiting out there? The door Is open, come on in!”
[For
more on this subject see, What
is the difference between Law and Gospel? (Part 1).] Let us go
through Jesus, knowing He hears and knowing He answers our prayer.
Love the Gospel, Live
the Gospel, Advance the Gospel,
Jerry
