Musing – What’s the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant?

 Hebraic Musing – What’s the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant?

Or, what’s the difference between the first half and the second half of our beloved Bible?

Before God made the Old Covenant through Moses, he made a promise to his people through Abraham.  This promise was a prophecy in Genesis looking to the New Covenant where God concluded with - He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Genesis 15:5 NIV

Later in the Old Testament, long before Jesus was born, Jeremiah wrote a more direct prophecy about the new covenant as declarations from the LORD: “The time is coming, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.  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.  This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time.  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.” Jeremiah 31:31–33 NIV

Key difference, because in the old covenant, God wrote his law on tablets of stone.  Now, under the new covenant, given through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit writes His law on the hearts of His people.  Jesus instituted the new covenant at the Last Supper when he told his disciples - “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Luke 22:20 NIV

The old covenant wasn’t defective, it just wasn’t meant to continue forever.  There was something greater coming, the new covenant through Christ’s redemptive work.  The old covenant was given for a limited time and purpose.

And I like Paul’s clarification.  “I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Galatians 3:2   So the purpose of the Old Covenant, or the law was to lead us to Christ.  It was like a schoolmaster, teaching God’s people to look ahead to Jesus and the promise of the gospel.  Now that we have the promise—the reality—in Christ and the new covenant, we are no longer dependent on the old covenant.

God’s moral law, summarized in the ten commandments, always binds people.  But the symbolic sacrifices, rituals and civil laws that were part of the old, mosaic covenant are gone.  We’re not under Moses; we’re under Jesus Christ.  That’s the beauty of what we were told to expect in Jeremiah 31:3-4 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.  I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel.”  And it is fulfilled in the New Testament.

Jesus fulfilled the law in our place, so we are free from it.  The moral law guides our lives, but the gospel tells us that, through his perfect life and sacrificial death for us on the cross, Jesus fulfilled the law, He did everything the old covenant required.  Therefore, we are justified in Christ.  And we’re free from the condemnation of the law.  That’s what makes the new covenant new and better!

Hebrews 8:6-8 provides us with a clear description of the purposeful differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.  “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.  For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.  But God found fault with the people and said: ‘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.’”  The problem was not with the old covenant; the problem was that God’s people broke the covenant and needed a superior covenant.

Points to ponder

How would we recognize our need for the New Covenant
if it were not for the understanding revealed while living under the Old Testament?

Whenever we take the Lord’s Supper, we participate in the renewal of the New Covenant.

♫  I'm just a sinner  Saved by grace. When I stood condemned to death, He took my place.  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                           March 25, 2025
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Musing - It only takes a spark to get a fire going!

 

Hebraic Musing - It only takes a spark to get a fire going!

The Holy Spirit brought this 1969 song to mind that was popular in the late ‘70’s, about the time I gave my life to the LORD in 1977.  Now I cannot get it out of my mind.  The title is “Pass It On” and it had a major impact on my discipleship and my appreciation of the gift of salvation that I was enjoying.    

In how many ways does this song speak to you?

♫  It only takes a spark to get a fire going,

And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.

That's how it is with God's love;

Once you've experienced it,

You spread His love to everyone.

You want to pass it on.

 

♫  What a wondrous time is spring when all the trees are budding,

The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming.

That's how it is with God's love;

Once you’ve experienced it,

You want to sing, it's fresh like spring,

You want to pass it on.

 

♫  I wish for you my friends this happiness that I've found

You can depend on Him, It matters not where you're bound

I'll shout it from the mountaintop, (PRAISE GOD)

I want the world to know,

The Lord of love has come to me,

I want to pass it on.

The Lord of love has come to me,

I want to pass it on.  ♫

 

Although I missed kindergarten, I still feel compelled to “Share”.

Points to ponder

What’s the greatest gift you have ever received?  Do you want to share it?

With whom would you like to share it?   

In how many ways can one “Pass it on”!

♫  I wish for you, my friend, this happiness that I’ve found.  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                           March 18, 2025
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Song first released in 1969 by Kurt Kaiser.

Musing – What’s the best way to lead someone to in the Lord?

 Hebraic Musing – What’s the best way to lead someone to in the Lord?

You may have a third way, but my two favorite ways are (1) Testimonies and/or (2) using Biblically classic “Romans Road”.   Here’s a few observations about each of these two popular methods, recognizing that you may have experienced variations of these. 

Testimonies

There are several ways that Testimonies can be used.  Your Personal Testimony can be best delivered in person, One-on-one; or you might publish it in Tract or other written forms.   Probably the most effective is your Personal Testimony delivered personally by you, as your own, and usually done in a three-step outline –
  What was your life before? 
  What were the circumstances and what happened at that moment of Salvation? 
  What has life been like ever since?

Testimonies can also be shared in a tract form which may be your account or that of another person.  But this is nowhere near as effective as your personal version delivered one-on-one.

Biblically (like “Roman’s Road”) NKJV

Using a Bible to recognize a series of key verses:

The Bad News:
Romans 3:23 – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  
Romans 6:23a – For the wages of sin is death,

But there’s Good News!
Romans 6:23b – but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 5:8 (Favorite) –  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

A Response…?
Romans 10:9 – that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  
Romans 10:13 – For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Conclusion and objective

After going through either of these presentations and
    they are ready to accept Jesus Christ as his/her Lord… Here’s a simple prayer. “Repeat after me…”
“Dear Father:   I know that I am separated from you.”   
“I believe that Christ died on the cross and shed His blood for my sins,”   
“And I receive your forgiveness.      “I am willing to turn from my way and go your way.”  
“LORD JESUS, I now invite you into my heart as my personal LORD and Savior.”   
“And I will follow you and obey you as the LORD of my life. ”     “In Jesus name…Amen.”
“Now let’s go tell someone what you just did!”

Romans Road is best in a church setting with Bible acceptance, whereas testimonies are a more personal “testimonial”!  Which method works best?  Let the Holy Spirit AND the circumstances decide.

BTW - These two methods are not the only ones; what other methods have you experienced?  Please share. 

Points to Ponder
People argue and/or deny the Bible, but nobody can deny or argue with your testimony.

Are you working with Bible-believers or relatively unchurched?

When does discipleship begin? 
(A third person observer can approach and ask “what caused all the excitement.”)

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:20

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                           March 11, 2025            
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Musing - How could God promise the Israelites “none of the diseases…”?

 

Hebraic Musing - How could God promise the Israelites “none of the diseases…”?

God gave us the Torah, or Pentateuch (gr.), a teaching on how to live; and in it he said to us “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians." Ex 15:26   NKJV

The Hebrew nation, Israelites and/or Jews adopted many of the commands of God and were and still are blessed and healthy.  Why?

·         Lepers were quarantined as instructed in Leviticus.13:46.  The unclean have to dwell outside the camp.  Yet the concept of quarantine to control spread of disease is relatively new.

·         Washing hands to avoid passing deadly germs was not practiced by our medical profession until the mid 1800’s.  God told the priests in Numbers 19 how to cleanse themselves from the unclean after handling dead beings.

·         God instituted ‘circumcision’ among His men.  While there are many Spiritual reasons being taught, it is a fact that in Israel, cervical cancer amongst the women is very rare.

·         Also, God required ‘circumcision’ to be performed on the 8^th day.  It seems that God, our creator, also knew that was the day the clotting capability of a boy’s blood is at its best.  And science only discovered that recently.    But our omniscient God knew!

·         God has often been accused of not being with the times re sexual freedom.  Yet He had strict rules regarding virginity and selection of marriage partners.  He already knew the harm to befall us by exercising sexual freedom.  We are learning this in the rampant rise of STD’s and Aids in our increasingly promiscuous society; and we are losing the Sanctity of the marriage bed.

·         How many times did God say, “but do not eat the fat.”?   God already understood Arterial Sclerosis!

·         God wants us to avoid unclean foods, like pork and other of the world’s natural ‘scavengers’ as these food groups been documented as the prime cause for many of today’s ills – diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, heart disease, food poisoning, etc.  The Jews and followers of the Torah are known for their Kosher diet as-well-as for their health.    

·         “God loves a cheerful giver.”  Did you know that a highly nervous, fearful person’s blood clots in about 1/5^th the time of a cheerful, happy person.  Blood clots are the cause of coronary thrombosis, the most common form of heart attack.

·         Causes of Psychosomatic illnesses – Anger, Stress, Hate, Grudges, etc. – things the Christian should not have to deal with. 

Deuteronomy 28:1 says “if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD” you will be blessed; and verse 15 says “if you do not obey…” you will be cursed.  Maybe we have uncovered just a few examples of why we are blessed or cursed in very natural ways when we obey or disobey God’s advice in our lifestyles.  He commanded us as a loving parent.  So, whether commanded or advised, let’s pay attention to all His Word.

Points to ponder

Does our Father God want us to live a long and healthy life?

Do His Holy Scriptures provide us with practical/daily living advice?

“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you,
   even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                         March 4, 2025

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of Christian Faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

P.S. These topics are described in detail in S.I.McMillen, M.D.’s book “NONE OF THESE DISEASES”, which I highly recommend to appreciate how our Loving Creator tried to keep His Hebrew children healthy – like a good parent should.

Note – Edited reprint of Hebraic Insight #14; published April 2009.