Throughout the Old Testament, God made many covenants with His people. He made a covenant with Noah, promising to again never destroy the earth. He made a covenant with Abraham, promising to give him descendants, land, and a future Messiah who would save the world from sin. He made a covenant with Israel, establishing them as His chosen people and giving them His law. He made a covenant with David, promising a kingdom that would last forever. Though God made such beautiful promises to His people, they turned from Him. Because of this, God promised to give His people a new covenant.

A covenant is more than a promise. It is a solemn oath taken between two parties. In the Ancient Near East, those engaging in the oath would walk between the pieces of sacrificed animals. This practice was a symbolic reminder of what would happen to someone who broke the terms of the covenant.

When God made a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15, He alone walked among the animals Abraham had sacrificed. God alone took on the responsibility of fulfilling the covenant with Abraham. He does the same for us.

In Christ, we are under a new covenant. Christ was broken for our sin, taking the penalty we deserved. We can enter an unconditional covenant with God because of Christ’s sacrifice. Our only possible response is faith.

Christ is the fulfillment of all God’s covenants. His birth ushered in a new age and gave us a new way to have a relationship with God. We are no longer bound to the rules and laws of the old system; we now have freedom in Christ!

Jesus is the author and perfecter of the new, everlasting covenant. In Him we lack nothing. Through His coming we are established forever, and all of God’s promises to His people are fulfilled in Christ. We have the privilege of living on this side of history: We no longer wait for our salvation. Instead, we wait with great expectation for the day our Messiah will return!

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Melissa Fuller

Melissa loves God’s Word and is committed to helping women fall in love with Scripture (and its author!). She has a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and served as the general editor of the NET Love God Greatly Bible and the managing editor of the CSB She Reads Truth Bible and the CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA, loves running and hiking and is currently pursuing her goal of visiting all the National Parks in the US!