Before the Old and New Covenants were given, the saving truths in them were already being explained in the Bible.(Genesis 3:15 / Genesis 4:4-5 / Hebrews 12:24) Namely, God chose to love his enemies, redeeming them to eternal life, if they will trust his sacrificial mercy; but punishing those who continue in sin, refusing to believe his warnings.(Romans 5:10 / John 3:36) The bible is written as an expanding explanation of this plan.(Luke 24:27 / Acts 7:52)

          He started explaining his plan in vague details, like telling Eve, her offspring would crush Satan’s head, or showing her son Able that he was pleased with the sacrifice of a lamb.(Genesis 3:15 / Genesis 4:4-5 / Hebrews 12:24)

          God made several covenants before the Old Covenant. He made a covenant with Noah, not to destroy the earth with water, and with Abraham, to bless all nations through him.(Genesis 9:8–17 / Genesis 12:2–3, 15:18, 17:1-4) The Old Covenant is often referred to as the Law of Moses (or the Law), because God told it to Moses. It includes the Jewish festivals, the ten commandments, all the hundreds of laws about what to eat, how to treat each other etcetera, and all the temple laws regarding sacrifices and priestly duties.

          The Law of Moses is referred to as the Old Covenant, in the New Testament, because it was the most extensive, demanding and thus the most prominent covenant God had given. But the covenants are all part of one plan, which can be seen within the Law of Moses, when God commands them to keep circumcision, which is part of God’s previous covenant with Abraham.(John 7:22-23 / Leviticus 12:3 / Exodus 12:48)

          Much of the Old Covenant was symbolic or prophetic, showing spiritual truths, and things that God would do.(Matthew 5:17) It also includes plain moral truths, teaching things God does and does not like.

          Some Prophetic and symbolic things include, the sacrificial system, which showed the way sinners can come to God; or the Passover, which explained how faith works, and what Jesus would do.(Exodus 12:21-28 / Deuteronomy 16:1-8 / Symbolism of the Temple) Some of the plain truths included in the Law of Moses are: do not kill, do not covet, and don’t withhold wages from a needy person.(Exodus 20:13,17 / Leviticus 19:13 / Deuteronomy 24:14-15)

          I believe the main truth portrayed in the law, is that we don’t deserve God’s blessings, but because of a sacrifice, we can gain God’s mercy.(Luke 24:44-47 / Romans 3:20 / Galatians 3:24 / John 5:46-47) After the Law was given, God had Moses gather the people on two separate mountains, to declare all the blessing they would get if they followed his Laws, and all the curses they would get if they disobeyed any of his laws.(Deuteronomy 11:29) The point was that no one could keep all those commands, and it only took one disobedient person, for the whole assembly to be cursed.(Deuteronomy 28:15-68 / Joshua 7:10-12, 20-26 / Joshua 22:18 / Deuteronomy 27:9-26) But the Law also included a way out of God’s punishment, through a sacrificial system.(Leviticus 17:11 / Leviticus 4-7) God told the Israelites to think about these things.(Deuteronomy 6:6-10) Why would God command us to obey an impossibly hard set of rules, but then not punish us, if we give him a sacrifice? Understanding sin, repentance and forgiveness are the core truths of saving faith.(Acts 2:38) The Old Covenant taught the people how to be saved, but it was only a temporary representation of these truths, until Jesus’ sacrifice.(Galatians 3:24 / 2 Corinthians 3:11 / Hebrews 8:13 / Romans 7:6)

          The bible explains that the Old Covenant could only purify our flesh (affecting our outward actions), and God promised to give outward, earthly blessings, for obeying it.(Hebrews 9:13 / Deuteronomy 28:1–14 / Galatians 3:12) But God makes it clear that no one could actually become pure by keeping the Laws of Moses, because animal sacrifices are not enough to forgive sins.(Galatians 3:11 / Amos 5:21-25 / Jeremiah 6:20 / Isaiah 1:11 / Isaiah 66:3-4) This does not mean the Old Covenant couldn’t save. Anyone who understood what was written in, and before the Law of Moses, could come to a saving faith, just like Abraham did.(Romans 4:16 / Genesis 15:6 / Galatians 3:24) When skimming through the list of Old Testament men and women who were commended for their saving faith, it’s evident that neither perfection or an amazing knowledge of God were necessary.(Hebrews 11:4-40) Neither Samson nor the man on the cross likely knew much about Jesus, but God showed that both of them had saving faith.(Hebrews 11:13, 32, 39-40 / Luke 23:40-43) Even the prophets didn’t know the person or time about whom they were prophesying.(1 Peter 1:10-12 / Judges 13:18 / Genesis 32:29 / Exodus 3:13) Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen.(Hebrews 11:1) To have saving faith you must believe that God exists, and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.(Hebrews 11:6) I’m not saying Jehovah’s witnesses, Mormons, Muslims or anyone else who rejects the plain words of the Bible are being saved. These groups are not trusting God’s sacrifice, but their own works.(Ephesians 2:8-9) I’m saying that anyone can come to a saving faith, if they seek to find God with all their heart, and they don’t need to know much about him to be saved.(Jeremiah 29:13 / Romans 1:18-22 / Matthew 7:8 / Revelation 3:20)

          The New Covenant is actually what the Old Covenant figuratively showed.(Hebrews 10:1) The New Covenant is God’s promise to forgive our sins, and teach us how to please him, as he brings us into heaven.(Jeremiah 31:31-34 / Philippians 1:6 / John 4:14 / John 14:26) Jesus perfect blood is the only sacrifice needed in the New Covenant.(Romans 6:10 / Hebrews 9:25-26, 10:10-12) And when we continue to sin, he is our high priest, never leaving the throne of God, pleading for our mercy, as symbolized in “The Day of Atonement”.(Hebrews 7:23-25 / Leviticus 16:11–16, 33–34) The commands of the New Covenant are written in the bible, but also, because his Spirit dwells in the temple of our bodies, we have his commands written in our hearts rather than the tablets in the ark of the Covenant.(2 Corinthians 3:3 / Jeremiah 31:33) He himself teaches and guides us.(John 14:26) We are the priests of the New Covenant and our job is to obey him and teach others about him.(1 Peter 2:9 / Malachi 2:7 / Exodus 40:14-15 / Joel 2:17 / Revelation 1:5) Like the priests were commanded to keep oil in the menorah, we are commanded not to quench the Holy Spirit, but to love God, doing what he says, and so be filled with the Spirit.(Exodus 27:20-21 / Leviticus 24:1-4 / 1 Thessalonians 5:19 / Isaiah 63:10 / Galatians 5:16-25 / Ephesians 5:15–20 / Acts 6:3) Like the “bread of presence” was continually replenished for the priests, God will provide our physical needs, as we carry out his will.(Leviticus 24:5–9 / Matthew 6:25–33 / John 4:34) In the Old Covenant, the Israelites represented believers to the nations around them. God did miraculous signs, and gave the Israelites uniquely gifted people, like the judges, kings and prophets; in order to help the Israelites, and verify who he is to the world.(Isaiah 42:6 / Isaiah 63:11–14) In the New Covenant the Israelites represent believers, and God gives unique gifts to each of us, pouring out his Spirit on us, both to help us, and to authenticate who he is to those around us.(2 Corinthians 5:20 / Galatians 3:7 / Romans 9:6-8 / Joel 2:28-29 / Acts 2:16–17 / 1 Corinthians 12:7–11 / Ephesians 4:11–12 / 1 Peter 4:10 / John 4:48) God said this New Covenant is eternal, and the blessings, for those remaining in it, are beyond what we can imagine.(Hebrews 13:20 / 2 Corinthians 3:11 / Hebrews 7:24-25 / 1 Corinthians 2:9)

          When Jesus completed the New Covenant with his blood, God plainly showed that the Old Covenant was no longer to be followed, by ripping the veil in the Holy of Holies in half.(Hebrews 10:19-20 / Matthew 27:50–51, 26:28) This veil was a fundamental part of the Old Covenant, because the purpose of Moses’ laws was to show the Israelites, they needed a sacrifice to get to God, who dwelt in the Holy of Holies. But when Jesus died God ripped that symbolic curtain wide open, showing that Jesus was the sacrifice that gives us access to God.(Hebrews 10:19-20 / Matthew 27:50–51, 26:28)

          Jesus said he came to fulfill the Law of Moses and the Prophets.(Matthew 5:17-18) All the Old Covenant symbolism, and everything the Bible said about God’s plan, was referring to what Jesus did.(Hebrews 10:1 / Luke 24:44 / John 5:39) Before the law, he was the seed that would crush Satan under his foot, the one whom Manoah watched enter heaven as a burnt sacrifice; and he was the way God would bless all nations through Abraham.(Genesis 3:15 / Judges 13:20 / Genesis 12:2–3) In the Law, he was the lamb who was killed to spare the Israelites on Passover; and he was the temple sacrifice that took away their sin.(Exodus 12:21-28 / Deuteronomy 16:1-8 / Symbolism of the Temple) He was the mediator between God and man, whom Moses represented.(Deuteronomy 18:15 / Exodus 20:18-19) He was the High priest who goes before God to offer a sacrifice for the sins of all the people.(Hebrews 7:23-25 / Leviticus 16:11–16, 33–34) After the law, he was the son of David who would reign forever.(2 Samuel 7:16) He was the child born of a virgin, called mighty God, prince of peace and everlasting father.(Isaiah 7:14, 9:6) He was the one despised among men, pierced for their transgression, crushed by his father; who’s days were prolonged, and by the knowledge of whom, many would be counted as righteous.(Isaiah 53)

          Although the Law of Moses is replaced with the New Covenant, which it only represented to begin with, the New Testament gives at least 4 reasons why we still need to know the Law of Moses.

1) Because many of its laws were not figurative, but just plain moral truths about what God considered sin. The New Testament explains that God still hates lying, stealing, sexual immorality, and any other non-symbolic moral law written in the Old Covenant.(Revelation 21:8 / 1 Corinthians 6:10)

2) Because the symbolism helps us understand what Jesus did.(Hebrews 10:1) For example: the roles of the high priest show us how Jesus went before the Father’s throne to offer his own blood as a payment for our punishment.(Hebrews 7:23-25 / Leviticus 16:11–16, 33–34)  Another example is how the sabbath day was a symbol of how we don’t need to work, but can trust in Jesus finished work, to enter heaven.(Hebrews 4:9-11 / Exodus 20:8-11)

3) Because many of the Laws of Moses are symbolic of how God want’s believers to live in the New Covenant. For example: We are now priests of God, so knowing what the priests did, helps us understand what God wants us to do.(1 Peter 2:9 / Malachi 2:7 / Exodus 40:14-15 / Joel 2:17 / Revelation 1:5) Paul also said even the random laws of Moses like, don’t muzzle and ox while it treads out the grain, have spiritual truths. He explained that that specific law meant, workers deserve their wages, so pay those who are working hard at teaching God’s word.(1 Corinthians 9:9-12 / 1 Timothy 5:18)

4) Because the Law of Moses helps us understand God’s character. Knowing who God is increases the reverent awe, love, fear, and trust we need to follow him.(Proverbs 9:10 / Malachi 1:6)

          In summary, the Old and New Covenants are not really old or new, but a foreshadowing and a fulfillment of the only plan God ever had.(Ephesians 1:4 / Hebrews 10:1) Both Covenants show how God chose to love his enemies, redeeming them to eternal life, if they will trust in his sacrificial mercy; but punishing those who continue in sin, refusing to believe his warnings.(Romans 5:10 / John 3:36)