Many people try to tell us that the Ten Commandments were the "Old Covenant" because they want to try anything possible to do away in the minds of the people the idea that they are still valid for the Christian today. They therefore then follow with scriptures proving that the Old Covenant was done away with. But are the Ten Commandments really the Old Covenant?

You might think so if you read Deuteronomy 4:12 and 13:

Deut 4:12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.

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.

Indeed it does SOUND here as if the Ten Commandments are the Old Covenant. By the way it sounds, many may consider this as conclusive proof that the Ten Commandments are actually the Old Covenant.

Well actually, we are here to prove that the Old Covenant is an agreement, and not a law: IT IS NOT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. The essential problem that makes the scriptures sound like it is telling us that the Ten Commandments are the Old Covenant is the fact that the Old Covenant was never given a specific name. It is therefore called, "The Old Covenant."

If you, as a mother, made an agreement with your daughter who is going out with some classmate tonight after the senior prom, that she must be back by 10:00 PM, you may tell her to "Remember our agreement: be back by 10:00!" Here it sounds like the actual agreement is the principle upon which it is based. There is a binding principle, or precept or law involved. But is it the actual agreement itself?

They agreed that the daughter was to be home by 10:00 PM. That principle, of itself, is not the actual covenant. It is the principle under which the agreement is based. A covenant is not a law. It is an agreement. But when you have a generic agreement that you did not give a name to, it is proper to refer to that agreement by the principle(s) under which the agreement is based. That's why the mother may refer to their agreement by the terms under which it is based: for her daughter to be back by 10:00 PM.

There were more than one covenants in OT times. There was a covenant made with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; Ex. 2:24). This was not the Old Covenant frequently alluded to by those trying to tell us that the law is done away with, for Abraham lived a long time before Sinai. Genesis 26:5 yet tells us that Abraham kept God's statutes and His laws. We therefore see that the law was in existence long before the Old Covenant.

In Jeremiah 31:31-34 says

31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

This was mentioned in the OT after the complaint against the Old Covenant was that IT COULD NOT MAKE ANYONE HOLY OR KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS. The problem was not with the commandments, for Psalm 119 also tells us that the commandments are perfect, holy, etc. Psalm 19:7 tells us that the law is holy, "converting the soul." How can the law be declared to be holy, and yet it be declared to be faulty according to the common interpretation given of it? It is because the interpretation itself is also faulty and will inevitably be done away.

The problem was with the people. Will they let the principles into their hearts? or will they force it to remain in the stone. To let the principles remain in the stone, is to invite death, for the Law can only condemn anything that is contrary to its principles.

To understand this concept more fully, please click here when you get a chance.

When Moses witnessed the 10 commandments being made, it was a glorious scene, and when he came off of Mt. Sinai, his face shown to the point where the people could not even get near him. That is part of the mystery of what the scripture is talking about. The ministration of death is talking about that natural alienation between a holy God and His unholy subjects. That alienation WAS NOT PRESENT WITH MOSES, EVEN THOUGH MOSES AGREED TO AND KEPT THE COMMANDMENTS! Moses was not alienated from God, for he spoke with the Lord face to face. THAT was the essential problem with the Old Covenant. It could not bridge that alienation and allow the Children of Israel to approach into the direct presence of God.

That glory on the face of Moses was not to remain. It was consequently done away with naturally, for his face did not shine all the time till his death, but yet that was an outward glory that cannot compare to the principles of the holy law actually being in each person's heart. That is what the following scripture is talking about when it says:

2 Cor. 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

The "ministration of death" was clearly visible just by the restrictions that were placed upon the Israelites at that time. The law of nature was that IF YOU BROKE THE LAW, DEATH IS THE RESULT. No one ever incurred God's anger for keeping the law. The wages of breaking the law is death--not keeping it! That was most always Paul's language so that the people must understand that the ministration of the law must be applied to the heart by Christ, and not through our own promises.

The people at that time were not allowed to even touch Mt. Sinai, or else they would be killed. They were alienated from God because they were evil in His sight. What can make them holy and therefore bridge this terrible gap?

God gave warning to Moses about what would happen if they attempted to get too close to Him:

Exodus 19:20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.

22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.

There is an alienation being described. Any human being getting into the direct presence of the Lord, would be fried alive horribly. But what would happen if a new covenant was established that could make the people also holy? Wouldn't that scene be far more glorious than the shining face of Moses and even the tremendous spectacle that occurred on Mt. Sinai when the law was given? That's what 2 Cor. 3:7 and 8 is talking about.

Deuteronomy 34 confirms this witness about Moses:

10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

This credit is far above those who work to separate the Old Testament from the New Testament, telling the world that things are better now and that they are so super loving of Christ.

As many attack the law, telling us that they have a superior relationship to Christ and ridicule OT religion, consider a comparison between them and Moses. Moses obeyed the commandments of the Lord to the point where his face shown, and where he could actually talk with God face to face in His direct presence! Can you find any NT gloater who can do that? Most all of them tell you that they are not holy and that they are not to be, except that Christ makes up for their deficiencies.

The bottom line was that the success or failure of every covenant that was ever made was measured upon its ability to make people obey the commandments, or make people holy. The first one was declared to be faulty. The solution was not to obliterate the commandments, but to strengthen the hearts of the people so that they can keep the commandments. Better promises are needed besides the people telling Moses and the Lord that they will keep His commandments. Those promises were faulty. The New Covenant has the promise of Jeremiah 31:31-34, as just one promise given by God, to back it up.

We did not make the commandments, folks. The Lord Jesus did. If there is a problem with that, those who preach against God's handiwork need to go somewhere else with their complaints.

That covenant experience was merely an example taken of the covenant based upon the response and example of the people. They made promises to keep their part of the covenant, but did not receive of the power. That situation was therefore archived as an example for us, but understand that Moses partook of the same agreement and did not fall there, but his face glowed, making him what is supposed to be an envy of everyone sharing false gospels with us. The gospel did not profit the children of Israel, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it (Hebrews 4:2). They therefore sinned (or followed the advice we are getting from every corner today) in the wilderness and perished. And if that were not the case, it would surely be pretty odd for this scripture to exist:

1 Cor. 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

WHAT! Those OT saints drank from Christ and received the Gospel we receive!! DID THEY KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS?!!

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Why were they overthrown in the wilderness? Does the OT scriptures give us some light on this? Were they overthrown by listening to similar advice we are getting today everywhere?  It said that with MANY of them God was not pleased.  Obviously with some of them God was pleased.  What was the difference?  Those God was pleased with didn't keep the Sabbath?

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

Idolatry? Where did we hear that idolatry was wrong?

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Fornication? Where did we hear that was wrong?

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

WHAT! What happened then is for our example even to the end of the earth as Christ said in Matthew 5:17-19 about the law?  What happened back then is valid for GENTILES???

12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

TEMPTATION?!! You mean we have to bear it and resist it instead of indulging and letting Christ's sacrifice take care of it? You mean we are under the same principles and have to endure the same things those people endured and be successful like many of them were not?!! This sounds mighty like the days of the OT when all agree that the law of Ten Commandments were in force!

Leaving the principles of the law in the stone is death, because we are sinners and the law demands the life of the transgressor. Those principles need to be placed in our hearts.  Only through Christ can the condemnation be taken away and the power to keep it be given. Then it will be glorious when God's people can actually walk in His presence AND LIVE!!

Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

We see that some have missed the covenant experience and are teaching others to miss it! That's the New Covenant that rectifies the Old which fell because of the weakness of the people. The problem was not with the law, but the inability of human nature to measure up to it, which measurement is called, HOLINESS!