The Mosaic Covenant – What is it?

TL;DR:

The Mosaic Covenant was a conditional covenant, where God called His people, Israel, to live according to the Law, which would provide blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law, fulfilling the requirements of the Law and providing righteousness for all who trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins.

what does the bible say?

The Mosaic Covenant was a bilateral, conditional agreement that was made between God and His people, Israel, meaning that both parties were responsible to fulfill a duty to the other. God promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Exodus 19:5–8). The Mosaic Covenant was different from the unconditional Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants, as its blessings depended on Israel’s actions. Despite the covenant’s demands, the Israelites failed to keep it, highlighting humanity’s inability to achieve righteousness on their own. The Mosaic Law pointed to Christ, who fulfilled it, bringing redemption and grace for living out God’s commands through the Holy Spirit today.

from the old testament

The Mosaic Covenant was an agreement that was made between God and His people, Israel. Because the covenant was made at Mount Sinai, it is sometimes called the Sinai Covenant (Exodus 19–24).
The Mosaic Covenant was a bilateral, conditional covenant, meaning that both parties were responsible to fulfill a duty to the other. The people were responsible to follow the Law, and in return, God promised to abundantly bless and protect Israel (Exodus 19:5–8).
The conditional nature of the Mosaic Covenant makes it very different from the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants, which are unconditional. In the unconditional covenants, God's favor, promises, and blessings are based on His decision, rather than on the actions of the people. In the Mosaic Covenant, the blessing, or lack thereof, was a direct result of the obedience or disobedience of the people. This is outlined in detail in Deuteronomy 28.
The Israelites were hopelessly unable to accomplish the requirements of the Law. Sacrifices and offerings were prescribed for sins, but even these were done incorrectly or half-heartedly (Malachi 1:6–10).
There was always a remnant in Israel, even under the Old Covenant, who understood their inability to please God. King David was one of these. It is clear from the Psalms that he knew himself to be sinful in a way that could only be forgiven by God's mercy (Psalm 51:1–12).

from the new testament

The existence of the Mosaic Covenant is not a contradiction of God's grace. Instead, it is an illumination of man's need for that grace (Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 1:16–17).
Abraham and the other patriarchs were men of faith, believing in God for their salvation, rather than trusting in works (Hebrews 11:4–12), even at the time of the Mosaic Covenant.

implications for today

There is a great deal of confusion over the Mosaic Covenant. Why would the gracious God of the New Testament, who loves and forgives unconditionally and whose salvation is not merit-based, create a conditional, merit-based covenant with His people in the Old Testament? Is this not contradictory? We can find the answer to this puzzle in several places in the New Testament epistles, where the apostle Paul discusses the Old Covenant vs. the New Covenant. The Old Covenant he is referring to is the Mosaic Covenant, also called "the Law." The purpose of the Law, says Paul, was to make people aware of their inability to obey so that when Christ came, they would recognize their need for Him (Galatians 3:24–25). When the Mosaic Covenant was formed, the people of Israel responded to God's reminder to obey with the words "All that the LORD has spoken we will do" (Exodus 19:8). However, the rest of the biblical history of that nation shows that they never obeyed Him for long. The Mosaic Covenant was not a contradiction but a necessary tool to reveal human sinfulness and the need for a Savior. It served to prepare people for Christ by showing them their inability to achieve righteousness on their own, pointing to the grace and transformation found in the New Covenant. The Mosaic Law was fulfilled in Christ, bringing us redemption and the grace to live out God’s commands through the power of the Holy Spirit today.

understand

The Mosaic Covenant was a bilateral, conditional covenant between God and Israel.
The Mosaic Covenant highlighted humanity’s inability to achieve righteousness on their own.
Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law, fulfilling the requirements of the Law and providing righteousness for all who trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins.

reflect

How do you recognize your own inability to achieve righteousness on your own?
What is your attitude toward the Law and obedience?
How does the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law in Christ impact your understanding of grace and salvation?

engage

How does understanding the conditional nature of the Mosaic Covenant help us appreciate the grace of the New Covenant more fully?
How do you see people today trying to achieve righteousness through their actions, rather than through faith in Christ?
What does Jesus fulfilling the Mosaic Covenant teach us about living out God’s commands through the power of His Spirit and our relationship to the Law?