Day 12: A covenant with Israel

A covenant is made with the people of God as a nation in Exodus, and this is the one that is sometimes referred to in the New Testament as the old covenant. It can also be called the Mosaic covenant. This covenant, in which the Ten Commandments serve as the summary is strongly based on obedience. Often included as an aspect of this covenant was the sacrificial system. The Jews held daily sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people (Ex. 29:38-42), which set the stage for the arrival and death of Jesus Christ. Also, the Jews were instructed to hold festivals, with the Passover being of utmost important. Every year, the Jews celebrated the Passover meal to remember their Exodus from slavery and oppression in Egypt. They held a yearly Passover feast where the Passover lamb was slain and the blood of the lamb was applied to the doorposts of Jewish homes (Ex. 12:11-13). These customs represented the one and only perfect sacrifice that would completely and once for all atone for the sins of the world.
Read Exodus 19:3-6 & 20

Q: Why is significant that God called the nation of Israel a kingdom of priests? What was the role of priests in the Old Testament?

Q: Describe the ten commandments. Why do you think God chose these ten as the basis for His covenant with Israel?

Q: Which commandment is personally challenging to you? What did God intend to reveal with his laws and commandments? (Hint: Read Romans 7:7-13)