Mosaic Covenant (Reformed Baptist Perspective)

Definition:

The Mosaic Covenant refers to the covenant made between God and the people of Israel at Mount Sinai, as recorded in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. It is called the Mosaic Covenant because it was mediated through Moses, who acted as God's representative to the people of Israel. This covenant established the laws, commands, and guidelines for Israel’s relationship with God and set Israel apart as His chosen people.

The Mosaic Covenant is often referred to as the Old Covenant in Scripture, and it plays a significant role in biblical theology, particularly in understanding the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. It includes moral, ceremonial, and civil laws that were intended to govern every aspect of Israel’s life as a nation and as God's people.

Key Biblical References:

• Exodus 19:5-6 – “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples. For all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
• Exodus 24:7-8 – “Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.'”
• Deuteronomy 5:1-3 – “And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: 'Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today.'”

Key Components of the Mosaic Covenant:

1. The Covenant Mediator – Moses: Moses was the chosen mediator of the covenant, acting as the prophet who conveyed God’s commands and promises to Israel. He received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai and was responsible for instructing the people in God’s law.

   • Exodus 19:3 – “Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the people of Israel.’”

2. The Law (Torah): The Mosaic Covenant included a comprehensive set of laws: the moral law (the Ten Commandments), the ceremonial law (laws concerning sacrifices, rituals, and priesthood), and the civil law (regulations for Israel's society and governance). The law was given to guide the Israelites in holiness, justice, and worship.

   • Exodus 20:1-17 – The Ten Commandments, which form the core of the moral law.
   • Leviticus 16 – The instructions for the Day of Atonement, illustrating the ceremonial law.
   • Deuteronomy 21:18-21 – Civil laws regarding the punishment of rebellious children.

3. Blessings and Curses: The covenant carried blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. God promised to bless Israel with prosperity, peace, and victory over enemies if they were faithful to His commands. However, disobedience would result in curses, including defeat, famine, and exile.

   • Deuteronomy 28:1-14 – Blessings for obedience.
   • Deuteronomy 28:15-68 – Curses for disobedience.

4. The Promise of the Land: A significant feature of the Mosaic Covenant was the promise of the land of Canaan to Israel. This promise was tied to Israel's faithfulness to God. The land was a symbol of God’s favor and a place where His presence would dwell among His people.

   • Exodus 3:8 – “And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey…”

5. The Priesthood and Sacrificial System: The Mosaic Covenant established a system of sacrifices and priests to mediate between Israel and God. The sacrificial system pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who would fulfill the requirements of the law through His atoning death.

   • Leviticus 17:11 – “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls…”

6. Conditional Nature of the Covenant: The Mosaic Covenant was conditional, meaning that Israel’s blessings were contingent upon their obedience to God’s law. This stands in contrast to the Abrahamic Covenant, which was unconditional in nature. Disobedience to the law would result in God’s judgment.

   • Exodus 19:5 – “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples.”

The Covenant’s Role in Redemption:

1. The Mosaic Covenant as a Covenant of Grace and Works: While the Mosaic Covenant emphasized works (obedience to the law), it was also a covenant of grace. The law was given as a means for Israel to live holy lives, but the sacrificial system provided a way for Israel to receive forgiveness for their sins, pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.

   • Galatians 3:24 – “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.”

2. The Role of the Law in Showing God’s Holiness: The Mosaic Covenant demonstrated the holiness of God and His standard of righteousness. The law was a tutor that led the Israelites to recognize their inability to fully obey and thus pointed them to the need for a Savior.

   • Romans 7:7 – “What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin.”

3. The Temporary Nature of the Mosaic Covenant: The Mosaic Covenant was designed to be temporary, pointing forward to the New Covenant established by Christ. It was not the ultimate means of salvation but served as a shadow of the greater redemption that would come through Christ’s death and resurrection.

   • Hebrews 8:13 – “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

4. Fulfillment in Christ: Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant by perfectly obeying the law and by becoming the ultimate sacrifice for sin. In doing so, He abolished the need for the sacrificial system and established the New Covenant, through which salvation is given by grace through faith, not by works of the law.

   • Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

   • Hebrews 10:9-10 – “Then he added, 'Behold, I have come to do your will.' He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Theological Implications for Reformed Baptists:

1. The Law and the Gospel:
   Reformed Baptists emphasize that the Mosaic Covenant shows the holiness of God and the necessity of righteousness, but it also points to the Gospel. The law cannot save, but it shows the need for a Savior, who is Christ.

2. The Covenant’s Role in the Life of the Church:
   Reformed Baptists affirm that while the Mosaic Covenant was given specifically to Israel, its principles regarding God’s holiness, justice, and the need for faith in a Savior remain relevant. However, believers are no longer bound by the Mosaic law, as it has been fulfilled in Christ.

3. Christ’s Role in Fulfilling the Law:
   Jesus Christ, as the fulfillment of the Mosaic Covenant, provides believers with the righteousness they need through His life, death, and resurrection. Believers are now under the New Covenant, which is based on grace, not works.

Sources for Further Study:

• John Owen, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ – For a Reformed view on Christ fulfilling the law and the Mosaic Covenant.
• Greg Bahnsen, Theonomy in Christian Ethics – Discusses the implications of Old Testament law in the life of modern believers.
• R.C. Sproul, The Holiness of God – Explores the holiness of God revealed through the Mosaic Covenant and the implications for understanding the law.
• Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology – Provides a comprehensive theological explanation of the Mosaic Covenant and its place in God’s redemptive plan.