In the old covenant, we can see
that the power of sin was very much
in force. Satan took the authority that
Adam had given him and perverted
it, using fear and death against men
instead of the life and faith they had
in God. The power of sin was operating
throughout the Old Testament.
A man could make the decision to
live in line with God’s Word, but sin
would still plague him night and day.
For instance, Noah performed the
greatest act of faith known to man
and then got roaring drunk! This is
why the decisions of the Old Testament
saints spoken of in Hebrews 11
were such outstanding feats of faith.
The power of sin was still inside them
and spiritual death was lodged in their
hearts. Then Jesus came to earth. He
bore the penalty of spiritual death,
broke its power, and was raised from
the dead, triumphant over Satan and
his kingdom. When you made Jesus
your Lord, the power of eternal life
enveloped your spirit and a new man
was born inside you: “Therefore if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new. And all things
are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).
This is the new covenant!

Wherefore then serveth the law? It
was added because of transgressions,
till the seed should come to whom
the promise was made; and it was
ordained by angels in the hand of
a mediator. Now a mediator is not
a mediator of one, but God is one.
Is the law then against the promises
of God? God forbid: for if there
had been a law given which could
have given life, verily righteousness
should have been by the law. But
the scripture hath concluded all
under sin, that the promise by faith
of Jesus Christ might be given to
them that believe. But before faith
came, we were kept under the law,
shut up unto the faith which should
afterwards be revealed. Wherefore
the law was our schoolmaster to
bring us unto Christ, that we might
be justified by faith. But after that
faith is come, we are no longer
under a schoolmaster. For ye are
all the children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus. For as many of you as
have been baptized into Christ have
put on Christ. There is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither bond
nor free, there is neither male nor
female: for ye are all one in Christ
Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye
Abraham’s seed, and heirs according
to the promise (Galatians 3:19-29).

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

God promised to care for Abraham
and his descendants in every way—
spiritually, physically, financially,
socially. In Genesis 17:7 God said to
Abraham, “And I will establish my
covenant between me and thee…to be
a God unto thee, and to thy seed after
thee.” The Hebrew name for Almighty
God is El Shaddai. El means “supreme;”
Shaddai means “the breasty one.” In
other words, God was promising to be
their father, their mother, their nurse—
the supreme provider of everything
they would need in life. He spoke the
words of the covenant and swore by
Himself to keep it. This was an ironclad
agreement.

The people of Israel badly trampled
the covenant at Mount Sinai, but
through Moses’ intervention, God forgave
them. At this point, God handed
down the Law and instituted the Levitical
priesthood to help repair the damage
that had been done. God was sworn
to their destruction for breaking the
covenant, but instead He allowed sacrificial
offerings to cover their sins. The
Levitical priesthood was brought into
existence for one purpose: to bridge the
gap between God and mankind.

Hebrews 9:22 states that “without
shedding of blood is no remission
(of sin).” There had to be a mediator
between God and Israel because of the
existence of the blood covenant. The
first mediator was the Levitical priesthood.
The last mediator was Jesus—
our High Priest who ever liveth to
make intercession for us (1 Timothy
2:5; Hebrews 7:25).

In Deuteronomy 28:1-14, Moses
recorded God’s law and the articles of
the covenant, listing the blessings of
God promised to those who will put
His Word first place in their lives.

And it shall come to pass, if thou
shalt hearken diligently unto the
voice of the Lord thy God, to observe
and to do all his commandments
which I command thee this day,
that the Lord thy God will set thee
on high above all the nations of the
earth: And all these blessings shall
come on thee, and overtake thee, if
thou shalt hearken unto the voice
of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt
thou be in the city, and blessed shalt
thou be in the field. Blessed shall be
the fruit of thy body, and the fruit
of thy ground, and the fruit of thy
cattle, the increase of thy kine, and
the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall
be thy basket and thy store. Blessed
shalt thou be when thou comest in,
and blessed shalt thou be when thou
goest out. The Lord shall cause thine
enemies that rise up against thee
to be smitten before thy face: they
shall come out against thee one way,
and flee before thee seven ways.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries