Page 6 - Old Testament Survey Student Textbook

Obedience (blessings) and curses if they disobeyed. Like every suzerain God also stipulated his
ordinances to his new vassal or what we call the Ten Commandments represented by two tablets. Again,
a ratification ceremony was also performed (Exodus 24:5-8) to finalize the covenant.

Theological significance
Sandra L. Richter concludes like this, “With the establishment of the Mosaic covenant, the kingdom of
God may once again be found in Adam’s world. The theocracy of Israel is established with people of God
(Abraham’s offspring)…. God fulfilled His promise to Abraham.” The mosaic covenant was a shadow of
the true covenant found in Christ Jesus. Moses as prophet and priest is a type of Christ on behalf of His
People. The tabernacle is also a very important symbol of God’s desire to cohabit with mankind. Christ
appearance and His name “Emmanuel” is a clear indication of God’s desire to dwell with mankind and
restore the broken relationship. However, the restrictions in the law denote the separation between
man and God. The sacrifices are also a shadow of the permanent atonement of Christ. Thus the mosaic
covenant more than any other covenant is a great parallel of the new covenant in Christ.

(D) DAVIDIC COVENANT
The Davidic covenant like the Abrahamic is also a “Royal grant”. God was rewarding his servant’s
faithfulness with an everlasting Dynasty. (2 Samuel 7) The basic element to this covenant was continued
obedience. God required that the descendants of David should continue being loyal in order for them to
enjoy God’s goodness.

Theological significance
2Samuel 7:14 is very critical to Israel’s theocratic covenant. As mentioned earlier, God’s response to
covenant disloyalty remains the same. He demands continued obedience. Failure to comply resulted in
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oppression from their enemies. David is also a type of Christ. David’s obedience to God as a king chosen
by God was foreshadowing Christ’s complete obedience to the father, even to death on a cross.
(Philippians 2:10). The promise of an everlasting kingship was also foreshadowing the eternal everlasting
kingdom of Christ to come or messianic hope. David as a just and righteous ruler was reflecting the
eternal everlasting Kingdom of the king of kings and Lord of lords, our Lord Jesus Christ.

(E) NEW COVENANT
The Jews had a wrong concept of the coming child of David. They anticipated a physical deliverance, but
the messiah was focused on their deliverance from the bondage of sin. Mathew 3:13-17, is a first
symbolism of the new covenant. Jesus is being baptized by the last prophet of the Mosaic order
(symbolism of oil). Like the custom entails, this king is chosen and anointed publicly and here we see the
heavens open and a voice from heaven says this is my beloved son. Indicating (Ps 2:7), “this is the one.”
This is indeed the new covenant because the long-awaited King is being anointed publicly. Sandra puts it
this way, “The type of the Davidic King is fulfilled with the coming of the man Jesus, a descendant of the
line of David on both his mother and legal father’s side.

Theological significance
As mentioned earlier, the Jewish expectation of the messiah was now being fulfilled even though the
messiah was somehow not according to their expectation. Jesus is the fulfillment of (2 Samuel 7) the
one who would be seated on David’s throne. His name “Emmanuel” is also a symbolism of God’s
cohabitation with mankind like in the Old Testament, tabernacle. This time God is no longer in the
tabernacle but came as God incarnate. Thus, “the God- man Jesus Christ has died for humanity, so that
we the offspring of Adam and Eve might be born again to a second chance.” (p. 216) Jesus is humanities
only hope. In summary, “Jesus is prophet, priest, and king. He is the last Adam who defeats Eden’s curse;

4 Ibid. p.203.
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