In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. In past weeks we have been learning about the covenant of grace by which God forgives sin and grants eternal life. We’ve seen that the covenant of grace was shown in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. This week I want to show that one way the covenant of grace was revealed in the Old Testament was through prophecies.

Many prophecies were given in the Old Testament and many of these prophecies pointed directly to the covenant of grace as fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Peter tells us this in his sermon to the Jews in Acts 3:12-26 which I’ll quote part of: ‘The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go….”Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you–even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'”Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers.’ Thus Peter shows us that the covenant of grace was spoken of regularly by the prophets in the Old Testament.  The prophecies pointed to Jesus and the need to trust in him. The covenant of grace is not only in the New Testament, it was clearly revealed in the Old Testament too.

Have you trusted in Jesus so you share in the covenant of grace as revealed by the prophets repeatedly in the Old Testament?

Joel Radford.