When the prophets delivered their messages to Israel and Judah in the days of the old covenant, they naturally addressed contemporary issues, issues belonging to the people immediately before them. Nevertheless, even in those days, the prophets were speaking to the people of God in the old covenant about things of far greater import – earth-shattering things (see Haggai 2:6-9,20-22) – things that God would bring about in the future, even centuries and more later, things which God had purposed from eternity past. What is more, the prophets knew that they were speaking of something bigger than the immediate, even though they did not grasp the import of what they were saying. But they did know that God, as an integral – if not climactic – part of his eternal purpose, would replace the old, Mosaic covenant with a new covenant; better, the new covenant would supersede the old. |
