Jesus said, “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently invited to enter it” (Luke 16:16).
The “Law and the Prophets” is a phrase Jesus used a few times in the gospels to identify the old covenant. The law given to Moses and the Old Testament prophets that follow represent the old covenant, the old arrangement between God and man. Jesus is saying as clearly as He can that this old arrangement ended with the coming of John the Baptist. John was the last of the old covenant prophets.
With the coming of Jesus, everything changed in our connection to God. Jesus proclaimed “the good news of the kingdom of God.” And the good news is that when you believe the gospel message of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven, you become a child of God, and you inherit eternal life. This good news is called the new covenant. It describes the new arrangement that we have with God based on Jesus’ finished work on the cross. And this new arrangement of a life set free in Jesus is ours the minute we believe the gospel.
The timeline of the covenants could not be made more clear. According to Jesus,
Moses to John the Baptist = the old covenant.
The coming of Jesus to forevermore = the new covenant.
It really is that simple. And the most beautiful part of all is that the invitation is open to all. “Everyone is urgently invited to enter in.” Believe the gospel and enter into this new covenant, this new arrangement with God. Believe the good news and enter into His kingdom. Jesus is inviting you. Jesus is waiting for you. Are you ready for your “Welcome home!”?