Below is the second instalment summarizing chapter 10 of Calvin’s Institutes. To him the key element in the continuity between the Old and New Testament believers was the spiritual character of faith. He takes Abraham, “who looked for a city who’s builder and makes was God,” as a paradigm indicating that the Old Testament saints were looking for redemption and its corollary, heaven.
On this point I disagree with Calvin. Yes, Abraham sought for the God-built city, and was justified by faith but he did not just look for heaven. He and the subsequent prophets foretold of salvation for the world. Through Messiah all nations would be subdued and ruled from Zion. Here I think Calvin posited a dualistic construct back onto the Old Testament. He should have let the Old Testament speak its eschatology and he would have even seen the continuity of the covenants more clearly. Not that he didn’t see the eschatology of the Old Testament; at times he did, it just did not take centre place in his thinking. After all he was a man affected by Medieval dualisms.
Having said all that, here is the summary.
1. The Old Testament saints were Christians. Why, because they had the word of the gospel.
2. The promise was given them by the Word of God [1 Pet 1:23-24 cf. Is 40:6]. “Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, and the other patriarchs cleaved to God by such illumination of the Word. Therefore, I say without any doubt they entered into God’s immortal kingdom. For theirs was a real participation in God, which cannot be without the blessing of eternal life” (Pg., 434).
3. The Old Testament Christians were God’s eternal possession for he covenanted with them to be their God. [Lev 26:11-12; Ps 144:15; Hab 1:12; Is 33:22; Deut 33:29; Ex 6:7]
4. Abraham, the father of all the faithful saw Christ’s day and rejoiced; and sought for a city who’s builder and maker was God. Abraham knew the covenant promises contained eternal life.
5. Isaac and Jacob were the elect of God. They too were primarily looking and waiting for the promise of eternal life. They did not see God’s covenant only as a deed to a land in this life.
6. All the patriarchs of old died in faith, because they were justified by faith. They expected God’s promises to be fulfilled elsewhere than this world [Heb 11:9-10; 13-16]. These men and women understood the spiritual character of the covenants.
7. When one studies David, Job, Ezekiel and the other prophets, one finds that, “In them eternal life and Christ’s Kingdom are revealed in fullest splendour” (Pg., 441). [See the Scripture references on pages 441-448]
8. It is obvious that the Old Testament saints have the Christian hope of eternal life. Why, because they were Christians, saved by the same gospel and same Christ.
9. It is obvious that the O.T saints had “(1) Christ as pledge of their covenant, and (2) put in Him all trust of future blessedness” (Pg., 448).
I agree with number 8 & 9, but would want to emphasize that they would have had the hope God would also redeem the whole world. Compare Gen 12:1-3 with Rom 4:13.
10. This is the principle: “The Old Testament or Covenant that the Lord had made with the Israelites had not been limited to earthly things, but contained a promise of spiritual and eternal life” (Pg., 448).
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