This blog is meant to be a brief introduction to the covenants of God in the Bible and to hopefully spur on further study by the reader.
Much of the information of this article is taken from the book, The Covenants, by Conner and Malmin (1983).
What is a covenant in general?
“… a mutual understanding between two or more parties, each binding himself (or herself) to fulfill specified obligations…”. This can pertain to social, business, legal or other kinds of contracts.
The Covenants explains, “The word covenant is a word that has lost its meaning and significance in present society. In Bible times the word covenant involved promise, commitment, faithfulness and loyalty even unto death.”
What is a Biblical covenant specifically?
The Hebrew word Beriyth is defined as “a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh) It signifies “cutting” of an animal sacrifice (see Genesis 15:17). There are two words in the Greek and only one (Diatheke – a disposition, arrangement, testament or will) is used to describe the covenants of God.
“In every case in Scripture when a covenant was instituted between God and man, God is seen as the initiator. Man did not come to God with a proposal seeking God’s approval, rather God came to man declaring His will and seeking man’s adherence.
A covenant is a contract between God and man drawn up by God and presented to man. Man can either accept it or reject it, but he cannot change it.” (The Covenants, page 2)
Why study the covenants of God in the Bible?
To more fully understand God and how He relates to us and to better read the flow of Scripture, His message to us.
“Through many years of studying that inexhaustible Book called the Bible, believers have discovered many streams of truth. However, there is a deep vast river, a mainstream of revelation, which flows though God’s Word. This mainstream is the flow of God’s ongoing covenantal revelation.” (The Covenants, Foreword)
What are the elements of a covenant in the Bible?
There are at least three basic elements of God’s covenants:
1) The Words of the covenant 2) The Blood of the covenant 3) The Seal of the covenant
Using the New Covenant as an example we see that God the Father originated (or worded) it (John 17:2,6), God the Son provided the shed blood for it upon the cross (Mat 26:26-29) and God the Holy Spirit is the seal upon it (2 Cor 1:22).
What are the different types of Bible covenants?
There are a few distinctions when reading through the covenants of the Bible.
Some are eternal while some are temporal. Some are to all people while some are to Israel only. Some are conditional on man’s obedience to God while others are unconditional – based on faith in God’s promise alone.
How many covenants are there in the Bible?
There is certainly debate amongst Bible scholars about the exact number of God’s covenants. In the book we are following along with though, the authors have discerned nine different covenants. They are the covenants of:
> Eden (What God originally intended before the entrance of sin – Genesis 1-2)
> Adam and Eve (After the entrance of sin, God pronounces judgment and blessing and the first promise of the Messiah – Jesus. Genesis 3)
> Noah (After the great flood, it’s seal or token is the rainbow – Genesis 6-9)
> Abraham (Also known as the Covenant of Grace – Genesis 12-22)
> Moses (The Law or the Old Covenant – Exodus 19-40)
> Palestine (The Promised Land – Deuteronomy 27-33)
> David (God promises both a natural succession to David’s throne and spiritual one – Jesus. 2 Samuel 7, Psalm 89, 132)
> The New Covenant (Instituted by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper before His death on the cross – Jeremiah 31:31-34, Matthew 26, Hebrews 8)
> The Everlasting Covenant (Or the Covenant of Redemption. A comprehensive covenant of the story of redemption, made in the counsels of the Holy Trinity. Various Scriptures)
“The New Covenant (the end) makes possible the Edenic Covenant (the beginning) and all other covenants are but links in the covenantal chain.” (The Covenants, page 12)
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