Covenant
The Hebrew word for “covenant” means ‘betweenness,” (because it is made by passing
between pieces of flesh) emphasizing the relational element that lies at the basis of all
covenants. In Greek it means a will. Human covenants or treaties were either between
equals or between a superior and an inferior. Divine covenants, however are always of
the latter type, and the concept of covenant between God and His people is one of the
most important theological truths of the Bible.
A covenant is a permanent arrangement.
All biblical covenants were solemnized by slaying one or more animals and shedding their
blood. The blood brought ratification of the earlier covenants prefigured the “new
covenant in (Jesus) blood”. (Luke 22:20, I Cor 11:25) shed as the sign and seal of our
redemption once for all people and for all times (Heb 10:5-19).
Adam: The provision of a chosen people through whom the Messiah would be born is
the promise of the covenants with Adam (Gen 3:15).
Noah: Even before Abraham’s time, God also made a covenant with Noah. It
illustrates three important principles:
(1) All divine covenants originate with God. (Gen 9:9)
(2) All of them are everlasting (Gen 9:16)
(3) All of them are memorialized with a visible sign, in this case the rainbow )Gen 9:13)
The purpose of the Noahic covenant was the divine promise that God would never again
destroy all sinful humanity by a flood. (Gen 9:11).
The covenant with Noah is God’s promise to withhold judgment on nature while salvation
is occurring (Gen 8:21-22, II Pet 3:7,15).
Abraham: By making a covenant with Abraham, God promised to bless His descendants
and to make them His special people. Abraham, in return was to remain faithful to God
and to serve as a channel through which God’s blessings could flow to the rest of the
world (Gen 12:1-3). God’s covenant with Abraham was made (Gen 15:18) and confirmed
(Gen 17:2) to guarantee that Abraham’s descendants would be innumerable and that
they would receive the Promised Land. The Abrahamic covenant sign is circumcision
(Gen 17:11).
In the covenant with Abraham, God promised to bless Abraham’s descendants because of
his faith.
Moses: God’s covenant with Israel through Moses is the “old” covenant as a contrasted
with the “new”. The Mosaic covenant sigh is the Sabbath (Ex 31:13, 16-17). Israel’s
pledge to obey the LORD (Ex 19:8, 24:3, 7), is the basis of which Moses sprinkled the
“blood of the covenant” on them (Ex 24:8), was broken soon (Ex 32:1-31) and often (Jer
31:32).
David: Another famous covenant was between God and David, in which David and his
descendants were established as the royal heirs to the throne of the nation of Israel (II
Sam 7:12, 22:51). This covenant agreement reached its highest fulfillment when Jesus
the Messiah, a descendant of the line of David, was born in Bethlehem about a thousand
years after God made this promise to David the king (Matt 1:1; 2:4-6, Luke 1:29-30).
The New Testament, which itself means “new covenant”, interprets the work of Jesus
Christ as bringing this promised new covenant into being. Jesus is also referred to by the
writer of Hebrews as “the Mediator of the new covenant” (Heb 9:15, 12:24)). The new
covenant, a “better covenant…..established on better promises” (Heb 8:6), rests directly
on the sacrificial work of Christ, according to Hebrews. The new covenant accomplished
what the old could not removal of sin and cleaning of conscience (Jer 31:34, Heb 10:2,
22). The work of Jesus Christ on the cross thus fulfills the promise of the prophet
Jeremiah.
The new covenant God has made with mankind, based on the death, and resurrection of
Jesus Christ. The concept of a new covenant originated with the promise of the prophet
Jeremiah that God would accomplish for His people what the old covenant had failed to do
(Jer 31:31-34). Under this new covenant, God would write His Law on human hearts.
The New Testament makes a clear distinction between covenants of Promise. The
apostle Paul spoke of these “two covenants”, one originating “from Mount Sinai”, the other
from “the Jerusalem above”. (Gal 4:24-26). Paul also argued that the covenant
established at Mount Sinai, the Law, is a “ministry of death” and “condemnation” (II Cor 3:
7, 9); a covenant that cannot be obeyed because of human weakness and sin (Rom 8:3).
But the “covenant of promise” (Eph 2:12) are God’s guarantees that He will provide
salvation in spite of people’s inability to keep their side of the agreement because of sin.
This covenant of promise may be considered one covenant of grace, which was fulfilled in
the life and ministry of Jesus. His death ushered in the new covenant under which we are
justified by God’s grace and mercy rather than our human attempts to keep the law. And
Jesus Himself is the Mediator of this better covenant between God and humankind (Heb 9:
15).
Jesus’ sacrificial death served as the oath, or pledge, that God made to us to seal this
new covenant. He is determined to give us eternal life and fellowship with Him, in spite of
our unworthiness. As the Book of Hebrews declares, “the word of the oath, which came
after the law appoints the Son who has been perfected forever” (Heb 7:28). This is still
God’s promise to any person who turns to Him in repentance and faith.
Jesus did the legal side for us, His death burial and resurrection defeated satan, and He
gave us His power (Luke 10:19). We need to do the vital side. We must believe then
confess. (Prov 12:18, 18:21, Mark 9:23, 11:23-24). God wants us to prosper in all areas
of our life. (Ps 84:11, 115:11-14, Gal 3:29, Eph 1:3, III John 2)
Everyday is our receiving day (Ps 68:19). Be faithful to God (Job 36:11, Is 1:19)
All the promises are yea and amen in Him. (II Cor 1:20).