01.03. Covenants of the Bible

3. Covenants of the Bible IBiblical Covenants

    Here we deal only with significant covenants between God and Man which are actually denoted by the term "covenant" within scripture. What some have termed the Adamic and Edenic “covenants” are not here treated, nor are the conjectured covenants of Covenant Theology.

IINoahic Covenant Made with: All living creatures. Genesis 6:18; Genesis 9:9-11
Status: Unconditional, permanent Sign: Rainbow Genesis 9:13; Genesis 9:17

Provisions:

1.Never again curse the ground. Genesis 8:21; see Genesis 5:29 2.Never again destroy every living thing. Genesis 8:21 3.Seasons and day/night will not cease while the earth remains. Genesis 8:22 4.Never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. Genesis 9:11 IIIAbrahamic Covenant Made with: Abraham
Status: Unconditional, permanent.

Sign: Circumcision: Genesis 17:9-14.

Three aspects of the covenant are developed further by subsequent unconditional covenants:

(1) land à Palestinian Covenant;

(2) physical seed à Davidic Covenant;

(3) spiritual seed (blessing) à New Covenant

Provisions:

1.    A great nation was to come out of Abraham, namely the nation of Israel. Genesis 12:2; Genesis 13:16; Genesis 15:5; Genesis 17:1-2, Genesis 17:7; Genesis 22:17.

2.    Abraham was promised a land specifically, the land of Canaan. Genesis 12:1; Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:14-15, Genesis 13:17; Genesis 15:17-21; Genesis 17:8.

3.    Abraham to be blessed. Genesis 12:2; Genesis 15:6; Genesis 22:15-17.

4.    Abraham’s name to be great. Genesis 12:2.

5.    Abraham will be a blessing to others. Genesis 12:2.

6.    Those who Abraham bless will be blessed. Genesis 12:3.

7.    Those who curse Abraham will be cursed. Genesis 12:3.

8.    In Abraham, all will be ultimately blessed, a promise of Gentile blessing. Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18.

9.    Abraham would receive a son through Sarah. Genesis 15:1-4; Genesis 17:16-21.

10.Abraham’s descendents to undergo Egyptian bondage. Genesis 15:13-14 11.Other nations to come out of Abraham. Genesis 17:3-6.

12.    Abram’s name changed to Abraham. Genesis 17:5.

13.    Sarai’s name changed to Sarah. Genesis 17:15.

14.Circumcision as token of the covenant. Genesis 17:9-14. The promises can be categorized as follows:

(1) to Abraham: #3, #4, #5, #9, #12, #13;

(2) to physical seed of Abraham: #1, #2, #10, #11, #14;

(3) to spiritual seed of Abraham (includes Gentiles): #6, #7, #8 IVMosaic Covenant

Made with: Israel
Status: Conditional, broken, superceded. Deuteronomy 31:16; Jeremiah 11:10; Jeremiah 31:32; Hebrews 8:7
Sign: Sabbath (Exodus 31:13, Exodus 31:17; Exodus 20:12; Exodus 20:20)

Contains 613 laws (10 commandments + 603 additional laws) designated as commands (moral issues ), ordinances (religious issues), and judgments (civil issues).

Attributes:

1.Given to Israel, not the church. Deuteronomy 4:8; Psalms 147:20; Malachi 4:4; Romans 9:4 2.Not a means of salvation. Romans 3:19; Romans 3:28 ; Romans 8:3; Galatians 2:21 3.Contains the Law of Moses.

4.Conditional: divine blessings upon human faithfulness. Exodus 15:26; Exodus 19:5 5.Never did-nor does now-apply to the church. Not in any part. (See Acts 15:5-31.) 6.Ratified by blood. Exodus 24:1-11

Purpose:

1.    Reveal holiness of God and His standards of righteousness. Leviticus 19:1-2; Leviticus 11:44; Romans 7:12; 1 Peter 1:15

2.    Rule of life for Old Testament saints. Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7-8; Leviticus 20:26; Psalms 119:77; Psalms 119:97; Psalms 119:103-104; Psalms 119:159; Galatians 3:24

3.    Provide Israel occasions for individual and corporate worship. The 7 holy seasons of Israel (Leviticus 23:1) is one example.

4.Keep Jews a distinct people. Exodus 19:5; Leviticus 20:26; Deuteronomy 7:6 5.To produce a wall of separation. Ephesians 2:11-18 6.To reveal sin. Romans 3:19; Romans 5:20; Romans 7:7; Romans 7:13 7.To make one sin more. Romans 4:15; Romans 5:20; 1 Corinthians 15:56 8.To show inability to please God by own merit. Romans 7:22-23; Galatians 2:21 9.To bring to saving faith in Christ. Galatians 3:24

V    Palestinian (Land) Covenant

(Palestine - name given by Roman emperor Hadrian after the second Jewish revolt under Bar Cochba (A.D. 132-135) for the purpose of erasing any Jewish remembrance of the land as part of his policy to de-judaize the land. Not so named in scripture.) The Palestinian Covenant develops the land-related aspects of the Abrahamic Covenant.
Made with: Israel
Status: Unconditional, permanent. Jeremiah 7:7; Amos 9:15
Enjoyment of land is conditioned on obedience, but not ownership. Those who argue that the promised land was fulfilled in the days of Solomon’s reign cannot explain why prophets subsequent to Solomon such as Amos (Amos 9:15) see its fulfillment yet future nor how they could be said to occupy the land forever and never again be plucked up from it¾yet do not have it even today.

Provisions:

1.Distinct from Mosaic Covenant. Deuteronomy 29:1 2.Israel with be dispersed. Deuteronomy 29:28 3.Israel will repent. Deuteronomy 30:2 4.Israel will be regathered. Deuteronomy 30:3-4 5.Israel will possess the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 30:5 6.Israel will be regenerated. Deuteronomy 30:6 7.Enemies of Israel to be cursed. Deuteronomy 30:7 8.Israel to be blessed. Deuteronomy 30:8-10 9.Awaiting future fulfillment. Jeremiah 7:7; Amos 9:15 VIDavidic Covenant The Davidic Covenant develops the physical seed-related aspects of the Abrahamic Covenant.

Made with: David
Status: Unconditional, permanent. Psalms 89:34-36
Provisions:

1.House of David will never lack one with the right to rule from his throne. Throne itself may be unoccupied due to divine judgment, but there will always be one with the right to rule. 2 Samuel 7:14-16; Psalms 132:12; Jeremiah 22:30; Jeremiah 36:30 2.One of David’s sons was to be established on the throne after David. 2 Samuel 7:12 3.Solomon would build the temple. 2 Samuel 7:13 4.Covenant can never be abrogated. Psalms 89:3-4; Psalms 89:19-37.

5.    An eternal throne is guaranteed. 2 Samuel 7:13; 2 Samuel 7:16.

6.    An eternal kingdom is promised. Luke 1:32-33.

7.    An eternal house or dynasty. 2 Samuel 7:11; 2 Samuel 7:16; 1 Chronicles 17:10-14; Jeremiah 33:17; Isaiah 9:6-7

8.    Solomon would be disciplined for disobedience, but God’s loving kindness not removed from him. 2 Samuel 7:14-15    

VIINew Covenant The New Covenant develops the blessing aspects (spiritual seed-related) of the Abrahamic Covenant.
Made with: Israel and the spiritual seed of Abraham. Jeremiah 31:31; Romans 4:16; Romans 9:8

Care is needed to avoid equating the spiritual seed of Abraham with Israel. Nowhere in all of scripture are believers referred to as the “new Israel” as Covenant Theology asserts. The term “Israel” always refers to the physical offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob¾not the church. Even the "Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16) refers to that portion of the physical offspring of Jacob which has faith in God.
Status: Unconditional, permanent.

Scriptures: Isaiah 55:3; Isaiah 59:20-21; Isaiah 61:8-9; Jeremiah 31:31-40; Jeremiah 32:40; Ezekiel 16:60; Ezekiel 34:25-31; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:14-20; Romans 11:26; 1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 7:22; Hebrews 8:6-13; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 10:13; Hebrews 10:16; Hebrews 10:29; Hebrews 12:24; Hebrews 13:20; Romans 11:25-27 Characteristics:

1.    “New” in contrast to Mosaic covenant which was conditional and was broken and was not followed. Jeremiah 31:32; Hebrews 8:9.

2.As given in OT, clearly applies to the national Israel. Given to the houses of Judah and Israel. Made with the same people as was the Mosaic Covenant. Jeremiah 31:31 3.Frequently connected with the restoration of Israel to her land as a nation.

4.Stated as such by the apostle Paul. Romans 9:4; Ephesians 2:11-12 5.Some aspects of fulfillment still future. Paul refers to Isaiah 59:20-21 from Romans 11:26.

6.    New testament fulfillment spiritually in the Church. Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; Romans 11:27; 1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 8:8-10; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 10:13; Hebrews 12:24.

7.    Similarity with Abrahamic covenant: spiritual and physical blessings to Israel; spiritual blessings appropriated by church.

• Physical blessings include inheritance in a land, material blessings on the earth, and rest from oppression.

• Spiritual blessings include salvation, forgiveness of sin, ministry of Holy Spirit.

8.    New Covenant instituted by Christ’s death, but benefits not entirely fulfilled until the second advent.

9.Israel to be regenerated. Jeremiah 32:33; Isaiah 59:21
Regeneration universal among all Jews. Jeremiah 31:34; Romans 11:26 10.Provides for forgiveness of sin (that which Mosaic covenant could not do). Jeremiah 31:34 11.Indwelling of Holy Spirit. Ezekiel 36:2