Covenants of God
To understand the true meaning of a covenant and a contract they would need to be defined. A Covenant as defined at dictionary.com is “an agreement, usually formal, between two or more persons to do or not do something specified. Law -an incidental clause in such an agreement. The conditional promises made to humanity by God, as revealed in Scripture.” A contract “is an agreement enforceable by law.” God has made many covenants with us and all are still in effect till this day. Contracts can be broken but covenants are everlasting.
For example, God made a special covenant with Abram and the land of Israel. He promised to give his descendants the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:1-7). In Genesis it tells of how Abram would travel and save his brother and bring him out to safety. God then granted Abram and his offspring would rule many lands and nations. In the years to come God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and name him the father of all nations. As a sign of the covenant God required that the descendants be circumcised. (Gen. 17: 9-14) God gave blessing to Abraham and his descendants for many years and years to come. There is always a pattern of the entire covenant and an outline and duty that has to be followed when a covenant is enforced.
All Covenants seem to have a common theme to them a “new life, a new start” and consist of a threefold promise;
- A promise of divine presence – “I will be with thee.”
- A promise of blessing – “I will bless thee.”
- A promise of territory – “I will give thee.” (Lockyer, 1962: 36).
God set forth many covenants; he forgives his children over and over again. Each covenant that is expressed is a way of starting a new to wash the slate clean for his children. For example God made a covenant with Noah. In Genesis 9: 1-4, it reads “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of
For example, God made a special covenant with Abram and the land of Israel. He promised to give his descendants the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:1-7). In Genesis it tells of how Abram would travel and save his brother and bring him out to safety. God then granted Abram and his offspring would rule many lands and nations. In the years to come God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and name him the father of all nations. As a sign of the covenant God required that the descendants be circumcised. (Gen. 17: 9-14) God gave blessing to Abraham and his descendants for many years and years to come. There is always a pattern of the entire covenant and an outline and duty that has to be followed when a covenant is enforced.
All Covenants seem to have a common theme to them a “new life, a new start” and consist of a threefold promise;
- A promise of divine presence – “I will be with thee.”
- A promise of blessing – “I will bless thee.”
- A promise of territory – “I will give thee.” (Lockyer, 1962: 36).
God set forth many covenants; he forgives his children over and over again. Each covenant that is expressed is a way of starting a new to wash the slate clean for his children. For example God made a covenant with Noah. In Genesis 9: 1-4, it reads “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of