In the ancient Near East, covenants were a customary manner of coming to an agreement. The Bible contains many references to covenants. Covenants were made between individuals, nations, and God in scripture. For example, there were covenants made by Abram with Abimelech, Laban and his nephew Jacob, and Israel under Joshua’s leadership with the Gibeonites. The topic of covenants is broad, and we will narrow our focus on God’s use of covenants when dealing with His chosen people, the Jews, their country Israel, and mankind as a whole, including the Gentiles.
First, we will explore covenants to understand their relevance to the Jewish people and Israel. Covenants form the framework for Biblical scripture where God reveals Himself. The Biblical Covenants describe the evolving relationship between God and mankind. Many equate the Biblical concept of covenants with contracts. Although the two are similar, there are differences that we must understand to realize the significance of covenants in understanding God, His eternal plan, and human nature.
In ancient Israel, a covenant is viewed as a relationship, a partnership where two or more parties make binding promises to each other and partner together to reach a common goal. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word (בְּרִיתִי) for covenant is transliterated into English as berith. In the ancient Near East covenants were accompanied by oaths, signs, and ceremonies. There was a covenant structure, and it contained defined obligations and commitments. The Mosaic Covenant, for example, follows the structure and related contents of the Hittites, who were located north of Israel. Israel’s covenants were also influenced by its Assyrian, Mesopotamian, Syrian, Ugaritic, and Egyptian neighbors. Covenants differ from modern-day contracts in that they are about relationships and are considered personal partnerships regarding expected benefits. In Israel, the idiomatic phrase to “cut” (כָּרַת) a covenant, in Hebrew, had literal meaning. Covenantal ceremonies involved the parties in a covenant holding hands and walking through the severed remains of animals, demonstrating the value the parties placed on their commitment to the agreement. Covenants also employed a list of blessings and curses based on the actions of divine will, enforcing each party's faithfulness to the agreement. Today, contracts involve mutual agreement. However, ancient Near East covenants were often initiated by a stronger party. In some covenants someone with more authority, usually a king, made a covenant with those having less authority. Ancient Near East legal covenant categories include the royal grant and suzerain-vassal treaties, which involve a superior party in the agreement. There are conditional, unconditional, and mixed covenants. A conditional covenant requires that its terms are favorably met. If the terms are not met, there are consequences that result. In an unconditional covenant, there are no stipulations that result in consequences if the terms are not met. To accurately distinguish biblical covenants, we should categorize each as either unconditional-unilateral (royal grant) versus conditional-bilateral (suzerain-vassal). These ancient legal concepts are key to understanding God’s covenants with Israel and mankind, with God serving as the most powerful party in the covenant. How these covenants have been understood and linked with both Jewish and Christian history continues to play a significant role in our world today.
God’s Covenant with Adam
The primary scriptural references that are interpreted to imply this covenant with Adam are found in Genesis 1-3. Here are the key passages:
1. Genesis 1:26-28 (ESV): God's creation of man in His image and the mandate given to humanity.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
2. Genesis 2:15-17 (ESV): The commandment given to Adam, which implies a conditional covenant based on obedience.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
3. Genesis 3:16-19 (ESV): The consequences of Adam's disobedience, which some theologians interpret as the breaking of the covenant.
To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to the man, but he shall rule over you.” And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
The word covenant is not used in scripture, but the elements of a covenant relationship are present. The first scriptural occurrence of the word “covenant” is not used until God establishes a covenant with Noah. Clearly, there are good reasons for seeing a conditional covenant at creation. As a result, the Adamic Covenant is also referred to as the Edenic Covenant, Creation Covenant, Covenant of Nature, and Covenant of Works, because the blessings of the covenant depended on the works of Adam and Eve in the garden. The elements of a covenant were present at creation, but the covenant’s blessings and curses were based on Adam’s fulfillment of the covenant terms. Jeffrey Niehaus points out scripture that tells us, “Like Adam, they have broken the covenant.” The Adamic Covenant signs were the trees of life and of the knowledge of good and evil.
In the Adamic covenant, Adam represented mankind. The phrase “in Adam” identifies federal headship designating him as mankind’s representative. This is why the Apostle Paul tells us that sin entered the world through one man. We are told that “in Adam all die.” The Adamic covenant was not just with Adam, but his descendants, representing those who were in him.
The covenant relationship with God in the garden includes a promise of eternal life if Adam and Eve had perfectly obeyed is the fact that even the Apostle Paul speaks as though perfect obedience possible, would have led to life. Paul speaks of a “commandment which promised life,” and in order to demonstrate that the law does not rest on faith, he quotes Leviticus 18:5 about the provisions of the law, “He who does them shall live by them.”
The serpent was a fallen angel Satan, who wanted glory for himself. Satan enticed Adam and Eve to disobey God by falsely claiming that eating the fruit would make them “like God, knowing good and evil.” It is because of Adam’s disobedience and fall, that mankind bears Adam’s guilt. Adam’s sin resulted in the corruption of his nature, and consequently, all mankind at birth bears that same sinful nature. In addition to the consequences of sin for all mankind, there were consequences for Eve and her female descendants as well. Finally, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, the only home they had known.
When Adam failed to keep the covenant, God initiated His plan for redemption. God promises a savior to come who will crush the serpent’s head and conquer Satan, sin, and death forever. “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
God’s Covenant with Noah
The covenant that God made with Noah is one of the explicit covenants in the Bible, detailed in the book of Genesis. This covenant is significant as it establishes a divine promise not only with Noah and his descendants but with all of creation. The following passages from the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible provide the scriptural basis for God's covenant with Noah:
Genesis 6:18 (ESV): The initial promise of the covenant.
"But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you."
Genesis 8:20-22 (ESV): God's promise after Noah's sacrifice.
"Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, 'I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.'"
Genesis 9:8-17 (ESV): The formal establishment of the covenant and the sign of the rainbow.
"Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 'Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.' And God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the rainbow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.' God said to Noah, 'This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.'"
God’s universal, unconditional covenant with Noah was intended to preserve God’s plan for His creation. The Noahic Covenant signifies a new beginning for human beings and the continuance of life on earth until the time of the end. The depravity of human wickedness grieved God and resulted in judgment with the ungodly being wiped from the earth. Ultimately, God responded by continuing to bless mankind. The flood testifies to the consequences that mankind deserves on account of sin, and it is a type of the final judgment to come. The rainbow in the clouds is the sign of the covenant, it testifies that God has withdrawn his wrath and that He will preserve the world until redemption is accomplished.
God announced His covenant with Noah and all creation prior to the flood. The covenant was established after the flood subsided. This covenant highlights God’s plan to preserve Noah, his family, and creation in the ark. God’s covenant with Noah reaffirmed his original creational intent that mankind’s wickedness had disrupted. God saved Noah and his family because Noah was a preacher of righteousness and must have warned others that "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven” against all of their ungodliness and unrighteousness. God’s rescue of Noah demonstrates the protection of the righteous remnant. God solemnly promises that the suspension of the natural order will never again be interrupted, providing an assurance of security about the future of mankind. God’s command to eat plants and warnings about shedding blood emphasize the value He places on human life and His creation. This underscores the reason for this covenant, preserving life on earth without further divine interruption.
It is implicit from the scope of this covenant that God’s redemptive goal encompassed all creation. The global emphasis theme in Genesis chapters 1–11 continues throughout scripture. God continues to uphold the Noahic covenant as he patiently waits for all of God’s people to repent. In the new heaven and new earth, there will no longer be a need for the Noahic Covenant.
God’s Covenant with Abraham
The covenant with Abraham, also known as the Abrahamic Covenant, is a foundational element in the Bible, particularly in the context of redemptive history. This covenant is detailed in several passages in the book of Genesis and is referenced throughout the Bible. The following are key scriptural references that detail God's covenant with Abraham:
1. Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV): The initial call of Abram and the first promise.
"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'"
2. Genesis 15:1-21 (ESV): The formal establishment of the covenant and the promise of descendants.
"After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: 'Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.' ... And he brought him outside and said, 'Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.' Then he said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' ... On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.'"
3. Genesis 17:1-14 (ESV): The sign of the covenant is circumcision.
"When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.' ... 'This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.'"
4. Genesis 22:15-18 (ESV): The reaffirmation of the covenant after the binding of Isaac.
"And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, 'By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.'"
The Abrahamic Covenant begins with God appearing in a theophany, introducing Himself as “El Shaddai,” and giving Abraham two commands “walk before me and be blameless.” The Abrahamic Covenant plays a central role in the biblical story, with Abraham representing himself and the upcoming Jewish nation. God promises Abraham offspring, land, and universal blessing. God’s covenant with Abraham is conditional. This covenant was modeled after ancient Syrian covenants, which were a mixture of grant and treaty. God makes a promise and assumes a curse Himself, while Abraham was required to be obedient. The covenantal sign was the requirement for all of Abraham’s male heirs and their male household staff to be circumcised. As a result of this ritual, Jewish males permanently bear the mark of covenant membership. The covenantal curse or consequence of not meeting the requirement of circumcision is the “cutting off” of the male heir that breaks the terms from the people.
There were two distinct covenants established between God and Abraham. The first guaranteed God’s promise to make Abraham into a “great nation.” The second affirmed God’s promise to bless all nations through Abraham and his heirs. These covenants were key to God’s plan of redemption to use the Jewish people who lived in Israel to attract the world’s attention. They were to serve as a lamp to the nations. They were to be His priestly kingdom and holy nation. By reflecting God’s holiness, Israel would showcase the one true God and serve as His witness to the world. In God’s promises to Abraham, we see God in scripture to be covenantally and eternally committed to the mission of blessing the nations through Abraham and his descendants. As Christopher Wright observed, "God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year" and as generations come and go.
The Mosaic/Sinai Covenant
The Mosaic Covenant, also known as the Sinai Covenant, is the covenant established between God and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. It is detailed in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. This covenant includes the giving of the Law, which comprises the Ten Commandments and various civil, moral, and ceremonial laws. Here are the key scriptural references from the English Standard Version (ESV) that detail the Mosaic Covenant:
1. Exodus 19:5-6 (ESV): The proposal of the covenant.
"Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."
2. Exodus 20:1-17 (ESV): The Ten Commandments.
"And God spoke all these words, saying, 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. ...'"
3. Exodus 24:3-8 (ESV): The ratification of the covenant.
"Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, 'All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.' ... And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.'"
4. Leviticus 26:1-46 (ESV): The blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
"If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. ... But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. ..."
5. Deuteronomy 5:1-33 (ESV): The reiteration of the Ten Commandments.
"And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, 'Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. ...'"
6. Deuteronomy 28:1-68 (ESV): The detailed blessings and curses associated with the covenant.
"And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. ... But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. ..."
The Mosaic/Sinai Covenant is where God established a covenant with his chosen people after freeing them from Egyptian bondage. The covenant was a conditional agreement between God and the people of Israel that was mediated by Moses. Arthur Pink notes its significance as “the law of Adam's being was none other than the eternal law or righteousness, the same which was summed up in the Ten Commandments," which God dictated to Moses. The covenant was patterned after suzerain-vassal treaties in ancient Near East treaties. The Exodus was a significant event that was anticipated in Genesis 15, the emancipation of Abraham’s descendants from oppression in a foreign land. The theme at Mount Sinai was how God’s chosen people were to conduct themselves when they arrived at the promised land as the holy and unique nation God intended them to be. It required Israel to keep God’s covenant by submitting to its requirements. By adhering to their covenantal obligations, Israel would be distinct from other nations, reflecting God’s wisdom and greatness to surrounding peoples. The people of Israel had to fulfill their covenantal responsibilities to remain and prosper in the promised land God had given them. Unfortunately, the Israelites were never able to meet the terms of this covenant because it was impossible for anyone to obey it perfectly. Israel was only declared righteous by faith alone, just as their father Abraham was. The consequence of Israel's failing to abide by the covenant terms was their exile. The prophets repeatedly warned them that Israel’s violation of the covenant would result in judgment. The Mosaic Covenant had built-in obsolescence, and it did not transform the hearts of those who heard the covenant demands.
The Mosaic Covenant was important in God’s redemptive plan for two reasons. It showed Israel and us the impossibility of keeping God’s law perfectly, thus the need for a savior. It opened the door for Jesus Christ’s arrival to serve as the perfect Son of Israel who would obey God’s law and be the atoning sacrifice for mankind’s sins.
God’s Covenant with David
The Davidic Covenant refers to God's promises to King David through which the lineage of the kings of Israel is established, and it is particularly significant for its messianic implications. This covenant is primarily found in the books of 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, and Psalms. Here are the key scriptural references that detail God's covenant with David:
1. 2 Samuel 7:12-16 (ESV): The promise to David through the prophet Nathan.
"When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.'"
2. 1 Chronicles 17:11-14 (ESV): The Chronicler’s account of the covenant.
"When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love away from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.'"
3. Psalm 89:3-4 (ESV): A Psalm that reflects on the covenant with David.
"You have said, 'I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’'"
4. Psalm 132:11-12 (ESV): The Psalmist reiterates the Lord’s promise to David.
"The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: ‘One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.'"
God’s covenant with David aligns with previous covenants. In the Davidic Covenant God wanted David to build a temple for Him. The rule over the world originally given to Adam would be realized through a Davidic king. The promises of offspring, land, and blessing were given to Abraham, the blessings promised in the Mosaic Covenant would come to fruition under faithful Davidic kings, but if they strayed from the Lord, then the curses would come. Despite the conditional elements, the covenant with David was ultimately unconditional. There is no scriptural evidence of a sacrifice at the inauguration of the Lord’s covenant with David.
In the Davidic Covenant, there are parallels to the Abrahamic Covenant. God promises both; a great name, will conquer their enemies, a special divine-human relationship, offspring who will perpetuate their names; their descendants must keep God’s laws, and their offspring would mediate international blessing. In the Davidic covenant, there is a subtle but significant shift in focus. With the great nation promised to Abraham now firmly established, attention focuses on his progeny. This royal line culminates in an individual, conquering heir who fulfills the promise of Genesis 22:18 and the hope expressed in Psalm 72:17. God guaranteed a Davidic king on the throne, but the covenant promise would only be fulfilled by an obedient king, Jesus Christ. As David’s son, He now reigns at God’s right hand and will come again to consummate his reign.
The New Covenant - God’s Covenant with Mankind
The New Covenant is a central theme in Christian theology, representing the culmination of God's redemptive work for humanity through Jesus Christ. This covenant is prophesied in the Old Testament and comes to fulfillment in the New Testament. Here are the key scriptural references that explain the New Covenant:
Old Testament Prophecies of the New Covenant:
1. Jeremiah 31:31-34 (ESV): The promise of a new covenant distinct from the one made at Sinai.
"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
2. Ezekiel 36:26-28 (ESV): The promise of spiritual transformation and restoration.
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God."
New Testament Fulfillment of the New Covenant:
1. Luke 22:20 (ESV): Jesus institutes the New Covenant at the Last Supper.
"And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’"
2. 1 Corinthians 11:25 (ESV): Paul reiterates the words of Jesus concerning the New Covenant.
"In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’"
3. Hebrews 8:6-13 (ESV): The superiority of Jesus' ministry and the New Covenant.
"But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. ... In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away."
4. Hebrews 9:15 (ESV): Christ as the mediator of the New Covenant.
"Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant."
As prophesized in the Old Testament, God’s long-term plan was to establish a New Covenant. In the New Testament, the koine Greek word for covenant (διαθήκη) is transliterated into English as diathéké. The New Covenant was established when Jesus Christ served as an atonement sacrifice for mankind's sins based on his obedience to God's will. God’s promise of universal blessing is fully and finally fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
John Calvin argues that Christ died in the sinner’s place, appeasing God’s wrath toward sin. Thus there are several ideas with this perspective that include redemption (ransom), sacrifice, substitution, propitiation, and reconciliation, that is supported by scripture and bring together the holiness and love of God, the nature and sacrifice of Christ, and the sinfulness of man.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel use different terminology but anticipate a fundamental change in the covenant community. Jeremiah speaks of internalizing the Torah. Ezekiel speaks of spiritual surgery and radical transformation. The prophets believed that inner renewal would result in the ideal divine-human relationship, which the Biblical covenants uniformly express; “I will be their God, and they will be my people.” In the new covenant, all the hopes and expectations of previous covenants attain fulfillment and climactic eschatological expression.
Paul tells us that the new covenant is superior to the former covenants. This is implicit in the use of the adjective “new.” The New Covenant represents the culmination of God’s saving work among his people. God regenerates his people by His Spirit and renews their hearts so they obey him. The basis for renewal is the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By his atoning death and resurrection, complete forgiveness of sins is achieved. Hence, a new access to God that was not available in the former covenants is obtained. The promises made to Abraham and David are fulfilled in the New Covenant.
The New Covenant declares that all God’s covenant promises are realized in and through Jesus, the long-awaited Davidic Messiah. Jesus, the ultimate offspring of Abraham and royal offspring of David, Jesus also fulfills the role of Isaiah’s servant, not only in redeeming Israel but also by mediating God’s blessing to an international community of faith.
According to the New Testament, the new covenant was ratified through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. In the inaugural Lord’s Supper, Jesus alludes to both the forgiveness linked by Jeremiah to the New Covenant and the blood associated with the establishment of the Mosaic Covenant. Scripture emphasizes the forgiveness of sins, something only attainable under the New Covenant, as the primary benefit of Jesus’ resurrection.
Conclusion
God’s promises to mankind find its culmination in Jesus Christ as the true son of Abraham. All those who belong to Jesus Christ by faith are children of Abraham. God’s promise of land was fulfilled when Israel possessed Canaan under the leadership of Joshua and Solomon, yet Israel lost the land and was sent into exile because of sin. The promise of universal blessing was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, through whom all people from every nation are included in Abraham’s family. Throughout covenantal history, human rebellion threatened God’s objective, the blessing of all nations through Abraham’s offspring. When one understands how the covenants function in the Bible, one sees the big picture in scripture, enabling us to do a better job of interpreting scripture. Because mankind descended from Adam and was represented by him, each is guilty of failing to keep God’s covenants. Because God is holy, mankind is at enmity with God based on their imperfect works. Mankind’s sinful nature is due to the corruption resulting from Adam’s fall. All men are sinful. No one can keep God’s law perfectly and be pure enough to stand in His presence. It is through faith in Jesus Christ alone that a man can be declared righteous in God’s sight, be forgiven of his sins, establish peace with his Creator, and receive the gift of being called God’s child for eternity.
Since Christ has accomplished his saving work, God “is patient, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Jesus will return one day to fully establish his kingdom. All who receive Jesus Christ as Savior are the heirs of Abraham. Abraham believed God would keep his promise, “and if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
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