One of the greatest revelations that Moses was able to share with the world, was that God had entered into various covenant relationships with mankind. Some of these covenants are with individuals, some with the nation of Israel and some with all men. Of the 15 Biblical Covenants listed on this page, 13 were revealed by Moses. This list is gleaned from Dake's Annotated Reference Bible and represents a best attempt at compiling verses of scripture that represent covenant-like pronouncements. But it is by no means complete or fully authoritative in my mind; none-the-less, it is highly instructive.
It is important to note that most of these covenants are conditional and some are considered unconditional. That is to say, that in the case of unconditional covenants, it does not matter what any human does or does not do, God has committed to perform a certain thing, and this will not be stopped by any man. "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." (2 Cor. 1:20)
As a programmer, I am particularly drawn to the terms, "conditional" and "unconditional". This has a very precise meaning, when programming. A conditional statement will only be executed if the conditions are exactly met. Otherwise, it will not be executed. I can't begin to count the many times I thought I had written the code correctly, only to find the wrong results when I ran the program, because the conditions were not properly met. We expect God to act in a particular way on our behalf, or on behalf of our loved ones, or our country - based on His promises; and are extremely disappointed (some even turn away from God) when our expectations are not met. But few take the time to examine the conditions and ask themselves, "Have the conditions have been met?" (Pr. 16:2)
But there are other covenants that God has made that we can be certain that He will fulfill, no matter how much time passes. As we look at these 15 covenants, we will see something about the plan of God and the character of God in each one.
Solaric Covenant (Gen. 1:14-19)
(See Gen. 8:22,
Ps. 89-34-37;
Jer. 31:35;
33:19-26)
At the first reading of Gen. 1:14-19 it is hard to see this as a convent made by God. But as you read the other verses, it becomes clear that God viewed his promise concerning the solar system to be a binding covenant and the gold standard against which the other promises would be measured.
Recently the Voyager I and II Space probes exited the heliosphere – the protective bubble of particles and magnetic fields created by solar winds from the Sun. Plasma measuring instruments on board Voyager II detected a sharp drop of the solar winds and an uptick of cosmic rays as the probe passed through the boundary ("heliopause") and entered interstellar space. (See this NASA site on Voyager projects.) This bubble appears to serve as protection from cosmic rays and debris.
The earth also has a protective "bubble" surrounding it caused by our magnetosphere. And it goes without saying that the incredible mathematics that allows planets to be hung in space with cycles that defy orbital degradation is a feat of masterful design. God seems to have gone to extraordinary lengths to provide for the protection of earth relative to the general harshness of space. Is this perhaps what he had in mind when he declared this covenant?
As mentioned above, this is an example of an unconditional promise. While God may allow catastrophic events to take place on the planet, He has pledged to maintain its existence and provide for it. Theologians refer to this attribute of God as, "providence". He is not a creator who makes something and walks away from it, he is faithful to his word and his creation.
Edenic Covenant (
Gen. 1:24-31,
Gen. 1:24-31, Gen. 1:24-31)
This is the covenant God made with man, prior to the fall. It was conditional upon man's obedience to the terms of the covenant and specified the penalty for failure. Notice the provisions of the covenant:
Note that after God finished each day, He inspected His work and proclaimed it to be good. But upon creating man, He declared his work to be "very good". The Bible esteems mankind as a unique and specially designed creation, made directly by God, possessing an eternal soul and spirit, and accountable directly to God and His delegated authorities; he is not an un-designed, accidental derivative of chance evolution.
Adamic Covenant (Gen. 3:14-19)
This covenant was made with Adam and Eve after the fall and before they were expelled from the garden. There are two parts:
The 5-fold curse on:
Cainic Covenant (Gen. 4:11-12)
This is the covenant that God made with Cain, after he pronounced judgment on him for killing Abel and after he protested that the judgment was more than he could bare. He reasoned that everyone that found him would want to kill him. In response, God pledged 7-fold vengeance on anyone who might kill him, and "marked" him to protect him. This mark was not necessarily a physical mark and was definitely not the act of turning his skin black, as the Mormon church and others once alleged. Cain's progeny was ended with Noah's flood and all races have differentiated from Noah's offspring (who came from Seth, not Cain).
Cain's act of murder was the first and had no precedence in law. Later, in chapter 9 of Genesis, God institutes governmentally-sponsored capital punishment for those found guilty of this crime. But this was a serious crime in the eyes of God, stating that "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground."
Since there was no law specifically against murder at this point, God stopped short of calling for Cain's life, but banished him from all existing societies at this point. Moses says that he lived in the land of "Nod" - thought by some to be Tartary or China. He built the first named city, naming it after his son, Enoch. (This was not the Enoch of Seth's line, who was the 7th from Adam and "walked with God and was not; for God took him". That Enoch is one of the 3 possible candidates to return during the Tribulation, as one of the "two witnesses", mentioned in Revelation. You will have to look elsewhere on this site to find that discussion.)
Another point this brings up is where did cities come from? Aren't Cain and Abel the only two kids on the planet at this point? Actually, Jewish tradition holds that Adam and Eve may have had up to 300 children. (They were told to be fruitful and multiply and had many years in their lifetime to do so.) When their grudge led to Abel's murder, they were both young adult men, and might have already started families. With all of the various offspring listed in scripture, they are usually only mentioned in order to introduce characters that might be discussed later on in the story. Far more individuals are never mentioned, but none-the-less got married, had children of their own, and populated villages or cities.
This covenant speaks to God's love in granting a reasonable petition even to a condemned murderer. How much grace the Father is willing to bestow on those who ask, especially during this dispensation of Grace!
Noahic Covenant (Gen. 8:20-22 &
9:29)
This covenant was made with Noah after the flood. The conditions are:
A careful reading of chapter 6 will show that the union of the fallen angels and human women created giants, whose conduct became uncontrollably wicked. The genetics of mankind was compromised; as was the entire social structure, due to their chaotic behavior. God would not be able to bring the Messiah into the world through the promised route (the seed of the woman), if the genetics were compromised by the injection of genes from fallen angels. So, God had to act to save humanity eternally by destroying the corrupted vestige of it, before it was too late for the Messiah to be produced.
Read the description of Noah carefully (Gen. 6:8-9). It states that Noah was a just man, that he walked with God, and he found grace in the eyes of the Lord. All of that speaks to his moral qualifications. But then it says something else. It says he was "perfect in his generations". Two things to note here. The Hebrew word tamiym is translated "perfect", but it refers to bodily perfection, without blemish; pure stock. Not moral perfection. It is his genetics that was pure. Second, note Noah was said to be "perfect in his generations", which some pastors have assumed to mean that he was a relatively good man, compared to his contemporaries. They go on to preach about the need to evaluate historical figures based upon the culture they lived in, not our current one. A valid point for sure, but that is not the meaning of the text. It refers to his genealogy - the generations (note the plural - it means his ancestors) leading up to him. Meaning, he did not descend from giants; his genealogy could be traced back to Adam and Eve. It was pure, or tamiym. (This by the way, is one of the primary reasons for the listing of the messianic genealogies in scripture. Christ was a legitimate member of the human race, with lineage directly traceable to Adam and Eve, not a "hybrid" or "trans-human". Otherwise his role as the "second Adam" would not be legally valid in the court of heaven, to be a stand-in for humanity. Satan could even claim a legal right to salvation for fallen angels, if their genes were mixed into Christ's DNA.)
Abrahamic Covenant - part 1 (Gen. 12:1-3)
This covenant was first made with Abram (before he was renamed, "Abraham"), most likely when he lived in Ur of Chaldees (Acts 7:2). It happened after God divided mankind by language at Babel. It would appear that God may have decided that he could not deal with the race of man as a single unit, but form for himself a single family unit that spoke the same (probably, original) language. (Linguist have determined that all languages were most likely derived from a single source and strong evidence is said to point to Hebrew as that original language.) Whether or not that is true, we do know that God called Abraham to start a family, from the promise of a miracle baby, which led to the nation of Israel, with the purpose of blessing all nations with the knowledge of God. And, in the case of Abram and Sarai, that could only happen supernaturally due to Sara's advanced age. This covenant required Abram to act in obedience and faith in order for it to be accomplished.
In preparation, God required that he leave his father, Terah's home. Joshua 24:2 informs us that Terah worshiped false idols, so separation was necessary. This is an example of the Biblical notion of sanctification - to set apart for God's use. People and objects can be "sanctified", or set apart. The word, "sanctification" does not mean to cleanse, although that process is necessary and often takes place as well. By changing Abram's environment, God was able to remove harmful influences and obligations that might prevent him from accomplishing his mission. It is always good, in our Christian walk, to continuously examine our need for sanctification from worldly influences that might be hindering our walk. Have you ever made a checklist of things you feel God wants you to be separated from? It is probably that God is not able to use us for much nearly as much as He would like, until we get that separation.
God initially gave the following commands to Abraham as part of this covenant:
God gave Abram 7 promises in this first version of the covenant:
Like all of God's leadership, obedience is required along the way, before all of the details are supplied. This requires faith. Faith that God is and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6.)
Some argue that Abram disobeyed by taking Lot with him, and because of that, this covenant should be seen as an unconditional covenant. Which is to say that God intended to accomplish his goal whether or not Abram held up his side of the bargain. That argument seems to have validity as we see the covenant repeated with Isaac and again with Jacob. In both of their cases, their conduct was less than perfect, so the question arises, were these unconditional covenants, or did God's grace extend their partial obedience to fulfill their terms of the covenant. As a recipient of grace, I am counting on His grace to make up the difference between full obedience and my attempts to obey. But there is an obvious limit. There are a number of things Abram could have done that would have broken the terms of the covenant, so that God would have had to have chosen someone else. The same is true for us. How do you see this covenant?
Abrahamic Covenant - part 2 (Gen. 13:14-18)
Abram left Canaan during a famine and went to Egypt to find help. This appears to have been unnecessary, since God sent him back to the place he started from - a place between Bethel and Hai, where he had built an alter to God. In fact, we see the future nation of Israel often looking to Egypt for help - and usually, to their detriment, when they should have been looking to God. In these verses, we see the covenant confirmed and additional details added. Note this came after Lot departed from him; perhaps, indicating God's willingness to wait on Abram, until he had completed the terms of the covenant.
These are additional confirmations and details of his covenant, that God provided at this time:
These terms are still being fulfilled, and if they are to be completely fulfilled, Israel must be an eternal nation and people.
Abrahamic Covenant - part 3 (Gen. 15:1-21)
By chapter 15, Abram is having doubts about God's promise of having many offspring, since he has none and Sarai is by now quite old. He has a vision in which God converses with him and assures him the plan is still in place for him to have children and that his seed will be as the number of stars in the sky. Abram asks for a confirmation and he is told to take a three-year old heifer, goat, and ram, plus a turtledove, and young pigeon and divide the animals and lay the parts against one another. Covenants were often solidified in this manner, suggesting a similar fate, should either party fail to meet the terms of the contract. He falls asleep and has a another vision. A smoking furnace and a burning lamp passed between the parts. In the East, it was a custom to light a torch when making a covenant or in celebration of a marriage, to symbolize the fire of destruction if the agreement should be broken. The flaming torch or burning lamp was also an emblem of the Divine Presence.
In this vision, God revealed that Abram's seed would:
Note that God has given a reason for delaying Israel's bondage in Egypt... the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. The Amorites are one of the main tribes in Canaan. God was building a divine army to exterminate the Canaanites, but not before they were given the opportunity to see their sinfulness and repent. Their sins are recorded throughout the Pentateuch:
God provides even more specifics after the vision. Abram's seed are given (past tense - the issue is already settled in God's mind) the land from the river of Egypt unto the Euphrates. This includes the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaims, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites. (Note: This land has never been completely controlled by Israel, but will be in the Millennium.)
Abrahamic Covenant - part 4 (Gen. 17:1-27)
This time God appears to Abraham bodily when he was 90 years old and talked with him. This is the gist of that conversation:
The blessing of the Abrahamic covenant can be summarized in three things: people, land, world-wide blessing. God was going to make a people who where not a people, give them a land that was not theirs, and through them, bless the world. And He did.
God repeated this covenant with both Isaac (Gen. 26:24-25) and Jacob (Gen. 28:10-16), reassuring them that they were part of His plan and under his protection and blessing.
Hagaric Covenant (Gen. 16:7-14)
We all know the story of how Sarai lost faith in God's promise to give her a child, and therefore convinced Abram to instead have a child with her Egyptian servant, Hagar. Which he did at the young age of 86 - 14 years before Isaac was born. But Hagar, soon after, showed disrespect to Sarai, feeling I suppose, to be more of a wife to Abram that she was. Jealousy took hold and Sarai gave her a hard time, causing Hagar to run away. An angel found her and told her to return and submit to Sarah. (God often advises us to do the best thing, which is often the hardest thing.)
The angel (either speaking for God), or perhaps a Christophany declared this covenant with Hagar:
As we see in Gen. 25:12-18, Ishmael lived to be 137 years old and had 12 sons (princes) who ruled over 12 tribes in the Arabian peninsula from Egypt to the Euphrates. This is exactly what God told Abraham would happen in Gen. 17:20. In Gal. 4:21-31 we see that this event served as a type for the casting out of the law, in favor of the promise received by faith. The child of the bond woman could not inherit the same portion as the child of the free woman.
God foresaw that the children of Ishmael (the Arabs) would be in perpetual conflict with the children of Isaac (the Jews); and they still are.
Sarahic Covenant (Gen. 17:15-19;
18:9-15)
God actually makes this pledge to Abram regarding his wife, Sarai:
Healing Covenant (Ex. 15:26;
23:25)
The healing covenant that God proclaims to Israel is clearly a conditional covenant. A similar provision for healing is given in the New Covenant.
Conditions:
Mosaic Covenant (
Ex. 20,
Ex. 21,
Ex. 22,
Ex. 23,
Ex. 24:1-8;
2 Cor. 3:16-18)
This represents the "Old Covenant" or "Old Testament", also called the law of Moses, which was based on the priesthood, animal sacrifices, dietary laws, and endless rules. Here are some contrasts between the two major covenants (OT vs NT).
| OT | NT | OT | NT | OT | NT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Came by Moses | Came by Christ | Law of Sin | Law of Righteousness | Law of flesh | Law of Spirit |
| Not of faith | Law of faith | Yoke of bondage | Law of Liberty | Ended by Christ | Started by Christ |
| Brought death | Brought Life | Makes guilty | Makes free | A shadow | The reality |
| Fulfilled | Now in Force | Demands righteousness | Gives righteousness | Makes imperfect | Makes perfect |
| Glorious | More glorious | Powerless to save | Saves to uttermost | Many sacrifices | One sacrifice |
| Temporary priesthood | Eternal priesthood | Remembers sin | Forgets sin | Yearly atonement | Eternal atonement |
| Sinful ministry | Sinless ministry | Aaronic priesthood | Melchizedek priesthood | Of Levi | Of Judah |
| Animal sacrifices | Human sacrifices | Earthly tabernacles | Heavenly tabernacle | Sinful mediator | Sinless mediator |
| No inheritance | Eternal inheritance | Ratified by animal blood | Ratified by Christ's blood | Law of works | Law of grace |
| Works wrath | Saves from wrath | Could not redeem | Redeems | Could not satisfy | Does satisfy God |
| No miracle power | Miracles | Abolishment predicted | Establishment predicted | Circumcism | No circumcision |
| Made to change | Made eternal | Faulty | Perfect | Week | Strong |
| Unprofitable | Profitable | Natural program | Spiritual program | Daily program | Finished program |
| Infirm priests | Perfect priest | Priests by law | Priests by oath | No salvation | Eternal salvation |
| Self-honored | God-honored priest | Nothing perfect | Makes perfect | No intercessors | Two intercessors |
| Costly program | Free for all | Earthly agents | Heavenly agent | Monotonous failure | Glorious success |
| No personal access to God | Personal access to God | Many offerings | One offering | Good promises | Better promises |
| A good covenant | A better covenant | Many priests | One priest | Many sufferings | One suffering |
| Present things | Things to come | Typical tabernacle | True tabernacle | Dead works | Living service |
| Made at Sinai | Made at Calvery | No mercy | Complete mercy | Handmade things | Not made with hands |
| Given by angels | Given by the Holy Spirit | The old way | New and living way | Helpless ministers | Able ministers |
| Carnal ministry | Spiritual ministry | Ministration of death | Ministration of Spirit & life | Ministration of condemnation | Ministration of righteousness |
| Glory covered | Glory uncovered | Brings bondage | Brings liberty | Cannot justify | Can Justify |
| Brings a curse | Redeems from it | Live by works | Live by faith | Cannot give life | Can give Life |
| Exposes sin | Covers sin | Under law | Under grace | Genders persecution | Genders tolerance |
| Done away | Not done away | Abolished | Remains | Cast out | Not cast out |
| Taken away | Not taken away | Blotted out | Not blotted out | Not by an oath | By an oath |
| For Israel only | For all men |
Levitic Covenant (Num. 25:10-14)
This was given through Moses to Phinehas, the son of Levi, who was zealous for the Lord and executed judgment upon rebels (Num. 25:1-9). It contains 2 promises:
Palestinian Covenant (
Lev. 26;
Det. 11:8-32;
27,
28,
29,
30)
This covenant was made through Moses with Israel. It was conditional upon obedience and contains 7 parts:
Salt Covenant (Lev. 2:13;
Num. 18:19)
This one seems strange to us, but it represents God's awareness of the customs of his people and the meaning they attached to certain customs. In Palestine and surrounding areas salt was used in making covenants. If persons dined together and salt was in the food, they would become friends, even if they had been enemies previously. The Arab expression, "There is salt between us", or "He has eaten of my salt." The covenant of salt reflects an everlasting friendship between God and His people. It required all sacrifices to be seasoned with salt.
Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:1-17)
This covenant was given by God to Nathan, who proclaimed it to David. It is a conditional covenant, based on obedience, but everlasting in nature. It should be understood, that everlasting covenants are sometimes put on hold, due to disobedience, but will be re-instated later in time. In this case, Christ will inherit the terms of this covenant as heir of David, though His reign will be world-wide. Yet a resurrected David, will be placed on the throne of Israel to rule as subordinate to the Messiah (Jeremiah 23:5-6).
Here are the 7 terms:
New Covenant (Mt. 26:28;
2 Cor. 3:6-18)
This is the one made by Christ (Heb. 8:6). It includes all of the terms, conditions, commands, and promises of the 27 books of the New Testament.