What is the Significance of the Covenants in the Bible?
A covenant is a formal arrangement, treaty or contract that defines all sorts of relationships in the Bible. International treaties, military obligations, grazing and water rights, even marriages were sometimes defined by covenants. Their significance is that these formal arrangements help us understand the most important truth of the Bible: that the Creator of the Universe seeks to have a relationship with the inhabitants of planet Earth. As one would expect, this relationship is never casual; it is patiently sought, carefully defined, and thoroughly explained, so that we know exactly what God purposes for us and what He demands from us.
In a covenant relationship, there are duties and obligations that are part of enjoying one another’s company and friendship. Our relationship with God has wonderful implications and dreadful consequences. This is especially true when we realize God’s purposes for covenant relationships: to reclaim sinful human beings from the consequences of our disobedience.
In the Bible, most of the covenants are actually pivotal events in redemption history. God’s covenants with certain individuals had tremendous ramifications for their future and the future of their descendants. In time, God would enter into covenant relationship with an entire people, the nation Israel. Eventually, in fulfillment of His grand scheme, God’s covenant family would include members of every tribe, every tongue, every ethnic group in the world, who responded to God’s gracious offer of salvation through faith in Christ (Revelation 7:9).
Hints of God’s purposes are detected early in Genesis. He decrees that one of Eve’s offspring would crush the head of the serpent, while suffering a bruise on his heel (Genesis 3:15). God promised to deal with the wickedness unleashed by the serpent by a representative of the human race. The redemptive theme of this promise forms the basis for all future covenant dealings.
God ratified a covenant with Noah and his kin, after destroying the corrupt world with a global Flood, almost repeating the stipulations He had given Adam (compare Genesis 9:1-4 with Genesis 1:27-28).
In God’s covenant with Abraham, God swore an oath about his intention to use Abraham and his descendants as a conduit for worldwide blessings (Genesis 12:1-3). The curses of the Fall would be undone and the blessings of relationship with God would be manifested.
With Moses, God’s promise to Abraham is partially fulfilled and the nation of Israel is brought under covenant relationship. The deliverance from Egyptian bondage and the display of God’s power over enemy forces testified to God’s authority over evil and faithfulness to his covenant oath.
In the covenant with David, the shepherd king, God outlines His redemption plan to converge on an individual, a descendant of David whose throne would remain forever (2 Samuel 7:16). The Psalms (Psalm 2; 45; 110) and the Prophets (Isaiah chaps 9; 11; 53;Daniel 7, 9; Jeremiah 23:5) elaborate on this messianic theme with astounding detail.
In spite of God’s lovingkindness, the history of Israel was marred by covenant rebellion and unfaithfulness. The kings of Israel and later, Judah, failed to lead the people into the blessings of the covenant. Instead they brought down on their own heads its curses (Deuteronomy 28), culminating with the Exile of God’s people from the Promised Land into the Babylonian Captivity.
The failure of Israel did not short-circuit God’s redemption plans originally outlined with Abraham. Just as the people were breaking the Mosaic covenant and facing death and captivity, the prophet Jeremiah announced God’s new covenant which He would establish in the future (Jeremiah 31:31-37).
As the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s promise, Jesus ratified the new covenant in his blood the night before he was crucified (Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:20). The implications of his words would only later be understood by the Apostles (Galatians 4:24-26). This new covenant was God’s guarantee that He will save those who call on Him through Jesus’ name (Acts 4:12). This salvation promise would include both Jews and Gentiles, fulfilling the Abrahamic blessing (Genesis 12:1-3; Galatians 3:12-14).
Jesus’ life, death and resurrection served as God’s pledge to gain a people for Himself in covenant relationship. He has promised us eternal life in fellowship with Him. Even the splendors of the new heavens and the new earth are described in terms of covenant language. (Revelation 21:3). Such is the significance of the covenants of the Bible.
