The Covenants

Covenant in Noah

  • 10 generations after Adam, mankind was so thoroughly godless that it repented the Lord that he had made man. The Lord wanted a way to purge the wickedness from the face of the earth and at the same time preserve His beloved creature called man.
  • Prerequisites of God’s covenant with Noah
    • God’s grace (Genesis 6:8) in light of God’s judgment of wickedness; God’s desire to save mankind in light of his His unwanted judgment of the world with a flood..
    • Genesis 6:18-22 Noah’s faith is a prerequisite (Hebrews 11:7).
    • There is a sacrifice prior to the covenant in Genesis 8:20-22.
  • The covenant (Genesis 9:9-17) is that God would never destroy all flesh again by a flood (Genesis 9:11). It is an everlasting covenant (Genesis 9:16). The token of the covenant is a rainbow (Genesis 9:12).

Covenant in Abraham (Genesis 15:18)

  • 10 generations from Noah and 20 generations from Adam.
  • Prerequisites of God’s covenant with Abraham
    • God’s desire to bless the nations of the earth (Galatians 3:8; the gospel means good news.)
    • Genesis 12:1-4 Abraham’s faith (Hebrews 11:8) is a prerequisite.
    • There is a sacrifice prior to the covenant in Genesis 15:9-12.
  • The covenant (Genesis 15) is that God will give Abraham’s seed the land in Genesis 15. (The land would be where God put Adam in Eden in Genesis 2:8-15; the first place God met with man.) This covenant is reinforced in Genesis 17:2-8 where Ishmael is excluded (17:20) and Isaac is the confirmed recipient (17:21). The token of this covenant is circumcision (17:11).

Covenant in Isaac

  • Exodus 2:24, 6:2-5
  • Isaac’s faith in Hebrews 11:20

Covenant in Jacob

  • Exodus 2:24, 6:2-5
  • Jacob’s faith in Hebrews 11:21

Covenant in Moses

  • Mosaic covenant – Exodus 19:5
  • Prerequisites of God’s covenant with Moses
    • Seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are to be in the promised land.
    • Grace of God with the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:12-17, 34:10
    • Moses’ faith in Hebrews 11:24-29
  • The covenant is laid out in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy (See Leviticus 26, particularly verses 9, 15, 25, 42, 44-45). The tokens of this covenant are a book (Exodus 24:7), the blood (Exodus 24:8), a sabbath rest (Exodus 31:16), the ark of the covenant (Numbers 10:33), and a priesthood (Numbers 25:12-13).

Covenant in David

  • Davidic covenant – 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and 2 Samuel 23:5
  • The covenant is the throne of Israel.

New covenant in Christ

  • Isaiah 42:6, 49:8, 59:20-21
  • The old covenant with Moses’ administration would come and establish a new covenant himself, a better covenant with better promises according to Hebrews 8:6 (Hebrews 8:6-13, 9, 10:4-10).
  • In Jesus Christ would be all the power of God, authority to rule the nations, all blessings, all gifts of God and all judgment.
  • Jeremiah 31:31-34 – Now, this will explain the work of the Holy Spirit of God after the new covenant has been enacted.
  • Eternal life, inheritance in land without a curse, reign with Christ, purged conscience from dead works to serve the living God, redemption of the body, Spirit of God in man.

What does this mean for Gentiles who are not Israelites? Ephesians 2:11-18, 5:23, Romans 7:1-6, 11:25-27.

Let’s observe your loving Creator’s work in the covenants. First of all the Lord has a desire to bless the nations. Second the Lord must address sin. Third, the Lord will find a faithful man to make a covenant with. That will culminate in the Lord Jesus Christ.