Introduction

The Bible uses the word “Covenant” in various places.  But what exactly is a covenant?  The Hebrew word translated covenant is beriyth.  It means an agreement or a deal, such a business deal. 

There are several aspects to agreement or business deal.  Consider an example of a business deal of a football player signing a five-year contract with a football club for $10 million.

1. First there are the parties: the football player and the football club.
2. Then there is the condition:  the football player agrees to play for the club for five years.
3. Next there is the promise:  the club promises to pay the football player $10 million.
4. Finally there is something which seals the deal:  the signature on the contract. 

A Covenant, like a business deal, can be broken down into four aspects or parts. 

1. the parties,
2. the condition,
3. God’s promise, and
4. God’s sign. 

God does not provide a signature, but a sign.  The sign is so that we know that God has made the promise.

The best way to understand this is to look at the various Covenants which God has made recorded for us in the Bible.  Let’s look at some examples of Covenants.

1) God’s Covenant with Noah, his Descendants and Every Living Creature – Never Flood the Earth again

The first example is the covenant God made with Noah.

Gen 6:18  “But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark; you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

The parties were God and Noah but not just Noah but also with Noah’s descendants and every living creature.

Gen 9:9  “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you,
Gen 9:10  “and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth.

The promise was that God would not flood the earth again.

Gen 9:11  “Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

The sign was the rainbow.

Gen 9:12  And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
Gen 9:13  “I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
Gen 9:14  “It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
Gen 9:15  “and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
Gen 9:16  “The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
Gen 9:17  And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

The Parties:  God and Noah, his descendants, and every living creature.
The Condition:  None.
God’s Promise:  Never flood the earth again.
God’s Sign:  The rainbow.

2) God’s Covenant with Abraham – Descendants to inherit the land

The next example is God’s Covenant with Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land.

Here is verse 18 in the middle of the passage which shows it is a covenant.

Gen 15:18  On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram,

Here is the whole passage starting at verse 7.

Gen 15:7  Then He [The LORD] said to him [Abraham], “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.”
Gen 15:8  And he [Abraham] said, “Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”

God told Abraham to do something.

Gen 15:9  So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Gen 15:10  Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.

The sign that God gave of His covenant, was that God’s presence passed between the pieces.

Gen 15:17  And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.

The parties were God and Abraham.

Gen 15:18  On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, …

God promised to give Abraham’s descendants the land of Canaan.

Gen 15:18  … saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates;
Gen 15:19  “the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites,
Gen 15:20  “the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
Gen 15:21  “the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

This covenant is also mentioned later in the book of Nehemiah.

Neh 9:7  “You are the LORD God, Who chose Abram, And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, And gave him the name Abraham;
Neh 9:8  You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give the land of the Canaanites, The Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, And the Girgashites; To give it to his descendants. You have performed Your words, For You are righteous.

The Parties:  God and Abraham.
The Condition:  None (based on past obedience).
God’s Promise:  Abraham and his descendants to inherit the land of Canaan.
God’s Sign:  God’s presence passed between the pieces of sacrificed animals.

3) God’s Covenant with Abraham – to be a Father of Many Nations

The next covenant is God’s Covenant with Abraham that he was to be a Father of Nations. 

The condition is that Abraham had to walk before God and be blameless.

Gen 17:1  When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.

The parties were God and Abraham.

Gen 17:2  “And I will make My covenant between Me and you, …

God promised Abraham that he would multiply Abraham exceedingly be the father of many nations.

Gen 17:2 … and will multiply you exceedingly.”
Gen 17:3  Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying:
Gen 17:4  “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

The sign that God gave of His covenant, was that God changed Abraham’s name from Abram to Abraham.

Gen 17:5  “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.
Gen 17:6  “I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.

It’s interesting to note that Abram means “exalted father” and Abraham means “father of a multitude”.

The Parties: God and Abraham.
The Condition: Walk before God and be blameless.
God’s Promise: To multiply Abraham exceedingly and for him to be a father of many nations.
God’s Sign: Abram’s name changed to Abraham.  Sarai’s name changed to Sarah.

4) God’s Covenant with Abraham and His Descendants – to be their God and to give them the Land of Canaan

The next covenant is known as the Covenant of circumcision.  This is the same chapter, 17 but verse 7.

The parties were God and Abraham and his descendants.

Gen 17:7  “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, …

God promised that He would be the God Abraham and his descendants, and to give them the land of Canaan.

Gen 17:7  … to be God to you and your descendants after you.
Gen 17:8  “Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

The condition is that Abraham and his descendants had to be circumcised.

Gen 17:9  And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.
Gen 17:10  “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised;

The sign of this covenant was circumcision.

Gen 17:11  “and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

This covenant is referred to in the books of 1 Chronicles and Psalms.

1 Chr 16:15  Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
1 Chr 16:16  The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac,
1 Chr 16:17  And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant,
1 Chr 16:18  Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance,”

Psa 105:8  He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
Psa 105:9  The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac,
Psa 105:10  And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
Psa 105:11  Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance,”

The Parties: God and Abraham and his descendants.
The Condition: Every male child to be circumcised in the flesh of the foreskin.
God’s Promise: To be their God and to give them the land of Canaan.
God’s Sign: Circumcision.

5) God’s Covenant with the Children of Israel – they may know that it is the LORD who sanctifies them

This covenant is the Sabbath covenant.  Verse 16 in the middle of the passage shows it is a covenant.

Exo 31:16  ‘Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.

The condition is that the children of Israel shall keep God’s Sabbaths.

Exo 31:13  “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, …

The sign of this covenant is God’s Sabbaths.

Exo 31:13  … for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, …

The promise is that the children of Israel would know who God is and that God sanctifies them.

Exo 31:13  … that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

Exo 31:14  ‘You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.
Exo 31:15  ‘Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Exo 31:16  ‘Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.
Exo 31:17  ‘It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'”

The Parties: God and the children of Israel.
The Condition: To keep God’s Sabbaths.
God’s Promise: That they may know that it is the LORD who sanctifies them.
God’s Sign: The Sabbath day.

6) God’s Covenant with the Levites – to serve at the Tabernacle

This is Covenant which God made with the Levites.

God promised the Levites and their descendants the tithes and offerings.

Num 18:19  “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever …

The parties were God and the Levites.

Num 18:19 … before the LORD with you and your descendants with you.”

Num 18:20  Then the LORD said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.
Num 18:21  “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance …

The condition was that the Levites were to serve in the tabernacle.

Num 18:21  … in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.

The Parties: God and the Levites.
The Condition: Levites to serve at the Tabernacle.
God’s Promise: That they would be provided for by tithes and offerings. God is their portion and inheritance.
God’s Sign: None stated.

7) God’s Covenant with Phinehas – an everlasting Priesthood

This is Covenant which God made with Phinehas. 

You might remember the story of Phinehas.  At the time of Moses the Israelites began committing harlotry and worshipping Baal.  God commanded Moses to hang the offenders.  In defiance of this command from God, one of the leaders of Israel, a Simeonite took the daughter of a high-ranking Midianite into his tent.  Phinehas saw this and “Shish Kebab-ed” them.

God was pleased with Phinehas and made a covenant with him.

The parties are God and Phinehas.

Num 25:12  “Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace;

God promised that his descendants would always be priests.

Num 25:13  ‘and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'”.

The Parties: God and Phinehas.
The Condition: None (based on zealousness for God).
God’s Promise: An everlasting priesthood to him and his descendants.
God’s Sign: None stated.

8) God’s Covenant with David – for him to always have descendants and an everlasting throne

This is Covenant which God made with David.

The parties are God and David.

Psa 89:3  “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David:

God promised that one of David’s descendants would always be on the throne.

Psa 89:4  ‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’ ” Selah
Psa 89:28  My mercy I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall stand firm with him.
Psa 89:29  His seed also I will make to endure forever, And his throne as the days of heaven.
Psa 89:30  “If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments,
Psa 89:31  If they break My statutes And do not keep My commandments,
Psa 89:32  Then I will punish their transgression with the rod, And their iniquity with stripes.
Psa 89:33  Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, Nor allow My faithfulness to fail.
Psa 89:34  My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
Psa 89:35  Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David:
Psa 89:36  His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me;
Psa 89:37  It shall be established forever like the moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah

This covenant is referred to in the books of 2 Samuel and 2 Chronicles.

2 Sam 7:16  “And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”‘ “
2 Sam 7:17  According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

2 Chr 13:5  “Should you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt?

2 Chr 21:7  Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

The sign is night and day.

Jer 33:20  “Thus says the LORD: ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season,
Jer 33:21  ‘then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers.

Jer 33:25  “Thus says the LORD: ‘If My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth,
Jer 33:26  ‘then I will cast away the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will cause their captives to return, and will have mercy on them.'”

When Jesus Christ returns, He will sit on the throne of David. (Jesus Christ was of course a descendent of king David through His mother Mary.) Thus this covenant extends all the way to the future reign of Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:30  Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Luke 1:31  “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
Luke 1:32  “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
Luke 1:33  “And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

The Parties: God and David.
The Condition: None (based on David’s zealousness for God).
God’s Promise: One of David’s descendants would always be on the throne.
God’s Sign: Day and night.

The Old Covenant and the New Covenant also have these four aspects to them.  For a discussion on them see “What is the Old Covenant?” and “What is the New Covenant?”.

Conclusion

We have covered some examples of the Covenants in the Bible.  From these examples we have seen that a covenant is an agreement or deal that has four aspects.

1. Two parties.  In the examples we covered one of the parties is God and the other is either an individual or a group of people.
2. There is usually a condition, that is, something we have to do.
3. There is also a promise, something which God promises if the condition is fulfilled.
4. There is usually a sign.