By The Venerable Dr. Ifechukwu
U. Ibeme
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Covenant
(Hebrew=
berit, Greek= diatheke) is a solemn agreement between
two parties for self-giving, sacrificial
intimacy. A covenant is jealously
guaranteed by the covenanting parties with an oath. It may be:
1.
mutually agreed between two equals (also
Greek= suntheke as in
peace treaties for civil alliances, compacts for social relationships and
self-plighting troths for
marriages).
Here,
blood covenants are cut to bind the
parties into a lifelong brotherhood/friendship/partnership/union and carry the penalty of condemnation and ostracism
on the violator. (Gen. 31:44-54; Joshua 9).
2.
unilaterally stipulated by a superior (e.g. God
or any potentate) with the inferior
graciously invited to pledge consent (as in Divine or worship Testaments and Suzerain or royal Ordinances).
Here,
blood covenants are cut to bind to irrevocably
unending allegiance and usually impose the curse
or sentence of death on the
violator, who is inevitably the inferior party. (Exd. 24:4-8; Jer. 34:18). But
there is usually a provision for atonement.
Unilaterally
stipulated Covenants could be:
1. conditional law (promises
with
commandments – “If you will …, then I
will …”) for regulation of
hard-heartedness and lawlessness; or
2.
unconditional
grace (promises without commandments)
either as:
(i)
reward for past merit (“Because
you have …, I will surely …”) or
(ii)
grant for no
merit (“Because I have …, I will surely …”).
Christian
marriage is a good example of mutual
covenant between a husband and a wife plighting
their life and love to each other in the
Lord, (NOT demanding love and
service from each other). The New Testament of salvation in Christ is unilaterally granted by God to all who pledge their
commitment to Christ.
Christ is
both the Mediator (Finisher/Perfecter) of the New Covenant (Heb 8:6; 12:24) and the Testator (Author/Pioneer) of the New
Testament (Heb 9:16- 17; 12:2). Through His death Christ activated His Gospel Testament
once-for-all: and by His
resurrection from death, He lives forever to administer His New Covenant perpetually.
Covenants
have four elements shared by the covenanting parties:
1.
the
terms or responsibility and benefit as agreed/stipulated
and consented;
2.
the
curse or penalties for violation;
3.
the
oath or binding pledge in God’s name for accepting
responsibilities, benefits and penalties;
4.
the sign or rite/symbol of
ratification and commemoration.
Covenants
with God involve God taking the
initiative to graciously make promises
and issue commandments (and curses), with invitation to man who then pledges
to keep the commands, accept the promises and penalties.
A. IN
THE SCRIPTURE, God made what the Scripture calls covenants with:
1.
Noah (Gen. 9:9-17) – Unconditional
Covenant.
2.
Abraham (Gen. 17:2-21; 12:2-4) –
Unconditional Covenant.
3.
-
at
Sinai (Exd 24:4-8; 34:10-28):
-
at Moab (Deut 29;1 ff),
-
under Joshua (Josh 24),
-
under Jehoiada (2Chron 23:3),
-
under Hezekiah (2Chron 29:10),
-
under Josiah (2Kin 23:3),
-
under Ezra (Ezr 10:3).
4.
Levi (Malachi 2:4) and Phinehas (Num 25:12-13) – Unconditional Covenant.
5.
David (2Sam 7; 1Chron 17) –
Unconditional Covenant.
6.
The New (Internalised,
Eternal, Universal, Final) Covenant with Israel and All Peoples
through Christ for Spiritual blessings
(Lk 1:72-79; Matt 26:26-29; John 1:29; Isa 49:8;
56:3-8; Jer 31:31-33; Rom 4:13-14; Gal 3:8,29; Heb 8)
– Unconditional Covenant.
NOTE: The Scripture shows that God comes to
man by means of covenant relationship as
a sure and intimate way of revealing Himself and dispensing
His riches, otherwise worshipping God would be a fruitless guesswork – a mere uncertain groping as in the dark (Acts 17:27). Through His Covenants, God invites us to obtain His
superlative blessings (i.e restoration to life of
fellowship with God, heritage of God’s Kingdom and possession of spiritualities – purity & power, and temporalities – protection & provision) through our simple
commitment (i.e. faith and obedience).
While other covenants promised
temporal blessings, the New Covenant promises spiritual blessings.
B. THE
CLASSICAL VIEW on covenants was that there are two principal covenants:
1.
Covenant
of Works with Adam i.e. Old or Legal Covenant promise of
eternal life based on obedience to the Law. Rom 10:5; 5:12-14
2.
Covenant
of Grace with Christ i.e. New or Gospel Covenant promise of
eternal life based on faith in Christ. Rom 10:4; 5:15-21
C. THE DISPENSATIONALIST THEORY has
devised seven covenants and their so called seven dispensations. Scofield says there
are seven dispensations: of innocence, of conscience, of civil government, of
promise, of law, of grace, and of the kingdom. These correspond to the Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Messianic and Davidic Covenants. Dispensationalists
interpret the Scriptures in the light of these (or other perceived)
dispensations.
VEN DR I.
U. IBEME
Last
revised: October 6, 2008
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