COVENANT - Parties, Terms, and Promises
DEFINITION OF COVENANT
Hebrew – BERITH Greek – DIATHEKE
Other translations of these words include: will, testament, league, confederacy, compact, treaty
The Hebrew word comes from the root word meaning “to cut, or cutting” according to Easton’s Bible Dictionary and is an agreement between two parties. The Greek word comes from “last will and testament.”
W.E. Vine defines DIATHEKE as an agreement (from a verb signifying to cut or divide, in allusion to a sacrificial custom in connection with covenant-making). He goes on to say that a covenant is “a mutual undertaking between 2 parties or more, each binding himself to fulfill obligations. Doug Hardman defines covenant as a contract, compact. And notes that BERITH means “contractual cutting” a compact made by 2 people by cutting flesh in two and passing between the pieces. Gareth Reese points out that there are covenants between equals which are negotiable (man and man) and there are covenants between non-equals which are non-negotiable (God and man). *Chuck McCoy – a solemn promise/agreement between parties which both establishes and regulates a relationship between them and is made binding by an oath.
COVENANTS HAVE 3 MAIN PARTS
1. Parties: Answers the question: Who is involved in the covenant?
2. Terms: What are the stipulations or precepts in the covenant? “Anything enjoined as an authoritative rule of action,” commands.
3. Promises: What are the blessings or curses to keeping or breaking the covenant? This statement binds the person who makes it to fulfill and complete that promise.
ABRAHAM’S COVENANT was cut by God with Abraham and his descendants after him to set them apart ‘to be their God’ and to use them as a people through whom all the world would be blessed.
PARTIES....................................................................Abraham (Genesis 17:1-8) and descendants
Isaac (17:19-21)
Jacob (28:3-4,10-17)
TERMS...................................................................... Canaan (12:5-7)
Circumcision (17:10-14)
Blameless walk (17:1)
Endure Egyptian slavery (15:13-14)
PROMISES................................................................ Canaan (15:18-21)
Greatness (17:5-6)
Blessings (12:1-3)
MOSES’ COVENANT was cut by God with the ‘sons of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai’ ‘because of transgression’ ‘until the seed would come’ and was made to govern their existence in Canaan. Its promises were only physical but served as a tutor to lead them to Christ.
PARTIES................................................................Moses (Lev. 26:46)
Israel (Ex. 19:1-6, 34:27)
TERMS...................................................................Law (Lev. 26:14,46, Ex. 34:27-28, Dt. 4:13-14)
PROMISES.............................................................Physical (Lev. 26:1-13, Ex. 23:25-26, Dt.7:13-15)
Curses (Dt. 27, 28)
THE NEW COVENANT was cut by God with whoever will enter in whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. The New Covenant fulfilled the promise to Abraham as Jesus is the Seed, and having fulfilled the Law, abolished it, nailing it to the cross.
PARTIES...............................................................Whosoever (Rom. 3:22, 4:16, 10:9-13)
TERMS..................................................................Christlikeness and world mission (8:29, 10:14-17)
PROMISES............................................................Heirs with Christ (8:17, Gal. 3:29, Eph. 3:4-11)