COVENANT

COVENANT

The Old Testament is a history of covenants (binding agreements) given by God to man, broken by man and renewed by God in a new form. All the covenants point towards the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ as the final, perfect sacrifice, on our behalf.

The covenants (contracts) consist of 3 parts, the PROMISE (purpose), the SACRIFICE (consideration/cost) and the SEAL (sign/binding signature).

We will analyse each covenant and trace the Old Testament dealings of God with mankind under 7 headings for each of the 6 major covenants.

Man before sin. (fruit eating)

Perfect creation and life. To become like God through obedience by testing.

This agreement was made by God to define the relationship between Himself and Adam in the Garden of Eden before mankind sinned.

This is how God desired mankind to be forever.

Under the Edenic Covenant God:

a. Created man in His image including His divine nature. (Genesis 1:27)
b. Designated man to rule over the earth. (Genesis 1:28)
c. Provided a beautiful garden to live in with every conceivable blessing. (Genesis 2:8-15)
d. Supplied delicious food, primarily seeds and fruit. (Genesis 1:29, 2:9)
e. Implanted creativity within man. (Genesis 2:19-20)
f. Provided him with the companionship of a bride, the two to be united as one. (Genesis 2:21-5)

In return man was to:

a. Be fruitful (have children ) and productive. (tend the garden,) (Genesis 1:28, 2:15)
b. Rule the earth (Genesis 1:28)
c. Walk by faith, obeying God's Word. (Genesis 2:16-17)

As long as Adam obediently kept this Covenant with God, he and Eve enjoyed the full favour of God to the extent of walking with God in the garden. While they walked in obedience, they were covered with a spiritual 'robe' of righteousness as they grew into the full stature of a divine character through testing.

Shedding of Adam's blood to create Eve. (Picture of Jesus)

Adam shed his blood to bring forth Eve (Genesis 2:21-3), an amazing picture of Jesus who would lay down His life for His bride, the perfect church, when His blood poured from His side on the cross.

The perfect union (marriage) between Adam and Eve.

A marriage in total innocence of sin. (Genesis 2:24-5)

Represents the marriage of Christ and His church.

The church is Christ's flesh and blood.

By Eve eating the forbidden fruit.

To keep the amazing blessings of the Edenic Covenant mankind had to retain absolute faith in God's Word and live a life totally dependent upon Him. This is what God is calling His church back to now!

Eve was led astray by the serpent in 3 progressive ways.

1. Questioning the Word (ie. God) (Genesis 3:1)
2. Adding to the Word (Genesis 3:3)
3. Denying the Word (Genesis 3:4)

This still happens to us today!

This evoked 3 lusts in Eve.

1. Lust of the flesh. the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food
2. Lust of the eye. and pleasing to the eye
3. Pride of Life. and also desirable for gaining wisdom (All Genesis 3:6)

This is confirmed as still applying to us today also.

Jesus was faced with these same 3 lusts in the wilderness. Satan's methods never change!

Jesus not only triumphed over sin, but He triumphed through testing.

We are put through the regime of testing too, as was Eve, as was Jesus!

Adam was different to Eve in that he was not deceived by the serpent.

He chose to disobey God's Word. As a result, both Adam and Eve lost their covering of righteousness (were naked) learning that independence results in destruction, leading to immediate spiritual death and finally, physical death.

After the original Edenic Covenant was broken by Adam and Eve, God in His graciousness to His creation gave them a second chance, with a new covenant reflecting the change in circumstances that now existed.

The Edenic Covenant reflected the 'ideal', the situation God desired for mankind when He created us.

The final covenant, with the sacrifice of Jesus, set about restoring the situation for us today.

But we first need to look at the other covenants to understand better the amazing thing Jesus did for us on the cross and to see how it was foreshadowed through all the covenants that preceded it.

Ancient Babylonia - The Hittite Kingdom

It was the Hittite kingdom in Anatolia (Asia Minor) who brought to an end the first dynasty of Babylon. Mursilis I, king of the Hittites, invaded Babylonia by surprise and sacked Babylon. But for some strange reason he withdrew from the area after he had exceeded. The Kassites saw this power vacuum and seized control.