In church we often hear the word "covenant" but do we really understand what it means? Do we confuse it perhaps as merely something to do with giving money in a tax efficient way or as the name of a service that we, as Methodists, attend every year? It's my belief that nowadays the word has lost its true meaning for us and therefore we fail to understand what being in a covenant relationship with Almighty God is all about. In my studies on the subject, I have been humbled and awed by what I've learnt. What follows will, I hope, shed a little more light on the subject. I am grateful to all those I've referenced for their enlightening teaching.
Going back to basics, the Bible is a book of two covenants - the Old Testament is the covenant of the law and the New Testament is the covenant of grace. Jesus came as the embodiment of the New Covenant. There is a great intimacy in the new covenant. God can take us and teach us Himself, by His Holy Spirit. When we are born again we can access all the blessings of covenant by grace. Through faith we come to a place of intimacy with God where each of us can truly know our Lord on a personal level. What an amazing privilege.
HOW CAN I KNOW?
Abraham wanted to know for sure that the things God had promised would come to pass. He needed a security or guarantee. Many of us today look for that same security and guarantee. God's answer to our question about 'how can we know?' is the same as the answer he gave to Abraham. "Know for certain" the Lord says in Genesis 15:13, because He is a God of covenant. And so we should have assurance but, because we don't really understand what covenant means, we still doubt and wonder. This is why understanding covenant is so vitally important.
A covenant can be defined as "an agreement made between two parties; a contract drawn up between two or more people; a special relationship set up and established between persons" [5]. It is a binding contract. Abraham understood what it meant to be "in covenant", so when God said He was a God of covenant, Abraham was perfectly content. He didn't doubt. He believed God.
Abraham understood because, in his day, the word "covenant" immediately conjured up pictures of what such a relationship meant. I heard a good illustration used in a talk on this subject, given by Mrs Rachel Hickson. She explained that in the same way as when we hear the word "car" today, we immediately see and understand what it means, so the people of Abraham's day, understood the word "covenant". We can be more specific about "car" and understand even more when we name, for example, the particular make (volkswagon, jaguar, ford, BMW etc). We understand the types of car, we understand the uses of car. If we were to say fire-engine, or tractor, or ambulance we'd immediately know what those vehicles were used for too. And as we immediately understand the word "car" and its purposes etc, so the people of Abraham's day understood the word covenant. Covenant was not a religious thing - it had to do with lifestyle. It was the way in which people organised and lived their lives.
TYPES OF COVENANT
There were different types of covenant. Before going any further, let's look at the Hebrew and Greek words used in the Bible meaning covenant and their definitions. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for covenant is beriyth (pronounced ber-eeth). It can be defined as allied to, in league with, a contract. It originates from the root word baarah, meaning to cut or divide. So to make a covenant is literally to cut a covenant. In the New Testament, the Greek word for covenant is diatheke (pronounced dee-ath-e-kay), meaning a disposition, an agreement, a testament. Diatheke was used in the sense of a will, a voluntary bestowing. In those days, the majority of covenants were suntheke covenants - which was more in terms of a legal partnership or an equal 50/50 contract. In the Bible, however, the word translated "covenant" is not suntheke but diatheke - an unequal covenant. For example, a poor man could join with a rich man in a diatheke covenant. The poor person contributed nothing, but gained everything by coming into covenant with the wealthy family. And it is exactly this type of covenant that God enters into with us. We have nothing to offer to our covenant relationship with Him, but we gain all that God is - His love, His riches, His grace towards us. It is not a balanced covenant, rather it is a very unequal one where we benefit from God's gracious disposal of His blessings to us.
SOME SPECIFIC COVENANTS RECORDED IN SCRIPTURE
1) Covenant with Noah (Gen 9:9)
2) Covenant with Abraham (Gen 12:1; 15:18;
17:4)
3) Covenant with Moses, and renewed periodically with
Israel (Exo 19:5;20:1-17;
23:20-33; 24:8; 34:10; Deut 4:13;
29:1; Josh 24; 2 Chron 15:2; 29;10; 34:30;
Ezra 10:3; Neh 10:8; 10:38 etc)
4) Covenant with David (2 Sam 7:16; 22:51)
5) The New Covenant (Heb 8:8-13)
One writer describes what a covenant is in this way: "It is the mutual protection that would be binding even through the generations. A binding agreement that could not be broken. It is symbolised by giving. It is an alliance, pledge or promise". Everything God does is based on covenant and so we need to understand the customs involved in making a covenant. Through these customs, we can begin to recognise how God works in and through Covenant.
THE STAGES OR CUSTOMS INVOLVED IN CUTTING A COVENANT
1. The slaying of the sacrifice.
In the first stage of any covenant ceremony, animals
would be sacrificed and laid out as an offering. (In Genesis 15:9 we see
God Himself ordaining this as He passed between the pieces of the animals
in the form of a smoking brazier and a flaming torch. Abraham did
nothing. God did it all. An unequal partnership.) "A covenant was
confirmed by slaughtering and cutting a sacrifice in two halves between
which the parties passed, to intimate that if either of them broke the
covenant it would fare with him as with the slain and divided beast"[1].
To walk through the pieces of divided sacrifice declared that you were
totally committed and would do what you said you would. "When covenant
partners walked between the pieces of the slain animals, it was a walk
into death that led to life - the life of another besides yourself" [2].
The sacrifice was a solemn process symbolising a bond made in blood unto
death; a bond that would exist through generations.
Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, became our sacrifice and shed His precious blood for us so that we might walk through death to eternal life. Jesus Christ is the sacrifice of the New Covenant God has made with us. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace and His incomparably great power for us who believe" (Ephesians 1:7). The bible tells us that the curtain of the temple, which divided the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple, was torn in two when Christ died on the Cross (see Luke 23:45). Note then the awesome significance of what Paul tells us in Hebrews 10:19-20 "Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body". Jesus' body, symbolised by the curtain, was rent in two for us. The covenant ceremony of cutting a sacrifice in two is mirrored by this tearing of the curtain (Christ's body) into pieces. We are no longer excluded from the Most Holy Place, i.e. the presence of God, because the curtain is torn in two. We gain access by walking through the two torn pieces of curtain and by doing so, we walk through the pieces of God's covenant sacrifice - His Son. Through His blood, we enter into a new relationship with God - a new life in Christ.
2. The exchange of coats/robes.
The next stage of a covenant ceremony was the exchanging
of a coat. ("Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on
him and gave it to David " 1 Samuel 18:4). A coat or robe
in biblical days was not just worn as clothing or for warmth - they had
real significance. You wore the coat or robe of your family.
Families had household colours. You were known by the coat of your
house. Your coat was your name, status, authority. Everyone
would have a coat of their household, but there would be the one important
coat which represented the inheritance. Remember when Jacob gave
Joseph the coat of many colour? Joseph's brothers were offended by
this, not because baby brother had got a nice present from Dad, but because
Jacob had given Joseph the coat of the household (which normally should
have gone to the first son). When Joseph was given this coat of the
household, it was a disgrace on his older brothers. By his gift,
Jacob indicated to the whole community that Joseph was the son of his favour
and inheritance.
The first thing that happens when we enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus is that we exchange our garment of sin for His robe of righteousness. Jesus came from Heaven putting on our flesh, our humanity. When we believe in Him we "put on" Christ ("Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ…" - Romans 13:14) and become a new person ("Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come" - 2 Corinthians 5:17). Righteousness literally means to have a right relationship, be in right standing, with God. We wear the seal of His approval when we wear our new robe of righteousness.
3. Removal and exchange of armour/belts/weapons
The next stage was the removal and then exchange of armour/belts/weapons.
("Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it
to David, with his armour, including his sword, and his bow and his belt"
1
Samuel 18:4 ). Weapons were carried in the belt and so when people
stood face to face and dropped off their armour, weapons and belt it signified
that they were at peace with each other. There was no barrier between
the two parties. They would be open and trusting of each other. The
weapons would never be used against each other. It also meant an
alliance. They would pick up their belts again and share the weaponry.
Instead of facing each other, they would stand shoulder to shoulder indicating
that your enemy is now my enemy. Whoever comes against you, comes against
me. Bible teacher Kay Arthur explains: "It was a symbolic way of
signifying that one covenant partner was taking on the other partner's
enemies. When two people entered into covenant they understood that everything
they had was now held in common, even each other's enemies. When one was
under attack, it was the duty of the other to come to his aid"[2].
That is what God does with us. He not only desires us to be open and vulnerable with Him but He also wants us to trust Him completely. He stands with us. He tells us not to take revenge but to leave it to Him. He comes to our aid - our battles become His battles. "I will contend with those who contend with you".
The exchange of armour, belts etc also symbolised the promise of support, strength and resources. To try and bring this concept up to date, let's look at it from another point of view. My husband, David, has a tool belt that he wears when he is carrying out any DIY around our house and garden. In this belt he carries his hammer, spirit level, screwdriver, measuring tape etc. The tools he carries in this belt are the resources he'll be needing to complete the job. When we are in covenant with God He shares and provides us with all the resources we'll need to accomplish any task, to overcome any situation. When we are weak, He provides us with His strength and all the support we need because His "… grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9). He is our covenant partner and allied with Him we can do all things. Being in covenant means we can give up struggling on our own, submit entirely to God, trusting that He "… shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus".
At this point we should also remember and acknowledge that God created an everlasting covenant with His people, Israel. In Psalm 105 we're told "He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac. Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying: To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance". The nations of today would do well to remember that God never ever breaks His covenant promises. Israel will endure because God has said so in His Word. He is still in covenant with Israel. He still stands shoulder to shoulder with His chosen people. "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8).
4. Blood Mingling/Hand Clasping
Blood mingling and blood letting was a commonplace event
in biblical days. Blood symbolised life. To show lives being
joined, blood was given. Leviticus 17:11 tells us "For the life
of a creature is contained in the blood …". When you made a covenant
with someone you therefore had to give blood, by which you were saying:
'I give you my life'. It could be done in different ways but was
usually done by the cutting of wrists. Sometimes the blood would
be dropped into a cup and kept, but more often the wrists of each person
would be cut, hands would be clasped, the wrists would be crossed and joined
together and the blood mixed. It indicated a joining together, a
unity between people. Some people talk about a "blood brotherhood".
It is this principle that the mingling of blood establishes - you are not
alone any longer because we two are now one. You are in me and I
am in you. As hands clasped and blood flowed, covenant friendship
was promised.
Our practice of shaking hands on a business deal, or in greeting, comes from this covenant principle. We may not mingle blood any longer, but the clasping of hands is still part of our society. Sadly, nowadays a handshake is no longer the binding agreement it once was. In my Grandfather's day a handshake was all that was needed for a deal to be honoured. "Let's shake on it" meant that both parties were content and knew that what had been promised would indeed be fulfilled.
This covenant custom is also especially well illustrated in the marriage covenant. God created us to mirror His desired covenant relationship with us and therefore a husband and wife become one flesh through the shedding of blood. This symbolises how Christ and His church became one through the shedding of His blood. Sexual relations between a husband and wife is therefore both sacred and precious because it is God's practical illustration of His covenant in us. That is why virginity is to be prized and protected for marriage. It is part of being in covenant with God.
5. Making a seal or scar
When the cut for the mingling of blood was made, it was
usually made on the right hand or arm. The right arm signified authority.
("Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save" Isaiah 59:1)
Afterwards they rubbed sand or ash into the wound in order to make a visible
scar. This scar indicated that the person was in a covenant relationship
with someone else. It was visible forever and was a constant reminder
of the promises made.
When Jesus appeared after the resurrection, He bore the scars in His body from where He was wounded for our transgressions and His blood was shed. He was glorified but He still retained those scars. Why? As proof of His identity ("Look at my hands and feet. It is I myself" Luke 24:39) and to show that He remained in covenant with us. As believers we too are marked with a seal. The Holy Spirit is our seal, our scar. "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 1:13). We are inscribed on the palms of God's hands. He does not forget His covenant.
6. Ceremony of speaking/exchange of names
After the scars had been made there followed a ceremony
of speaking. Words were spoken, vows sworn, and the names of the
partners were exchanged. Names became coupled together to form new
covenant names, which would indicate to the world who each partner was
in covenant with. In scripture we see that God took the AH sound
of His name Yahweh and placed it into Abram and Sarai thus forming
their new covenant names Abr-ah-am and Sar-ah. "The exchanging of
names, or adopting part of their covenant partner's name, testified to
the oneness of covenant" [3]
Covenant custom is where the tradition of changing a bride's name to that of her husband comes from. Names are very important. Jesus took on our name "the Son of Man" and we are told that we can go out and do things in Jesus' name. His name is our authority (see Matthew 28:18). God promises us a new name in Jesus. "To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it" (Revelation 2:17).
7. Setting terms and conditions of the covenant
There were terms and conditions made in a covenant, just
like in our contracts today. The households would come together and
decide what the various terms would be. (This is what Partner A promises
to do in return for Partner B promising to do that). Famous
terms and conditions of covenant are found in Deuteronomy chapters 28-29.
Blessings for remaining in covenant and curses for failing to do so.
A covenant was sacred and the consequences of failing to keep the terms
of covenant were dire. I am not going to attempt to examine the promises
of blessings and curses in this brief study. Suffice to say, when we examine
the curses for breaking covenant, it should make us consider very carefully
what we are doing when we make our promises to God at our Covenant Services.
Entering into covenant should be carried out prayerfully and reverently
and with all due care and attention. It is forever.
When we are in a daitheke covenant relationship with God, He sets the terms. How good are we at keeping the terms of His covenant? God's desire is to bless us if only we'd keep His covenant terms. In the case of Israel, for example, that land and people have suffered much because of their failure to keep covenant sworn with God centuries ago. Thankfully, because He is a gracious and merciful God, He allows us, through His New Covenant, to repent of our failures and come back into covenant with Him. He remains faithful, even when we are unfaithful.
8. Covenant Meal
Once the terms and conditions were set, the custom called
for a celebratory covenant meal between the partners. If it were between
two kingdoms, there would be a banquet. If it were a marriage, there
would be a wedding feast (this is where our wedding receptions originate
from). Not only were current covenants celebrated, but bread and
wine would be brought out to celebrate the anniversary of a covenant made
in the past. The bread and wine were symbols of the ceremonial meal.
The oneness of the partners was celebrated as each would feed the other
a piece of bread and as they drank from the same cup. The picture is of
giving of oneself to the other. Some people still carry out this
practice at wedding receptions when the groom feeds his bride a piece of
wedding cake.
The New Covenant was inaugurated with blood just as the
Old Covenant was.
1 Corinthians 11: 23-26 says "…The Lord Jesus, on
the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, He
broke it and said 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance
of me'. In the same way, after supper, He took the cup, saying: 'This
cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in
remembrance of me'." When we come to the communion table we are
sharing in the celebratory covenant meal with Christ. The bread and
wine remain the symbols. The wine represents His blood which represents
life. The bread represents His body, our provision, our basic needs.
We share communion in remembrance of Jesus and what He did for us on the
Cross. However, we must not take this sacrament lightly or irreverently.
We are warned in 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 "Therefore whoever eats the
bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner shall be guilty
of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself
and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who
eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgement to himself, if he does not judge
the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick
and a number sleep". And let us not forget, God is preparing
another banquet for believers (Isaiah 25:6) - the great wedding supper
of the Lamb (see Revelation 19:9).
9. Plant a memorial
After all the covenant ceremonies had been carried out,
a memorial would be set up in remembrance of the covenant made. An
alter of stones was set up or a tree would be planted. It would stand
as a reminder to the people of what had taken place and of the promises
made.
It is significant that Jesus hung "on a tree" (Galantians 3:13) - the empty cross of Calvary is our covenant memorial.
WHAT CAN I KNOW?
From the stages we've looked at, do you begin to get a
clearer picture of what it means to take part in a covenant, what it means
to be in a covenant relationship? A covenant between men was important,
but a covenant with God was and is life-changing! When we renew our
vows before God annually at the Covenant Service, we are making a solemn
binding agreement before God. We are in covenant relationship with
God and through it we can know and rest assured that:
| God is with us | God makes us new |
| God is our strength | God is the source of all we need |
| God fights on our behalf | God protects us |
| We are never alone | We become one with God |
| We have access to the blessings of God | God remembers us always |
| God teaches us by His Holy Spirit | We have the gift of eternal life through Jesus. |
Being in covenant provides amazing security. We
can accept the promises of God in faith with certainty for when God says
to us "I am a God of covenant", we, just like Abraham, can believe
God and have it credited to us as righteousness. We are allied with
Almighty God. Who can stand against us?
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REFERENCES
Easton's Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Mrs Rachel Hickson - from notes on a talk given by her on Covenant
[1] The New Unger's Bible Dictionary
[2] Kay Arthur, "Our Covenant God", published by Waterbrook Press
[3] Kay Arthur, "Our Covenant God", published by Waterbrook Press
[4] Kay Arthur, "Our Covenant God", published by Waterbrook Press
[5] The Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible (Vol 7), published by
Leadership Ministries
Worldwide
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