THEOLOGY LESSON 29

LESSON 29 – THE COVENANTS

Galatians 4:21 – 5:1

Hebrews 7:1-12

INTRODUCTION

Covenants are contracts between God and man. There are eight contracts or covenants which have been progressively revealed from the Garden of Eden to after the Cross. Covenants characterize the dispensations and are the foundations for understanding them.

Dispensations are progressive and unfold in stages. Because there are different dispensations, different covenants and different rituals, they unfold in Gods time. The only rituals we have in our dispensation are the Lord's Table and Baptism. In other periods of history there have been different rituals and different operating procedures for faith to be lived and expressed.

In Galatians 4:21 - 5:21 we see that it is important to get your spiritual life and your witness in the place that it should be. The major attack of the enemy is not getting us to commit gross sin (for your Flesh will do that), but getting you off the track; to make you live in a way that is not right for your period of history. Believers do not need Satan's help to sin; because we are basically still sinful flesh.

Where Satan really attacks is trying to get you to put into place those things that do not apply and put aside those things that do. The Galatians had returned under an old dispensation which had ceased. They were under a new dispensation with a new covenant in place. They were however going back and starting to live under the Mosaic covenant again. Paul is saying here that they had been born under an old dispensation that had passed away. You were like Hagar in bondage as slaves but now you are sons. Do not go back to the old stand fast in the area where Christ has set you free.

This is a problem that continues because people will not differentiate between the dispensations and covenants and which do apply. Old Testament spirituality depended on the law whilst Church age spirituality has depended in walking in the Spirit and obeying the commands that come through the Spirit.

Before Pentecost Moses was the one you followed, since Pentecost it is the Holy Spirit which has been the guide. You need to get into the change and not go back into something that no longer applies.  God's eternal plan is revealed in Scripture and centre’s in solemn covenants and promises which God has made. At least eight covenants are recorded most of them being in the form of a declaration of divine purpose which will certainly be fulfilled. Here we are discussing the revelation of God's plan for mankind. It is not only to do with our salvation but pre-eminently His glory. History is the fulfillment of the eternal purpose of God.

Biblical Covenants

With the Biblical Covenants you have conditional and unconditional covenants. Conditional covenants are those in which God's action is in response to those actions of man. It guarantees that God will do His part once man's part has been done. If the human part is not fulfilled he is not obliged to fulfill His part of it. The conditional covenants are the Edenic and Mosaic covenant

Unconditional Covenants

There are six unconditional covenants which are dependent on God's character alone and will be fulfilled.

The Eight Biblical Covenants

[a] Edenic - Genesis 1:26-31, 2:16-17 - Conditional covenant with Adam. He had the responsibility to tend the garden and not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man failed and he was removed from the Garden of Eden. At the time he ate of the tree he died spiritually.

[b] Adamic Covenant - Genesis 3:16-19 - an unconditional covenant where God declares what his lot is going to be because of sin. We are still under the Adamic covenant and all through history man will be as it expresses and makes clear that the wages of sin is death.  We are sinners and we need a Saviour.  Others things that make this clear are: God tells Adam that he is going to die and earn bread by the sweat of his brow, and that humans will also have problems in childbirth. We also now have lordship of male over female, and we have basic authority systems in society itself.

[c] Noahic - Genesis 9:1-18 - an unconditional covenant that introduces new principles in human government to curb sin. This can be classified as the post diluvian covenant, which we are also still under. This is where you take vegetarians who do not believe that Christians should eat meat. They would have been correct before the Flood but not after. Capital punishment is included as well.

[d] Abrahamic - Genesis 12:1-4, 13:14-17, 15:1-7, 17:1-8 - an unconditional covenant. This is one of the great revelations of God considering history and its profound prophecies.

Regarding posterity he will have many sons. He is also promised a great nation and a promise of spiritual blessing which will come through his line.

[e] Mosaic covenant - Exodus 20:1-31:18- Conditional covenant given through Moses for the children of Israel. If Israel obeyed they were blessed if not they were disciplined.

[f] Palestinian Covenant - Deuteronomy 30:1-10 - An unconditional covenant dealing with the final position of Israel in the land. This has still to be fulfilled and will be during the Millennium. It is belief in this which is causing Israel to adopt the political posture that it does at this time.

[g] Davidic Covenant - 2 Samuel 7:4-16, 1 Chronicles 17:3-15 - An unconditional covenant which promised David a ruler who would reign over the Jews forever. This ties in with the position of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Millennium and the eternal kingdom.

If you get the biblical covenants in your mind clearly you will understand prophecy better. The prophecy given by God always fits in with the covenants.

[h] The New Covenant - Jeremiah 31:31-33. These are two unconditional covenants one to Israel and the other to the Church. There could therefore be said to be nine biblical covenants. The one to Israel will be fulfilled in the Millennium. - Jeremiah 31 The New Testament part of the New Covenant deals with the Church and is given in Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-24, Luke22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-34. Both sides of this covenant come from the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Theological Covenants

These are two conservative schools of the interpretation of these covenants, or theological systems, the dispensational and the covenant theologians. We have to be careful that we do not get involved in "covenant theology" which leaves other things obscured because you make such a big thing of covenants.  

In defining the eternal purpose of God, these theologians have advanced the theory that it is God's central purpose to save the elect, those chosen for salvation from eternity past. Accordingly they view history as primarily the out working of God's plan of salvation. In developing this doctrine they have expounded three basic theological covenants.  The basis of their theological covenant system is election, whereby the sovereign grace of God and all of world history is seen as the working out of God's plan to save only some.

(Our view differs in that we see God’s main purpose as bringing glory to his name.)

Their three covenants are:

[a] A covenant of works, which is said to have been made with Adam where Adam obeyed and did what God said.

[b] A covenant was made between God the Father and God the Son in relation to the salvation of man in eternity past, a covenant of redemption. This is known as the divine decrees.

[c] The covenant of grace in salvation with Jesus Christ as mediator.

While these concepts have truth in them it is not the salvation of the elect souls which is the ultimate purpose of God's plan although obviously it is a vital area. The ultimate purpose of the plan of God is to show His glory.

He does this not only by saving men but also by his relationship to, and what he does with, Israel, the Church and the Gentiles in history. The doctrine of election and predestination is the force behind covenant theology; these are reviewed from a biblical perspective below. Dispensational theology, however stresses as central the doctrine of the Character of God, and identifies the concept that God is not only sovereign but has other equally important characteristics.  Rather than the three covenants of the other group the dispensational theologian identifies the eight covenants, which do give the essential purposes of God and includes the plan of salvation.

The Basis of Covenant Theology - Covenant theology is the basis of the Dutch reformed theology as well as some of the Baptists. They stand on the basis of the fifteenth and sixteenth century reformers who did truly understand grace, but they got sidetracked by their views of election/sovereignty.  

It was the rediscovery of teaching of the books of Galatians and Romans which started the Reformation. The Reformers emphasized the covenants and built a system on them but they did not discern the dispensations.  Covenant theology has tended to go in two directions; it goes towards legalism or liberalism. Most of the denominations which have gone into liberalism have been those who have been based on covenant theology or five point Calvinism. A prime example of this is the Presbyterian Church.

Calvinism will tend to make you a skeptic or a hard legalist if really understood. We are reminded of the Lord's words, "By their fruits you shall know them" (Matthew 7:15-23).   If their life is not manifesting the fruit of the Spirit it is likely that the person is not theologically correct.

The Dispensational theologian will agree that there are covenants and that they are important and that they are working out in history but that the Covenant theologians do not go far enough.

The New Age Movement

Another misuse of the covenants, albeit probably not a conscious one, is made by the new age movement. They have the concept that if we eat vegetarian food and we think the right things we will eliminate war and evil, and people will live in harmony.

A number of ‘Christians’ have gone along a similar path, with teachings, such as ‘Kingdom Now’ and ‘Manifest Sons of God’ in which they claim that ‘Christians’ will change Governments and bring about a New World Order.  These teachings are tainted by New Ageism and are yet another deception within the Church.    

This is all a part of a huge satanic lie. They think that they can get back to the Edenic Covenant which was cancelled when man sinned.  Before we criticize them in isolation though; we need to be reminded that it is just as deceptive to be a legalist and to live under the Mosaic Law which has been fulfilled.

We are all under the Adamic Covenant. We are all sinners and need a Saviour. When man sinned and fell he was removed from the Garden of Eden. It is important to distinguish the covenants. It is very important for people to know where they stand in relation to the dispensations and covenants.

DOCTRINES

COVENANTS

1. A covenant is a contract or agreement between God and man.

2. Some covenants are unconditional - God will fulfil them, irrespective of man's obedience.  Other covenants are conditional upon man's obedience.

3. Christ is central to all of the covenants in Scripture:

a) EDENIC - Christ is the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-47).

b) ADAMIC - Christ is the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15).

c) NOAHIC - Christ is the greatest son of Shem (Luke 3:36; Genesis 9:23-27).

d) ABRAHAMIC - The seed to whom the promises were made (Genesis 22:18).

e) MOSAIC - He fulfilled this covenant (Matthew 5:17).

f) PALESTINIAN - He lived as a Jew in the land and will inherit the land

g) DAVIDIC - Christ is the King of the Jews and will rule forever (Luke 1:31-33; John 19:19-22).

h) NEW - Christ's sacrifice is its foundation and focus in the Millennium (1 Corinthians 11:25).

EDENIC COVENANT

1. The covenant in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:28-30; 2:8-17).

2. Main points:

a) To be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28).

b) To subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28).

c) To have dominion of the animal creation (Genesis 1:28).

d) To eat the herbs and fruit (Genesis 1:29).

e) To till and keep the garden (Genesis 2:15).

f) Not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17).

ADAMIC COVENANT

1. The Adamic covenant deals with the fall and restoration of mankind and creation. When Christ returns creation is removed from its bondage. (Romans. 8:21)

2. Satan's means of bringing sin into the world, the serpent, is cursed (Genesis 3:14) and goes from being the most beautiful of God's creatures to the most repugnant. The brazen serpent raised by Moses in the wilderness (Numbers. 21:5-9) becomes a picture of Christ being made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21 ), the brass representing judgment; the serpent sin.

3. The promise of a redeemer (Genesis 3:15). The seed of the woman descends through Seth (Genesis 5:3-7), Noah (Genesis 6:8-10) Shem (Genesis 9:26,27) Abraham (Genesis 12:1-4) Isaac (Genesis 17:19-21) Jacob (Genesis 28:10-14) Judah (Genesis 49:10) David (2 Samuel 7:5-17), ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Isaiah 7:9-14; Matthew1:20-23).

4. The judgment on the woman (Genesis 3:16) in four areas.

a) Increase in sorrow and pain regarding conception.

b) Sorrow in relation to children

c) The woman would be attracted to the man

d) The woman would be subject to the man (1 Timothy 2:11-14, Ephesians. 5:22-25, 1 Corinthians 11:7-9)

5. The judgment on man (Genesis 3:17-19)

a) The ground is cursed

b) Sorrow is inevitable in this life.

c) Man is to work for a living rather than having it provided (Genesis 3:17-19)

d) Man will eventually die (Genesis 3:19)

 NOAHIC (EVERLASTING) COVENANT

1. The covenant with Noah never to flood the earth again (Genesis 8:20- 9:27)

2. The relation of man to the earth is confirmed (Genesis 8:21).

3. Seasons, day and night and harvesting confirmed (Genesis 8:22).

4. Human government introduced (Genesis 9:1-6).

5. A curse is given to the Hamitic races (Genesis 9:24,25).

6. The Semitic races will be the source of spiritual wealth (Genesis 9:26,27).

7. The Japhetic groups will be dominant (Genesis 9:27).

8. The earth will never be judged with water again (Genesis 8:21; 9:11).

9. The rainbow given as the sign of the promise

ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

1. Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3) founds the nation of Israel

2. It is confirmed with Abraham with emphasis on the land (Genesis 13:14-18), the spiritual seed (Genesis 15:1-6) and its everlasting quality (Genesis 17:6-8).

3. It is an unconditional covenant - God will fulfil it.  (God caused Abraham to fall asleep as He ratified the covenant alone Genesis 15:12-18)

4. The seven-fold covenant (Genesis 12:1-3) is fulfilled as follows:-

a) PROMISE "And I will make of thee a great nation.  FULFILLMENT:  Jews (Genesis. 13:16; John 8:37), Arabs (Genesis. 17:20). In Christ: (Romans 4:16-17, 9:7-8, Galatians 3:7, 29).

b) PROMISE "I will bless thee".

FULFILLMENT: To Abraham (Genesis 13:14-17, 15:18-21. 24:35). To believers in Christ (Genesis 15:6; John 8:56)

c) PROMISE "And make thy name great.

FULFILLMENT:  Abraham is renowned, not only in Christianity but also in Judaism and in Islam.

d) PROMISE "And thou shalt be a blessing.

FULFILLMENT:  With the work of fulfilment of Abraham's seed, Jesus Christ, he was a blessing. (Galatians 3:13, 14).

e) PROMISE "And I will bless them that bless thee.

FULFILLMENT: This is seen in the rise of many nations for instance Britain in the 19th century and the rise of the USA in the 20th.

f) PROMISE "And curse him that curseth thee.

FULFILLMENT The decline of nations such as the Spanish Empire after the Armada, the fall of Nazi Germany, the fall of the Czars of Russia, the decline of Egypt at the Exodus. Scriptural examples:(Deuteronomy 30:7; Isaiah 14:1-2; Joel 3:1-8; Micah 5:7-9; Haggai 2:22; Zechariah 14. 1-3; Matthew 25:40-46).  Nations that curse the Jews and help their enemies with be cursed.

g) PROMISE "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

FULFILLMENT:  The whole world can be blessed through Jesus, the son of Abraham. (John 8: 56 - 58; Galatians 3:16).

5. It is clear that we should support the Jew as it is a sure means of enjoying divine blessing.

PALESTINIAN COVENANT

1. The Palestinian Covenant deals with the Jews controlling an area of land in the Middle East which was unconditionally given to Abraham. It should be noted that the Jews have never possessed the land as specified, but will do so during the Millennium. (Deuteronomy 30:1-9, Isaiah 11:10-12, Jeremiah 23:3-8, Ezekiel 37:21-25).

2. The Palestinian Covenant gives:

a) Dispersion for disobedience (v 1) (Deuteronomy 28:63-68).

b) The future repentance of Israel (v 2).

c) The return of the Lord (v 3) (Amos 9:9-14; Acts 15:14-17).

d) Restoration to the land (v 5) (Isaiah 11:11, 12; Jeremiah 23:3-8; Ezekiel 37:21-25).

e) National conversion (v 6) (Romans 11:26-27; Joel 2:14-16).

f) Judgment of Israel's enemies (v 7) Joel 3:1 -8).

g) National prosperity (v 9) (Amos 9:11-15).

3. It is unconditional - God will fulfil it.

DAVIDIC COVENANT

1. Israel will have a king forever 2 Samuel 7:8-17.

a) A descendant of David in the Davidic line (v 12)

b) He will have a kingdom to rule over. (v 12)

c) God will provide a throne. (v 13)

d) The throne will be forever. (vs 13,16)

e) The Davidic Covenant is restated in (v 16)

2. The covenant has one condition - disobedience will be rewarded with discipline but will not cause the cancellation of the covenant. (2 Samuel 7:15; Psalm 89:20-37)

3. Discipline came with the division of the kingdom under Rehoboam. (1 Kings 12:16-20)

4. Discipline continued with the captivity of Samaria in 721 BC and Judah in 586 BC.

5. Since then the only genuine King of David crowned in Jerusalem has been crowned with a crown of thorns. (Matthew 27:29).

6. The Davidic Covenant was confirmed to Mary. (Luke 1:31-33; Acts 2:29-31).

7. The Davidic Covenant will be fulfilled at the Second Advent of Christ when He will commence His everlasting rule with the 1,000 year reign of the Millennium. ((Luke 1:32, Acts 2:29-30, Revelation 20:4-6)

MOSAIC COVENANT

1. The covenant between God and Israel, given through the Law of Moses (Exodus - Deuteronomy)

2. It was a conditional covenant - it depended on man's obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1, 15)

3. It had three main parts:

a) Section 1 - The Commandments - proves that no man can keep the Law.  All men are proven sinners, and therefore need a Saviour.

b) Section 2 - The Tabernacle and Sacrifices - Pictures Christ as the Saviour, the only sacrifice which can pay the eternal penalty of sin.

c) Section 3 - Social Code - Laws to preserve the nation of Israel - law, hygiene, morals, tithing, etc.

NEW COVENANT

1. The New Covenant guarantees eternal blessing under the Abrahamic Covenant   (Jeremiah 31:31-37, Hebrews 8:7-9).

2. It is unconditional - God will fulfil it.  "I will" (Hebrews 8:10, 12) rather than "If ye will" (Exodus 19:5).

3. The New Covenant is said to be better than the Mosaic Covenant.  (Hebrews 7:19; Romans 8:3, 4).

4. Obedience is from a willing heart (Hebrews 8:10) whilst that for the Mosaic Law was fear (Hebrews 2:2; 12:25-27).

5. In the New Covenant all shall know God, from the least to the greatest (Hebrews 8:11).

6. The sins are forgotten under the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:12).

7. The New Covenant relies on the completed sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:11-12).