What is a Covenant in the Bible?

Covenants play an integral role in the Bible. 

Covenants between God and His people are fundamental to the stories of the Bible. Without the covenants, the Scriptures wouldn’t exist.

As God rescues His world from Genesis to Revelation, He enters into divine relationships with every human being at some point in their lives. As God and humanity move forward together, that narrative reaches an important turning point with Jesus Christ. 

Therefore, to tell the story of God's covenant with His people is to tell the story of the redemption of His people through Jesus.

In this article, we’ll explain the meaning of covenants and how they apply to us.

What does covenant mean?

Covenants are, in the literary sense, "binding agreements."

In the English dictionary, a covenant is a relationship or partnership in which two people make a formal agreement with each other and work together to achieve a common goal. They’re often accompanied by oaths, signs, ceremonies, and even written agreements. 

Unlike a contract, a covenant consists of defined commitments and obligations but isn't an exchange of money or goods.

Marriage is a good example, the vows being a formal covenant with a commitment to faithfulness and devotion for life. When a couple marries, they work as partners to realize a common purpose, like starting a career together or raising a family.

However, Biblical covenants are a little more complex.

The word covenant itself is defined in the Old Testament in two ways:

1. Of a covenant between God and man
2. Of a covenant between man and man

A covenant, translated as berith in Hebrew, is understood to refer to a custom of cutting an animal in two parts and exchanging it between the two participating parties. 

In the New Testament, there are two corresponding synonyms, “suntheke” and “diatheke.” The word diatheke is considered a covenant between a superior person and a subordinate, such as between a king and his subjects, whereas a suntheke covenant is between equals. 

During the time of sin, God fell out of love with His people. One of the ways He repairs this break is by selecting a group of people to form a covenant with. 

The children of God at the other end of this restrictive covenant are responsible for upholding that solemn agreement. Most of the time, this means following God and not following other idols. However, it's no surprise to anyone that God's people don't always uphold their end of the bargain.

Covenants with God in the Bible

Ancient Israel's covenants were similar to modern contracts, treaties, or wills. 

As part of each covenant, there were promises, conditions, and consequences when those conditions were not met. 

The first use of the word covenant was God's promise to Noah, “Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you’” (Genesis 9:8).

Some scholars doubt the possibility of a covenant with Adam, but many still believe that one existed between Adam and the Creator. Although the word itself isn’t mentioned, there are elements of a covenant relationship.

There are several covenants in the Bible, but five of them are crucial for understanding the story of the Bible and God’s plan: 

1. The Abrahamic Covenant where God promises to bless Abraham and all of his descendants. 
2. The Noahic Covenant where God promised to never flood the entire earth again.
3. The Mosaic Covenant also known as the Sinaitic covenant is between God and the Israelites through Moses.
4. The Davidic Covenant where God promises a descendant of David to reign on the throne over the people of God.  
5. The New Covenant is the promise that God makes with humanity that He will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward Him. 

The question is, why does understanding covenants matter so much? Essentially, covenants form the framework around which every Biblical story is built. Covenants and covenants alone are how God carries out His redemptive plan for humanity. Without them, the world as we know it wouldn’t exist. 

How to covenant with God

We have a heavenly Father who not only gave us a Savior and the gospel of Jesus Christ but also covenants through which we can live. 

All of those conditional covenants are taken together to develop a new and everlasting covenant that states what He has always promised, everlasting life.

Throughout the history of the earth, God has altered what He's asked of His children because of our choices. Nevertheless, the covenant of the new and everlasting covenant remains true. As God's saving work among His people, the new covenant is the culmination of that work. 

Our renewal is rooted in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ because this means that all of our sins have been forgiven. As a result, the old covenant was cast aside, and complete access to God was born under the new covenant. 

It’s through accepting Jesus and the word of God that we can truly have a covenant with Him. Another way is by showing kindness to others and loving them. When we surrender to Him, we will have accepted the terms of the contract with our Heavenly Father. 

To rest with Him again, we must undergo an important change in ourselves that only serves Him.

This is the sign of the covenant

Covenants with God form the core of the Biblical storyline. 

The Good Book is far more than a collection of divine laws, morals, and stories. God's covenant with humanity is the story of redemption through Jesus Christ. 

Because the Bible cannot be understood without a clear understanding of the covenants, we will never be able to grasp its meaning. Unless we make covenants with God, our relationships with Him are nonexistent. 

For more about covenants with God, download the Pray.com app in the iOS App Store or Google Play.