Biblical Covenants

The Biblical Covenants act as an instructive foundational outline
toward understanding the Word of God in its entirety.

~Covenant, Hebrew berith (ber-eeth). An alliance or treaty between equals or between heads of state and their subjects.

~Covenant, Greek diatheke (dee-ath-ay-kay). Exclusively a "last will and testament," not a contractual agreement.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

*Edenic Covenant: Genesis 1:28-29; 2:15-17

~Adam is instructed to: 1) populate and subdue the earth; 2) exercise dominion/stewardship over the animal creation; 3) tend the garden of Eden and enjoy its abundance; 4) not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, under penalty of death. [True obedience cannot exist without the choice to disobey.]

~The Edenic Covenant was terminated by man's disobedience when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, thereby initiating their spiritual and physical deaths and thus necessitating the establishment of a new covenant with Adam...

*Adamic Covenant: Genesis 3:14-21

~This covenant is essentially a covenant with humanity, as it establishes conditions that will exist until the Curse of sin is lifted (Isaiah 11:6-10; Rom. 8:18-23). The conditions prevailing under the Adamic Covenant are:

...The serpent is cursed, being the tool Satan employed to effect Adam and Eve's fall. Formerly the most desirable of the animal creation, it is now the most repulsive.
...Satan is judged, but shall achieve limited success per Genesis 3:15. However, this same verse predicts a future Messiah and Satan's ultimate doom.
...Women shall suffer sorrow (emotional pain) and physical pain in childbirth as well as an increase in conception necessitated by the introduction of physical death.
...Women shall also suffer distorted relationships with their husbands (and all men), lending to a nuanced complexity within every relationship.
...The ground and all creation is cursed and thus resists man's efforts to tend, tame, and order it, leading to perpetual frustration which in turn complicates his relationship to a wife, as his attention is divided between God, survival, and anyone within his sphere of influence.
...Spiritual death (separation from God) and physical death (separation from "life") are a reality as the sin nature and spirit nature are perpetually at war. Both contexts of death are purposed to drive man back to God Himself Who is Spirit and Life in their fullness.

*Noahic Covenant: Genesis 9:1-17

~Following the global Flood judgment, only Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives were left to repopulate the earth. God made a covenant with Noah (as with Adam) so that humanity and all creation would be accountable to the provisions concerning the Adamic covenant, which would remain in effect with one addition: an elevated role for human government. The provisions of the Noahic covenant are:

...The responsibility to populate and subdue the earth is reaffirmed.
...Consumption of animal flesh is now permitted, but not the blood. Further, the fear of humanity is placed upon all animal creation.
...The sacredness of human life is established; the shedding of human blood, whether by beast or human, must be punishable by death.
...God promises to never again destroy the earth by a global flood; the next global judgment will be by fire (2 Peter 3:10).
...God declares the rainbow a binding sign of this covenant for Noah and future generations; proving that capital punishment remains a presently viable civil and Biblical policy (Gen. 9:5-6).

{The previous covenants are universal in that they affect all Creation}
~~~
{The following covenants are theocratic in that they reflect God's Sovereignty}

*Abrahamic Covenant: Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-8

~This covenant is unconditional and depends solely upon God acting in grace, indicated by the unconditional declaration, "I will..." The Abrahamic covenant is the foundation for each subsequent covenant and constitutes a connection between all that God initially began (see prior covenants), has historically accomplished, and shall continue to bring to fruition until the end of history (see subsequent covenants). There are three areas of blessing:
-National: "I will make you a great nation..."
-Personal: "I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing."
-Universal: "...in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

~The universal aspect of this covenant is far-reaching and eternal:
...Blessed shall be those people and nations that bless Abraham and Israel.
...Cursed shall be those people and nations that curse Abraham and Israel.
...Blessed shall be all families of the earth through Christ (Abraham's progeny) Who offers Salvation to the world.

~Further study:
-Humility borne in a leader, Gen. 14:21-24
-Faith and circumcision, Gen. 17:9-14 and Romans 4:9-12

*Mosaic Covenant: Exodus 19:3-8; 20:1-17

~This covenant is conditional, evidenced by its formula, "If you (Israel) will indeed obey My voice... then you shall be a special treasure to Me." The Mosaic covenant did not replace the Abrahamic covenant, rather it is an additional covenant given so that Israel would have an ethical standard to follow until the appearance of the Messiah. The apostle Paul clarifies this in Galatians 3:17-19, therein proving that the Law was not given so that by keeping it people could be saved, but so that people would realize they cannot achieve moral and ethical perfection regardless of how determined they are to do so. This effect is purposed toward underscoring an individual's need to receive God's righteousness only by faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:22-24).

~Three areas of covenantal governance are set forth:
-The commandments governed Israel's personal lives in relation to God and to one another (Exodus 20).
-The judgments governed Israel's social lives (Ex. 21-23).
-The sacrificial statutes governed Israel's religious lives, instructing them how to approach God on His terms (Ex. 24-31).

~Israel's identity was forged within this extreme socio-religious system which led to their reluctance to accept the eventual New Covenant that Christ established, the very covenant that the sacrificial statutes pointed to (Hebrews 9).

~Further study:
-God's relational forging of a leader, Ex. 32:7-14, 30-33
-The Law's idolatrous future as a graven image (20:4), Ex. 31:18; 32:16; 34:1, 4
-A God encounter and covenant renewal, Ex. 34:1-10

*Palestinian Covenant: Deuteronomy 29:10-15; 30:11-20

~This covenant covers Israel and the Land promised to them. Two aspects are:
-The legal aspect is immediate and conditional (Deut. 27-29); "If you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God... then the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth." Israel failed in this and remains under God's curse for their disobedience, as Israel has been scattered among the nations and despite her "rebirth" the glory of Jacob has waned in that Israel is not a theocracy but is a secular nation (Isaiah 17:4).
-The grace aspect is future and unconditional (Deut. 30:1-9); "...the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity and have compassion on you and gather you again from all nations where the Lord your God has scattered you." Though this has not been entirely fulfilled we can see the development of its fruition in such circumstances as the aforementioned "rebirth" of national Israel on May 14, 1948 and the constant influx of Jews back to Palestine despite the rise of anti-Semitism and the growing axis of Israel's enemies blatantly condemning her existence. Ezekiel 37 shows the regathering of Israel in preparation for the unfolding of final-age prophecy; refer to Exodus 30:1-10.

~Further study:
-The Way, Truth, and Life, Exodus 30:15-16 and John 14:6
-The Israeli military was not sufficient to survive apart from God, thus the conquest of Canaan required a choice to obey or to perish, Ex. 30:17-18 and Joshua/Judges

*Davidic Covenant: 2 Samuel 7:4-17

~The covenant with David promises three things: 1) a land to dwell in forever; 2) an eternal dynasty; 3) an eternal Kingdom. Though David becomes king of Israel, he is not permitted to build a temple for God, as he is a man of war. However, the birth of Solomon, David's son to succeed him, is prophesied (7:12); it is Solomon who shall establish the throne of the Davidic Kingdom (7:13) and build the temple of God.

~Though Solomon's throne continues, his seed is cursed in the person of Jeconiah (Coniah), who is king when Israel is taken captive to Babylon in BC 586. Jeremiah prophesies that no one whose genealogy could be traced back to David through Jeconiah and Solomon would ever occupy David's throne (Jer. 22:24-30).
...Joseph, the legal, but not biological, father of Jesus traces his lineage back to David through Jeconiah and is thus cursed (Matt. 1:1-17). However, another of David's sons, Nathan, carries a genealogy that is not cursed. It is from this lineage that Mary, Jesus' mother, descends (Luke 3:23-38). Thus, Jesus receives His legal right to the Davidic throne through His adoptive father, Joseph, while His blood right is received through His biological mother, Mary.
...Moreover, the virgin birth not only makes sense of the phrase "her Seed" (Gen. 3:15), since the "seed" and sex of a child is determined by the male, but itself assured the sinless character of Christ (not being born into sin), guaranteed that one of David's lineage would occupy His throne forever, and simultaneously preserved the curse on the lineage of Jeconiah.

*The New Covenant: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 9:11, 24, 28

~This covenant is considered "new" because it actually accomplishes what the Mosaic covenant only alluded to, such being the child of God living a truly fulfilled life consistent with being created in the "image of God." The passion, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ form the foundation of the New Covenant; Jesus' atonement for the "iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6) is more than sufficient for all who would believe in Him.

~Being the last of the covenants, the provisions therein set forth an eternal paradigm:

*Regeneration- God will put His Law in their minds and write it in their hearts.
*National Restoration- Yahweh will be their God and Israel His people.
*Indwelling of the Holy Spirit- all will be individually taught by God.
*Full Atonement- all sins will be forgiven and washed away by His blood.

Foundations in Genesis

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
(Psalm 11:3)

Genesis is indeed a book of origins; within its pages we find foundations of:

*ALEPH
*Life/Death {Gen. 1-4}
*Prophecy {Gen. 2:17; 3:15}
*History (origins) {Job 14:5 & Psalm 90:12 reveal this life as "finite/determined" and we are encouraged to "number our days"}
*Literature/Art/Music {Gen. 4:21}
*Languages & Science {Gen. 4:22; 11:1-9}
*Civilizations (nations, government, politics/war) {Gen. 10:5, 8-12; 14:1-2}
*Worldviews & Religion {Gen. 4:26; 6:5; 10:8-12; 11:4}
*Freedom & Bondage (redemption/sin, blessing/judgment) {Gen. 2:16-17}
*Relationships {Gen. 1:27}
...Modesty (knowledge of good/evil = acute sexual awareness) {Gen. 2:25; 3:6-7}
...Marriage {Gen. 2:18-25}
...Family {Gen. 1:27-28}
*Identity/Purpose {Gen. 1:26-31}

...Who am I?
...Where did I come from? (past)
...Why am I here? (present)
...Where am I going? (future)

Genesis focuses on two distinct origins (the world and Israel), each with four specific identifiers:

4 Grand Events: Genesis 1-11 (origin/history of the world)
...Creation
...The Fall of Man
...The Flood
...The Rise of Nations

4 Grand Personas: Genesis 12-50 (origin/history of Israel)
...Abraham
...Isaac
...Jacob
...Joseph

~Understanding the history and future of Israel is key to understanding all, for if Israel's history/future is not literally and actually true, there can be no true meaning. Moreover, understanding Israel's place in world history/politics through the present and into the future lends to one's education concerning foundational knowledge which anchors us amidst the perceived chaos of our day, making it possible for us to enjoy "a table in the presence of our enemies" as we rest in the surety of God's Sovereignty (Psalm 23:5).

*Examine the continuity of Creation: Genesis 1:1-2 ~ 2 Peter 3:3-6 ~ John 3:4-5
...note that when one is "born again" both water and Spirit are involved; so it was at the birth of the earth...

Interpretive Logic & Prophecy

~ 3 Basic Laws of Logic:
*Identity: if a statement is true, it is true
*Non-contradiction: if a statement is true, it cannot be false
*Excluded middle: a statement is either true or false, no alternative

...The laws of logic differ from the laws of nature in that natural laws may be violated by the Creator Who set them into place, hence "miracles." It is notable that an entirely different set of laws govern the spiritual realm, thus being "supernatural," proving that our material universe is subject (secondary) to another (spiritual) realm of existence. Logic laws cannot be violated by the Creator since He is perfect and such laws are not a created ideal but are in actuality a part of His Being, such logic thereby manifested in the "order" displayed within His Creation. Further, logic laws cannot collapse due to their being foundational to Almighty God's creative mind, hence foundational logic.
...While humanity may violate laws of logic, due to hubris and/or ignorance, such violations do not undermine Logic itself, we simply prove our own idiocy. God, however, cannot contradict Himself and therein Foundational Logic is unmoved (refer to the 3 laws of logic). An immediate example of foundational logic on a practical level is found in mathematics, for the logistics of statistics and calculation are universal. This puts to rest the idea that Logic is relative.
...Following this logic, so to speak, we can conclude that the Christian ethic involves philosophy concerning faith in God since thinking logically enables rationality, i.e. correct reasoning. Logic makes sense of philosophy in that philosophy applies logic to one's life:

*Logic = Truth
*Philosophy = Why is Truth logical?
*Ethic = Application of Truth

Interpretive Logic

~ Allegorical/Mystical vs Actual/Literal interpretation:

*Look for comparative articles "like," "as," "bearing the resemblance of/to," etc.
*Know that signs and symbols in Scripture are abstract or concrete things that convey both conceptual and literal truth (often presented through word-pictures); what is literal explains the figurative, the figurative never explains the literal.
*No prophecy of Scripture is of any private (personal) interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21).
*Christ is the exemplar of interpretive logic, for all 332 prophecies concerning His birth, life, ministry, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension were fulfilled literally and actually, not mystically or allegorically. Read Hebrews 9, Revelation 12:1-6, and Genesis 37:9-11 for examples of Old Testament symbolism pointing to literal fulfillment in Christ.
*A contemporary example of a sign/symbol is the American flag; the colors and design are symbolic of specific ideals that point to the literal reality of every aspect of American existence. One who is ignorant of US history would not comprehend the flag's meaning... thus the one who is ignorant of Scripture in its entirety will not comprehend all of prophecy; there is logic in the placement of Revelation at the end of the Biblical canon.

~ 3 Keys to Interpretive Logic:

*Scripture interprets Scripture
*Interpret world events through Scripture, not Scripture through world events
*Prophecy and politics are interwoven to give humanity a sense of control

The line below assists in interpreting Scripture whether prophetic or non-prophetic. The interpretation of a verse rests upon a specific contextual hierarchy:

Verse ~ Passage ~ Book ~ Testament ~ Bible Context

The context of any verse is determined by the context of the passage within which it is located, the passage context is determined by the book within which it is located, the book's context thus being determined by the Testament (Old or New) within which it is located, the Testament's context thus being determined by the overall context of the Bible in its entirety.

Prophets & Prophecy

"Therefore the wisdom of God also said,
'I will send them prophets and apostles,
and some of them they will kill and persecute,'
that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation
of the world may be required of this generation,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah..."
(Luke 11:49-51)

...When Jesus spoke the words above He was addressing a challenge by a lawyer who had taken offense when Jesus rebuked the "scribes and Pharisees" for being hypocritical. And these same "scribes and Pharisees" took further offense at Jesus' words and "began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say that they might accuse Him" of doctrinal error (Luke 11:53-54). Jesus' masterful response, listed above, was actually a prophecy concerning His forthcoming suffering and crucifixion and the following apostolic era that would launch the Church. Moreover, "the blood of all the prophets" that would be "required of this generation" was His own blood that was to be spilled in the "scribes and Pharisees'" own generation/lifetime.
...As mouthpieces of Almighty God, the prophets collectively pointed to a coming Messiah. Following Christ's Resurrection and Ascension the apostles established the doctrinal foundation for the Church's mission, made possible by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. John, the apostle who penned the book of Revelation, was the last of the Biblical prophets; and once the inspired Canon was closed, such prophets were no longer necessary due to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit lending to a new era of "widespread revelation" (ref: 1 Samuel 3:1).

*For study:

The Prophetic Office of Enoch, Elijah & Elisha

Enoch
Pre-Flood prophet/Taken into heaven; Genesis 5:18-24
Prophesied about Christ's Second Advent; Jude 14-15
His faith an example; Hebrews 11:5

Elijah
(1 Kings 17 - 2 Kings 2)
Confronts prophets of Baal; 1 Kings 18:17-46
Flees Jezebel- from spiritual high to spiritual low; 1 Kings 19:1-14
Condemns Ahaziah; 2 Kings 1:2-17
Taken into heaven; 2 Kings 2:1-15

Elisha
(1 Kings 19:16 - 2 Kings 13)
Requests double portion* of Elijah's spirit; 2 Kings 2:9-14
*the double portion references Old Test. inheritance laws
when the firstborn son receives two shares of the family estate;
this explains Elisha's reason for calling Elijah "Father" (2 Kings 2:12)
though the context is a "spiritual father."

*For further study:

Thus Says The Lord God

...Each prophet in Scripture was called by the Lord into his/her position as "mouthpiece of God," which demanded a direct and tangible relationship with Him. Today, the indwelling Spirit of God makes it possible to maintain a direct and tangible relationship with Him, allowing for a taste of what the prophets of old experienced, or perhaps even surpassing such. Then, as now, when the Lord God called individuals into His service, He put forth the choice to accept or refuse the call. Upon acceptance a commissioning would take place. The following passages offer grand examples of such choices and commissioning; compare with similarities in your own life...

Genesis 12:1-4, 7
Genesis 22:1
Genesis 32:24-30
Exodus 3:2-10
1 Samuel 3
Isaiah 6:8
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Ezekiel 2:3-10
Revelation 1:10-17

*For trivia:

~First prophet? ...Abel (Luke 11:49-51)
~First prophecy? ...could be a trick question...
...Gen. 2:17 (non-Messianic); Gen. 3:15 (Messianic)
~Was King Saul a prophet? ...you decide... 1 Samuel 10:1-12; 19:18-24

The Philosophy of Prophecy

~ History... Current History... Prophecy ~
(past, present, future)

Prophecy can be described as the totality of God's Purpose
encompassed within one grand act of vision.

"No prophecy of Scripture is of any private (personal) interpretation,
for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke
as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
(2 Peter 1:20-21)

*Three types of prophecy: 1) Divine/perfect; 2) general/indefinite; 3) false/wrong

P4: Prophetic Perspective Promotes Purpose

...As with logic, we utilize general prophecy regularly, for we are future-minded (planning for tomorrow, next week, next year, etc), but not often in a manner that provokes spiritual maturity. Almighty God offers humanity future insight through His perfect Divine prophecy purposing to steady the Church amidst severe persecution and an increasingly corrupt culture. Such Divine prophecy is borne of His love and yields a new perspective that liberates the soul by altering a worldview, and thus a lifestyle (confidence is gained by confidence proven).
...God's omniscience lends to His prophetic nature which could lead one to conclude that God's philosophical perspective concerning Creation is also of a prophetic nature. It follows then that as one experiences greater intimacy with God, then one's own philosophical perspective concerning their place in Creation would trend toward a prophetic nature. This "philosophy of prophecy" is simply a byproduct of the Christian experience as one strives to become ever more Christ-like. "Living prophetically" keeps our lives focused on Christ.
...King Solomon condensed this idea profoundly when he said, "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man..." (Ecclesiastes 12:13). French philosopher Jean Bodin (ca. 1500's) elaborated in agreement with Solomon's words: "We have come into this theater of the world for no other reason than to understand the admirable power, goodness, and wisdom of the most excellent Creator of all things, to the extent that this is possible, by contemplating the appearance of the universe and all His actions and individual works, and thus to be swept away more ardently in praise of Him."
...While some seek to know God by strictly intellectual, religious, or scientific ventures, the true disciple seeks Him in His Word coupled with prayer; this then serves to ground and enhance the intellectual and scientific methods. And since humanity is limited in its ability to "discover" God, humanity must be told Who and What God is, thus His Word was given to us, both written and Living.

General and Special Revelation

God chooses to be known and makes this possible through self-disclosure in both nature and human history. And such revelation through self-disclosure implies more than imparting "mere knowledge of God," but rather "a personal relationship with God." Moreover, this is what God desires.
*Nature (general revelation): All of creation gives theological foundation to the idea of a "natural knowledge of God." If God created the world, it should have His signature; this is what we observe when not blinded by pride.
*Scripture/human history (special revelation): The Bible records God's interaction with and direct influence upon human history from the Beginning, with the specific purpose of revealing Who He is and who we are. Prophecy is the tool used to systematically promote this revelation, i.e. prophetic revelation.

Attributes of God

"Therefore, since we are the offspring of God,
we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone,
something shaped by art and man's devising..."
(Acts 17:29)

Thus we understand God through and by His Word
as the Divine Nature shapes us toward His purpose...

Understanding the attributes of God prepares the disciple for the establishment of a ready defense of one's convictions concerning Truth. Though there are many Divine attributes, I have listed four that serve as foundational to all others:

Sovereign Unity

There is One God Who is All, and His Triune Nature cannot be separated/divided.
John 17:21-22; Hebrews 1:1

Aseity
God is only dependent upon His own Being.
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:6; John 1:1-3

Immutability
God does not and cannot change.
Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 6:17-18

Infinity
God transcends time (eternal) and space (omnipresent).
Exodus 3:14; 2 Peter 3:8

Humanity will never attain complete understanding of God because of our being created by Him, which dictates an associative mystery concerning our comprehension of Him. Yet our being created "in His image," or "likeness," offers us opportunity to experience reflections of His character within ourselves. God's sovereign unity is reflected in our own multi-faceted nature (body, mind, spirit/soul) as well as our individual multi-roled nature (we are simultaneously a parent, child, sibling, friend, mentor, etc.). His aseity is reflected in our own self-sufficiency (Gen. 1:27-28). His immutability is reflected by our soul's immortality and our being subject to God's Justice. His infinity is reflected in our existence, as we have been created with an immortal soul; it simply is our duty to choose which context of infinite existence to inhabit.

Despite perceived complexity from the perspective of human reason, God is absolute Simplicity in that His Triune nature displays perfect Unity. Moreover, due to human reason being finite we must shift our paradigm of understanding in reference to God's infinity. Thus, rather than base our comprehension of the eternal on our present station in the temporal, the eternal should be our basis for understanding the temporal.

The ALEPH Paradigm

The ALEPH paradigm is a strategy toward ideal discipleship and effective dismantling of fables, and is encompassed by 1 Peter 3:15-16:

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,
and always be ready to give a defense
to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you,
with meekness and respect;
Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers,
those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed."

Additional Scripture proves the import of having a "ready defense" of your faith:

"For there are those who willfully forget that by the Word of God
the heavens were created,
and the world of old perished, being flooded with water...
And also there are those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
becoming futile in their thoughts, professing to be wise, but becoming fools...
Thus, God shall give them over to a debased mind
that they may reap the consequences of their iniquity..."
(2 Peter 3:5-6; Romans 1:18, 21-22, 28-32)

Aleph is the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet and serves well as the foundation for a foundational paradigm in the form of an acrostic. It is worth noting that the word "alphabet" reflects both a Greek and Hebrew origin; it is comprised of the first two letters of the Greek (alpha & beta) and Hebrew (aleph & beit) alphabets.

Apologetics- defending the faith
Logic- correct thinking/reasoning toward Truth
Ethics- standards of right conduct
Philosophy- system of basic Christian principles and concepts
Hermeneutics- interpreting Scripture in relation to historical, prophetic, and present-day contexts

A defense of one's faith on behalf of Christ employs logic and philosophy
based upon correct interpretation of Scripture,
evidenced by right conduct toward oneself and others.

*Study Ref:

Apologetics: 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Tim. 2:15; Paul's defenses: Acts 22-26
Logic: Isaiah 1:18; Matt. 22:37; Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 10:5; Philippians 4:8
Ethics: Isaiah 1:17; Rom. 2:12-16 and chapters 12-14
Philosophy: Proverbs 1-3; Acts 17:16-34
Hermeneutics: 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Tim. 3:16-17