Covenant and ScriptureSample

Characteristics of Covenant

Covenants bind people together: formalising a relationship, and creating a solemn obligation between two parties. They are confirmed with sacrificial meals and spoken oaths.

The establishment of a covenant represents the formation of a solemn commitment. The obligation historically bound together two groups of families, tribes, or nations. The Hebrew word for both humanly and divinely originated covenants is berîyth. It occurs over 250 times in the Old Testament and always refers to a formal, binding arrangement between two parties.

Historical Covenant

Covenants represent a form of treaty or alliance. They may be negotiated and established between two equal peoples. Or imposed by a stronger nation, or suzerain, upon a subjugated nation. In this case, the weaker nation became a servant nation, or vassal, of the stronger nation.

• The suzerain provides protection and reward for faithful service.
• The vassal gives allegiance, service, and tax to the suzerain (2 Kings 24:1).

A covenant is typically established by a solemn ceremony. This is called cutting covenant. The ceremony involves sacrificing an animal and sprinkling its blood. Afterward, the two tribes or nations seal and celebrate the covenant by sharing a meal.

Terms

Terms accompany the formation of covenants, typically referring to:

• trade, food, water, or other resources
• skill-sharing; land, routes, territory
• shared ceremony, tradition
• taxes — or tribute (1 Kings 4:21, Ezra 4:20)
• protection, allegiance, peace.

The terms prescribe behaviours constituting the keeping or violating of the covenant relationship. For a conquered nation, terms could be benign and generous, or oppressive and dominating — including threats of war or destruction.

Oaths and Invocations

Covenant partners swear an oath to uphold the terms. Swearing an oath indicated serious intent to be faithful to the covenant. To emphasise this seriousness, invocations — principally consisting of blessings and curses — are spoken, calling upon divine forces to reward faithfulness and punish unfaithfulness (Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21; Ecclesiastes 5:4).

Blessings— rewards for keeping the terms of the covenant and maintaining the integrity of the covenant relationship.

Curses— punishments for failing to uphold the terms of the covenant and violating the integrity of the covenant relationship.

Reflection

• What is the purpose of a covenant?
• What are the essential elements of a covenant?
• How is covenant understood in your culture? How does this compare with the covenants encountered in Scripture?