Chapter 16 - Major Covenants

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While the Bible provides record of covenants originating from both heaven and earth, those initiated by the “God of heaven” are obviously the most significant. Therefore, they are considered the major covenants of the Bible.

The major covenants of the Bible constitute a series of formal agreements between God and His creation. They benefit His creation and ensure that He will perform as indicated beforehand.

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Initiated in Eternity and Fulfilled in Time

Congruent with God’s eternal purpose and plan, two of the major covenants of the Bible were initiated in eternity and fulfilled in time. They include the redemptive Eternal Covenant and the Renovation Covenant.

The Eternal Covenant was initiated by the members of the Godhead in eternity. It was fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the fullness of time.

The Renovation Covenant was also initiated in eternity. It was fulfilled in time when God covenanted with the first man, Adam.

Initiated in Time from Eternity

In contrast to the covenants initiated in eternity, five major covenants were initiated in time from eternity. Within the confines of time, God first covenanted with Noah (Noahic Covenant). It was a covenant that benefited mankind in general. In addition, God covenanted with Abram (Abrahamic Covenant), Moses (Mosaic Covenant), and David (Davidic Covenant). They were covenants inaugurated specifically for the benefit of the nation of Israel. In the future, God will initiate the New Covenant. It will also serve to benefit the nation of Israel.

Each contributing to the vindication of the divine nature, the seven major covenants of the Bible can be categorized as foundational; general and specific:

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Foundational Covenants	Description	References
Eternal Covenant	The Eternal Covenant was initiated between the members of the Godhead in eternity and fulfilled in time. It was an unconditional covenant of promise. Redemptive in nature, its stipulations included the willing death of the Son, His subsequent resurrection by the Father, and the application of its benefit to fallen humanity by the Spirit. The fulfillment of the Eternal Covenant provided the basis for relationship between God and man after the Fall.	Isaiah 53:10; Acts 2:23-24; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 1:20-21
Renovation Covenant	The Renovation Covenant was also initiated in eternity and fulfilled in time. It was a conditional covenant of law whereby God renovated the heavens and the earth to make them suitable for a new type of creature; mankind. He then provided the first man, Adam, with a single, conditional covenantal stipulation. Congruent with His purpose to vindicate His nature, the continuation of mankind in a state of holiness and the corresponding suitability of the earth were conditioned on the human choice of whether to obey the stipulation.	Genesis 1:2-3:13; Job 38:4-7; Isaiah 24:4-6; Jeremiah 33:19-26

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General Covenant	Description	References
Noahic Covenant	The Noahic Covenant was an unconditional covenant of promise through which God ensured the preservation of human life after the flood. First, the Noahic Covenant revised man’s relationship with the animal kingdom (Genesis 9:2-4). Second, it established human self-government (Genesis 9:5-6). Third, the Noahic Covenant was accompanied by a divine promise that there would never again be a worldwide flood (Genesis 9:8-11).	Genesis 8:20-9:11

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Specific Covenants	Description	References
Abrahamic Covenant	The Abrahamic Covenant was an unconditional covenant of promise between God and Abram (the progenitor of the nation of Israel) by which God ensured He would produce a great nation from Abram’s descendants and, thereby, bless all the nations of the earth.	Genesis 12:1-3; 7; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-8; 18:18; 22:18; Deuteronomy 29:1-30:10
Mosaic Covenant	The Mosaic Covenant was a conditional covenant of law between God and Moses (representing the nation of Israel) that provided a constitutional body of law for the formation and development of national Israel.	Exodus 20:1-31:18
Davidic Covenant	The Davidic Covenant was an unconditional covenant of promise between God and David (representing the nation of Israel) that ensured leadership for the nation of Israel.	2 Samuel 7:4-17; 1 Chronicles 17:4-15; 2 Chronicles 6:16; Psalm 89:3-4
New Covenant	The New Covenant will be an unconditional covenant of promise for the nation of Israel. In the future, it will ensure the fulfillment of the stipulations and promises of the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants.	Jeremiah 31:31-33; Ezekiel 36:26,27; Hebrews 8:8-12

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The Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New Covenants comprise a series of interrelated covenants. Inclusive of both law and promise, they have either been or will be initiated by God on earth exclusively for the benefit of the nation of Israel. These four interrelated covenants present the means by which national Israel is privileged to enjoy covenant partnership with God.

In contrast to national Israel, the New Testament church is not a covenant partner with God. Instead, it is a beneficiary of the Eternal Covenant. The heavenly promise of the Eternal Covenant for the church is the unconditional benefit of legal justification from all transgression of divine law and organic union of life with God.

© 2023 James Hiatt

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