Biblical Covenants: God’s Eternal Agreement with Man

By Naomi Alldridge

Each generation produces changes in its native language. Words loose original meanings and take on new meanings. New idioms are formed, and old ones sometimes lose their original meanings. Because of this it becomes difficult to read text written in previous centuries.

Although most people know of Adam’s original sin, many do not understand why it could affect them. They do not understand how and why ancient covenants were made, nor do they understand how a covenant made centuries ago could or should have any effect on their lives. This book attempts to explain ancient covenants in the language style understood by today’s generation. It shows how and why they were created. It shows how Biblical covenants were built like building blocks on each other, and why they can and do affect the human race today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664226531

Naomi Alldridge

Naomi Alldridge was born into the family of a pioneer pastor. She married a pastor and spent fifty years ministering with him in the church. During that time, she was active in leadership of children’s clubs, teaching and producing memory activities. After the death of her husband she went to Africa ministering for twelve years in a Theological College. Naomi holds a BS degree in Human Resource Management, and an MA degree in Theological Studies.

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Copyright © 2019, 2021 Naomi Alldridge.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2652-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2654-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2653-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021904563

WestBow Press rev. date: 5/20/2021

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Covenant Information

Chapter 2 Ancient Covenant Fundamentals

Chapter 3 Biblical Covenant Basics

Chapter 4 Edenic Covenant

Chapter 5 Adamic Covenant

Chapter 6 Noahtic Covenant

Chapter 7 Abrahamic Covenant

Chapter 8 Mosaic Covenant

Chapter 9 Levitical Covenant

Chapter 10 Davidic Covenant

Chapter 11 A Look Back at the Old Testament Covenants

Chapter 12 The New Covenant

Chapter 13 The Future—Millennium and the Perfect Age

Chapter 14 What Does This Mean for Us Today?

Introduction

Long ago, Christendom recognized the value of covenants. This recognition has been carried over into the modern age. Both Catholics and Protestants have realized that the New Covenant is the basis for their salvation. They have observed the Communion Table as commanded by our Lord, for He said, …this do in remembrance of me (Luke 22:19 King James Version).¹ Communion should be an act of worship. To some people, it may have become an act of tradition.

Dispensations (sometimes called ages) and covenants are not the same. Dispensations are the length of time between two significant events. Covenants are the way God deals with people within a certain length of time. Although God’s covenants made with humanity sometimes started a new dispensation, they were all eternal and crossed over dispensational lines.

In the following pages, we shall examine what ancient covenants were and study covenants made between God and humanity. We will then be better prepared to understand what the covenants mean for people living in our generation.

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Chapter 1

COVENANT INFORMATION

What do the majority of people think about when they hear the word Bible? For some, it may be a historical book, and so it is. It details the origin of all things, including; the human race; and zeroes in on the Hebrew² nation. Why the Hebrew nation? Because God needed to build a nation into which He could send a Redeemer. It could have been any nation. God was looking for someone who would obey Him, and He found that man in Abram. Abram was the founding father of the Hebrew nation Israel. Since obedience was what God wanted, and Abram obeyed Him, God chose to start a new clan of people fathered by Abram. The Bible, however, is much more than a historical book. It tells the future as well as the past. It is a book containing covenants that are displayed over the years in several separate encounters of God and men.

VIEWS CONCERNING COVENANTS

In ancient times all covenants were written in the language understood by the people of that day. Can this become a problem for some in our modern society? It can be challenging to recognize the relationship among various covenants and how they built one upon the other as time progressed. History has shown that many of the promises in biblical covenants have been fulfilled. Some have not as yet, but they will happen at God’s appointed time in the future.

Our societies were founded on legal systems, which agree that all people are created equal. Therefore, everyone deserves justice in all judicial courts. People are rewarded for doing right and punished for doing wrong, which is a purpose of covenants. We understand the biblical covenants by examining the covenants of the ancient eastern people, yet biblical covenants are also old eastern covenants. All covenants go back to the same source, the one established between one man, Adam, the father of the human race, and God, the creator of the human race. The key to establishing peace within any covenant has always been obedience to the covenant rules. This principle is demonstrated daily in our modern societies through promotions and demotions. By examining the contents and structure of the ancient covenants, we can determine how they affect people’s lives in our modern civilization. We live in a world governed by covenant principles that date back to antiquity.

COVENANT BASICS

Many theologians agree that the word covenant comes from the Hebrew word berit, which means to bond, or fetter This definition gives a judicial meaning to the term showing that there will be consequences if it is broken. Theologians also associate the word covenant with the root word krt, which means to cut. This definition lines up closely with the animals that were slain for a sacrifice in restitution for sin, as described in Exodus. It also aligns with the term still in use today— to cut a deal.

The words contract, "covenant, and, occasionally, treaty" are sometimes used interchangeably by people who believe they mean the same thing. Although similar, in the biblical context, they are not the same. All of them involve a system of rewards that include promises, benefits, and penalties, but there are significant differences between the three.

A biblical contract was a legal agreement. It was usually made between two or more people involving lands, goods, or services for a monetary or other agreed-upon exchange. An example of this can be found in Genesis 23, where Abraham purchased a cave for a burial ground for his deceased wife, Sarah.

A biblical treaty was also a legal agreement. It was frequently made between nations, tribes, or families following a time of disagreement. These treaties usually involved stipulations agreed upon by both parties. Their aim was peaceful relationships in the future, even though both may still be emotionally distant. An example of this, called a treaty, can be found in Genesis 21. Abraham had been involved in a dispute with the servants of Abimelech over a well. Modern nations end a war with a treaty.

A biblical covenant was also a legal relationship. It involved two or more people in an agreement of trust in which both