Dakota Community Church
February 10, 2008
The Covenants
From the Hebrew word - berith it is translated in English as: "will", "covenant" and "testament," and comes from the word meaning "to cut". It is mentioned approximately 300 times in Scripture.
A covenant is not an “IF” you do this “THEN” I will do that scenario. A covenant in the strict biblical sense is not a joint obligation but rather a commitment one makes to another. A covenant is a relationship wherein the party making the covenant binds himself to fulfill certain conditions.
Cutting Covenant
1. Preparation--Since a covenant was meant to be a permanent relationship it was entered into only after much prayer, counsel and deep thought.
2. A Witness was sought as a trusted mediator of both sides. A covenant was meant to be a public declaration of intent.
3. Garments and weapons were exchanged.
4. The belt or girdle would be exchanged signifying, "My strength is your strength."
5. An animal would be split in two and the parties would stand in the midst of the split animal, thus representing as the animal gave up its life, so too, will I give up my life to maintain this covenant. Both parties would then cut their own wrists, raise their hands into the air and clasp hands while pointing to heaven making God their witness to this agreement. The intermingling of the blood signified the joining of a blood relationship. They would then often cauterize the wound with a hot branding iron to inflict a noticeable scar which would act as a perpetual reminder.
6. Names would be exchanged and the parties would henceforth refer to themselves as ___________ the friend of ____________.
7. A list of ALL assets and liabilities was then exchanged - as a united, covenanted pair they would each share the other’s belongings and burdens.
8. A formal exchange of the covenant’s blessings and curses was then made in public.
9. Finally, the covenant was sealed with a permanent “sign”, i.e. a plant, a tree, a heap of stones. (From "Covenants" by Charles L. Monk)
1. The Noahic Covenant.
Read Genesis 8:20-9:17
Genesis 9:12-13
And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
The Noahic Covenant is a non-conditional God to man promise not to destroy the earth by flood ever again. The seal is the rainbow which serves as a constant reminder that God has laid down his bow of vengeance.
2. The Abrahamic Covenant.
Read Genesis 15
Genesis 15:17-18
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates…
Again an unconditional covenant, only the Lord stands in the midst of the sacrifice.
The sign or seal of this covenant was circumcision and to ignore it was to be “cut off”.
3. The Mosaic (Old) Covenant.
Exodus 19:3-8
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ’You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."
So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, "We will do everything the LORD has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.
The Mosaic or Old Covenant is a conditional covenant that centres on the giving of the Law and carries blessings and curses seen in Deuteronomy 28.
The sign of the Old Covenant was the keeping of the Sabbath.
Exodus 31:12-14
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, ’You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.
" ’Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people.
4. The Marriage Covenant.
Malachi 2:13-14
Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
I include this because I think it is important to be reminded that marriage is more than a contract. Buying a car involves a contract, I will give you this, and you will give me that, end of story. Marriage is a covenant, I give you me, and you give me you.
Ephesians 5:28
In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
What is the seal or sign of the marriage covenant? Does anyone know?
It is the joining of two into one, the marriage bed. That’s right those who are little quicker, to have sex is to seal a covenant!
In the Old Testament days the celebration of the marriage did not begin until the deal was signed!
After a break in the proceedings the groom took her to a place he had prepared for her, and they returned with the bloody bed sheet.
In some cultures the parents watched, talk about pressure!
This is so precious that it is the parallel God uses to describe the relationship between us and Jesus. Not something to be taken lightly. God is in it when you have sex.
1 Corinthians 6:15-17
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
5. The New Covenant.
Luke 22:19-20
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Hebrews 8:6
But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
The New Covenant is the covenant of substitution, Christ takes what we deserve, and we receive what He deserves.
The sign or seal of this covenant is the Lord’s Table which we are observing here this morning.
It is important, just as in all the covenants to keep this sign.
1 Corinthians 11:29
For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
Concluding thought:
What does this substitution look like?
Read Genesis 27:1-29
Genesis 27:27
So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,
"Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.
We are hidden in Christ, the way Jacob was hidden in Esau. We come to the Father and he bestows on us the blessing that belongs to the one in whom we have hidden ourselves!
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
