THE POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLE PROPHECY

COVENANTS

THE DIFFERENT COVENANTS

Noachic Covenant

The Term Covenants first appears in the Old testament in reference to the Noachic covenant ( Genesis 6:18, 9:9-17 ). In the context of a universal flood expressing his wrath ( 6:1-7 ), God Unilaterally covenanted with noah to preserve the human race and living creatures from extinction and to prevent future, global death by promising never to repeat the experience. This Covenant, not mention in the New testament, is unconditional and Everlasting, extending for the present earth life time and signified by the rainbow ( 8:21-22; 9:11-17 ). This Covenant’s irrevocable quality illustrates the identical feature in the Abrahamic, Priestly, and Davidic Covenants( Jeremiah 33:20-26 ). Gods common grace ( Isaiah 54:9 ) is mercifully and compassionately expressed to the entire human race over their individual lifetimes ( see Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17; 17:25 ).

Abrahamic Covenant

God made the autonomous and sacred( Luke1:72 ) Abrahamic Covenant unilaterally ( Genesis 15:7-17 ) with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ( Exodus 2:24 ). He stated or reaffirmed it at least eight times ( Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-21; 22:15 -18; 26:2-5, ,24; 28:13-17; 35:10-12). This Covenant was everlasting ( Genesis 17:7-8, 13,19 ), irrevocable ( Hebrew 6:13-18 ), Superior to the Mosaic covenant ( Romans 4:13; Galatians 3:17), immediately conditional ( Genesis 17:14; Leviticus 26:43 ) but ultimately unconditional( Leviticus 26:44; Deuteronomy 4:31).It was signified by circumcision ( Genesis 17:9-14; Acts 7:8 ). This Covenant promised:                 (1) Abrahamic descendants ethically ( Genesis 13:15 ; 15:18 ) (2) Abrahamic descendants redemptively  ( Romans 4:11; Galatians 3:7; 26-29). (3) The Savior ( Galatians 3:16 ), (4) a nation ( Genesis 12:2; 17:4; 35:11). (5) Land ( Genesis 12:1; 13:15,17), (6.) Personal blessing and protection ( Genesis 12:3; 28:15 ), and  (7.) blessings to the nations (Genesis 12:3; 17:4-6) especially redemption ( Psalm 111:9; Roman 4:16 – 18; Galatians 3:8 ). 

Mosaic Covenant

The Unique, autonomous, and conditional mosaic or Old Covenant ( Exodus 19:5-6; Leviticus 26:1-46; Deuteronomy 7:12-8:20; 29:9; 22-28). made at mount Sinai ( Exodus 19-20 ) tested Israel ( Exodus 20:20; Deuteronomy 8:2 ), Who voluntarily entered this agreement(Exodus 19:8;24:3-7; 34:27). It was signified by the sabbath( Exodus 31:16-17) The ordinances lasted only for the covenant’s effective life ( Exodus 31:16, Leviticus 24:8; Numbers 18:19). The hopeless outcome ( Deuteronomy 31:16, 20) Of this revocable, non-grace, and non-Salvific Covenant  resulted for Israel repeated violations( Leviticus 26:14, Deuteronomy 29:25-28; 31:16; 20), which ultimately prompted God’s voiding it ( Ezekiel 44:7-14; Zechariah 11:10) So it no longer possessed authority ( Roman 6:14-15; Galatians 3:23-25; Ephesians 2:14-16 ). It has been replaced by the New Covenant ( Jeremiah 31:31- 34; Hebrew 6:8-13; 9:11-22, 10:1 – 18 ) With out negatively  affecting  the prior Abrahamic Covenant ( Galatians 3:15-22; 4:21-31). While faint hints of the Abrahamic ( Deuteronomy 29:13;30:5,20) and New ( Deuteronomy 29:4; 30:6 ) Covenants appears in Deuteronomy 29:30, the covenant made in Moab, that is, besides the earlier Mosaic Covenant at Hereb ( Deuteronomy 29:1 ), most likely involves reaffirmation in the sense of (1) at a later time, (2) in another location and (3) by a new group. Thus, this covenant is not original or autonomous because the subsequent uses of “covenant” in Deuteronomy 29:9-25 point to the conditional ( Deuteronomy 29:21; 25,27, 30:19), bilateral ( Deuteronomy 29:12 ) Mosaic Covenant.

Priestly Covenant

The Original Leviticus and Aaronic Priesthood, which was conditionally covenanted by God as part of the Mosaic or Old Covenant, would last only for the life of the covenant ( see Exodus 29:9; 40:15; Leviticus 24:8-9; Numbers 18:8,19;  Deuteronomy 33:8-11; Nehemiah 13:29; Malachi 2:4-5,8). How ever, However, the priesthood took on absolutely new dimensions in duration and direction with a unilateral (Numbers 25:12 ) autonomous, unconditional, everlasting( Number 25:13; Psalm 106:31), and irrevocable ( Jeremiah 33:20-21 ) Priestly covenant because of phinehas’  brave loyalty to God ( see Numbers 25:10; -13; Psalm 106:30-31) This promise to Phinehas line ( 1 chronicles 6:1-15 ) will continue in the millennium ( Ezekiel 40:46; 43:19; 44:15; 48:11) Through the seed of Zadok, who was the faithful high priest to David and Solomon ( I King 1:32-40 )