God’s Covenant

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Illustration from The Story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation Told in Simple Language for the Young by Charles Foster, 1873: God’s covenant is broadly divided into the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

God’s covenant refers to the sacred promise between God and His people, often described as a contract or agreement. God established a covenant with His chosen people, and through it, He carried out the work of redemption. Throughout history, those who have upheld God’s covenant have been blessed and saved as God’s people.

There are two primary types of covenants: the old covenant and the new covenant. The old covenant was the agreement between God and the people of Israel, spanning from the time of Moses until the arrival of Jesus Christ. The new covenant is the new agreement that Jesus Christ established with humanity. In the Old Testament, God’s covenant was simply recorded as a “covenant.” However, after the establishment of the new covenant in the New Testament era, the covenant of the Old Testament came to be known as the “old covenant” or “the first covenant.” The terms Old Testament and New Testament originate from this distinction. In essence, the Bible itself can be understood as the covenant given by God.

Meaning

Etymology

In Hebrew, God’s covenant is called berîyth (בְּרִית),[1] derived from the word bârâh (בָּרָה),[2] meaning “to cut.” This reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of making covenants through a ritual that involved cutting a sacrificial animal. The Old Testament records that God’s covenant was established through such a ritual, where a sacrifice was cut in half, and the parties involved passed between the pieces as a sign of their agreement.[3][4]

In the New Testament, the word “covenant” is translated into Greek as diathēkē (διαθήκη),[5] which conveys meanings such as will, decree, or treaty.[6]

Law, Command, and Covenant

God Writes the Ten Commandments on Two Tablets of Stone to Moses on Mount Sinai by Joseph von Führich, 1835: God’s covenant is also referred to as law or commandments.

God’s covenant is also referred to as law or commands in the Bible. When Jehovah God gave Moses the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, He described them as containing the law and commands.[7] At the same time, He referred to the Ten Commandments as His covenant.[8] This is because the law, commands, and covenant all share the same foundation.

God’s laws and commands are called a covenant because they include His promise of blessings for those who obey them.[9] When the focus is on God’s commands for His people to follow them, they are referred to as laws and commands. When the emphasis is on the blessings that result from obedience, they are called a covenant.

Thus, in the Old Testament, the old covenant is also known as the Law of Moses because it was established through the prophet Moses. In the New Testament, the new covenant is called the new command, and since Christ established it, it is also referred to as the Law of Christ.

Features

Agnus Dei by Francisco de Zurbarán, 1635–1640: The offerings sacrificed in the Old Testament served as a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice.

One of the defining characteristics of God’s covenant—both the old covenant and the new covenant—is that it was established through blood. In the Old Testament, when God established the old covenant with the Israelites through Moses, Moses sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on the people, declaring, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you.”[10] Similarly, in the New Testament, Jesus Christ established the new covenant with His own blood.[11]

The old covenant, sealed with the blood of sacrifices, foreshadowed the new covenant, which would later be established through Christ’s blood. In other words, the old covenant served as a copy and shadow, pointing to the new covenant that would be revealed in the New Testament.[12] The countless lambs and goats sacrificed under the Old Testament symbolized Jesus Christ, who would later be sacrificed on the cross for humanity’s redemption.[13] Likewise, the feasts of God observed in the Old Testament times under the Law of Moses were a copy and shadow of the feasts of the new covenant, which were fulfilled through Christ.

God’s Covenant in the Old Testament

Noah

Noah’s Burnt Offering by Author unknown: God showed the rainbow as a sign of His covenant that He would never destroy the world by a flood again.

The first appearance of God’s covenant in the Bible is found in the story of Noah. Before destroying the wicked world with the flood, God made a covenant with Noah, commanding him to build an ark and promising to save him and his family. Noah faithfully obeyed God’s word and built the ark, fulfilling the covenant.[14] After the great flood, when Noah and his family emerged from the ark, he offered burnt offerings to God.[15] In response, God established a covenant with all living creatures, promising never to destroy the world by flood again. As a sign of this covenant, God placed the rainbow in the sky.[16]

Abraham

Abraham’s Sacrifice of Isaac by David Teniers II, 1653; God promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants.

God chose Abraham from among Noah’s descendants and made a covenant with him, promising to give the land of Canaan to him and his descendants.[17] To establish this covenant, God instructed Abraham to cut sacrificial animals in half and place the pieces opposite each other. Then, God passed between them in fire, sealing the covenant.[3] As a sign of the covenant, God commanded Abraham and his descendants to practice circumcision for generations to come.[18] This covenant was later passed down to Isaac and Jacob[19][20] and was reaffirmed during the Exodus.

Moses

Old Covenant, the Law of Moses

God’s covenant in the Old Testament was formally codified during the time of Moses. When the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, God remembered His covenant with Abraham and delivered them from slavery. He then led them to the Promised Land, Canaan.[21] On their journey to Canaan, at Mount Sinai, God gave them the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, along with His covenant and laws.[22] These laws defined how God’s people should live, establishing religious, moral, and social regulations for those in a covenant relationship with Him.[23][24]

For details, refer to: Old Covenant and The Law of Moses

Ark of the Covenant

The Ark Passes Over the Jordan by James Jacques Joseph Tissot, 1836–1902

The ark of the covenant was the sacred chest where the Ten Commandments were placed. It is also referred to as the ark or the ark of the Testimony. After giving Moses the Ten Commandments, God commanded him to build a sanctuary (tabernacle) to house the tablets of the Ten Commandments and instructed the construction of the ark of the covenant specifically for this purpose.[25] The cover of the ark, known as the atonement cover, was adorned with cherubim (angelic figures) at each end. God promised to meet with Moses between these cherubim.[26] During their 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites carried the ark of the covenant with them as they camped and traveled.[27][28] The ark served as a powerful symbol of God’s presence among His people.

The Order of Aaron

The sacrificial practices described in the Law of Moses are called the priesthood in the order of Aaron. In this system, priests offered animal sacrifices—such as lambs, bulls, and goats—in the sanctuary, shedding their blood before God.[29] Through these sacrifices, the people could receive atonement for their sins.[30] Aaron was the first high priest, and God appointed his direct descendants from the tribe of Levi to serve as the priests for the generations to come.[31] The priestly covenant was later reaffirmed during the time of Phinehas, Aaron’s grandson.[32]

David

King David in Prayer by Pieter de Grebber, 1635–1640

Another significant covenant in the Old Testament was God’s promise to David, the second king of Israel. When David expressed his desire to build a temple for God, the LORD spoke through the prophet Nathan, declaring, “Your dynasty will be established forever through your descendants.”[33] Even after Israel split into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah, God’s covenant with David remained unchanged. Unlike the northern Kingdom of Israel, where kings frequently changed due to rebellions and assassinations, the throne of Judah remained in the hands of David’s descendants until the kingdom fell.[34]

God’s Covenant in the New Testament Times

The New Covenant Established by God

Jesus Christ establishes the new covenant at the Holy Supper of the Passover.

In the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah foretold the establishment of a new covenant that God would make in the future. This new covenant would not be written on stone tablets but inscribed in people’s hearts. Those who receive and follow it would be recognized as God’s people.

“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. . . . This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. . . . For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Jeremiah 31:31–34


The One who established the new covenant is Jesus Christ, God who came in the flesh. On the night before His crucifixion, during the Passover Supper, Jesus proclaimed the New Covenant by giving His disciples bread and wine, symbolizing His flesh and blood.

“I [Jesus] have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” . . . 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.”

Luke 22:15, 19–20


The core truth of the new covenant is the New Covenant Passover. This is because the Passover of the new covenant embodies the love and sacrifice of Christ, who endured the pain of death for the salvation of humanity. For this reason, the Bible refers to the New Covenant Passover as Christ’s “will,” which took effect through His death. In Greek, the word for “will” carries the same meaning as “covenant.”[6] With the establishment of God’s new covenant in the New Testament era, the first covenant, or the old covenant, was abolished.

For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. . . . This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Hebrews 8:7–10


The fact that the Old Covenant had flaws indicates that people could not attain salvation through the law of the Old Testament. Jesus fulfilled the law and established a new law[35] so that humanity could receive salvation. This new law is the new covenant, also referred to as the “law of Christ.” [36] Therefore, in the New Testament era, those who keep the law of the new covenant are recognized as God’s people.

For details, refer to: New Covenant and Law of Christ
For details, refer to: New Covenant and Law of Christ

The Law From Zion

The Prophet Micah by Hubert van Eyck: Micah prophesied that the law of God would come from Zion.

The prophet Isaiah, in the Old Testament times, prophesied that a new law would come from Mount Zion, and that all nations would come to God to receive His teachings. Since the Law of Moses was given on Mount Sinai and only the Israelites were recognized as God’s people in the Old Testament times, this prophecy points to the New Testament times.


In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; It will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 2:2–3


Zion, where the new law is established, is not a physical location in Israel but rather a spiritual Zion—the church that observes the feasts of God under the new covenant.[37] The feasts of the new covenant are the regulations that Jesus set as an example through His teachings and actions during His three-year ministry. Jesus kept the New Covenant Passover with His disciples,[38] baptized people,[39] and observed the Sabbath as His custom.[40] On the Feast of Tabernacles, God bestowed the Holy Spirit upon His people.[41] The early Church faithfully followed Christ’s laws,[42][43] observing baptism,[44] the Sabbath,[45] Pentecost,[46] and the Passover[47] according to Jesus’ teachings and example. Zion is the place where the feasts of the new covenant are observed—the dwelling place of God’s covenant and law.

Comparison Between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant

Old Covenant New Covenant
Proclaimed on Mount Sinai[48] Proclaimed on Mount Zion[49]
Priesthood: The Order of Aaron Priesthood: Order of Melchizedek[50]
Covenant commanded from the earth Covenant commanded from heaven[51]
The Passover: Slaughtering lambs[52]

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: Eating unleavened bread for seven days[53]

The Feast of Firstfruits: Offering firstfruits by waving them[54]

The Feast of Weeks: Offering new grains[55]

The Feast of Trumpets: Prayer Week[56]

The Day of Atonement: Prayer with contrite hearts[57]

The Feast of Tabernacles: Assembly for seven days[58]

The Passover: Celebrating with bread and wine[59]

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: Fasting[60]

The Day of Resurrection: Commemorating Jesus’ resurrection[61] by breaking of bread[62]

The Day of Pentecost :Descent of the Holy Spirit[63]

The Feast of Trumpets: Prayer week

The Day of The Atonement: Contrite prayer

The Feast of Tabernacles: Preaching assembly for seven days[41]

Blessings in God’s Covenant

God and His people are bound by a covenant, and one of the most representative covenants is baptism. While the water used for bathing and the water used in baptism are physically the same, the water in baptism holds special significance as it is tied to a divine promise between God and His people.

Baptism is a New Testament truth that replaced circumcision from the Old Testament.[64] In the Old Testament, circumcision was the sign that identified a person as belonging to God’s people. In the New Testament, baptism serves as the sign of salvation for those who belong to God.[65] Furthermore, to confirm God’s everlasting and unchanging covenant, Christ gave His disciples the Passover bread and wine, representing His flesh and blood. By partaking of them, people receive the eternal sign of becoming God’s children.[66][35]

The book of Deuteronomy states that those who keep God’s covenant will be exalted above all nations and receive blessings in all they do. Conversely, those who break God’s covenant will face curses.


If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: . . . Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. . . . The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in obedience to him. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. . . . However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.

Deuteronomy 28:1–19


In every age, those who keep God’s covenant are blessed as His holy people. Likewise, in this present age, God’s people can receive His blessing by faithfully keeping and obeying the regulations of the new covenant, which is God’s covenant in the New Testament times.

Related videos

  • Sermon: The New Covenant and God

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 1285. בְּרִית, Bible Hub
  2. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 1262. בָּרָה, Bible Hub
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Genesis 15:9–18
  4. ↑ "Jeremiah 34:18–20".
  5. ↑ Strong's Greek: 1242. διαθήκη, Bible Hub
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Hebrews 9:16–17
  7. ↑ "Exodus 24:12".
  8. ↑ "Exodus 34:28".
  9. ↑ "Deuteronomy 28:1–6".
  10. ↑ "Exodus 24:3–8".
  11. ↑ "Luke 22:20".
  12. ↑ "Hebrews 10:1".
  13. ↑ "Matthew 20:28".
  14. ↑ "Genesis 6:17–20".
  15. ↑ "Genesis 8:15–20".
  16. ↑ "Genesis 9:9–17".
  17. ↑ "Genesis 12:1–9".
  18. ↑ "Genesis 17:9–11".
  19. ↑ "Genesis 26:2–4".
  20. ↑ "Genesis 28:10–15".
  21. ↑ "Exodus 2:23–24".
  22. ↑ "Leviticus 26:42–46".
  23. ↑ "Exodus 19:3–8".
  24. ↑ "Exodus 20-24".
  25. ↑ "Hebrews 9:3–5".
  26. ↑ "Exodus 25:10–22".
  27. ↑ "Numbers 9:17, 22".
  28. ↑ "Numbers 10:33–36".
  29. ↑ "Leviticus 1:1–5".
  30. ↑ "Leviticus 4:1–35".
  31. ↑ "Exodus 40:12–15".
  32. ↑ "Numbers 25:10–13".
  33. ↑ "2 Samuel 7:8–17".
  34. ↑ "2 Chronicles 21:7".
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 "Matthew 5:17".
  36. ↑ "1 Corinthians 9:21".
  37. ↑ "Isaiah 33:20–22".
  38. ↑ "Matthew 26:19, 26–28".
  39. ↑ "John 3:22".
  40. ↑ "Luke 4:16".
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 John 7:2, 37–39
  42. ↑ "John 13:15".
  43. ↑ "Matthew 28:20".
  44. ↑ "2 Peter 3:21".
  45. ↑ "Acts 17:2".
  46. ↑ "Acts 2:1–4".
  47. ↑ "1 Corinthians 5:7–8".
  48. ↑ "Nehemiah 9:13–14".
  49. ↑ "Micah 4:1–2".
  50. ↑ "Hebrews 7:11–12".
  51. ↑ "Hebrews 12:25".
  52. ↑ "Exodus 12:5–11".
  53. ↑ "Exodus 12:15".
  54. ↑ "Leviticus 23:10–11".
  55. ↑ "Leviticus 23:15–17".
  56. ↑ "Leviticus 23:24".
  57. ↑ "Leviticus 23:27–28".
  58. ↑ "Leviticus 23:34".
  59. ↑ "Luke 22:15, 19–20".
  60. ↑ "Matthew 9:15".
  61. ↑ "1 Corinthians 15:20".
  62. ↑ "Luke 24:30–31".
  63. ↑ "Acts 2:1–4".
  64. ↑ "Colossians 2:11–12".
  65. ↑ "1 Peter 3:21".
  66. ↑ "John 6:53–56".
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