Covenant in the Bible

SUMMARY of the FOUNDATIONAL BIBLICAL TRUTHS of COVENANT (Hold pointer over blue links for popup or click to read verse in context)
COVENANT IN SCRIPTURE Hebrew: Beriyth ISBE, Vines, TWOT, Syn in OT Greek: Diatheke ISBE, Vines, NIDNTT	WHO IS THE INITIATOR (Initiate: cause beginning of, take first step)	WHO ARE THE PARTIES INVOLVED	REASON FOR COVENANT	IS THERE A SACRIFICE	ARE OFFSPRING AFFECTED?	IS THERE A PROMISE OR OATH (oath)?	IS THERE A SIGN OR WITNESS?	WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF THE COVENANT?	IS THERE A MEAL, AN ALTAR or A NAME CHANGE?
Noahic GOD > MAN Genesis 6:18 (First mention of "covenant") Genesis 9:11 (Read Genesis 6-8) for the context) Unconditional (see note in next column)	God Genesis 9:9 Unconditional covenant = declares God's purpose will be fulfilled regardless of man's response. This does not mean man makes no response but man's response doesn't leave fulfillment of covenant in doubt. Noah responded - he built the ark in faith! Hebrews 11:7 Covenant entails responsibility!	God & Noah Noah means rest, relief, quiet See Genesis 5:29 "rest from our work"	Context: Read Genesis 6 Wickedness of man was great In Genesis 6: --"Corrupt" 3x --"Filled with violence" 2x God sorry He made man... He was grieved "It broke His heart" (NLT) ----- To preserve life Why? Only then could He fulfill His promise to Adam & Eve in Genesis 3:15 to bring forth the Messiah who would bruise the head of Satan	YES ’every clean animal...’ (blood) Genesis 8:20 This was an act of worship in response to God’s covenant faithfulness in sparing Noah & his family.	YES Sons...wife... son’s wives Genesis 6:18 descendants Genesis 9:9 every living creature Genesis 9:12 the earth Genesis 9:13	To keep alive Genesis 6:19 I will never again destroy every living thing Genesis 8:21 Will not curse ground again Genesis 8:21 Seasons, day/night shall not cease Genesis 8:22	RAINBOW ‘My bow in the cloud’ Genesis 9:13 The Rainbow "is the sign of the covenant" Genesis 9:12 Hebrew for "bow" also describes the weapon of war ("bow and arrow")!	EVERLASTING (Everlasting) "I will look upon it to remember the everlasting covenant" Genesis 9:16 (cf "all successive generations" Genesis 9:12) When man looked at the bow he remembers the covenant - be mindful that God is also looking at the bow and as He looks He too remembers! Could that be why we see a rainbow in Rev 4:3?	"Noah built an altar to Jehovah" Genesis 8:20 (See Altar) (Hebrew word for altar means "place of sacrifice")
Abrahamic (see repetition to Isaac & Jacob below) GOD > MAN Genesis 15:18 Genesis 17:2,4 Unconditional (Read Genesis 12, 13, 15, 17, 22 for the context)	God Genesis 17:7 God Alone (symbolized by "a smoking oven & a flaming torch" Gen 15:17) passed through the pieces of flesh Abram was in a "deep sleep" (LXX = ekstasis = trance) Genesis 15:12	God & Abraham	In you (Abram) all the families of the earth shall be blessed = prophecy of the Messiah Genesis 12:1-3	YES Abram cut animals in two, each half laid opposite other (blood) Genesis 15:10 Compare Jer34:18-20	YES I will give the land to your descendants forever. Genesis 13:15 Jehovah cut covenant "to your seed I have given this land" (note past tense - God promised it - it is as good as done!) Genesis 15:18	The Lord God's promises to Abraham: "The Seed" (Singular = Messiah) Ge22:17-18 (cf Gal3:16 & Acts3:25) Descendants as numerous as stars Genesis 15:5 Land Ge13:15 Be their God Genesis 17:8	Circumcision (See also Circumcision) "And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. Genesis 17:11	Everlasting Ge 17:7-8 --------- El Shaddai promises "I will establish My covenant between Me & you & your descendants (seed) after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant." Isaac, Abraham's seed, is prophesied & granted the covenant promises. Genesis 17:19-21	NAME CHANGE 1) Abram ("exalted father") to Abraham ("father of a multitude") 2) Sarai (meaning ? some say "contentious", others "princess") to Sarah ("princess") Genesis 17:5,15
MAN > MAN Genesis 21: 27,32	Abimelech This man was a Philistine ruler over a pagan people, and yet he was the initiator of the covenant. The point is that the pagan world understood the solemn and binding nature of covenant	Abraham & Abimelech	FEAR God was with Abe Genesis 21:22 Water Rights Genesis 21:25	Not Stated but see Genesis 21: 27 ''the two of them made (Karath - cut) a covenant''. The fact that Abraham had given him sheep and oxen in the same verse strongly suggests they walked between the flesh of these slain animals as they "cut covenant" (blood)	YES "Swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, or with my offspring, or with my posterity..." Genesis 21:23	Abraham would not deal falsely with Abimelech (read Genesis 20 for why he may have prescribed this condition) but in kindness (a covenant word) Genesis 21:23 The two of them took an oath Genesis 21:31-32	Abraham gave Abimelech seven ewe lambs Genesis 21: 28-30 Abraham planted a Tamarisk Genesis 21:33 (See ill. in pagan culture)	EVERLASTING Genesis 21:23 Abraham "called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God" (El Olam) Everlasting is implied in Genesis 21:23	Beersheba ("well of seven fold oath" or "well of the oath") Genesis 21:31
MAN > MAN Genesis 26:28	Abimelech This is probably the same one who cut covenant with Abraham (Ahuzzath & Phicol) Genesis 26:26	Isaac & Abimelech (et. al.)	FEAR: Abimelech saw that the Lord was with Isaac Genesis 26:28 ‘Do us no harm’ Genesis 26:29 In essence a "peace treaty"	The phrase "let us make (cut) a covenant" (suggests blood) Genesis 26:28	Not Stated: Note that if this Abimelech is the same king the covenant he cut with Isaac's father Abraham should have been sufficient to ensure peace, pointing that men's covenants are not as trustworthy as God's covenants to men!	(Abimelech) said, 'Let there now be an oath between us, even between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, Genesis 26:28 They exchanged oaths Genesis 26:31 (See ill. in pagan culture)	--	--	Isaac ‘made them a feast’ Genesis 26:30
Abrahamic GOD > ISAAC Genesis 26:24-25 Unconditional	God Reaffirms the Abrahamic Covenant to Abraham's "seed"	God & Isaac Genesis 26:24-25	Preservation of the seed: I am with you, I will bless you & multiply your seed Genesis 26:24	Not clear but Hebrew root for ‘altar’ is ‘sacrifice’ so it means "place of sacrifice" (suggests blood)	YES	Jehovah promises Isaac "I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham Genesis 26:3	--	"multiply your descendants" in Genesis 26:24 implies EVERLASTING	Isaac built an altar at Beersheba Genesis 26:25
Abrahamic GOD > JACOB Genesis 28:13-15 Unconditional	God Reaffirms the Abrahamic Covenant	God & Jacob	Reaffirms God's Covenant with Abraham To do what God had He had promised Genesis 28:15	--	YES Genesis 28:13-15	Genesis 28:15 See also Abrahamic Covenant	Pillar Jacob set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on its top Genesis 28:18	EVERLASTING	Name change Luz now called Bethel (House of God) Genesis 28:19
MAN > MAN Genesis 31:44-55	Laban "So now come let us make a covenant you & I & let it be a witness between you & me" Genesis 31:44	Jacob & Laban	FEAR (distrust) I will not pass by this heap to you for harm... you will not pass by this heap & this pillar to me for harm. Genesis 31:52	YES "Then Jacob offered a sacrifice (blood) on the mountain & called his kinsmen to the meal & they ate the meal & spent the night on the mountain" Genesis 31:54	YES "If you mistreat my daughters or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us see God is witness between you & me." Genesis 31:50	Not to mistreat daughters or take other wives Genesis 31:50 "The God of Abraham & the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob