In the Bible, a covenant is always initiated by God; grounded in His love, law and justice; and the result of His sovereign grace and promise. In Bible covenants, God, always on His own initiative, offers fellowship with man, and commits Himself irrevocably. We can even go so far as to say that God never has fellowship with anyone except by a covenant. Or to put in in a more personal way – no one can be in a saving relationship with God unless they are in a covenant with Him.
COVENANT: IN EDEN
REFERENCE: Genesis 3:15
GOD’S PROMISE: Satan and mankind will be enemies.
SIGN: Pain of childbirth, work for bread
COVENANT: NOAH
REFERENCE: Genesis 9:8-17
GOD’S PROMISE: God would never again destroy the earth with a flood.
SIGN: Rainbow
COVENANT: ABRAHAM
REFERENCE: Genesis 15:12-21: 17:1-14
GOD’S PROMISE: Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation if they obeyed God. God would be their God.
SIGN: Smoking fire pot and flaming torch
COVENANT: AT MOUNT SINAI
REFERENCE: Exodus 19:5-6
GOD’S PROMISE: Israel would be God’s special people, a holy nation. But they would have to keep their part of the covenant obedience.
SIGN: The Exodus
COVENANT: DAVID
REFERENCE: 2 Samuel 7:13; 23:5
GOD’S PROMISE: Salvation would come through David’s line through the Messiah.
SIGN: David’s line continued and Christ was born as a descendant of David.
COVENANT: NEW COVENANT
REFERENCE: Hebrews 8:6-13
GOD’S PROMISE: Forgiveness and salvation are available in and through Christ.
SIGN: The resurrection of Christ
The New Covenant is the fulfilment of the Old and New Testament. Through Jesus Christ all the promises are ours! Praise Him!