What is a Covenant?

A covenant is an commitment from one party to another or a mutually-agreed, formalized relationship of two or more parties.  Covenants may name the particulars of responsibilities and privileges of the parties involved.  Covenants also may include some type of sign that marks or memorializes the commitment.  “A covenant formally binds two parties together in a relationship, on the basis of mutual personal commitment, with consequences for keeping or breaking the commitment” (T. Desmond Alexander, ESV Study Bible, p. 69).  Some housing subdivisions have legally-binding covenants that the home owners accept in order to protect property values and hold each other accountable to standards of appearance or conduct.  Marriage is also a covenant of commitment based on mutual respect and consideration.  After committing themselves to each other with solemn vows, usually husbands and wives will exchange rings to mark their commitments.  

In the Bible, God establishes covenants with his people when he commits himself to a people or to a certain action.  God gave a covenant to Noah that he would never again destroy the world by a flood.  He signified that covenant by placing a rainbow in the sky (Genesis 9:8-17).   God established a covenant with Abraham and promised that he would make a great nation of his descendants and give them the land of Canaan.  Abraham was to keep the covenant by circumcising all the males in his clan (Genesis 17:1-14).   At Mt. Sinai, God made a covenant through Moses with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  God gave them his laws to obey and promised to bless and prosper them.  They committed themselves to obey and follow God.  The covenant was sealed by sacrificing the blood of animals (Exodus 19:5-8; 24:7-8; 34:27-28).  God made a covenant promise to David that he would build for him a great kingdom that would be established forever.  In great humility and praise to God, David committed himself to follow and obey God (2 Samuel 7:6-29). 

God spoke through Jeremiah the prophet and said that he would establish a new covenant with his people.  God promised to forgive their sins and write his laws in their hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34).