The Everlasting Covenant - 1.6 Covenant Terms

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1.6 Covenant Terms

 by Hubert F. Sturges, www.everlastingcovenant.com, September 2009

Terms:
  1. Covenant Terms in the Bible
  2. Covenants and Dispensations in Hebrews
  3. Terms in Common Use
  4. Allowed Terms
  5. Terms Best Avoided
  6. Covenant Announcements
  7. My Covenant and the Everlasting Covenant
  8. Everlasting Covenant Specifically
  9. My Covenant Specifically
10. Covenants of Men
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1. Covenant Terms in the Bible
    • New Covenant – once in the Old Testament in Jeremiah 31:31; three times in the New in Hebrews 8:8, 13; and 12:24. Note: that in Hebrews 8:13, “covenant” is supplied. It is not necessarily a “New Covenant,” it could be a “new dispensation” that is compared with a first “covenant” or “a dispensation” where by Jewish Christians still believed in animal sacrifices and ceremonies
    • Old Covenant – not found anywhere in the King James Bible. It is implied in Hebrews 8. There is no discussion in the Old Testament of there being more than one covenant.
    • Covenant – found 272 times in the Bible, 254 times in Old Testament, 18 times in the New.
    • New Testament (or new covenant) – found only in New Testament; Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 9:15; Revelation 11:19.
    • Old Testament (or old covenant) – 2 Corinthians 3:14.  The Bible was divided into the Old and New Testament by the  church after 200 A.D.  This is discussed in the article on the Old Covenant.

See article #1.0 Covenants Explained.

The Everlasting Covenant of God is based on the willing sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary.  He thus paid the penalty for the broken law of God.  He “bought back” the human race.  All the blessings of God flow from the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.  All the covenants human and Divine, relate in some way to this everlasting covenant.

God also made promises to Abraham backed by His oath.  On several occasions God “made” or presented again His pre-arranged covenant.  There are also several instances whereby the good kings of Judah made covenants with God -- covenants of obedience or dedication to return to the everlasting covenant of God.^ Return to Top

2. Covenants and Dispensations found mostly in Hebrews:
These terms must be carefully defined.  The everlasting covenant of God, “My” Covenant, given at Sinai was the pre-arranged covenant made between Father and Son for what they would do to redeem mankind if they should sin.  This covenant spans the entire history of mankind.

A “dispensation” can refer to a period of time, like the Monarchy of Israel and Judah, or to the sacrifices and ceremonies which made up the worship form for Israel.  A dispensation can refer to other times and other phases of God’s chosen people.  In common use, there is an Old Testament dispensation whereby men are saved by obedience to law, and a New Testament dispensation whereby men are saved by grace.  This is called “Dispensationalism” and is a false interpretation of the Bible.  God does not have two ways to save people.

• First – Hebrews 8:7, 13; 9:1 (covenant); Hebrews 9:2,6,8 (tabernacle); 9:15,18 (testament); 10:9 (dispensation)
• Second – Hebrews 8:7 (covenant); 9:3 (veil); 9:7 (apartment of sanctuary); 9:28 (second coming); 10:9 (dispensation)
• Old – Hebrews 8:13 (covenant or dispensation?).
• Faultless – Hebrews 8:7
• Fault – Hebrews 8:8
• Better testament – Hebrews 7:22
• First testament – Hebrews 9:15, 18^ Return to Top

3. Terms in common use:
Everlasting Covenant
Plan of Salvation
Gospel, or Everlasting Gospel
Covenant of Grace
Covenant of Redemption
New Covenant

The “New Covenant” is a term used to describe the covenant of grace. It will be shown in subsequent chapters that the Everlasting Covenant is a covenant of grace, and is identical to what is understood as the New Covenant. It is logical to view the “new covenant” as a renewal of the everlasting covenant.
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4. Allowed Terms that can be misleading, but useful with careful definition:
• Abrahamic Covenant – promise of the Redeemer, along with land and God’s blessing
• Sinaitic Covenant – can refer to the old covenant specifically, or to the covenant experience in general at Sinai.
• New Covenant – a term used in Jeremiah promising reinstatement of Israel into the covenant. Frequently used as a synonym for covenant of grace.^ Return to Top

5. Terms best avoided as the covenant always comes from God, not men!
Adamic, Noahic, Mosaic, Davidic Covenant(s)
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6. Covenant announcements:
* Edenic, God's promise of redemption (Genesis 3:15).
* Noachian, for the preservation of the race (Genesis 9:9).
* Abrahamic, granting blessings through Abram's family (Genesis 15:18).
* Sinaitic, designating Israel as God's chosen people (Exodus 19:5,6).
* Levitical, making reconciliation through priestly atonement (Numbers 25:12,13).
* Davidic, Messianic salvation promised through David's dynasty (2 Samuel 23:5).
* Jesus’ sacrifice, the covenant confirmed. (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 27:51).^ Return to Top

7. My Covenant and the Everlasting Covenant are mentioned together, showing that they refer to the same thing.
Genesis 9:15-17 Covenant given to Noah. Rainbow a token of the covenant.
Genesis 17:7 To Abraham, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Genesis 17:13 Circumcision the token of the covenant.
Genesis 17:19 Sarah is promised a son.

1 Chronicles 16:15-17 His Covenant c Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob confirmed to Israel for an e.c.
Psalm 105:8-10 His covenant, commanded to a thousand generations.
Ezekiel 16:59-62 “the” covenant broken, He will establish “my” covenant, the everlasting covenant. ... not by “thy” covenant.^ Return to Top

8. Everlasting Covenant Specifically - Only used in these references.
Leviticus 24:8 Shewbread, a symbol of God’s continual support for Israel.
2 Samuel 23:5 David’s last words. He hath made with me an everlasting covenant.
Isaiah 24:5 transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
Isaiah 55:3 I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Isaiah 61:9 I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Jeremiah 32:38-40 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: ... I will give them one heart ... and I will make an everlasting covenant with them ... .That they shall not depart from me.
Ezekiel. 37:26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant ...
Hebrews 13:20 through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ^ Return to Top

9. My Covenant (see above where “my covenant” is also the everlasting covenant). The covenant of God is given with the possessive pronoun. It is a covenant made BY God for men; not WITH men. The term My Covenant is repeated 51 times in the Bible.

Genesis 6:18 with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark
Genesis 9:9,11,15 established with Noah after the flood.
Genesis. 17:2,4,7,9,10,13,14,19,21 With Abraham (see above for verses 7, 13, 19).
Exodus 6:4, 5 I have established my covenant ..to give them the land .. I have remembered my covenant
Exodus 19:5 if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant ... at Sinai
Leviticus 26:9-12 I will establish .. My covenant with you .. and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
Leviticus 26:15 Curses if my covenant broken and statutes not kept.
Leviticus 26:25 More curses if my covenant broken.
Leviticus 26:42-45 God will remember my covenant when Israel repents of her sins.
Numbers 25:12,13 Phineas given the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.
Deuteronomy 31:16,17,20 Israel will break my covenant, they will have trouble when God forsakes them
Joshua 7:11 My covenant broken. Defeat at Ai.
Judges 2:1,2 My covenant will not be broken if the people obey.
Judges 2:20 My covenant broken, idolatry ... God will not drive out the rest of the Canaanites.
1 Kings 11:11 Solomon led into idolatry, God will rend the kingdom from him after he dies.
Psalm 50:16 Wicked presumptuously talk about God’s law and “my” covenant.
Psalm 89:28 God’s mercy and “my” covenant will He keep.
Psalm 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Psalm 132:12 If thy children will keep my covenant ... their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore...
Isaiah 56:4 eunuchs that take hold of my covenant shall have a name better than sons ...
Isaiah 56:6 strangers that take hold of my covenant shall worship in my temple ...
Isaiah 59:21 My covenant a promise of My Spirit and my words
Jeremiah 11:10 my covenant made with the fathers is broken by idolatry of the people
Jeremiah 31:32 not according to the covenant made with the fathers, which was broken ...
Jeremiah 33:20, 21 My covenant is as sure as day and night.
Jeremiah 33:25 covenant blessing to Israel as sure as day and night.
Jeremiah 34:18, 19 My covenant made when Abraham passed between the parts of the calf
Ezekiel 16:60-62 My covenant, everlasting covenant; but not by “thy” covenant.
Ezekiel 17:18-20 My covenant despised and broken. Israel shall go into captivity.
Ezekiel 44:7 Unbelievers brought into the sanctuary, the covenant broken
Hosea 8:1 because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
Zechariah 11:10 My covenant broken, Jerusalem to be destroyed and people go into captivity
• Malachi 2:4-8 My covenant with Levi broken, priesthood corrupted.
• Romans 11:26,27 “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”
• Hebrews 8:9 “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.” ^ Return to Top

10. Covenants made by men
See article #12, Covenants through History of Israel.
New Covenant and Old Covenant discussed in articles #10 and #11.
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