The Everlasting Covenant - 10.0 The Old Covenant

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10.0 “My Covenant” at Sinai
by Hubert F. Sturges, www.everlastingcovenant.com, September 1, 2010

Topics:
Abraham, the Friend of God
The Abrahamic Covenant Delivered to Moses
The Covenant Repeated to Israel
“My Covenant” Given at Sinai

“My Covenant,” also called the Everlasting Covenant, the New Covenant, and the Covenant of God was given to Abraham in detail in Genesis 15 and 17, and sometimes called the Abrahamic Covenant (1). As Abraham was the “Father” of Israel, this covenant is considered to be in effect throughout their history. As the Everlasting Covenant it is in effect from Creation to the New Earth. This topic requires detailed study, so please read the next four articles, including the References.


Abraham, the Friend of God

The covenant of grace was given to Adam (probation extended), Noah (build an ark to save his family), and to Abraham (father of the nation through whom Christ would come). In these presentations there was the promise of grace (2), and the promise of restoration of what was lost in Eden. These promises came in anticipation of the prophesied Messiah and His sacrifice on Calvary for the sins of men. Small numbers of people were involved during the patriarchal age.

Abraham, as the friend of God, was chosen to preserve the Covenant and the Law of God. For this he was qualified through his faith, his leadership, and through his character as a commandment keeper (Genesis 17:1; 26:5).

It was 430 years to the day (Exodus 12:41) from Abram’s move into Canaan until the Exodus. Abraham was given the covenant in more detail than any other single man in history (Genesis 15 and 17) (1). Besides these formal covenant presentations, Abraham received the covenant promises on five other occasions. The covenant was repeated to Isaac and to Jacob (5).

The Abrahamic Covenant is identified by the special promises given to Abraham:
1. Many descendants -- as the sand of the sea shore or the stars in the heaven. This is referring to the people of the world who would be brought to God by his descendants.
2. The land of Canaan for a home for an everlasting possession.
3. To be a blessing to all families (Genesis 12:3) and all nations (Genesis 22:18) of the earth. Abraham’s descendants were to be a strong influence for good in the earth; and especially in the “one seed” which is Christ (Galatians 3:16).
4. Continued blessing on condition of obedience, for which God commended him. Abraham commanded his household after him (Genesis 18:19) and he kept the laws of God (Genesis 26:5). His greatest test of faith and obedience came when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on Mt. Moriah (Genesis 22:1,2).
5. The Abrahamic Covenant was also identified when Moses spoke to God in the burning bush, and when they spoke to the elders of Israel of the covenant given to “Abraham, and to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

See also article #10.6, The Kernel of the Covenant.


The Abrahamic Covenant Delivered to Moses

After Moses herded Jethro’s sheep for forty years, the time for deliverance of Israel drew near. Up to this time, God dealt with the Patriarchs and their families. With Jacob, the numbers were increasing and now they were a nation. Through the descendants of Abraham, God purposed to prepare the world to receive their Messiah. They must renew again the Abrahamic Covenant.

Moses was chosen and specially prepared to deliver Israel. He made a mistake and had to flee from Egypt. One day on the “backside of the desert ... even to Horeb” Moses came upon a bush that burned but was not consumed (Exodus 3:2). God spoke to him out of the bush and gave him the same covenant given to Abraham (3,4).


The Covenant Repeated to Israel

God called Moses and Aaron to represent Him and go to Pharaoh to “bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:7 to 4:17). They returned to Egypt and called the elders of Israel and repeated the words of the Lord (the covenant) and showed the signs given by the Lord (7). Their first appearance before Pharaoh did not go well. Pharaoh insolently replied:

“Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2)

This began a series of events by which ancient Egypt became classic for atheism (Psalm 53:1) and for determined rebellion against God (Daniel 11). Pharaoh made their work heavier by a decree that the people would have to find their own straw, yet make the same number of bricks per day.

The people had been given the Abrahamic covenant (3,7) on Moses’ return to Egypt. It was given again after his first visit with Pharaoh. But the people were discouraged. “They hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage” (Exodus 6:9). They had expected an easy delivery from Egypt and their faith failed the test. Even in their trouble God was with them and His promises were sure. It is important here to note the context and the momentum of the Abrahamic Covenant in these presentations (7), especially as we look later at the Sinai covenants.

Following this, Exodus seven to twelve tells the story of Pharaoh’s intransigence and the plagues on Egypt. Chapter twelve describes the Passover feast, the Passover event, and the death of Egypt’s firstborn. While this was a plague on the Egyptians, it was a covenant event for Israel.

Covenant presentations are often a cluster of several events and scattered in several places in the Bible record. This was especially true with the covenant given to Abraham, and now again with Israel. In the Passover we see divine grace and deliverance of God’s people through the blood of Jesus (8)! It illustrates the sacrifice of the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Israel’s trek to Canaan began that night (8).


“My Covenant” Given at Sinai

Israel was now a nation. They needed written laws, a unified worship form, leadership, a central place to meet, and military defense. A census of all the men 20 years or older, showed 603,550. In addition, there were 22,300 of the tribe of Levi of all the males from one month old and upward. The total count was 603,550 plus 22,300 Levites. Including women and children, the total was estimated to be 2,450,000 persons (Numbers 1-3).

After three months travel, they camped at Sinai (9). Moses was called up into the Mountain of Sinai and communed with God.

4 “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
5 “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:4-6, KJV).

God reviewed their deliverance from Egypt and gave them the covenant. They were to obey His voice as He spoke the ten commandment law; and they were to keep “My Covenant,” the Abrahamic covenant. It is this covenant under which all men live through history. Knowing the weakness of the people, God made a special call for obedience to His law.

In the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:1-21) “My Covenant” was used six times. The possessive “My” is emphasized, and refers to the council within the Godhead when the everlasting covenant was formulated “before the foundation of the world.”

To make the picture complete, God expected the people to fall on their faces and worship as did Abraham (Genesis 15:6; 17:3). The Abrahamic Covenant as well as the promises of Exodus 19:4-6 were perfect and gracious and without fault.

“There is hope for us only as we come under the Abrahamic Covenant, which is the covenant of grace by faith in Christ Jesus. The gospel preached to Abraham, through which he had hope, was the same gospel that is preached to us today, through which we have hope. Abraham looked unto Jesus, who is also the Author and the Finisher of our faith.” White EG: Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1077.

These promises were repeated in 1 Peter 2:9. This shows the purpose of God (2 Peter 1:4-9) which is not temporary, nor “old” nor about to pass away.