Covenant in the Hebrew Bible

¶ … Covenant" in the Hebrew Bible The Old Testament is the cherished word of God for the Jewish people. In the text that outlines the basic fundamental beliefs of the Jewish faith, the covenant between the Jewish people and God is highlighted. In the Old Testament, the covenant is used as both a deal and a promise between God and the Jewish people.

Those who follow the Jewish faith promise their devotion to God and His word, and in return God promises the people of Israel his blessings and protection no matter how far they may meander from the actual physical heart of the Jewish nation. Covenants are compromises met between two parties that promise rewards or punishments for obeying or disobeying certain regulations outlined within the context of that covenant. This principle is understood as "berith" within the context of the Hebrew language, (Felix Just 2006:1).

The word is used 285 times in the Hebrew Bible (Felix Just 2006). This number is astounding when compared to the meager three uses seen in the entire New Testament. According to research, "Covenants often promise specific benefits, rewards, or blessings for people who keep the terms of the covenant," (Felix Just 2006:1). Thus, by following the rules and regulations outlined by the basic principles of a covenant, both parties can benefit. However, covenants also come with the potential threat of punishment if the basic principles of that covenant are broken.

Covenants may promise rewards, "but they also threaten sanctions, punishments, or curses for people who break the terms of the covenant," (Felix Just 2006:1). In the Old Testament, there are several covenants made between the Biblical characters and God Himself that outline basic principles of both the behavior and beliefs of Jewish people, as well as all people as a whole. There are several covenants made in Genesis which apply to all people, and are not strictly limited to the people of the Jewish faith.

The first of these is seen in the case of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, in the beginning portion of Genesis. Here, God creates a covenant with the first man and woman; He promises them an abundance of food and easy living in return for their devotion to His word. According to Genesis, life on earth "be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it," (Genesis 1:28). As His first human creations, He showers them with love and blessings.

He gives them everything they would have ever needed to live a long and fulfilling life within the utopian context of the Garden of Eden; "I have given you every plant…and every tree with seed in its fruit…for food," (Genesis 1:29). However, this does not come for free.

He creates a covenant with the two first humans; in return for such an easy life, they must never try and gain divine knowledge through eating the apples of the tree of good and evil, "but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat," (Genesis 2:17). This is the very first covenant outlined within the context of the Old Testament, and it is also the first to be broken.

Eve falls to temptation and breaks her promise to God, which in the end creates suffering in the lives of all of her descendants as she and Adam are kicked out of the Garden of Eden. In this story, one can see the consequences of breaking a covenant, especially one made with God. The next covenant made between God and all humans is much more uplifting.

After God created the disastrous flood which destroyed almost all of the life on earth, he made a promise to Noah that He would never repeat such a drastic measure. In chapter six of Genesis, he makes a covenant with Noah which promises his safety in return for Noah's prosperity after following God's word before the flood.

God saves Noah's family, and as a condition he asks them to multiply for their devotion, "God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth,'" (Genesis 9:1).

Also outlined within the context of this covenant is the ability for man to consume meat and not anger the Lord; they may now eat animals, but not drink their blood, "I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth," (Genesis 9:11). Thus, Noah and all men after him are rewarded for Noah's faith and devotion.

The largest and most comforting reward however is God's promise to never again flood the earth. This covenant is then solidified with a sign; there is now a rainbow in the cloud after it rains to show the rain will stop and there will not be another flood (9:12-17).

This sign is the appearance of a rainbow after a storm; "God said 'This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth,'" (Genesis 9:12-13). Due to Noah's faith and devotion, the rest of man kind is saved from the disaster of another massive flood.

Yet, most of the covenants seen in the context of the Old Testament relate to the promises made specifically between God and the Jewish people. In these covenants, God gives His will to the Jewish nation in return for his blessing. The first of these specific covenants with the Jewish people is the case of Abraham. God tested Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his first son Isaac. When Abraham reluctantly obeyed God's will, he was rewarded with promises of blessings and the saving of his son Isaac.

According to research, "covenants need to be ratified formally, usually sealed with blood, and thus often involve animal sacrifices," (Felix Just 2006:1). Thus, it was Abraham's sacrifice that sealed his covenant with God and secured the protection and blessing of his later descendents, the Jewish people.

Genesis 12:2 describes how God promised Abraham that he will have many descendants and his lineage will become a great nation for following the will of God, "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing," (Genesis 12:2). For their devotion to God, embodied by the will of Abraham to sacrifice his son for God, they inherit Israel (Genesis 15:18-21).

In order to distinguish themselves as the blessed people of God, there was a sign of the covenant to remind them of their faith and promise to follow God's word. The sign of the covenant -- the sign of the Jewish people -- the circumcision of all male Jews; "This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised," (Genesis 17:9). Thus, God has promised to bless the Jewish faith through a covenant made with Abraham.

Another covenant made with Moses also helped solidify the blessings of God for the Jewish people. Through the covenant made between Moses and God, the people were given regulations to follow in order to be rewarded with God's blessing. The first and most important was the idea that there was only one true God; "Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone," (Deuteronomy 6:4). Moses then brought the Ten Commandments given to the Jews from Mount Sinai.

This signified yet another covenant with the Jewish people, where God established his rule over them; "I will be God, you will be my people," (Exodus 6:7). In their devotion, the Israelites took on strict rules and regulations. For example, there are dietary traditions that stem back to following God's word. This covenant was solidified by the sign of the tablets which the.