God’s Covenants with Man

By Richard Mayhue, Th.M, Th.D.
Professor of Theology and Pastoral Ministries,
The Master’s Seminary, Sun Valley, California

God made six distinct covenants with promises:

Noahic, Genesis 6.18 and 9.8-17
Abrahamic, Genesis 15.1-21; 17.1-22; 26.2-5,24; 28.13-17
Mosaic, Exodus 19, 20, 24
Priestly, Numbers 25.10-13
Davidic, 2 Samuel 7.12-16
New Covenant, Jeremiah 31.31-34

The word covenant, an agreement binding two parties together, first appears in the Noahic Covenant; see Genesis 6.18; 9.9,11-13,15-17. God unilaterally covenanted with Noah prior to the flood to preserve the human race and animals from total extinction, Genesis 6.18, and after the flood to provide a promise He would not destroy mankind or the whole earth by another flood. This covenant, though it is not mentioned in the New Testament, is unconditional and everlasting; it is signified by the rainbow; see Genesis 9.12-17. In the Noahic Covenant, common grace is mercifully and compassionately extended to the entire human race.

God made the sacred Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 15 with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The terms are stated or reaffirmed At least eight times in the Old Testament. The sign of the Abrahamic Covenant was circumcision. This covenant promised:

physical descendants, a great nation
spiritual descendants
a Savior, Genesis 15.5 and John 8.56
personal blessing and protection
blessings and curses to the nations, depending on their treatment of Abraham’s descendants; see Genesis 12.3.

The Mosaic Covenant was made at Mt. Sinai in Exodus 19 and 20 with the newly formed nation of Israel, see Exodus 19.8, 24.3-7 and 34.27. The ordinances and rituals of this covenant extended only for the covenant’s effective life. The hopeless outcome of this strictly legal covenant was Israel’s continuous rebellion. Ultimately, however, the righteousness sought in this covenant is fulfilled by the saving work of Jesus Christ in the New Covenant, a covenant of faith.

The original Levitic/Aaronic priesthood, which was conditionally covenanted by God as part of the Mosaic covenant, would remain in effect only for the life of that covenant. However, the priesthood took on new dimensions in duration and direction as an everlasting priestly covenant because of Phinehas’ brave loyalty to God, Numbers 25.

God promises David one of his descendents would rule over Israel and the world. This Davidic Covenant is both unconditional and everlasting. Jesus Christ is the specific Davidic seed Whom God intends to enthrone for a future, earthly rule over Israel and the nations during the Millennial kingdom; see Matthew 1.1 and 20; Luke 1.69; Acts 2.30 and 13.33-36, Romans 1.3.

The unconditional New Covenant fulfills the redemptive conditions envisioned by the conditional Old/Mosaic Covenant. Originally promised to Israel in Jeremiah 32, Ezekiel 11 and 36, this covenant extended salvation to the Gentiles through Christ, the Messenger and Mediator of a better covenant purchased with His own blood. In this covenant, through Christ, believers receive:

Grace, Hebrews 10.29
Peace, Isaiah 54.10, Ezekiel 34.25 and 37.26
Spirit of God, Isaiah 59.21
Redemption, Isaiah 49.8, Jeremiah 31.34 and Hebrews 10.19-20
Removal of sin, Jeremiah 31.34, Romans 11.27 and Hebrews 10.17
New heart, Jeremiah 31.33, Hebrews 8.10 and 10.16
New relationship with God, Jeremiah 31.33, Ezekiel 16.62 and 37.26-27, Hebrews 8.10.