Some Covenant Benefits Lesson 12

What Was the Covenant? The Bible gives very few details of the covenant. Genesis 15 is one of the most detailed accounts of the covenant of blood.

Two Types of Covenant in Ancient Hebraic Culture The Service Covenant - Commonly Called the Covenant of Blood and The Friendship Covenant Commonly Called the Covenant of Salt.

The Friendship Covenant Commonly Called the Covenant of Salt. It is thought that this covenant was kept between Mechizedek and Abram. Abram was a friend of God, and Mechizedek was the Priest of God.

The covenant is kept by mixing salt from one party with salt from another party. The covenant can not be broken unless the salt crystals of the two parties can be separated.

The Sabbath is celebrated even now with salted bread, which is a remnant of tradition from the Covenant of Salt.

Some commentaries state that this covenant was being remembered when Mechizedek brought bread and wine out to Abram upon Abram’s return from delivering Lot. The bread would have been salted.

The other covenant was the Blood Covenant, in which the carcasses of at least three large sacrificed animals were split in two, so that participants could walk through the blood.

The participants would negotiate an agreement. Then they would exchange coats. This signified the exchange of authority.

The participants pledged, “all that I do, all that I have is now yours.” Then they exchanged weapons signifying that, “my strength is now your strength, and your enemies are mine.”

After passing through the blood twice the covenant makers would stop in the middle of “the way of blood.”

This signified that the one who broke the covenant would meet with the same fate as the animals if the covenant was not fulfilled.

They would then pronounce blessings and cursing upon each other if the covenant were ever broken. (as in Deuteronomy 28)

They would then cut the covenant. They cut their hands and wrists. Their hands and wrists would be placed together intermingling their blood.

The families then joined their names symbolizing their commitment to become one. Afterwards, a covenant meal of bread and wine would be eaten.

The bread represented the flesh and the wine represented the blood. Thus they committed to give their lives and blood to protect each other.

In Gen 15:9 God gave Abram a list of animals to bring for a ceremony. Abram complies and cuts each animal, except the birds in half. He places them in a trail of blood with enough room to walk between the parts.

God got Abram’s full attention by causing him to fall into a great and horrible darkness. Abram had to be fully focused on God. Again, God wanted his full attention.

A flaming torch signified Devine Presence. It was a custom to light a torch when making a covenant in the East. The fire was a symbol of the destruction that would befall anyone who broke the covenant agreement.

God is so passionate about this covenant that He was the one who walked the trail of blood as Abram watched. God wants us to know that He has committed Himself to us. He will uphold His part of this covenant.

God can never and will never break his covenant with his people. He sent Jesus to be the final flesh and blood sacrifice for the removal of our sin. Jesus’s birth and death fulfilled our ability to stand with Father Abraham in righteousness.

Genesis 17:11 Genesis 17:11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. Genesis 17:11 Genesis 17:11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.

The outward sign of covenant for man was circumcision. David was so confident of his covenant that he called Goliath uncircumcised, or without covenant!

David knew that Goliath was only strong in the flesh. He was cursed without the covenant.

Latter in Abram’s story, he will be willing to sacrifice Isaac, the child of promise. Because of his willingness,

God himself was willing, as a covenant partner with Abram, to sacrifice His own son, and receive him raised from the dead.

Galatians 3: You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.