Covenants God made with Abraham, David, Noah and Moses
Introduction
A covenant is a legal agreement that is sealed by two parties. This agreement is either classified to be conditional or unconditional. Conditional agreement is one where the parties involved are supposed to meet various conditions. The parties are subject to fulfill various conditions and terms as stipulated by the agreement. This requirement if not met then the agreement is not fulfilled and is termed and assumed to be terminated. This is a legal framework that each party must attain to fulfill. There were the end results that those who failed to complete part of the covenants faced. Unconditional covenant is one agreement that is sealed between two interested parties but one party does and fulfills the agreement, while the other waits and responds to nothing. This implies that only one party is involved in attaining the conditions of the agreement while the other watches and waits.
Covenants God made to Abraham
God made many covenants with his people in the past. Part of those that He made an agreement with includes David, Abraham, Moses and Noah. These people were among the most respected and feared people in the society. These people were loyal to God and God made these covenants as a sign of appreciation to their loyalty and trust. These people constantly sought with God in case of any problems. The covenant that God made with these people was classified to be unconditional as He did all the work and the people would only wait for the results.
Abraham was a man who believed in God for the longest part of his entire life. Abraham was termed as the man of faith because he had utmost faith in God. This aspect made God reach a deal with him, and a covenant was born[1]. The covenants that God made with Abraham included the one found in Genesis 15[2]. This covenant dealt with the land that God promised would be the inheritance of Abraham and all his descendants. This covenant stunned Abraham who had no heir who could inherit the land. This covenant is also explained in genesis 12:1. This showed that God did believe and love Abraham from the gifts he was blessed with. God gave Abraham vast land which he would inhabit together with all of his descendants.
The other covenant that God made to Abraham is found in Genesis 12:2. This covenant commanded Abraham to go to a far land where he had no consent about. This covenant stated that God would provide land where Abraham and his family would stay. This covenant stated that God would increase his descendants and make his descendants to be a vast nation. This covenant also stated that God would bless and curse those who blessed and cursed Abraham. This covenant is also explained and continued in Deuteronomy 30.
The other promise that God made to Abraham was that he would be blessed with vast descendant. This covenants stated that the descendants of Abraham would be vast like the stars in the sky as explained in genesis 15:5. This covenant is well explained in Genesis 12:2. This aspect is also explained in Genesis 12:4. God promised Abraham that his descendants would fill the earth. In Genesis 17:6, this aspect is well clarified. In 2 Samuel 7:12-16, this aspect is also clarified. This is also explained in Genesis 13:16.
God also made a covenant with Abraham and was promised that his wife sarai would be blessed to be the mother of all nations. This covenant was made after Abraham claimed that he was getting old and he had no children. This is well explained in Genesis 17:15-16. This covenant explained that all descendants and inhabitants of the earth would spring from Sarai.
Covenants God made to Moses
Moses is one follower of God who was credited by God. Moses on many occasion spoke to God directly inform of an amazing features. Moses was viewed and termed as a link between God and the people of Israel. Many of the covenants that were made with Moses are termed to be conditional. There were the conditions and results that these people would suffer if they did not accomplish the terms. The Israelites had to suffer some consequences since they failed to fulfill part of the covenant. One of the covenants that God made with Moses is clearly stated in exodus 19:3-8. This was on top of Mount Sinai immediately after the Israelis were saved from pharaoh and his people[3].
The other covenant that was made to Moses is stated in exodus 24:3-8. This covenants involved the Israel when in Mount Sinai after they had been saved from Egyptians. This covenant gave birth to the Ten Commandments. The Israelis accepted the commandments but after some time they did against the commandments. These commandments were to be the rules and regulations that Israel was to follow. These rules are, however, evident even today and the people had to reciprocate by following them.
The other covenant that God made with Moses was about the Sabbath. This covenant stated that the Israel were to keep the Sabbath holy amidst anything else. This covenant is stated in exodus 31:12-18. This was a conditional covenant that the people of Israel had to fulfill. This covenant stated that the people of Israel were to work and toil for six days but on the seventh day they had to serve and praise the lord. This covenant was to be fulfilled by anything that had life, and was not limited to humans alone.
The other covenant that God made with the people of Israel is classified in Genesis 25. This covenant required that all the people offer sacrifices to the lord. These sacrifices were to be from the heart, and were to be as a mark of thanking God for His goodness. This covenant wanted that the people also build arks, and places which were to be used for serving the lord. This ark was to be built according to God’s specifications.
Covenants God made to Noah
The covenants that were made with God and Noah seemed to be conditional. The life of Noah is studied to be a covenant. This covenant is not well established like the one that was made and sealed between Abraham and his creator. The covenant that was made between Noah and God was the one about the floods. The floods were a sign of a covenant that brought new life to the earth. This is explained in Genesis 6:7. This led to the lord clearing all creation apart from Noah’s family. The other covenant that God made with Noah was after the floods. The rainbow that came out was deemed to be a spontaneous sign that a covenant was made between God and Noah[4]. This is stated in genesis 8. This is where the lord regrets wiping out his people and claims to desist from this idea as explained in Genesis 8:21-22.
Covenants God made to David
David another follower of God also entered into a covenant with his maker. Part of his covenants was conditional. One of the covenants that were stated to David is explained in 2 Samuel 7. This covenant states that David would be protected from his enemies. This was a promise that David saw, and decided to build a place that to be a sanctuary as stated in the covenant. The lord stated that David was to build a house which the people would praise the lord in. This is also continued in 1 chronicles 17.
The other covenant that God entered with David is one where he urged God to save him from his enemies. This covenant is also explained in psalms 89. This covenants states that God should save, and keep all the descendants and children of David from their enemies. This is viewed well as David was rescued from all those who went against him.
Differentiation of the covenants
Covenants that were made by God were significant and had a role in the lives of the people. As explained, covenants are either classified as conditional and unconditional. The case of Abraham the covenants that were set in place were unconditional. Abraham task was to wait, and receive all what had been promised by God. The case of Noah also classified that the covenant in place was unconditional. The task of Noah was to wait, and plead to God in case of any objection. The case of Moses, the covenant set was conditional. The people of Israel had to play a part in the covenant or else they risked heavy penalties and consequences[5]. The case of David also was unconditional. David was to plead and request God for blessings. This, however, shows that in many aspects there was what God required from the people before entering into a covenant.
Conclusion
A covenant is one document which requires that all interested parties fulfill their tasks. The legal rules and conditions of the covenant tell the type of aspect to expect. The lesson as to why God entered into a contract was to show how His love for mankind was vast. These aspects made God decide which kind of covenant to enter and with whom. According to the covenants, the issues of mankind were the first priority. These covenants are, however, vivid and evident in our lives today.