Analysis Of The Four Covenants In The Old Testament

A covenant in the Old Testament means an exchange or contract with God. The four covenants we discussed were the covenants with Adam & Eve, Abraham, Moses, and David. The covenant with Adam and Eve tells them to be fruitful and multiply and to have dominion over God’s creation. The covenant with Abraham promised Abraham land (Canaan), descendants (Abraham means father of many nations), and redemption (worldwide blessing). The Promised Land will be given to Abraham’s descendants. God asked Abraham and his descendants to become circumcised as part of this covenant. The covenant with Moses promises that If Israel Obeys God's word then they will become a holy nation (kingdom of priests). Finally, the covenant with David stated that David’s kingdom will last forever and God will send his son, who will be King. The Patriarch period (2000 BC-1800 BC) centers around Abraham, his son Issac, and his grandson Jacob. God promises to make Abraham’s name great and he gifts Abraham’s many descendants with the Promised Land. However, God tells Abraham that his descendants will be enslaved for 400 years. Although Abraham had a son named Ismael with his wife’s servant Hagar, Abraham’s true descendant is Isaac. God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, even though he is Abraham’s true heir. An angel prevents this from happening, and Abraham’s loyalty to the Lord was proven. God’s covenant with Abraham is also God’s plan for salvation, promising that he will provide for his descendants. Isaac has two sons: Esau and Jacob. Though Esau is the firstborn, he sells his birth-right to Jacob. Jacob is later renamed Israel by God, becomes the father of the 12 sons, who, in turn, create 12 tribes of the nation of Israel. Abraham is considered to be the “father of many nations” and is an important patriarchial figure throughout the Old Testament. David was a king in ancient Israel who placed the Ark of the Covenant in one spot in Jerusalem.

The exile to Babylon, where people from the Ancient Kingdom where held captive in Babylonia, is an important part of Israel’s history. The exile was God’s punishment because His people were worshipping false gods. The return from Babylon serves as a reminder to the Jewish people what happens when they go against God’s teachings. When discussing the lineage of Jesus, it is important to mention his relation to these people/events because they are all a significant part of Israel and its history. Abraham, David, and the Babylon exile are all major stories within the Old Testament, and they set the scene for the arrival of the Son of God. 4B: The exile to Babylon is an Old Testament example of faith, hope, and love. The Israelites were not faithful to the Lord, and they suffered for 70 years because of it. The Israelites began to worship other gods, which angered the Lord. The prophet Isaiah likened the Israelites to rebel children who have sinned against him. Although the Lord has punished them, he promises his children that if they make themselves clean and stop sinning, he will provide for them, which is an example of hope. The fact that God is willing to forgive them after their sins against Him is an example of his undying love for his children. “To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.” - Psalm 28:1. This verse is a prayer by David to God asking him to intervene, meaning David is hopeful. He refers to God as his rock, which means that David trusts God and looks to Him during difficult times. David said he would “become like those who go down to the pit” meaning he feared that he wasn’t going to live for much longer. This mirrors the early faith of the Israelites, who looked to God for a solution throughout their hardships, including the Babylonian exile and enslavement. The Old Testament is a collection of ancient religious texts that is canon to the Bible. The Old Testament recounts many stories, including God’s creation of the Earth, the life of Abraham, and several other important Biblical events. The Old Testament of the Bible can be read as a drama, which includes themes of sin, forgiveness, and God’s undying love. There are three main scenes that set the tone for the Biblical drama, including the setting of the scene (Creation of the Earth and Adam and Eve), the inciting incident (Eve eating the forbidden fruit), and rising action (Adam and Eve being exiled from the Garden of Eden). The setting of the scene takes place when the Lord is creating the Heavens and the Earth. Each day, he creates something new, such as light, the sky, the land, and living creatures. On the sixth day, God created man. According to Genisis 1:27, “God created mankind in his own image.”. However, God could not find a suitable helper for the man to help take care of the Garden of Eden. To create a helper for the man, he removed one of his ribs and created a woman from it. God creates his first covenant with the man and the women, telling them to be fruitful and multiply and to have dominion over His creation. These two parts of the covenant will be a reoccurring theme thoughout God’s future covenats with other people. The fact that God created the Earth and everything on it quite literally sets the scene for the rest of the Old Testament. The only rule God gave them was to not eat the forbidden fruit.

God told them ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die”. Although the two are naked, they don’t feel shame serpent, who is described as more cunning than any other animal, convinces Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. The serpent tells her that if she eats the fruit she will become like God. Eve makes Adam eat it as well, and they become aware that they are naked. This event is the inciting incident that sets the scene for the rest of the Old Testament. Adam and Eve directly disobeyed God’s orders even though He provided for him, which is a reoccurring theme for the Israelites. After Adam and Eve eat the fruit, they hide from God because they are afraid of being naked. God realizes that they ate the fruit, and He decides to punish the serpent, Adam, and Eve individually. God tells the serpent “you will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life”. Adam will have to slave over the ground to produce food and Eve will have severe pains when giving birth. Since they know the difference between good and evil, Adam and Eve are banished from the Garden of Eden and are forced to work the ground. Adam and Eve being expelled is the rising action for the rest of the Old Testament. Eve eating the forbidden fruit is the first instance of sin. Sin is another theme throughout the Old Testament, as the Israelites constantly rebel against God and disobey him. However, like Eve, they always face punishment (such as exile and imprisonment). Although His people often sin against him and He punishes them for it, God always forgives them and loves them unconditionally. God allows Adam and Eve to live outside of the Garden of Eden and still keeps the covenant with them. Adam and Eve are fruitful and have two sons: Abel and Cain. In all, the book of Genesis and the story of Adam and Eve provide the setting of the scene, inciting incident, and rising action for the rest of the Old Testament. The themes of sin, forgiveness, and love are repeated throughout the different stories.