Covenants
If we truly love God, it is important to know what is important to Him. One thing of immense value to God is the covenant relationship. It might be said that we cannot understand God, His Word, or our relationship to Him without understanding the blood covenant. It might even be said that the theme of the Bible is the blood covenant. Unless we understand its importance and value, it is unlikely we will fully understand marriage even in its human manifestation.
According to the Bible, God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is a key and essential aspect of His character. Love must express itself through relationships. It cannot exist in a vacuum. The deepest possible expression of love is a covenant relationship. God honors the keeping of covenant promises and detests the breaking of them.
Archeologists and anthropologists have not found evidence of a single ancient civilization or culture that did not practice the blood covenant. The word “covenant” is actually short for “blood covenant.” It is sometimes claimed that God copied the blood covenant ritual He used with Abraham in Genesis 15 from surrounding cultures. In view of the worldwide practice of the custom, it is more likely that God created it and man did the copying, adapting it in a variety of ways over time as cultures diverged.
So what is a covenant, exactly? It is far more than a contract. In the mind of ancient man, it was the most binding, sacred agreement a person could enter. In it, two individuals died to self and were reborn as one. Aristotle defined it as one soul in two bodies. It must be voluntary and it is irrevocable. Covenants may be between equals, or they may be between partners who are not equal. Marriage is a covenant relationship between a man and a woman. Covenant friends of the same gender are sometimes called “blood brothers.”
Trumbull wrote, “All the world over, men who were in the covenant of blood-friendship were ready—or were supposed to be ready—to give not only their lives for each other, but even to give, for each other, that which was dearer to them than life itself.” In the case of the Abrahamic Covenant, Abraham was ready to give that which was dearer to him than life itself, his miracle son of promise, Isaac. God had promised to build a nation through Isaac, who at the time had no children. Formerly, when God had promised a son in Abraham’s old age to his barren wife Sarah, Abraham questioned and doubted. After the miracle of Isaac’s birth, he was confident that God would be true to His promises, no matter what. His trust was complete. Hebrews 11:19 tells us that Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead. God provided a ram as a substitute for the life of Isaac. This Old Testament story is a picture of what happened when God the Father provided God the Son as a ransom, or substitute, for many (Mark 10:45).
True Friendship
The word “friend” was originally a covenant term. A friend was someone with whom you enjoyed a covenant relationship, someone you could trust with your life. We use the word much more casually in modern times.
Maimonides distinguished three friendship categories:
The modern definition for “friend” may not extend past category 1. What we call a “true friendship” has more in common with a covenant bond. It is lifelong. A true friend loves you as much or more than his/her own life.
Americans value, more than most, the ideal of the independent, rugged individual who takes on the world singlehandedly. The James Bond types capture our imagination. People in other cultures and times would consider such freewheeling independence to be spiritual poverty. True wealth to them would be having a “blood brother” or covenant partner. Such a person will be there for you, without question or doubt, regardless of cost or inconvenience. If necessary, he or she would gladly die for you.
Both Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and Moses (Exodus 33:11) are called friends of God. In John 15:14, Jesus says to His followers, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants…. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.” James 4:4 tells us that friendship with the world is hatred toward God. Jesus desires to be our friend, to be our groom, to enter into an everlasting covenant with us as His treasured loved ones. Remember that a covenant must be voluntary on both sides. No relationship of true love can be forced. God’s offer of friendship has been made. We are completely free to accept or reject it.
What really matters in life? In the end, it isn’t good looks or fine clothing. With very few exceptions, it isn’t career or wealth. As life draws to a close, many people become frail and ill, no longer “useful.” What will matter once we have an entire life to reflect back upon? According to those who’ve gone before, it’s people—family and friends, love and relationships. It’s the people who stand by your bedside and hold your hand, counting it a privilege. Everything else fades to insignificance. At that point, it becomes clear that covenant relationships are all that count.
Consider Genesis 2:18: The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” In Hebrew, the word translated “alone” means “lonely” or isolated. One can be lonely in a crowd. The woman God gave was more than a companion; she was Adam’s own flesh and blood, a friend and covenant partner.
Customs Relating to Covenant
Although covenant ceremonies vary from culture to culture, most contain the following aspects in some form:
Covenant promises. There are three primary reasons for choosing to enter into a covenant partnership with someone: protection, trust and love. A covenant promises these things and anything else the partners desire, most especially faithfulness, loyalty, and dependability. The promises would typically extend to families and at least seven generations, although descendents could opt out if they so chose. One of God’s promises to Abraham was that through his offspring (Christ), all nations on earth would be blessed.
Blood sacrifice. The word for covenant in Hebrew is berith, meaning to cut until blood flows. In Genesis 15, five animals were sacrificed, signifying the importance and solemnity of the Abrahamic Covenant. Five is a number often associated with grace, or unmerited favor, in the Bible.
To cut covenant, an animal would be cut down the backbone and placed side by side to form a wall of blood, with a river of blood flowing between. The red carpet that may be used in a wedding is symbolic of the river of blood. The witnesses of each partner would stand on opposite sides. At least two witnesses, one for each party, were required.
Bloody path. The partners would join hands and walk twice through and around the halves of the dead animal in a figure 8 (infinity symbol). In the Abrahamic Covenant, the smoking furnace (God’s justice) and the blazing torch (God’s mercy) walked together through the pieces. Abraham himself was in a deep sleep. The fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant therefore depends totally on God, who does not lie (Titus 1:2).
Oaths, blessings and curses. The partners would swear to each other a solemn oath: “May God do to me as has been done to this animal if every I break this covenant.” This called down the curse of death on oneself should the covenant be willfully broken. Exodus 4:24 is puzzling without this understanding. The Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. Why? Moses had willfully broken (literally “trampled underfoot”) the covenant by refusing to circumcise his son. By circumcising the boy, complying with the terms of the covenant, death was averted.
The terms of the covenant and the blessings that would come from keeping it were stated. In Deuteronomy 30:19, God says to Israel regarding the Mosaic covenant made through Moses on Mt. Sinai, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” Notice the two witnesses.
In this case, Israel broke the covenant and chose the curses. God, however, was and remains faithful to His part of the covenant. “They broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them.” (Jeremiah 31:32). The prophet Hosea shows God’s heart toward Israel, His unfaithful wife. God keeps his promises, even when we break ours.
Mingling of blood. Blood in the Bible and in many cultures symbolizes life (Lev. 17:11). The giving of blood represents the giving of life and the taking of blood is the taking of life. When blood is transfused into the veins of another, health and life flow in, overcoming death. A covenant symbolizes taking in the blood of another and thereby acquiring that person’s life. In this way two unrelated persons become one “flesh and blood.”
There were a number of rituals for mingling blood:
Change of names. Often the covenant partners would change or mingle their names at the time a covenant was made. Both might add the other’s name to his or hers, or one might take on the other’s name as is still common after marriage. Abram’s name changed to Abraham, and Sarai’s name changed to Sarah. The “h” is a sound from “Yahweh”, the breath of life.
Exchange of gifts. Typical exchanges included clothing, belts and weapons. In 1 Samuel 18, Jonathan made a covenant with David. The Bible says he became one in spirit with David because he loved him as himself. 1 Samuel 18:4 says, “Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.”
The robe and tunic represent the identity and authority of the person. Each partner takes on the identity of the other in an exchange of clothing. David put on Jonathan’s kingly robe; Jonathan put on David’s shepherd’s cloak. The belt, used to hang the sword and dagger, represents strength. Each partner pledges to make his strength fully available to the other. The weapons represent protection. A covenant partner might lay his sword at the feet of the other, pledging to protect that person until death. All assets and all debts are merged as two become one.
Covenant meal. The most important parts of the covenant meal were bread and wine. Bread represents flesh and wine represents blood and spirit. Partners would tear bread in half and feed the pieces to each other, signifying the joining of their flesh. (Cake is used rather than bread in modern marriage ceremonies.) Wine symbolized joy to the Hebrews. Grape juice sours, but wine, like true love, improves with time. Partners might pour wine and intertwine their arms while drinking it. This symbolized the joining of life, blood and spirit. Each was symbolically saying, “My body is your body; my blood is your blood.” The two became one: one mind, one voice. In addition to bread and wine, the sacrificial animal might be cooked and eaten at the covenant meal.
Witness, sign or memorial. This was a reminder to all parties and witness of the solemn agreement that had been made. A tree might be planted or a heap of stones erected. In Genesis 21, Abraham planted a tree as witness to the covenant he made with Abimelech. In Genesis 31, Jacob and Laban erected a stone pillar as witness to their covenant. The rainbow is the sign of the covenant God made with Noah (Genesis 9:13). Circumcision is the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 17:11). Note that circumcision involves the shedding of blood, the blood of the covenant.
Our Covenant Relationship with Jesus
Jesus Christ invites all human beings to enter into a covenant relationship with Him, in which two become one.
Jesus provides for us all parts of the covenant.
Covenant promises. The Bible details for us the promises of Jesus, should we choose to enter into a covenant with Him. These promises include eternal life with Him.
Blood sacrifice. Christ Himself is the sacrificial animal, the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Bloody path. We walk through the curtain of His flesh (Hebrews 10:20). The curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom at Christ’s crucifixion (Mark 15:38) and we are now able to enter into God’s presence directly.
Oaths, blessings and curses. We make a solemn oath to die to independent living and to become one with Him. Paul says in Galatians 2:20: I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Christ promises to be with us always, even to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20). There are blessings for walking within God’s will during the Christian life, and curses for disobeying. Jesus, however, remains true to His covenant promises regardless of our choices. Our salvation is assured once we have entered the covenant. He promises to change our hearts, to answer our prayers, and to give us peace and light.
Mingling of blood. We give Jesus our sinful, dying blood and He provides us with His perfect, living blood (Hebrews 9:14).
Change of names. Jesus frequently referred to Himself as the "Son of Man." We adopt His name by becoming “Christians.” We are to sing praises to His name, glorify His name, pray in His name, call on His name, and believe in His name. Revelation 2:17 makes a promise to those who overcome: a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
Exchange of gifts. Christ put on our robe of flesh (John 1:4). We are to clothe ourselves with Christ (Romans 13:14). We will one day be provided with white robes, washed in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14) and He will wear a robe dipped in blood (Revelation 19:13). Hebrews 2:14-15 says He shared in our humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death (the devil) and free those who were held in slavery by their fear of death. We are to take off the old self and put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator (Col. 3:9-10).
The weapons represent protection. God promises to protect us from the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:3) as well as to avenge our enemies in His time. We are never to pay back evil for evil, or to take our own revenge (Romans 12:19). We protect His reputation through righteous actions and words, and by not defending or excusing sin, ours or others’.
The belt represents strength. Christ gives us His strength. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” The word for strength here is the word for “inspire” which means “breathe into.” Christ breathes His strength into us. We offer our strength to Him when we love Him with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength (Mark 12:30).
Covenant meal. Communion is the covenant meal. We symbolically eat Christ’s flesh and drink His blood, a reminder that we are one with Him. In John 6:56, He promises, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” The covenant meal signifies taking in the flesh and blood of the covenant partner, becoming one with him/her. In Gethsemene, Jesus prayed: “My prayer is not for them (the disciples) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message (the Church to come), that all of them may be as one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.”
Witness, sign, or memorial. The witness or seal of the covenant with Christ is the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 says, “You were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.”
The Jewish Wedding
Jesus is described as a bridegroom in Mark 2:19 and by John the Baptist in John 3:29. The Church is called the “bride of Christ” (Ephesians 5:32). In Hebrew, the word translated “bridegroom” is hatan which means “one who enters covenant.” The Hebrew word for “bride” is kallah which means “complete” or “enclosed one.”
This explains why the God is portrayed as masculine, and why there are no goddesses in Christianity. The second commandment forbids the making of graven images to emphasize that God is spirit not matter. Israel is the wife of God the Father, an adulterous wife married to a forever-faithful husband as shown in Hosea. The Church is the Bride of Christ. Jesus, God the Son, loved us, descended to betroth us, and has promised to share His riches with us in an eternal covenant relationship. The human marriage is a copy and example of the great plan of God.
Jesus was a Jew, speaking to a Hebrew audience. It is not surprising that he used terminology and symbols that call to mind the Jewish wedding. Getting married in Israel was a long process involving the following steps:
A Jewish marriage was not a private arrangement for mutual satisfaction. It involved the whole community. Each new home was the birthplace of the future. God was a partner at the wedding as a new home was created. A man left his father and mother and because united to his wife, and the two became one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one (Mark 10:7-8).
In modern Jewish weddings, the huppah or canopy, symbolizes the bridal chamber. It is held up with poles, sometimes made from trees planted at the birth of the bride and groom. In some communities, the groom dons a prayer shawl, or tallit, for the first time. The tallit itself may be held or draped over the couple as a new home is created by covenant agreement.
The Wedding of Christ and the Church
The New Testament is a story of the betrothal and wedding of Christ and the Church, also called the Bride of Christ.
The traditional wedding vow is a covenant vow: To have and to hold. To love, honor and obey. Forsaking all others. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. Until death do us part. Jesus has poured the cup of acceptance and awaits our decision. He has chosen us, paid the bride price, and prepared the marriage contract detailing His promises and obligations. The next step is the consent of the bride. Each individual is invited into a covenant relationship with Him. But we individually have to consent. It has to be voluntary. It cannot be forced. It is a covenant of love and love by definition cannot be forced. Without our consent, there can be no covenant relationship.
Source: www.SusanCAnthony.com, ©Susan C. Anthony