The Miriam Webster Dictionary defines the word promise as “a statement telling someone that you will definitely do something or that something will definitely happen in the future.” In Western culture, a promise is not something to be taken lightly (unless perhaps you’re a politician). Anyone who has raised a child knows that a promise carries weight.
If you’ve ever planned to do something with a child—say a Saturday afternoon trip to the zoo—and subsequently had to cancel, then you have probably had a conversation like this:
Dad: “Sweetie I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to go to the zoo tomorrow. Something came up at work.”
Child: “When are you going to take me?”
Dad: “How about next Saturday?”
Child: “Do you promise?”
Dad: “We’ll see.”
The “We’ll see” response is a rather hollow attempt at not having to break a promise the dad made to the child. No parent wants to break a promise made to their child.
There is a special kind of promise called a covenant. Covenants typically entail a personal relationship between the various parties to the promises made. If you’ve ever been a member of a home owners association (HOA), you’ve probably read, or at least heard of, the HOA covenants. These are the rules and regulations that all home owners belonging to the association agree to follow. Human covenants typically contain stipulations, a condition or requirement that is specified or demanded as part of an agreement. For example, your mailbox must match the color of your house, or boats are not to be parked in driveways for more than 24 hours. For breaking or violating these covenants, there is usually some sort of penalty that must be paid. In the case of a HOA, this is often a monetary fine.
For Christ followers, marriage vows are a form of covenant and a pretty demanding, “for better or for worse…in sickness and in health…until death do us part.”
The Bible contains many covenants. While the exact number is a point of debate, there are five core covenants forming the foundation of God’s plan for the redemption of mankind through faith in Jesus Christ. These covenants were made with Noah, Abraham, Moses/Israel, David and finally the New Covenant of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Noahic Covenant – God promises to never again destroy mankind or other living creatures. This covenant was without stipulations. Instead, God will fulfill the redemptive promise of Genesis 3:15.
Abrahamic Covenant – God promises to make a great nation out of childless Abraham, assuring him that his descendants will outnumber the stars. Abraham is to forsake his land and follow God wherever he leads. All the while, Abraham and his family are to walk blamelessly before God and to follow the practice of circumcision in every Generation.
Mosaic Covenant (with Israel) – God rescues the Hebrew people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt and promises to make them his own people and a nation of priests. In turn, the people must abide by the laws given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai.
Davidic Covenant – God establishes David as Israel’s king. Through David’s royal lineage he will fulfill the promises He made to Abraham and Israel. In return, David and his lineage must remain faithful to God and obey God’s covenantal laws.
The New Covenant of Jesus Christ – Jesus is the culmination of God’s saving grace for his people. Christ is, as John the Baptist called him, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” This is a covenant of Grace without stipulations.
There is a major difference between the covenants of man and the covenants of God. People routinely violate the covenants, while God never breaks a promise. The covenants of God do not replace the ones that came before—they build upon them, because it is impossible for God to lie or break a promise. Before the foundation of the world, our omniscient God made a plan for the redemption of sinful mankind. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise of man’s redemption, which was planned out through the five covenants discussed herein. Thanks be to God that his promises are faithful and true!
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So, you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. –Galatians 4:4-7
Divine Simplicity 