Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
“Covenant” is a theological word Christians toss around a bit. We all nod knowingly when it’s mentioned, because we’re part of the clique. But many of us have no idea.
What is a covenant? The best analogy is with a “peace treaty.” A covenant is a binding, agreement between two or more parties, which spells out how these parties will relate to each other.
In Old Testament days, there was a secular use for covenants between nations. When kingdoms went to war, and the war was concluded, with one side victorious and the other side now subject to the demands of the victor, covenants were drafted that detailed the new relationship.
The covenants contained in Scripture are structured like those secular treaties. God himself is the conquering King, and his people are his subjects. These documents, called “vassal treaties,” had five sections that correspond to Biblical covenant structure.
Section One detailed the history of the conquering king and his victory. In a Biblical covenant, this section is about transcendence. Here, we see God’s glory and power proclaimed. His uniqueness is regularly shown by talking about him as the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Revealer of truth. “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” (Ex 20:2) This is a statement of transcendent power.
Section Two established the conquering King’s choice for who would govern the conquered land. It created the ruling hierarchy. In the Bible, the hierarchy section is where God says who will represent him to the rest of the people. In the Old Testament that role was filled by prophets, priests, and kings. In the New Covenant, the one Mediator between God and man is Jesus Christ.
Section Three is called ethics. Both sides of the covenant are bound by rules that will govern their actions. This is where the commandments of God come in. He’s our King. He gets to tell us what to do. Conversely, God has bound himself to his people by promises concerning his own actions toward us.
Section Four is called sanctions, which is another word for rewards. What if we break the covenant, or disobey the King? Then what? The covenant spells that out. God promised blessings in response to our covenant faithfulness. (Check out Deuteronomy 27-28 on this note.) This is also where sacrificial blood was spilled, as a visible warning to covenant breakers. In this section, it’s like signing a contract: The covenant is put in place through the taking of oaths, accepting these sanctions.
Finally, the last section is called succession, where we answer the question, “How will this arrangement continue in the future?” Here, we find that the New Covenant will continue until the end of all things, and is to be extended through teaching children and converts. Jesus called it “discipling the nations.” In the same place he promised to be with us to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Large sections of the Bible are arranged to include all these five concerns. I’d be happy to walk you through some of this if you’re interested.
Have you found peace with God through Christ? Have you “signed on” to the New Covenant through faith, and the outward sign of baptism? Then act like one who knows the King, and knows what it means to live under contract.
Gordan Runyan is the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tucumcari. Contact him at: