Doctrine Of The Covenant
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, January 26, 2026 (Donate)
We’re in a culture where, sadly, covenants aren’t taken very
seriously. One just has to look at the marriage covenant and see the failure rate
in the Western World. The secularization of the USA and many other nations have
eroded good doctrines like the marriage covenant. Yes, marriage is one type of
covenant into which a man and woman can enter.
Marriage is a shadow or type of a larger covenant that God
has with mankind. The biblical covenant is essential today because it reveals
God’s unchanging truth and provide the foundation for understanding His
relationship with humanity in a world of shifting and broken morals.
The covenants of God show that history is not random, but
guided by God’s faithful promises culminating in Jesus Christ and the New Covenant.
In a culture of broken commitments, covenants remind us of God’s perfect
reliability and is our perfect example for how people should live in
faithful obedience and hope.
What Is A Covenant?
A covenant in the 66 books of the Bible is a solemn, binding
agreement established by God that defines a relationship between Himself and
His people. The Hebrew word often translated covenant (berith) carries
the idea of a bond or treaty, frequently ratified with blood or sacrifice
(Genesis 15; Exodus 24:8). The word covenant or covenants is used
in translation in the NKJV 296 times.[1]
In Scripture, covenants are not merely contracts, but divine
agreements where God sets terms, promises blessings, and calls for obedience.
Covenants structure the Bible’s account of history, from Eden (Hosea 6:7), to God’s
covenant with Noah to preserve the earth (Genesis 9), to His covenant with
Abraham to bring blessing through his Seed (Genesis 12, 17), to the covenant at
Sinai establishing Israel under God’s law (Exodus 19–24), and ultimately the
New Covenant in Christ’s eternal blood for forgiveness and a transformed heart
(Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20).
This final everlasting covenant was anticipated by the Old
Testament Scriptures.
“Behold, the days are coming, says
the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the
house of Judah — “not according to the covenant that I made with
their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out
of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to
them, says the LORD. “But this is the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their
minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be
My people.” (Jeremiah 31:31-33, NKJV)
God continues through Jeremiah:
‘And I will make an everlasting
covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will
put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.’ (Jeremiah
32:40, NKJV)
What Are The Various Covenant Listed In The Bible?
- Edenic
or Adamic Covenant (Creation Covenant)
This covenant was given to Adam in the Garden of Eden. God commanded mankind to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, exercise dominion, and not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It established man’s role and responsibility before the Fall (Genesis 1–2). After the Fall and Adam sin, God pronounced curses on the serpent, the woman, and the man, but also gave the first promise of redemption: the Seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. This covenant reveals both judgment and hope (Genesis 3:14–19). - Noahic
Covenant
God made a covenant with Noah (and all living creatures that survived on Ark with him) after the Flood, promising never again to destroy the entire earth with a flood. The rainbow was assigned as a reminder sign. It reaffirmed human government and the value of life (Genesis 8:20–9:17). - Abrahamic
Covenant
God promised Abraham land, descendants, and blessing to all nations through his Seed (who is Christ per Galatians 3). This covenant is foundational to Israel’s identity and points forward to the Messiah (Genesis 12:1–3; 15; 17). - Mosaic
Covenant (Sinai Covenant or Law)
Given through Moses at Mount Sinai, this covenant established Israel as a nation under God’s civil law. It included blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, along with sacrificial worship pointing to the need for atonement (Exodus 19–24). This is why the captivity occurred in disobedience to God’s commands and a violation of the covenant. - Priestly
Covenant (Covenant with Levi)
God established a covenant of priesthood with Aaron’s line and later confirmed a covenant of peace with Phinehas for his zeal. This covenant set apart the priesthood for service before God (Numbers 25:10–13; Malachi 2:4–5). - Davidic
Covenant
God promised David that his throne and kingdom would be established forever through his Offspring/Seed. This covenant ultimately finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the eternal King (2 Samuel 7:12–16; Psalm 89) who sits on the throne of David currently and forever. - New
Covenant
Promised through the prophets and inaugurated by Christ, the New Covenant provides forgiveness of sins, a transformed heart, and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus declared His blood to be the blood of the New Covenant, fulfilling what the Old Covenant anticipated (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8).
The covenants of Scripture reveal God’s unfolding plan of
redemption, from creation, through Israel’s history, to the ultimate salvation
and eternal kingdom found in Jesus Christ.
One Covenant Or Multiple Covenants?
In the Bible, the many covenants are not competing plans. But instead, they are progressive revelations of one overarching redemptive purpose of God. Scripture has God working through history with a single unified goal: to glorify Himself by saving people through the promised Redeemer (Genesis 3:15; Ephesians 1:9–10).
Those in Old Covenant (Old Testament) times looked forward
to Christ where those under the New Covenant (New Testament) look back to
Christ’s finished work on the cross and resurrection.
This is why theologians often speak of one “overarching
covenant” of redemption or “covenant of grace”, even though the Bible records
multiple covenant administrations. Each covenant is like a stage or unfolding
expression of the same divine promise.
For example, after the Fall, God’s covenantal dealings
immediately include mercy and the promise of the Seed who would defeat the
serpent/Satan (Genesis 3:15). The Noahic covenant preserves the world so
redemption can continue. The Abrahamic covenant narrows the promise to a chosen
family through whom blessing will come to all nations.
The Mosaic covenant adds law, sacrifices, and national
structure, functioning as a tutor pointing forward to Christ (Galatians 3:24).
The Davidic covenant focuses the promise further on a royal line, anticipating
an eternal King.
Finally, the New Covenant is not a different salvation, but
the fulfillment of what all prior covenants anticipated: forgiveness of
sins because Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient to cover the infinite and
eternal punishment we deserve for those sins. This allows us to be converted
and saved by Jesus Christ as His righteousness is imputed (i.e., transferred) to
us and our hearts are changed through Christ’s blood (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8).
Thus, the covenants are like chapters in one story.
They differ in form and historical context, but they are united in substance:
God saving sinners through Jesus Christ. Each covenant builds upon the previous
one, progressively clarifying and advancing God’s single plan of redemption.
How Did Church Fathers Understand Covenants?
The church fathers generally understood covenants as God’s
unified plan of salvation revealed progressively through history. They,
rightly, held that God’s covenants were expressions of His faithfulness and
mercy, culminating in Jesus Christ.
Fathers such as Irenaeus spoke of God’s “economy” of
redemption, where the covenants prepared humanity for the coming of Christ.
Augustine highlighted the continuity between Old and New Testaments, teaching
that the Old Covenant contained promises and shadows fulfilled in the New
Covenant.
The fathers usually viewed the Mosaic sacrifices and
ceremonies as types pointing forward to Christ’s atoning work—animal sacrifices,
for instance, was no longer necessary as Christ was the final sacrifice as
discussed in the New Testament. Fathers also stressed that believers in Christ
inherit the blessings promised through Abraham, not by ethnic identity, but through
faith in the Seed, Jesus.
How Did Reformers Understand Covenants?
The Protestant Reformers understood the biblical covenants
as God’s unified way of working with humanity through His sovereign promises
and redemptive plan. While they recognized several historical covenants in
Scripture (such as with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David), they saw that these
were not disconnected agreements but progressive revelations of
one overarching purpose: salvation by grace through faith in Christ.
Reformers commonly spoke of a “covenant of works” with Adam
before the Fall, in which life was promised upon perfect obedience. After sin
entered, they highlighted the “covenant of grace,” in which God freely promised
redemption through the Messiah. This covenant of grace, they believed, was
administered in different forms throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled
completely in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ.
For the Reformers, like Church fathers, the covenants were seen as a continuity between Old and New Testaments. This means that believers in every age are saved the same way—by God’s grace, not by human merit. The covenant framework also shows God’s faithfulness, confirms the authority of Scripture, and keeps Christ central in all of redemptive history.
The Relationship To Theology?
Using covenants in theology and study is good. For instance,
teaching how the Bible’s covenants relate to one another and how they unify
Scripture’s message is essential in today’s broken church. Rather than viewing
the covenants as disconnected agreements, they should be recognized as
progressive stages of God’s single redemptive plan revealed through history.
By examining covenants such as those with Adam, Noah,
Abraham, Israel, David, and the New Covenant in Christ, we can observe both
continuity and development. The promises of salvation, the need for atonement,
and the hope of a coming Redeemer remain consistent, while the outward forms
and administrations change across different eras.
This leads to the theological conclusion that God has always
dealt with humanity covenantally, and that all covenants ultimately find their
fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Earlier covenants contain shadows, types, and
preparatory structures, while the New Covenant brings the realities they
anticipated (Hebrews 8–10).
Conclusion
Proper theology arises from biblical foundations:
tracing the covenants across the whole canon of Scripture, recognizing one unfolding
covenant of grace, and understanding how God’s promises, law, sacrifice,
kingship, and salvation are unified in Christ.
In short, incorporating covenants while studying theology and
history makes for a framework that is the backbone of Scripture’s primary theme. It shows
God’s consistent faithfulness (where sinful man often falls short) and His one
plan of redemption from Genesis to Revelation.
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various
churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers
in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding
news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight
Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science
was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one
year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and
scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over
25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
