Theme · theological
Covenant
The covenant theme begins with God's promise to Noah never to destroy the earth again, then narrows to Abraham's call — a chosen family through whom all nations will be blessed. At Sinai, God binds himself to Israel with law and blood, establishing the pattern of stipulation, oath, and sign. The Davidic covenant adds an eternal throne, and when Israel breaks faith, the prophets announce a coming New Covenant written on hearts rather than stone. Jesus inaugurates this covenant in his blood at the Last Supper, and the epistle to the Hebrews declares it the fulfillment toward which every prior covenant pointed.
Passages expressing this theme
- 1Chr 16:15 — Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
- 1Cor 11:25 — After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
- 2Cor 3:6 — Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
- 2Sam 7:12 — And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
- 2Sam 7:16 — And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
- 2Sam 23:5 — Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to gro
- Deut 7:9 — Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
- Deut 29:1 — These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
- Exod 2:24 — And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
- Exod 6:4 — And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
- Exod 19:5 — Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
- Exod 24:7 — And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
- Exod 24:8 — And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
- Ezek 37:26 — Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore
- Gal 3:17 — And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
- Gen 6:18 — But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.
- Gen 9:9 — And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
- Gen 9:12 — And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
- Gen 12:1 — Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
- Gen 15:18 — In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
- Gen 17:2 — And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
- Gen 17:7 — And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
- Gen 22:16 — And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
- Heb 7:22 — By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
- Heb 8:6 — But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.