What Are the Covenants of the Old Testament?
1. The Nature of Old Testament Covenants
The Old Testament presents covenants as solemn agreements, often sealed with an oath, establishing binding relationships between God and humanity. Unlike human treaties that are negotiated, divine covenants are unilateral: God initiates them, sets the terms, and ensures their fulfillment.
Biblical covenants carry three defining features:
Divine Initiative – God establishes the covenant, not man.
Relational Structure – The covenant creates obligations and blessings.
Redemptive Purpose – Each covenant points to God’s ultimate plan in Christ.
From the garden of Eden to the promises given to David, covenants provide the backbone of the Bible’s narrative, connecting creation, Israel’s history, and the hope of salvation.
2. The Adamic Covenant
The first covenant in the Bible is with Adam and Eve. Though not always explicitly labeled a covenant, it contains covenantal elements: commands, blessings, and consequences.
Mandate: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28).
Obligation: Obedience to God’s command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16–17).
Blessing: Life and dominion over creation.
Curse: Death, toil, and exile from Eden due to disobedience (Genesis 3:17–19).
The Adamic covenant shows humanity’s failure and introduces the need for a redeemer. Genesis 3:15 hints at this hope: the offspring of the woman who will crush the serpent’s head—a foreshadowing of Christ’s victory.
3. The Noahic Covenant
After the flood, God makes a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and all living creatures.
Promise: “Never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth” (Genesis 9:11).
Sign: The rainbow, placed in the clouds as a reminder (Genesis 9:13).
Scope: Universal, encompassing all creation.
The Noahic covenant underscores God’s faithfulness to preserve the world, ensuring the stability of creation until the fulfillment of redemption. It guarantees the conditions in which God’s redemptive plan can unfold.
4. The Abrahamic Covenant
The Abrahamic covenant is foundational to the Old Testament and the New Testament alike.
Key promises include:
Land: “To your offspring I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7).
Nation: “I will make of you a great nation” (Genesis 12:2).
Blessing: “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
Offspring: Later clarified as a singular seed, fulfilled in Christ (Galatians 3:16).
The covenant is confirmed in Genesis 15 through a solemn ceremony and reaffirmed in Genesis 17 with the sign of circumcision. It highlights God’s intention to bless the nations through Abraham’s line, ultimately pointing to Jesus, the true heir.
5. The Mosaic Covenant
At Mount Sinai, God establishes a covenant with Israel after rescuing them from Egypt. This covenant formalizes Israel’s identity as God’s chosen nation.
Law: The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and further laws governing worship, justice, and community life.
Obligations: Israel is to obey God’s law and remain faithful.
Blessings and Curses: Obedience brings prosperity; disobedience brings judgment (Deuteronomy 28).
The Mosaic covenant reveals God’s holiness and humanity’s inability to fulfill the law perfectly. It anticipates the need for a greater covenant where the law would be written on hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).
6. The Davidic Covenant
God makes a covenant with David, promising an eternal dynasty.
Promise of a Throne: “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me” (2 Samuel 7:16).
Messianic Hope: A future son of David will reign forever.
The New Testament identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of this covenant. He is the Son of David who inherits the eternal throne (Luke 1:32–33). The Davidic covenant anchors Israel’s hope for a king and God’s people’s hope for a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
7. The Relationship Between the Covenants
The Old Testament covenants are not isolated but interwoven. Together they form a progression:
Adamic – Humanity’s mandate and fall.
Noahic – Preservation of creation.
Abrahamic – Promise of blessing to the nations.
Mosaic – Law and covenant nation.
Davidic – Eternal kingdom through the Messiah.
Each covenant builds upon the last, narrowing the focus from humanity to one nation, then to one family, and finally to one king. Ultimately, they all point to the New Covenant in Christ, who fulfills the law, embodies the promises, and brings salvation to Jew and Gentile alike.
8. The Fulfillment in Christ
Jesus is the climax of the covenant story.
He is the last Adam who obeys perfectly (Romans 5:19).
He is the offspring of Abraham through whom all nations are blessed (Galatians 3:16).
He is the true Israel, fulfilling the Mosaic law (Matthew 5:17).
He is the Son of David who reigns forever (Luke 1:32).
He inaugurates the New Covenant, sealed in His blood (Luke 22:20).
In Christ, the Old Testament covenants find their fulfillment, transforming shadows into substance and promises into reality.
9. The Covenants and the Gospel
The covenants reveal the Gospel’s depth and unity. They show God’s unchanging purpose: to redeem a people for Himself through His Son. The promises to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David converge in Jesus, who secures eternal life for all who believe.
This covenantal structure guards against viewing the Bible as disconnected stories. Instead, it displays one redemptive plan. As Paul writes, “All the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
10. Conclusion
The Old Testament covenants are central to understanding the Bible’s story. They mark God’s gracious dealings with humanity, moving history toward Christ.
The Adamic covenant reveals the problem of sin.
The Noahic covenant ensures the world’s preservation.
The Abrahamic covenant promises blessing.
The Mosaic covenant highlights the need for holiness.
The Davidic covenant promises a king.
Together, they anticipate the New Covenant, where God’s people share in communion with Him through Christ, the true fulfillment of every promise.
Bible Verses about the Covenants
Genesis 9:11 – “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood.”
Genesis 12:2–3 – “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”
Genesis 17:7 – “I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant.”
Exodus 19:5 – “If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples.”
Exodus 24:7 – “Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.’”
2 Samuel 7:16 – “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”
Psalm 89:34 – “I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips.”
Jeremiah 31:33 – “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Luke 22:20 – “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Hebrews 9:15 – “He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.”
