Spiritual Data: God’s Contracts

The word “Yahweh” in Hebrew literally means “He who is faithful” or “He who honors promises”.

Ancient societies, as far back as the Hittites, have an emergent order of contracts through treaties, which were directly inspired by Hebrew culture:

  1. Preamble – long honorifics that indicate an individual or group’s status
  2. Historical prologue – gives context for why the document exists
  3. Stipulations imposed on the vassal – rules for everyone to abide by
  4. Attention to the treaty document – how to store the document for everyone to access it
  5. Witnesses to the treaty – the people who observe the document’s formation
  6. Sanctions – blessings for abiding by the document and promises if there is a breach in terms

In light of that, this is a list of agreed-upon contracts God has made with people. The ancient term was “covenant”, but the idea is almost the same, but with a moral implication if breached.

1. Adamic Covenant

Made between God and the first man, who was later named “Adam” (Genesis 1:26-30).

God’s consideration:

  • Inapplicable, but technically applies that He created mankind in His image (“imago dei”)
  • Giving free rein over His creation

Mankind’s consideration:

  • Be fruitful and multiply
  • Fill the earth and subdue it
  • Rule over all the animals

2. Edenic Covenant (aka “Covenant of Works”)

Made between God and the first man in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:16-17).

God’s consideration:

  • An extension of the Adamic covenant

Mankind’s consideration:

The contract was breached through man’s decision, and certain conditions were added (Genesis 3:16-19).

Breach conditions for mankind in general:

  • Death is guaranteed

Breach conditions for women:

  • Sharply increased pain in childbirth
  • Desire for her husband, but he will rule over her

Breach conditions for men:

  • Cursed ground requiring severe hard labor
  • Thorns and thistles are introduced
  • Subsistence will come through the cursed ground

3. Noahic Covenant

Made between God and Noah after a worldwide flood (Genesis 9:8-17).

God’s consideration:

  • He will never send a flood to destroy the earth
  • Reaffirms the Adamic covenant

Mankind’s consideration:

Signature:

  • The rainbow in the sky

3. Abrahamic Covenant

Made between God and Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3).

God’s consideration:

  • God will make Abram a great nation with innumerable offspring
  • God will bless Abram’s name and make it a blessing
  • He will bless the people who bless him and curse the people who curse him
  • All the families of the earth will be blessed through Abraham

Abram’s consideration:

  • Leave your nation and family to go to a land God will show later
  • Believe God, which counted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6, Galatians 3:6)
  • Consent was when Abraham entered Canaan

God’s later consideration:

Signature:

Many, many conflicts have arisen about the scope of this contract and its current applicability.

  • All Jews and Christians believe it extends through Isaac and Jacob.
  • Christians believe it extends (at least somewhat) to all who are faithful, but Jews believe it stays with the genealogy of Israel.
  • Muslims believe it was extended through Isaac and Ishmael.

4. Mosaic Covenant

Made between God and Israel, with Moses as an intermediary (Exodus 19-24)

Israel’s consideration:

  • Trust God
  • Honor God’s commands (stipulated in Exodus 20):
    1. No other gods before God
    2. No idols made of anything, nor bowing down to them or worshiping them
      • In particular, God is jealous of any attention drawn away from Him
    3. Don’t take God’s name lightly
      • Punishment is guaranteed for those who do
    4. Remember the Sabbath by working 6 days and resting on the 7th
    5. Honor your parents
    6. Don’t murder
    7. Don’t commit adultery
    8. Don’t steal
    9. Don’t lie about your neighbor
    10. Don’t desire anything your neighbor has
  • There are many more edicts indicated that implement the original commands
  • Will become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation

God’s consideration:

  • God will make Israel a treasured possession among the nations
  • God will send an angel ahead to clear out the land (Exodus 20:20-23)

Many Christians frame it as the “Old Covenant” in light of the Christ covenant.

4a. Palestinian Covenant

Made between God and Israel, with Moses as an intermediary (Deuteronomy 29:1-30:10)

Israel’s consideration:

  • Honor the Mosaic covenant with your heart, not just your action

God’s consideration upon breach of contract:

  • God will not forgive people who aren’t sincere
  • He will bring the curses from Exodus on him
  • He will blot out that person’s name from under heaven
  • That person will be singled out from all the tribes of Israel for disaster
  • The next generation will see those curses and ask why God did it and what made Him angry
  • The people will answer that they’re in another land because they’ve abandoned God’s covenant
  • After all this, though, when they return to God and obey Him, He will restore and gather them from where they were scattered
  • They will then prosper and multiply more than their ancestors
  • God will circumcise their hearts and offspring’s hearts
  • God will place all the curses on their enemies, but they will prosper in every possible way

In some ways, it’s an expansion of the Mosaic covenant, but indicates conditions from breaching the covenant.

  • History has shown that this has happened, though it’s debatable whether Israel is actively being gathered or if its current government is God’s will.

5. Davidic Covenant

Made between God and David (2 Samuel 7:1-16, paraphrased in 1 Chronicles 17:11-14 and 2 Chronicles 6:16).

David’s consideration:

  • Consent was triggered by David’s desire to give God a more substantial temple than a tent.

God’s consideration:

  • David will receive a tremendous name with a throne established forever
  • Israel will be permanently planted with complete rest, without any persecution from enemies
  • God will establish a house for David through one of David’s descendants
  • That descendant will build a house for His name and will establish the throne of David’s kingdom forever
  • God will be the descendant’s father, and he will be His son
  • When that son does wrong, he will be disciplined with the rod and blows
  • God’s loving devotion won’t be removed from him like it was from Saul (who was deposed to make room for David)

This is a direct promise by God of a Messiah.

  • The Jews saw it (and many still do) as a political leader, while Christians see it as a spiritual leader in Jesus.

6. Christ Covenant

Made between God and mankind through Jesus, starting with the Hebrews (John 3:16-21, Romans 2:29, Romans 10:8-9, Hebrews 8:1-6)

It was foreshadowed multiple times before it arose (Jeremiah 31:31-33, Ezekiel 36:24-27)

Mankind’s consideration:

God’s consideration:

  • The covenant is dramatically different from the Mosaic covenant
  • God sacrificed His Son for whoever believes in Him
  • Jesus is established as the high priest of the covenant
  • He will put His law in people’s minds and write it in their hearts
  • He will be their God, and they will be His people
  • He will take the people back to their land from across the nations

There are many implied aspects to how we see this contract that fall into error:

7. Millennial Covenant

An as-of-yet unestablished agreement between the remaining people after the Apocalypse (Revelation 21)

Alluded to as the final fulfillment of the Christ covenant (Jeremiah 31:26-40, Ezekiel 36:28-30)

God’s consideration:

  • God will have His presence among all people
  • Nobody will have to teach each other to know God because every one of them will

Mankind’s consideration:

  • Likely will connect to a new promise that hasn’t been made yet

7a. Eternal Covenant?

A future likely agreement with God beyond Judgment Day (Revelation 22:1-5)

If the pattern continues, it will likely represent further realities and agreements.

Mankind’s consideration:

  • We will be required to be even more faithful than anything we’ve ever witnessed in this world

God’s consideration:

  • He will provide for humanity forever
  • His Spirit will be perpetually with us

Synthesis

Altogether, the relationship with God is straightforward:

  1. God will be a patron to all our needs.
    • He will provide absolutely everything that we require.
    • His love to us will include mercy, support, and protection.
    • He will work diligently to that end.
    • Further, He will grant us things we don’t realistically deserve (i.e., grace).
  2. We will be a client to God.
    • God will not rely on us for anything whatsoever.
    • If we do try to give to God, He will give us back more than what we’ve given.
  3. Instead of any outward consideration, we are responsible to trust and give gratitude to Him.
    • We must wait on Him to do His work.
    • We’re responsible to act when prompted.
    • Our expression of love will come through our worship, trust in Him, and honoring Him, and will spill into all our relationships.
    • As an all-encompassing concept, we are responsible to be faithful, which means we believe He’ll keep His word.
  4. From there, we are to pass on that relationship with God to our neighbors, where we are their patron and God is the client.
  5. If anyone expresses gratitude, forward it to God as the ultimate patron.