The word ‘covenant’ appears 272 times in the King James Version of the Old Testament. Each time, it is translated from the Hebrew word בְּרִיתִ֖י bə·rî·ṯî (trans. berith) as covenant. It is used twenty times in the New Testament as the Greek word διαθήκης diathēkēs. Usually, the word covenant is used to mean an agreement between God and human beings. But it also means a particular agreement among the divine persons of the Trinity (i.e., the covenant of redemption).
HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Covenants in the Near East during Old Testament times were often treaties between kingdoms. Dr. Kline speaks of these suzerain/vassal covenants as follows:
In the Ancient Near East, treaties between kings was [sic] common. These were treaties drawn up among equals and mostly outlined agreements to honor each other’s boundaries, to maintain trade relations, and return run-away slaves. These treaties are preserved in the Mari Tablets and in the Amarna texts…the parties are referred to as “father” and “son”…”lord” and “servant”…”king” and “vassal,” or “greater king” and “lesser king.” The greater king is the suzerain and the lesser king is a prince, or a lesser lord in the service of the greater king. The lesser lord is a representative of all the common people who are under the protection of the greater king.[1]
When God revealed Himself to human beings by His written Word, covenants were disclosed that were structurally familiar to the people because of their history with suzerain/vassal treaties. This does not suggest that God got His idea of covenants from humans. The divine Trinity made the very first covenant in eternity before any creation. These human agreements are mentioned here only to show how the people could understand the biblical covenants because of their familiarity with these treaties.
BIBLICAL COVENANTS
One biblical covenant is between equal parties (e.g., the covenant of redemption), but the others are between unequal parties (i.e., God and human beings). The old covenant is the Mosaic law portion of the covenant of grace, while the new covenant is the period of fulfillment between Christ’s first and second advents.
There is a difference of opinion among theologians regarding the number of biblical covenants. The first covenant expressly stated in Scripture is the Noahic covenant between God and Noah. However, Reformed theology proponents consider there to be three covenants before the Noahic covenant: the covenant of redemption, the covenant of works, and the covenant of Grace.
The eternal covenant between the Father and the Son to execute the plan of redemption was the first. It was conditioned on human repentance and faith. Then, the covenant of works between God and Adam was conditioned on obedience. After Adam’s failure to comply with the covenant of works came the Fall. God then made the covenant of grace with humans, fulfilled in Christ. God made personal covenants in the Old Testament with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. We also see the foreshadowing in the administration of the old covenant of the law portion of the covenant of grace between God and the Israelites, which finds fulfillment in the covenant of grace through Christ in the new covenant.
Some covenants, such as the Noahic covenant, are expressly stated, while others, like the covenant of redemption, are mentioned in Scripture but not explicitly stated. Nevertheless, they are revealed in sacred Scripture.
[1] “Suzerain Treaties & The Covenant Documents the Bible.” Notes from lectures of Dr. Meredith Kline, presented at Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, California, Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, in Massachusetts, https://www.fivesolas.com/suzerain.htm.
