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The Pentateuch

The Pentateuch. Introduction The presentation below aims at giving an enlightenment to the term covenant. The presentor highlights some of the basic covenants in the pentateuch. He proceeds further to elaborate the significance and meaning of each of them. Definition

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The Pentateuch

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  1. The Pentateuch Introduction The presentation below aims at giving an enlightenment to the term covenant. The presentor highlights some of the basic covenants in the pentateuch. He proceeds further to elaborate the significance and meaning of each of them. Definition • “Pentateuch”: This is the term given to the first five books of the Holy Bible. I.e Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. • This five books record the introduction of the divine religion into the world. Each book gives one phase of God’s plan and they have a real unity. • Genesis speaks of the origin of the religion and the people chosen by God as its medium. • Exodus records the formation of the people into a nation and the establishment of God’s relationship into it. • Leviticus shows various ways in which this relationship was maintained. • Numbers shows how the people were organized for the purpose of commencing the life of the divine religion in the promised land. It also tells of the nation’s failure and the consequent delay with re-organization. • Deuteronomy shows how the people were prepared while on the border of the promised land for the entry which was soon to follow.

  2. Biblical and Theological meaning “Covenant” • The word Covenant, means a solemn contract, oath, or bond. • The Hebrew word is ‘berith’ as used in the Hebrew Bible, refers to the act or rite of the making of a covenant and also to the standing contract between the partners. • The equivalent Greek word, ‘diatheke’. Means a testament. • Basically, the word "covenant“, in Theology and Biblical studies, refers to any of the solemn agreements made between God and the Israelites in the Hebrew Bible, likewise to the New Covenant, which Christians consider to be the final fulfillment of these. • The term is used for the very first time in the scriptures in Genesis 6:18

  3. Biblical covenants in Pentateuch Biblical covenants fall into two classes: • (A) CONDITIONAL • This is the kid of covenant that guarantees that God will do His part when the human requirements specified in that covenant are met. • (B) UNCONDITIONAL • Distinguished from a conditional covenant by the fact that its ultimate execution is promised by God and depends upon God's power and sovereignty for its accomplishment. The major covennts in Pentateuch are classified as below; 1 Edenic Covenant 2 Adamic Covenant 3 Noahic Covenant 4 Abrahamic Covenant 5 Mosaic Covenant

  4. The EDENIC covenant (conditional), Gen. 1:26-31;2:16-17 • Made with Adam in which life and blessing or death and cursing depended on the faithfulness of Adam. Adam and Eve failed, died spiritually and physically and their sin plunged the whole human race into its pattern of sin and death. This covenant made man in his innocence, to; • be responsible to multiply, populate the earth and subdue it. • have authority over the animals. • cultivate the garden and eat of all its produce except the fruit of the tree of good and evil. Man disobeyed the last command which brought death as God had fore-warned him.

  5. The ADAMIC covenant (unconditional), Gen. 3:16-19 • Here God declares to man, after the fall, what his lot in life will be because of his sin. It includes the promise of the Redeemer. • After the fall of man, God cursed the serpent and predicted the enmity between the serpent and the woman, between satan and Christ. • Satan would injure Christ but Christ would destroy him. • woman would have pain in childbirth and be subject to her husband • The ground was cursed and man was to toil hard contesting with thistles and thorns. • The end of man’s weariness was into the soil from which he was made.

  6. The NOAHIC covenant (unconditional), Gen 8 and 9:1-18 • This covenant was made by God with Noah and his sons after the flood. • In this covenant, God: • blesses Noah and his sons, (9:1) • places all plants and animals under human command , i.e the establishment of human government with power of c apital punishment. (9:2-3) • forbids eating meat with the blood still in it (9:4) • forbids murder (9:5) • commands humankind to practice capital punishment for murderers (9:6) • promises that He will never again destroy all life on earth by flood. (9:11) • creates the rainbow as the pledge of this covenant for all ages to come (9:12-17) • guranteed the regularity of time periods and seasons, and redirected man to repopulate the earth. • Cursed Hams son, Canaan, to be a servant to Shem and Japheth.

  7. The ABRAHAMIC covenant (unconditional), Gen. 12:1-4;13:14-17; 15:1-7; 17:1-8 • Abraham is the key figure in the book of Genesis. • Most of the content concern him and his descendants. • Eleven chapters are devoted to heaven and earth while thirty nine • are to Abraham and his posterity • Genesis can be referred to as the unfolding of the divine • purpose of redemption and its steps to accomplishment. • This is one of the great revelations of God concerning future history. Abraham would have numerous posterity, personal blessing, his name would be great, and he, personally, would be a blessing, via his descendents (the Jews) came the prophets of God, the writers of God's written Word (the Bible) and Christ/Messiah according to the flesh. In this covenant, God promises: • To make of Abraham a great nation (Israel) and be a source of blessings to others, have devine favour to his friends and a curse to his enemies.. (12:1-3). • To give Abraham's descendants all the land from the river (or wadi) of Egypt to the Euphrates (15:18-21) • To make Abraham a father of a great many nations (17:1-8) • To give Abraham and his male descendants circumcision as the permanent sign of this everlasting covenant

  8. The MOSAIC covenant (conditional), Exodus 19-24 • It is contained in Exodus but amplified in many other portions of Scripture. It was given through Moses as its mediator for the purpose of governing Israel's (national) relationship with God. It was mainly made up of (a) the commandments, the express will of God, (b) the judgments, the social and civic life of Israel, (c) and the ordinances. It was temporary and would terminate at the cross of Christ. Though it had gracious elements it was basically a covenant of works. It could not impart life to the sinner in Adam (Gal. 3:21) but it served as a tutor which would lead those who were under its jurisdiction to the only One who could impart LIFE (Christ Jesus, Gal. 3:24).The Mosaic covenant was made with israel as a people who had been chosen I love unto redemption and adoption. • It contains the foundations of the Torah. • In this covenant, God promises: • To make the Children of Israel His special possession among all people if they obey God and keep His covenant (19:5) • To make the Children of Israel a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (19:6) • To give the Children of Israel the Sabbath as the permanent sign of this covenant (31:12-17) • As part of the terms of this covenant, God gives Moses the Ten Commandments. The fullest account of the Mosaic Covenant is given in the book of Deuteronomy. Many Christians believe that the Sermon on the Mount is a form of commentary on the Ten Commandments.

  9. Meaning for life. It is said that the Old Testament is New Testament concealed while the New Testament is the old Testament revealed. At this point the presenter would like to bring to attention the significance of the above covenants in relation to the New Testament/ covenant. It is a new covenant with Israel in contrast with the old (Mosaic, "which they broke, " Jer. 31:32). Christ Jesus is the Mediator (in His blood) of this new covenant which was inaugurated at the cross and is described in Scripture as, "enacted on better promises" (Heb. 8:6). The Mediator of this covenant has become, for all mankind, "the source of eternal salvation" (Heb. 5:9) to all who obey Him; as well as the cornerstone and Head of the Church (Eph. 2:20-22; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23) which is being built during this dispensation; individuals called out from both Jews and Gentiles alike. Ultimately and literally, this new covenant with its unconditional and eternal blessings will be established with NATIONAL Israel at Christ's second advent to earth.

  10. Other covenants in Pentateuch There are two other covenants in the Pentateuch. However some scholars do not classify them among the major one discussed above. It is of importance that we have a look at them briefly. 1) Covenant with Lot • The covenant with Lot is a covenant independent of the Abrahamic Covenant. God promises the land of the Moabites, and the land of the Ammonites to the descendants of Lot as a possession. David and Solomon were only allowed to rule over these lands as third and fourth generation descendants of Ruth, a Moabite. 2) Palestinian Covenant • The Palestinian Covenant is a conditional covenant enlarging upon the Abrahamic Covenant promising the seed of Abraham eternal possession of Canaan. This covenant says that Israel will be dispersed among the nations, but when Israel repents, returns to God, and obeys his commandments, then God promises: • To regather Israel from its dispersion. • To bring the Israelites to the land which their fathers possessed. • To prosper the Israelites above their fathers. • To restore the Israelites spiritually so that Israel will love the Lord with all their heart and soul. • To put all the curses of Israel upon Israel's enemies.

  11. conclusion From the presentation we have discovered that the covenants were divinely designed , administered, confirmed and executed. The central figure of all the promises made is focused on the faithfulness of God. Some of the spiritual relationship in the covenants are identical. A good example is the centre of Abrahamic and the Mosaic covenants where their centred on God’s promises to be their God and them to be his people.

  12. Bibliography Douglas, J. D., ed. and others, The New Bible dictionary. Suffolk: The Chaucer Press, 1962. Macdonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary, London: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995. Griffith, W. Thomas H. The Pentateuch, Michigan: Kregel publications, 1985. http://www.Biblicist.org/Bible/cove_Bib.shtml 08:03:2007 ,21:45 http//www.answers.com/coven ants-Biblical 08:03:2007, 22:30

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