Middle East 4,000 Years Ago

COVENANTS
Sacrifice

Walk Upon the Blood

Curses
The men who have violated my
covenant and have not fulfilled the
terms of the covenant they made
before me, I will treat like the calf
they cut in two and then walked
between its pieces.

Jeremiah 34:18 (NIV)

Slitting of Wrists

Scars

Vows
Exchange of Belts

Weapons

Exchange of Robes
And Jonathan made a covenant
with David because he loved him
as himself. Jonathan took off the
robe he was wearing and gave it to
David, along with his tunic, and
even his sword, his bow and his
belt.
1 Samuel 18:3,4 (NIV)
Covenant Meal

Exchange of
Names
Terms and conditions

Celebration Arrangements

T
Sacrifice

S
Walking upon blood & curses

U
Slitting of the wrists

R
T
Exchange of belt and weapons

Exchange of mantles

Bread and wine

Exchange of names
GOD’S COVENANT
WITH ABRAHAM
But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how
can I know that I will gain possession of it?"
So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer,
a goat and a ram, each three years old,
along with a dove and a young pigeon."
Abram brought all these to him, cut them
in two and arranged the halves opposite
each other
Genesis 15:8-10 (NIV)

Sacrifice
 When the sun had set and
darkness had fallen, a smoking
firepot with a blazing torch
appeared and passed between the
pieces. On that day the LORD made
a covenant with Abram…
Genesis 15.17a (NIV)
Standing
on Blood
Why Unilateral?

Why no Terms
and Conditions?

Why no Curses?
“Abraham believed the Lord,
and He credited it to him as
righteousness”
Genesis 15:6 (NIV)
"As for me, this is my covenant with you:
You will be the father of many nations. No
longer will you be called Abram; your
name will be Abraham, for I have made
you a father of many nations. “
Genesis 17:4,5 (NIV) Change of
Name

“This is my covenant with you and your

descendants after you, the covenant you
are to keep: Every male among you shall
be circumcised. You are to undergo
circumcision, and it will be the sign of the
covenant between me and you.”
Genesis 17:10,11 (NIV) Physical Mark
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, The
LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of
Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in
the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three
men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried
from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed
low to the ground. He said, "If I have found favor in your
eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little
water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet
and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to
eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—
now that you have come to your servant."
      "Very well," they answered, "do as you say."
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. "Quick," he
said, "get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake
some bread.“
Genesis 18:1-6 (NIV)
Meal Together
GOD’S COVENANT
WITH US
PREPARATIONS
Now Jesus himself was about thirty years
old when he began his ministry
Luke 3.23 (NIV)

So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a

heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years
old, along with a dove and a young
pigeon."
Abram brought all these to him, cut them
in two and arranged the halves opposite
each other
Genesis 15:8-10 (NIV)
THE SACRIFICE AND
THE COVENANT
MEAL
In the same way, after the supper
he took the cup, saying, "This cup is
the new covenant in my blood,
which is poured out for you.”
Luke 22.20 (NIV)
THE CURSES
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of
the law by becoming a curse for us, for it
is written: "Cursed is everyone who is
hung on a tree.
He redeemed us in order that the
blessing given to Abraham might come
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so
that by faith we might receive the
promise of the Spirit.
Galatians 3.13 ,14(NIV)
THE MARKS OF THE
COVENANT
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your
finger here; see my hands. Reach out
your hand and put it into my side. Stop
doubting and believe."
John 20.27 (NIV)
And you also were included in Christ
when you heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation. Having
believed, you were marked in him
with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
who is a deposit guaranteeing our
inheritance until the redemption of
those who are God's possession—to
the praise of his glory
Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)
THE EXCHANGE OF
NAMES
For this reason I bow my knees to the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from
whom the whole family in heaven and
earth is named,
Ephesians 3:14-16 (NKJ)

Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in

the temple of my God. Never again will he
leave it. I will write on him the name of my
God and the name of the city of my God,
the new Jerusalem, which is coming down
out of heaven from my God; and I will also
write on him my new name.
Revelations 3.12 (NIV)
THE WEAPONS
“Put on the full armour of God so that you
can take your stand against the devil’s
schemes.
- Belt of truth
- Breastplate of righteousness
- Feet fitted with readiness from the
Gospel of Peace
- Shield of faith
- Helmet of Salvation
- Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God
Eph 6 (NIV)
The weapons we fight with are not the
weapons of the world. On the contrary,
they have divine power to demolish
strongholds. We demolish arguments and
every pretension that sets itself up against
the knowledge of God, and we take
captive every thought to make it obedient
to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:4,5 (NIV)
THE ROBE OF
AUTHORITY
When they saw him, they worshiped
him; but some doubted. Then Jesus
came to them and said, "All authority
in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Therefore go and make
disciples … I am with you always, to
the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-22 (NIV)
Christ is seated in the heavenly
realms, far above all rule and
authority, power and dominion… all
things are under his feet…
Eph 1.20-22
“And God raised us up with Christ
and seated us with Him in the
heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”
Eph 2.6
Terms and conditions

Celebration Arrangements

T
Sacrifice

S
Walking upon blood & curses

U
Slitting of the wrists

R
T
Exchange of belt and weapons

Exchange of mantles

Bread and wine

Exchange of names
 What is the
New Covenant about?
20
 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, 
       to those in Jacob who repent of their sins," 
       declares the LORD.
 21 "As for me, this is my covenant with them,"
says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, and
my words that I have put in your mouth will not
depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of
your children, or from the mouths of their
descendants from this time on and forever," says
the LORD.

Isaiah 59:20-21 (NIV)

 Spirit

Follow Trust
He has made us competent as ministers of a new
covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for
the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3.6 (NIV)