An Everlasting Covenant

In our study of the covenants, we discussed two types of covenants: the suzerain-vassal covenant and the royal grant covenant. A suzerain-vassal covenant is a covenant typically initiated by the suzerain but containing stipulations for the vassal.  The successful performance of the stipulations by the vassal results in blessing by the suzerain.   Violation of the covenant stipulation results in the curses of the covenant being enacted.   Under the suzerain-vassal covenant, the blessings and curses are dependent on the performance of the vassal and so we may term this a works based arrangement.

A royal grant covenant occurs when the suzerain grants land or possessions to a loyal servant.  In contrast to the suzerain-vassal covenant, the royal grant places no specific conditions on the vassal.  Instead, the suzerain accepts the responsibility of ensuring the grant to the servant is protected.  The grants were protected in some cases by divine curses for the person who would try to steal the grant.  In other cases, the suzerain himself would take the curses on himself if he did not guarantee the grant.  One other feature of the royal grant is that the grant was given to the future descendants of the vassal as a perpetual inheritance.  Since the royal grant is unconditional we can term this a grace based arrangement.

Interestingly, the Old Testament on several occasion uses the term everlasting to describe a covenant (berit olam in Hebrew).  Two times everlasting covenant is used to describe the covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:16. Isaiah 24:5), four times of the covenant of Abraham (Genesis 17:7, 19, Psalms 105:10, I Chronicles 16:17), twice of the covenant of David (2 Samuel 23:5, 2 Chronicles 13:5), and six times of the new covenant (Isaiah 55:3, 61:8, Jeremiah 32:40, 50:5, Ezekiel 16:60, 37:26).  The Noahic, Abrahamic, Davidic, and new covenant all fit best in the category of royal grant covenant.

The Noahic covenant is established by God shortly after the resolution of the flood.  In Genesis 9:9, God promises to never destroy the earth with a flood again.  This covenant is given by God to Noah, his sons, and to all the animals.  Noah, his sons, and the animals all benefit from God's promise.  There is no obligation on their part to earn the blessings of this covenant.

The Abrahamic covenant is described in Genesis 12.  Under the terms of the Abrahamic covenant, Abraham is granted descendants, land, and a promise of blessing by God.  The grant by God to Abraham is no where said to be based on the performance of certain duties by Abraham.

In 2 Samuel 7, the Davidic covenant is announced in response to David's desire to build a house for God.  God denies David the opportunity to build a house for God, but instead promises to make a house for David.  The house God intends to make for David is a royal dynasty from David's descendants.  God promises to establish the throne of the house of David forever.  Neither David nor his descendants is bound by any stipulations in order receive the promised eternal dynasty.

The new covenant is described in Isaiah 54, Jeremiah 31, and Ezekiel 36.  Often this covenant is described in contrast to the covenant at Sinai.  Where the Sinaiatic covenant required obedience, the new covenant promises that the law of God will be written on the heart to ensure obedience.  The sins of the members of the new covenant will be forgiven.  All of the duties described in the new covenant are duties required of God.

The Mosaic covenant is never described as an eternal covenant.  Retention of the land of Canaan results from the successful performance of the Mosaic law by the Israelites,  Since the Mosaic covenant is a works based covenant, it cannot be described as a royal grant covenant but is better classified as a suzerain-vassal covenant.  

Under the terms of a suzerain-vassal covenant, the responsibility lies with the vassal.  This responsibility of the vassal is symbolized when the vassal takes an oath and subjects himself to divine retribution if he fails to uphold the covenant stipulations. The children of Israel take the oath of the Mosaic covenant.   By contrast, the suzerain is the one who upholds the royal grant covenant and it is the suzerain who takes the oath.  In Genesis 15, God Himself takes the oath of the Abrahamic covenant by passing between the severed corpses of the various animals.  This ceremony dramatically illustrated to Abraham that God himself would be under a curse if God did not fulfill his duty to bless Abraham.

Ultimately, the strength of a covenant depends on the character of the person who guarantees its fulfillment.  A vassal who cannot fulfill his obligations will break the covenant and suffer its sanctions.  Likewise a suzerain who cannot grant the promised possessions to his vassal will make a royal grant covenant meaningless.

Since the vassal in the Mosaic covenant is responsible for upholding the covenant, the Mosaic covenant cannot be termed an everlasting covenant.  The Israelites would time and time again demonstrate their inability to uphold the Mosaic law and ultimately would suffer the covenant sanction of exile from the land.   However, since God is the one who upholds the royal grant covenant, the Noahic, Davidic, and new covenant can all be properly termed everlasting covenants.  

So all the royal grant covenants in the Old Testament can be considered everlasting covenants whereas the suzerain-vassal covenants cannot make that claim.  The key difference is not just the type of covenant.  A royal grant covenant issued by an untrustworthy suzerain will fail to be everlasting.

The difference also lies in the character of the one who swears the oath.  Under a suzerain-vassal arrangement the vassal swears the oath.  In the case of the Mosaic covenant, the character of man is flawed and the covenant can only be broken.  However, because God is the guaranteer of the royal grant, its permanent nature can be assured because of the flawless character of God.  This aspect of God's character, that He upholds the terms of His covenants, is called hesed in Hebrew and will likely be the subject of a future blog post.