Biblical Covenant: What Is a Covenant Relationship?

A covenant relationship reflects the connection, unity, love, and purpose between God and His people–between God and you, a born-again, faith-filled Believer in Yeshua. 

You’ve likely heard the word covenant as it relates to the Old Covenant and New Covenant.  There are a number of covenants mentioned in the Bible—those that are between God and man and God and Israel, and possibly some you have never heard of.

Covenant Is More Than a Contract

Covenant is often understood as a “contract,” but this word alone is too narrow to fit its biblical nature. For this reason, it is important to think of covenant in reference to relationship because God is relational and faithful to His promises.

Think about a covenant relationship in terms of a marriage relationship, where two become one. Genesis 2:23 tells us that Adam decreed after God created woman, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” This is a beautiful picture of covenant relationship–when a man and wife are joined and become one flesh, where there is vulnerability and transparency, where there is no shame. 

When in a covenant relationship, the enemy can’t tell where one ends and the other ends in the spirit realm. This is why you must cover yourself with the blood of Jesus, activating the marriage covenant you have with Yeshua as His bride and the blood covenant that cleanses and redeems, giving you an eternal inheritance.

Being in a covenant relationship involves taking time to get to fully know the other person. The Bible tells us that God is eternal, and it will take eternity to discover who He is and the depths of His love.  

In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus says, “I will declare to them, ‘I never know you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” The word know in Hebrew is yada. It implies an understanding and knowledge gained through experience or personal relationships. This reflects a deep and intimate connection, and it is not experienced outside of covenant. 

Hindrances in Understanding Covenant Relationship 

Ask the Lord to reveal to your heart what you need to discover about your covenant relationship with Him. Because we are in a spiritual war, and the enemy does not want you to close doors on the access he has to your mind about covenant–but you have covenant authority to slam the door shut (see Revelation 3:8)! 

We live in a broken world, so our covenant understanding is skewed. But the Lord wants to realign your mind with His (1 Corinthians 2:16). This is your covenant right, and it’s your responsibility to activate it by decreeing and believing in faith. 

  • “So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.”—Exodus 2:24
  • “…(for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.”—Deuteronomy 4:31
  • “He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations…”—Psalm 105:8

Covenant Defined

Covenant is a binding, legal agreement established between two parties. The power and purpose of the covenant relationship is to enable us to walk in the fullness of our salvation. Our joy is only as good as understanding faith and trust in the context of the covenant relationship. 

We are restored to the Father through a repentant heart and acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah; the fullness of the covenant is something that is revealed to us over time through the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. 

Just as relationships such as marriage, friendship, family, and biblical teacher/student grow over time, the same applies to your spiritual life and your relationship with God. The more you spend time with Him, you seek Him and allow Him to search your heart; He begins to give you the mind of Christ, and the covenant relationship is strengthened.

“For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”—1 Corinthians 2:16

When our relationship is restored with God, and we seek renewal and revival in the relationship, He reveals His will for our lives. 

To better grasp the deep meaning and richness of the covenant relationship, you need to start at the beginning; this means understanding the Jewish roots of Christianity and how it transforms your faith. Reading and studying the covenants God made with Israel reveals His covenant with you and with the nations.

God’s Will for You Is a Covenant Relationship

God wants to demonstrate His sovereign power to all people across all nations. He invites us to work with Him, to be as committed to the covenant relationship as He is. When we walk in submission and understand the power of the covenant, His call for us becomes greater—bigger than anything we could ever imagine.

He does things we could never do on our own. Only through His strength can we effectively perform His Word and bring about the fulfillment of His will on earth as it is done in Heaven. There are also specific times to evaluate and renew your covenant with God. 

These mo’eds—the Hebrew word for appointed times—are not something to be seen legalistically but as a time of revival and renewal.

Have you ever had a review at work or within an organization in which you are involved? The appointed times are similar because they give us an opportunity to come before God, ask Him to identify places in our lives that are not God-honoring and holding us back from His blessing, and then ask the Holy Spirit to remove these blessing blockers and rejoice in the transformation!

What Are the Covenants in the Bible?

There are 7 major covenants mentioned in the Bible. They are as follows:

  • Abrahamic
  • Davidic
  • Land
  • Mosaic
  • New
  • Noahic
  • Salt

Are some of these new to you? These are only a few, but as you dig into the richness of your faith through the Jewish Roots, the Holy Spirit reveals the magnificent covenant relationship you have with Him.

Discover more about the characteristics of covenant relationships and partnerships through these blogs:

Revelation of the Covenant
Powerful Word of the Covenant
Knowing Your Covenant Family and Father
The Covenant of Love
Covenant of Consciousness
Awareness of Covenant Power
Walking in Covenant Knowledge
The Power of Covenant Prayer

When we limit our relationship with God only to the context of the “New Covenant”, we miss out on incredible revelatory and blessed experiences with Him.

God tells us in His Word to remember over and over; the covenant relationship is an area we need to remember. Prayerfully guard your relationship with the Lord, and not be consumed with what you receive out of the relationship. Instead, seek and submit to His will, and He will prepare you for your destiny.

Words of Encouragement

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”—Matthew 6:33

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”—Deuteronomy 31:6

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful; he cannot deny Himself.”—2 Timothy 2:13

“…in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…”—Titus 1:2

Message from Rabbi Curt Landry 

FAQ’S

Q: What Is a Biblical Covenant?

A: Biblical covenant is an intimate partnership and relationship with God. It allows the Believer to walk in the fullness of salvation. The fullness of the covenant is revealed to the Believer over time through the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.

Q: What Are the Covenants Mentioned in the Bible?

A: There are particular covenants God made just with Israel: Abrahamic, Land, Mosaic, and Davidic. God will fulfill those covenants He made specifically to Israel. Understanding how these events unfold and understanding the Jewish roots of Christianity can transform your faith.

  • The Abrahamic Covenant is an unconditional covenant God made with Abram claiming a promise in Genesis 12:1-3 that He would show him the Promised Land, make his offspring into a great nation, and bless those who bless him. The covenant promise to Abraham still stands today. As the Jewish people migrate back to their homeland, numerous biblical prophecies, such as Amos 9 and Isaiah 35, are being fulfilled as a result of this spoken covenant with God.
  • The Davidic Covenant builds upon the Abrahamic Covenant’s promises of a “seed” and countless descendants. God promised that David’s lineage would be established and the Son’s reign would last forever. There will be a time when Jesus, Son of the Highest, will establish His Kingdom permanently (see Luke 1:32-33).
  • The Land Covenant speaks to the environmental prophecy fulfilled in the Abrahamic Covenant. God promises to restore His nation to the Promised Land when they return to Him and cause both the land and Israel to prosper (see Deuteronomy 30:1-10 and Luke 13:35).
  • The Mosaic Covenant, or Sinai Covenant, was a conditional covenant that spoke to the responsibilities and importance of keeping God’s instruction. Before giving His instruction, He reminds Israel who He is and what He has done for them: “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt…” (Exodus 20:2).

The Sinai Covenant ties into the Jewish holiday of Shavuot and the birth of the Church at Pentecost.

  • The New Covenant was a covenant God first made with Israel, and because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the covenant promises were extended to the Gentile nations making peace. The Gentile nations are grafted into the commonwealth of Israel through this covenant.

“…having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.”—Ephesians 2:15-16

  • The Noahic Covenant was an unconditional covenant between God and Noah and humanity following the flood. The promise God made was to never destroy the earth again with a flood. The rainbow is a sign of His covenant promise (see Genesis 9:13).
  • The Salt Covenant represents the everlasting Gospel. Salt adds flavor, heals, and purifies, symbolizing our covenant relationship with the Father through Jesus and equipping us to walk in the covenant by way of the Holy Spirit.

The Salt Covenant was established with the Lord for our descendants and us forever (see Leviticus 2 and Numbers 18). Salt was instructed to be added as seasoning to the firstfruits offerings in order to preserve the sacrifice. Salt is symbolic of the incorruptible covenant God made with us… to preserve us. Jesus referred to this when He said we are the salt of the earth (see Matthew 5:13).

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