Two kinds of Covenant: with and without stipulations

The Hebrew Bible makes reference to several different kind of covenants (Hebrew: בְּרִיתוֹת) with God. These include the Noahic Covenant set out in Genesis 9, which was decreed between God and all living creatures, as well as a number of more specific covenants with Prophet Abraham, the whole Israelite people, the Israelite priesthood, and the Davidic lineage of kings.

The Book of Jeremiah, verses 31:30–33 says that God will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Many Christians believe this New Covenant is the “final fulfillment” of the Older Covenants described in the Old Testament as applying to the Jewish People, while some believe both covenants are still ongoing and applicable in a dual covenant theology.

The Bible offers differing verses about how many major covenants were created between God and Israel, ranging from one to ten. The Noahic covenant mentioned in Genesis 9:9-17 applies to all of humanity and is ongoing. In this covenant with all living creatures, God promises never again to destroy all life on Earth and creates a rainbow as a sign of this ongoing “everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth”.

The covenant in Genesis 15 is the basis for brit milah (the covenant of circumcision) for ongoing Judaism. The covenant was for Prophet Abraham and his offspring, both of natural birth and adoption-conversion.

Two other covenants God makes with Prophet Abraham, are land and a multitude of descendants, without stipulations (ongoing and unconditional) on Prophet Abraham’s descendants for the covenant’s fulfillment: Genesis 12: And to make of Prophet Abraham a great nation and bless Abraham and make his name great so that he will be a blessing, to bless those who bless him and curse him who curses him and all peoples on earth would get an ongoing blessed through Prophet Abraham.

Prophet Isaiah said: “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he [Abraham] was only one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him. (Isaiah 51:1-2) and the Qur’an states: “You have an excellent example to follow in Abraham.” (60:4) and “Follow the way of Abraham as people of pure faith.” (3:95)

And Genesis 15 states: To give Prophet Abraham’s descendants, from the river (delta) of Egypt to the Euphrates. Later, this land came to be referred to as the Promised Land or just the Land of Israel.

Allah selected Abraham the Hebrew (Genesis 14:13) and the descendants of Prophets Ishmael, Issac, and Jacob to be the first, but not the last monotheistic community. “There is for you an excellent example (to follow) Abraham and those with him.” [Qur’an 60:4] and “Indeed Ibrahim was a nation obedient to Allah, a Hanif, he was not one of the polytheists.” [Qur’an 16:120].

And Quran 2:130-131 states: And (everyone) who shuns the creed of Abraham (is) but a foolish soul. We chose him (Abraham the Hebrew Genesis 14:13) in the world and in the Hereafter he shall be among the righteous. And when his Lord said unto him “Submit!” (aslim) he said, “I submit (aslamtu) to the Lord of the worlds.”

Most people in the world have learned of Prophet Abraham, not by reading a book of Jewish history or religion, but by listening to and reading from the Christian Bible or the Muslim Qur’an. This unique and amazing situation is a reflection of a promise made to Prophet Abraham more than 36 centuries ago, and recorded in both the Torah and the Qur’an.

“I swear (says God) because you did this – not withholding your son, your favorite one, I will bestow My blessing on you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore; and your descendants shall seize the gates of their foes. All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed My (ongoing) command.” (Genesis 22:16-18) and “Indeed, We chose him (Abraham) as one pure and most distinguished in the world, and he is surely among the righteous in the Hereafter”. (Qur’an 2:130)

The Mosaic covenant with Moses and the Israelite people at Horeb-Sinai, found in Exodus 19–24 and the book of Deuteronomy, contains the foundations of the written Torah. In this covenant, God promises to make the Israelites his treasured possession among all people and “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”, if they follow God’s commandments.

This is an ongoing yet ‘conditional on behavior’ covenant which was suspended twice due to bad behavior, and resulted in the two destructions of Jerusalem and its Temple. As part of this covenant, God gives Moses and the descendants of Jacob the ongoing Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17).