The Ancient World (HUM 124 - UNC Asheville)/Texts/Genesis - texts about covenant

The Concept of The Covenant
In the Holy Scriptures, God attempted to repair his relationship with humanity and created a new partnership with them by creating covenants. The definition of a "covenant" is a binding promise between God and the rest of humanity. A promise is an oath, while a covenant is more of a legal agreement. God promised to protect the Israelites and be with them if they remained faithful to him and abided to certain commitments. The covenant involves a way of understanding relationships between God and his people. The characteristic elements of this changed as God’s community continued its pilgrimage. There are a total of four covenants throughout the Old Testaments, but here are two important covenants made that are in the Genesis chapter: one made with Noah and all living creatures, and then one made with Abram.

In Genesis 9, God blessed Noah and his sons after Noah made a burnt offering, and God made a covenant with him. The covenant consisted of God's promise to humanity to never allow another flood to destroy humanity. In Genesis 15-17, God establishes a covenant with Abram and his family by offering him fertility and that his offspring would eventually inherit the Land of Israel, although this covenant would be broken if Abraham and his descendants and their slaves were not circumcised.

Summary
-God blessed Noah and his sons with fertility and to continue their lives; he told Noah that every creature would be theirs to eat, but that killing other men is prohibited (Whoever sheds the blood of man, By man shall his blood be shed; For in His image, Did God make man.) God promised Noah that He would never flood the earth again (covenant).

-God only blessed Noah and his sons (all men).

-There was a foretelling of the Hebrews time spent in slavery in Egypt. But there is also the promise or "covenant" that in 400 years they would return to the Promised Land.

Prior Knowledge
- It is assumed that the readers already know that God brought a flood to the earth because mankind had become evil.

-Basic Knowledge of the Bible/Torah.

Themes
-Themes of faith and promise. Both Noah and Abram are rewarded for their faith and willingness to obey God. Noah had faith in God, he spent 120 years building an ark and put 2 of every animal on board

-Themes of sacrifice. The Hebrew people made sacrifices, the sacrificial lamb. Abram was asked to make a great sacrifice, his only son Isaac that had been promised by God in Abram's old age. Abram was willing to obey God and was about to kill his son when an angel called out and stopped him. At that moment, he saw a ram that was caught in a thicket and he sacrifices the ram instead of his son. It should be noted that not only was Abram willing to obey God, but Isaac was as well. At Abram's advanced age it could be assumed that a younger Isaac must not have resisted when his father explained what was about to take place.

-Themes of punishment and judgement. There would be consequences for bad actions. "Blood for blood".

Imagery
-The covenant between God and all the living creatures of earth is represented by rainbows; the covenant states that God will never again ruin the earth with a flood.

-Man was made in God's image. "Let us make man in our image...and let them have dominion over all creatures."

Imagery
-God is a shield. The Lord told Abram in a vision "Do not be afraid...I am your shield, your very great reward."

Summary
-Abram left Ur because God called him to lead a new nation in undesignated land (which he later learned was Canaan). God promised to Abram that his "seed" would inherit the land. He was 99 years old and Sarah was 90 when she had Abrams first child, Isaac.

- Abrams name was changed to Abraham and Sarai's name was changed to Sarah.

-To keep the covenant between God, Abraham and his descendants and their slaves were to be circumcised. If not, the covenant was broken.

-God made a covenant that there would be a king in Abraham's lineage.

-Foretelling of the Hebrews slavery in Egypt. Followed by a promise or covenant that in 400 years they would return to the promised land.

Symbolism
-The number of stars in the sky represented the number of Abram's promised descendants.

-Circumcision done at 8 days of age represented the covenant with God. To be uncircumcised symbolizes breaking the covenant with God.

-The boundaries and borders of the promised land were described in detail. There is a covenant of everlasting holding to posses these lands.

-God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. When Abraham is about to follow through without questioning, God stops him. This is symbolizing Abraham's trust and love he has put into God while also symbolizing God's questioning trust in humanity.

Birth of Judaism
Numerous times in the text it becomes apparent that many beliefs in Judaism are derived from this passage, Chiefly:

-Mention of the Diaspora. God says that the descendants of Abraham will walk the Earth for a long time, inhabiting many nations but not belonging to one specifically. (And He said to Abram, "Know well that your offspring shall be strangers in a land not theirs, and they shall be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. Genesis 15:13)

-In the text god mentions that the descendants of Abraham will inherit the Earth, and that Ishmael's descendants specifically will form the 12 tribes of Israel. (As for Ishmael, I have heeded you I hereby bless him. I will make him fertile and exceedingly numerous. He shall be the father of twelve chieftains, and I will make of him a great nation. Genesis 17:20)