We see that the covenant relationship between God and Abraham involves both promise and obligation. God promises Abraham that he will make him a great nation, give his descendants a land, and make him a blessing to all peoples. Nevertheless, the covenant also has conditions and obligations.

Through Abraham and Israel, God implements the strategy of working through his chosen people to bring blessing and salvation to all peoples in the place of cursing and judgment.

The Noahic covenant in Genesis 9 is like other biblical covenants in that it includes both promise and obligation. The promise is that God will never again send a judgment like the flood for as long as the earth endures. Humanity and the order of creation will continue. But, the responsibility given to humanity is the requirement to restrain the violence and bloodshed that led to the judgment of the flood. 

The first explicit use of the word “covenant” is found in Genesis 6 and 9 as God establishes a covenant with Noah that applies to all of humanity, but this covenant is also connected to the relationship that existed between God and Adam from the very beginning.

Dr. Gary Yates continues to introduce the biblical covenants by looking at what a covenant is, the nature of the covenant relationships that exist between God and his people, and how the covenants are a reflection of God's love for his people.

Dr. Gary Yates begins his series on the covenants by introducing what the Biblical Covenants are and why they are important to study.