berit) isn’t explicitly used in Genesis 1-3, but the details of the relationship are similar. It’s there that God created humans in his image to be in relationship with him and to act as partners to help him spread goodness throughout the world. Like every good story, the covenantal story began long ago in a land far, far away-the garden of Eden. It makes sense then that a merciful God would reach out to humans to reveal himself and bring about reconciliation through a structure they already understood. Covenanting was part and parcel of what it meant to live in the ancient near east. There were personal covenants between two individuals (think David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 23), political covenants between two kings or nations (again, think King Solomon and King Hiram in 1 Kings 5), legal covenants with a nation (like the laws about freeing Hebrew slaves), and so forth. This type of relationship is very common in the Bible. They then work as partners to reach a common goal, like building a career or raising children together. In love, a husband and wife choose to enter into a formal relationship binding themselves to one another in lifelong faithfulness and devotion.
Covenants contain defined obligations and commitments, but differ from a contract in that they are relational and personal. They’re often accompanied by oaths, signs, and ceremonies. A covenant is a chosen relationship or partnership in which two parties make binding promises to each other and work together to reach a common goal.
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