The final section, the epilogue, Exodus 23:20–33, consists of two different paragraphs, verses 20–25 and verses 26–33. It contains the promise of God's presence and protection of Israel in the forthcoming conquest of Canaan as long as they remain faithful to His laws. Since several extra-biblical legal corpora (LU, LI, LH) that conclude with epilogues also commence with prologues, the question has been raised whether a prologue can be found in the Book of the Covenant. It has been suggested that in light of the final redaction of the Book of Exodus, chapter 19:3–6 actually serves the function of a prologue by setting forth the prime purpose of biblical legislation, that of sanctification. Thus, Exodus 19:3–6 and Exodus 23:20–33 would form a literary frame that encases the new constitution of Israel and binds the history and destiny of Israel to the discipline of law. Date Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, at Fayette, New York, January 6, 1831. Preceding the record of this revelation, the Prophet’s history states, “As James [Covel] rejected the word of the Lord, and returned to his former principles and people, the Lord gave unto me and Sidney Rigdon the following revelation” (see section 39). What this spirit of the Old is, we cannot see so clearly anywhere as just in Israel when the Covenant was made. They were at once ready to promise: "All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient." There was so little sense of their own sinfulness, or of the holiness and glory of God, that with perfect self-confidence they considered themselves able to undertake to keep the Covenant. They understood little of the meaning of that blood with which they were sprinkled, or of that death and redemption of which it was the symbol. In their own strength, in the power of the flesh, they were ready to engage to serve God. It is just the spirit in which many Christians regard the Bible; as a system of laws, a course of instruction to direct us in the way God would have us go. All He asks of us is, that we should do our utmost in seeking to fulfil them; more we cannot do; this we are sincerely ready to do. They know little or nothing of what the death means through which the Covenant is established, or what the life from the dead is through which alone a man can walk in covenant with the God of heaven. With Abraham multiple promised lands were given to his innumerable descendants (Gen 15:18-21; 17:1-9, 19; 22:15-18; 26:2-4, 24; 28; 35:9-13; Gal 3; Abr 2:6-11), with special 'gathering' and leadership roles assigned to the descendants of Joseph and his son Ephraim (Gen 48 and 50; Deut 33:17; 1 Chron 5:1-2; Psalm 80:2; Isaiah 11:13; Jer 31:6, 9; Ezek 37:15-19; Zech 10:6-12), and circumcision marking them as a peculiar people set apart (Gen 17:10-13).

Weinfield, M. (April–June 1970). The Covenant of Grant in the Old Testament and in the Ancient near East (PDF) (Vol 90ed.). Jerusalem: American Oriental Society. pp.184–203 . Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jewish Encyclopedia: Phinehas: "...for this act he was approved by God and was rewarded with the divine promise that the priesthood should remain in his family forever (Num. xxv. 7–15)." The phrase Covenant Code is not found in the Bible, but the term is sometimes used to refer to the set of rules in the Books of Moses that would be perpetually observed. For example, Numbers 15:15 speaks of “a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.” The word translated “lasting” is the Hebrew olam, meaning “forever” or “for a long time.” Other translations have “a statute forever” (ESV), “an ordinance forever” (NKJV), or “a permanent law” (NLT). In other words, a Covenant Code was an ongoing command of the Mosaic Law for Israel.

2 main kinds of covenant in the Bible

Bible verse art: one drawing for every book of the Bible - […] first drawing in the series opens with the concept of covenant—a recurring and unifying theme in scripture. The imagery… Weinfeld, M. (2005). Normative and Sectarian Judaism in the Second Temple Period. United States: T & T Clark International. A series of five revelations given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Manchester, New York, April 1830, to Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Samuel H. Smith, Joseph Smith Sr., and Joseph Knight Sr. As the result of earnest desire on the part of the five persons named to know of their respective duties, the Prophet inquired of the Lord and received a revelation for each person. A Bible verse art piece for each book of the Bible - […] theme in scripture. For further reading on what a covenant is, I recommend Jeffrey Kranz’ article over at the… According to Weinfeld, the Abrahamic covenant represents a covenant of grant, which binds the suzerain. It is the obligation of the master to his servant and involves gifts given to individuals who were loyal serving their masters. In the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15, it is God who is the suzerain who commits himself and swears to keep the promise. In the covenant there are procedures for taking the oath, which involve a smoking oven and a blazing torch. There are many similarities between Genesis 15 and the Abba-El deed. In Genesis 15 and similarly in the Abba-El deed, it is the superior party who places himself under oath. The oaths in both, moreover, involve a situation wherein the inferior party delivers the animals while the superior party swears the oath.

While there are many similarities between the Book of the Covenant and Hammurabi’s Code, there are also striking differences. The sentence for kidnapping is the same, i.e. death (cf. Exod 21:16; Deut 24:7 and Hammurabi’s Code no. 14), but the Heb. laws on theft never call for the death penalty, simply manifold restitution ( Exod 22:1-4). Hammurabi’s Code shows an evolution from the death penalty to the death penalty only for theft from the church or state, and finally to sevenfold restitution or a fine (ANET p. 166, n. 45). Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Orson Pratt, at Fayette, New York, November 4, 1830. Brother Pratt was nineteen years old at the time. He had been converted and baptized when he first heard the preaching of the restored gospel by his older brother, Parley P. Pratt, six weeks before. This revelation was received in the Peter Whitmer Sr. home. Raymond Westbrook, "What is the Covenant Code?" in Theory and Method in Biblical and Cuneiform Law: Revision, Interpolation and Development, ed. B.M. Levinson (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1994), 16. But covenant is a weighty theme that dominates Scripture: it’s good to get an idea of what it means in the Bible. What is a covenant?John Van Seters; Formerly James a Gray and University Distinguished Professor of Biblical Literature John Van Seters (2003). A Law Book for the Diaspora: Revision in the Study of the Covenant Code. Oxford University Press. p.9. ISBN 978-0-19-515315-6. Galatians book of the Bible overview - […] made an everlasting covenant (a pact or agreement) with Abraham in the book of Genesis. This was a promise… Covenants between man and man. These are the covenants we’ve looked at thus far. They tie families together, they make new families, and they define relationships between entire people groups. Examples: Abraham and Abimelech (Gn 21:22–34), Jacob and Laban (Gn 31), David and Jonathan (1 Sa 18:1–5; 20), and marriage (Gn 2:22–24; Mal 2:14). The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of divine revelations and inspired declarations given for the establishment and regulation of the kingdom of God on the earth in the last days. Although most of the sections are directed to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the messages, warnings, and exhortations are for the benefit of all mankind and contain an invitation to all people everywhere to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, speaking to them for their temporal well-being and their everlasting salvation. The Quran also states how God cursed the Children of Israel and made them suffer for breaking the covenant [ 4:155], [ 5:13] while also mentioning other covenants such a prophetic covenant with the Israelites in Quran 3:81, the Noahic and Abrahamic covenants in Quran 33:7, and in 5:14 and 7:169 a covenant made with the followers of Jesus (apparently [ to whom?] very different from how Christians interpret it), who likewise failed to observe it following their own desires.

The form and content of the code is similar to many other codes from the near east of the early first millennium BC. It also resembles the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi. According to many scholars including Martin Noth and Albrecht Alt, the covenant code probably originated as a civil code with the Canaanites, and was altered to add Hebrew religious practices. Michael Coogan sees a noticeable difference between the Covenant Code and the non-biblical codes like the Code of Hammurabi. The Covenant Code, like other biblical codes, differs from these by including among the laws dealing with criminal and civil matters various regulations concerning worship. Both, however, set the laws in an explicitly religious context. [7] Relationship to the Ritual Decalogue [ edit ]

Explore the Bible with us!

HERE is a new aspect in which to regard God's blessed Book. Before Moses sprinkled the blood, he read the Book of the Covenant, and obtained the people's acceptance of it. And when he had sprinkled it, he said, "Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made concerning all these words." The Book contained all the conditions of the Covenant; only through the Book could they know all that God asked of them, and all that they might ask of Him. Let us consider what new light may be thrown both upon the Covenant and upon the Book, by the one thought, that the Bible is the Book of the Covenant.