Topical Bible: Covenant of Men With Men by offering a Sacrifice

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In the biblical narrative, covenants between men often involved the offering of sacrifices as a solemn and binding act. These covenants were agreements or promises made between individuals or groups, and the sacrifice served as a tangible expression of commitment and sincerity. The practice of sealing covenants with sacrifices is deeply rooted in the ancient Near Eastern culture and is reflected in several biblical accounts.

Genesis 21:22-34 · Abraham and Abimelech

One of the earliest examples of a covenant between men involving a sacrifice is found in Genesis 21:22-34. Abraham and Abimelech, the king of Gerar, entered into a covenant to ensure peaceful relations. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs as a witness to the agreement concerning a well of water. While the text does not explicitly mention a sacrifice, the offering of the lambs signifies a solemn commitment to the covenant. The act of giving these animals underscores the seriousness of the agreement and the mutual respect between the parties.

Genesis 31:43-54 · Jacob and Laban

Another significant instance is the covenant between Jacob and Laban in Genesis 31:43-54. After a tense confrontation, Jacob and Laban agreed to a covenant of peace. They set up a heap of stones as a witness and offered a sacrifice on the mountain. Genesis 31:54 states, "Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal." The sacrifice and shared meal symbolized the reconciliation and binding nature of their agreement, serving as a witness to their commitment before God.

1 Samuel 20:12-17 · Jonathan and David

The relationship between Jonathan and David provides another example, though it does not explicitly mention a sacrifice. In 1 Samuel 20:12-17, Jonathan and David made a covenant of friendship and loyalty. While the text does not describe a sacrificial act, the covenant's solemnity and the invocation of the LORD as a witness reflect the gravity typically associated with covenants sealed by sacrifice. The spiritual and moral weight of their agreement is akin to the binding nature of covenants involving sacrificial offerings.

Cultural and Theological Significance

In the ancient world, sacrifices were integral to covenant-making, serving as a physical representation of the parties' commitment and the divine witness to the agreement. The shedding of blood in sacrifices symbolized the seriousness of the covenant, often implying that breaking the covenant would result in severe consequences. This practice underscored the belief that covenants were not merely human agreements but were made in the presence of God, who held the parties accountable.

Theologically, these covenants reflect the broader biblical theme of covenantal relationships, emphasizing faithfulness, loyalty, and the sacred nature of promises. The use of sacrifices in these covenants foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who established the New Covenant through His blood, as described in the New Testament. This continuity highlights the enduring significance of covenants and sacrifices in God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture.

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Genesis 15:9-17
And he said to him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
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Jeremiah 34:18,19
And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in two, and passed between the parts thereof,
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Library

Manner of Covenanting.
... merely to offer sacrifice, but by the offering of oblation ... practice in the record
of the Covenant transaction at ... Moses "sent young men of the children of Israel ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter ii manner of covenanting.htm

Some Clever Men Imagine that the Lord's Supper was Instituted for ...
... Christians, because banquets are signs of covenant and friendship ... and not merely
signs of men among each ... The sacrifice [thank-offering or thanksgiving] also is ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 32 some clever men.htm

Concerning the Ark of the Covenant, and the Miraculous Signs ...
... Chapter 17."Concerning the Ark of the Covenant, and the ... with justice esteemed wiser
than other men, as I ... is commended which forbids the offering of sacrifice ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 17 concerning the ark of.htm

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
... of covenant privilege, and also that privilege enjoyed by men. ... But for that Covenant,
there had been no atonement ... not alone the slaying and offering of sacrifice ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter vi covenanting provided for.htm

The Great High-Priest.
... It was so under the old covenant. ... For the Law makes mere men, beset with sinful
infirmity, priests; but ... be made sin for us and face death as a sin-offering. ...
/.../chapter iv the great high-priest.htm

The New Covenant.
... the throne of the Most High a mercy-seat for men. By the same act it became an offering
to God ... The two notions of ratifying the covenant and atoning for sin ...
/.../chapter viii the new covenant.htm

Letter cxi. (November, AD 409. )
... great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy ... For those holy men, the record
of whose sufferings ... or prophet, or leader, or burnt-offering, or sacrifice ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter cxi november a d 409.htm

From the Fall to the Flood.
... by erecting an altar to Jehovah and offering thereon a ... names and ages of the six
oldest men and whether ... (9) The departure from the Ark, and the new covenant. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter ii from the fall.htm

Sacrifice Renewed
... largely in the days of the Old Covenant than it ... It sets forth the stages by which
men can approach ... forsaken, was the presentation of a 'sin offering.' The king ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/sacrifice renewed.htm

Hebrews x. 13-Aug
... as Paul says, "I would [3139] that all men were even ... prophetic word which says,
"sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest ... ver.16-18 ) "This is the covenant, that I ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xviii hebrews x 13-aug.htm