4. The Old Covenant – Proclamation! Online Magazine

So He declared to you His Covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments.

The Concept of Covenant

An understanding of the concept of covenant is fundamental to a right interpretation of the whole Bible and it is absolutely imperative to a correct understanding of the Sabbath and the Sinaitic Covenant. It has been shown that the covenants God made with His people, especially the Sinaitic Covenant, closely follow the structure of the ancient Near East treaty covenant documents.¹ A covenant is simply an agreement or promise between two parties. One party is the suzerain, or ruling party. The other is the vassal, or ruled party. The suzerain—God in the case with Israel—was the one who dictated the terms of the covenant. Usually these terms were written out in duplicate so each party to the covenant had an identical copy² much the way a bank contract is made today. The covenant documents contained the promise made by the suzerain to the ruled party and the requirements, or obligations, of the ruled party to the suzerain. The covenant documents contained an outline of what would happen if the ruled party did not abide by the covenant obligations: blessings if they kept the covenant and cursings if they did not. Each covenant had a sign which was arbitrarily assigned by the suzerain and placed in the very center of the covenant document₃ and was unique to that covenant agreement. The ruled party was to keep or display the sign of the covenant as a symbol of their obedience to the covenant stipulations. Failure to do so would be considered by the suzerain a sign of rebellion and called for drastic consequences.

We see, then, that there are five main parts of each covenant: (1) the promise from the suzerain to the ruled party, (2) the requirements of the ruled party to the suzerain and (3) the sign of the covenant. (4) A list of the blessings that would occur if they were obedient to the covenant and (5) a list of the cursings that would come upon them for disobedience to the covenant stipulations. All of these were detailed in two identical covenant documents; one for the suzerain and one for the ruled party. In the ancient Near Eastern treaties,

…enshrinement of the treaty before the gods was expressive of their role as witnesses and avengers of the oath.⁴

Introduction to the Old Covenant

Before we consider the place that the Sabbath holds in the old covenant it is important that we first see the overall, larger view of this covenant. We want to get a concept of the size and form of the forest before we examine the trees. The old covenant has three aspects: (1) the exodus from Egypt, (2) the giving of the covenant at Sinai, and (3) the settlement in the land of Canaan.

The Old Testament is divided into law, history, psalms and prophets, and each relates to the covenant. Genesis gives the history of the covenant people and the covenant-keeping God. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are the books of the covenant, or the books of the law.⁵ The history of the Israelites is a history of the covenant people. The kings of Israel were evaluated with respect to the covenant. The Lord said to King Solomon,

Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant (1 Ki. 11:11).

The overriding theme of the prophets is to call Israel and Judah, God’s Old Testament covenant people, back to covenant loyalty. The prophets point out that the underlying reason for Israel’s problems is that they have broken the covenant.

“The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.” Therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold I am bringing disaster on them” (Jer. 11:10,11).

The exodus, the giving of the law at Sinai, and the settlement in the land of Canaan are inseparably linked in that they are all events connected with the giving of the covenant.

The exodus from Egypt must be seen as a covenant of redemption.

Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob …“So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians” (Ex. 2:23,24; 3:8).

As the great, redemptive activity of the old covenant, the exodus becomes the foundation for many of Israel’s laws. The prologue to the Ten Commandments is,

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (Ex. 20:2).

If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free. And when you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today (Deut. 15:12−15).

When your sons ask you in time to come, saying, “What do the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments mean which the LORDcommanded you?” then you shall say to your son, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt; and the LORD brought us from Egypt with a mighty hand” (Deut. 6:20,21).

To rightly understand the old covenant laws, we must see them pictured in the frame of the old covenant redemption—the exodus from Egypt.

The redemptive event of the exodus not only serves as the foundation for Israel’s law, it supplies the motivation for ob- edience. Time and again we find God instructing Israel to rehearse His “mighty deeds” so that they will “not forget” His covenant acts and will remember to keep the covenant laws, and thus receive the covenant blessings. When faced with the apparently overwhelming task of driving out the inhabitants of the land in order to fulfill God’s covenant promise they were told:

If you should say in your heart, “These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?” you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: the great trials which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought you out. So shall the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid (Deut. 7:17−19).

The Psalms record the worship of the covenant people. The mighty acts of God manifested in their redemption from Egyptian slavery, is one of the major recurring themes of Israel’s worship.

Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD, or can show forth all His praise?… Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name, that He might make His power known. Thus He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up; and He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness (Ps. 106:1,2,8,9).

After the waters of the Red Sea covered the Egyptian armies and Israel experienced the promised covenant redemption, they broke out in joyous, worshipful celebration to the Almighty God who had delivered them from the Egyptian army.

I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God and I will extol Him (Ex. 15:1,2).

In addition to the exodus from Egypt, another major theme of Israel’s worship was creation. Their God, YHWH, not only had redeemed them from Egyptian bondage, but He was the Creator of the heavens and the earth.

O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth; the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it; and His hands formed the dry land (Ps. 95:1−5).

Thus we find these two dominant themes in Israel’s worship: Giving adoration to the God who created the world and who redeemed them from Egypt.

The old covenant must be seen as interaction between two parties: God and Israel. While much space is devoted to Israel and her shortcomings, there is also ample coverage of God and His faithfulness. The book of Genesis outlines the history of the covenant people and the covenant-keeping God. The genealogies trace this history back to the “day” when God and man were in perfect fellowshipthat “day” of “rest” when all was “very good.”

We see, then, that Old Testament history is indeed covenant history. It is a history of the God of creation patiently acting and interacting with man. He made a covenant with Noah and all the earth. Later He singled out Abraham as a covenant partner. Then He entered into covenant agreement with Isaac, Jacob and the “sons of Israel.”

The Sinaitic Covenant

Covenant documents

The Ten Commandments—the basic covenant

What comprises the Sinaitic Covenant? The answer to this question is extremely important to our study of the Sabbath. The words “testament” and “covenant” are nearly identical in meaninga very important fact to remember. Read carefully the following verses.

And when He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, the tablets of stone, written by the finger of God (Ex. 31:18).

So he [Moses] was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments (Ex. 34:28).

So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone (Deut. 4:13).

When I went up to the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the LORD had made with you …(Deut. 9:9). And it came about at the end of forty days and nights that the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant (Deut. 9:11).

So I turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire, and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands (Deut. 9:15).

There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone whichMoses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt…And there I have set the place for the ark in which is the covenant of the LORD, which He made with our fathers when He brought them out of Egypt (1 Ki. 8:9, 21).

These verses state unequivocally that the covenant between God and Israel which was made at Sinai was the Ten Commandments. This truth is underlined by the fact that the Ten Commandments were kept in the “ark of the covenant.” “Then he [Moses] took the testimony and put it in the ark” (Ex. 40:20).

Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are, as the LORD commanded me…At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD (Deut. 10:5, 8).

The ark of the covenant was called the ark of the covenant because it was the box or container which held the covenant (Ten Commandments). It was a common practice in the ancient Near East for treaty documents to be placed in the sanctuary of the vassal (ruled party) and a duplicate copy to be placed in the sanctuary of the suzerain (ruling party).

Similar instructions were given Moses at Sinai concerning the two tables. They were to be deposited in the ark, which in turn was to be placed in the tabernacle (Ex. 16:21; 40:20; Deut. 10:2). Because Yahweh was at once Israel’s covenant Suzerain and God of Israel and Israel’s oath, there was but one sanctuary for the depositing of both treaty duplicates.⁶

Considering the above, nothing could be stated more straightforwardly or more clearly and nothing is more important to a biblical understanding of the Sabbath than the fact that the Ten Commandments are the “words of the covenant.”

The “other laws”—the expanded covenant

The Sinaitic Covenant, however, comprised more than just the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 21􏰀23 God gives Moses applica- tions and interpretations of the Ten Commandments. This same truth can be demonstrated in the book of Deuteronomy, which means “second law.” A quick scanning through this book will show that most of it is quotation. Moses is repeating to the children of Israel the covenant of the Lord.

These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the Land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them at Horeb [Sinai] (Deut. 29:1).

In other words, the laws and judgments of the book of Deuteronomy become part of the covenant for two reasons. First, they repeat the Ten Commandments, the covenant itself, and second, they are a further interpretation of that covenant as Moses renewed the covenant with the Israelites as they were about to enter the promised land.

The “other laws” in the expanded version of the covenant interpret the Ten Commandments. Following are just a few examples to show the relationship between the Ten Commandments, the Sinaitic Covenant itself, and the expanded version of that covenant. The reader is encouraged to look up these verses, read them in their context and note how they interpret, explain, and apply the Ten Commandments.

No other gods:
• Sacrifice to another god (Ex. 22:20).
• Not worship any other (Ex. 34:14).
• I am the Lord your God (Lev. 20:24).
• Fear the Lord your God (Deut. 10:12).
Not worship idols:
• Not make idols (Lev. 26:1).
• Never forgiven for (Deut. 29:17−21).
• Makes God angry (Deut. 32:21).
• Do not turn to (Lev. 19:4).
Not profane God’s name:
• Visit iniquity to four generations (Ex. 34:7).
• Not profane My holy name (Lev. 22:32).
• Put to death for profaning (Lev. 24:16).
• Put to death for cursing God (Lev. 24:10−13).
Remember the Sabbath:
• Perpetual covenant (Ex. 31:13).
• Put to death for violation (Ex. 31:14).
• Violator to be “cut off” (Ex. 31:14).
• Not kindle a fire on (Ex. 35:3).
• Keep evening to evening (Lev. 23:32).
Honor father and mother:
Death penalty for cursing parents (Ex. 21:17). Death penalty for hitting father (Ex. 21:15). Reverence father and mother (Lev. 19:3). Rebellious to parents (Deut. 21:18−21).
Not kill:
• Killed in a quarrel and fistfight (Ex. 21:18).
• Killed by beating with a rod (Ex. 21:20).
• Killed by ox, first offense (Ex. 21:28).
• Killed by ox, several offenses (Ex. 21:29).
Not commit adultery:
• With another man’s wife (Lev. 20:10).
• With father’s wife (Lev. 20:11).
• With daughter-in-law (Lev. 20:12).
• A number of situations (Lev. 18:16−30).
Not steal:
• Steals an ox (Ex. 22:1)
• Thief caught while breaking in (Ex. 22:2−4).
• Animal grazing in neighbor’s field (Ex. 22:5).
• Thief not caught until later (Ex. 22:8).
Not bear false witness:
• Lied and sworn falsely (Lev. 6:3−8).
• Swears thoughtlessly (Lev. 5:4).
• Not give false report (Ex. 23:1).
• Punishment for a false witness (Deut. 19:18−21).
Not covet:
• Not covet gold on destroyed idols (Deut. 7:25).
• Not covet the land (Ex. 34:24).

The expanded version of the covenant was placed in a receptacle on the side of the Ark of the Covenant showing its relationship to the Ten Commandments which were placed inside the Ark of the Covenant.

Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you (Deut. 31:26).

The covenant reduced to a sign

There is yet a third dimension to the Sinaitic Covenant. In Exodus 31:12−17 we see that the Sabbath is called a covenant.

So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed (Ex. 31:16,17).

Here the Sabbath is called a “perpetual covenant.” It was a “sign” between God and Israel. In the Hebrew Bible if one counts the words of the Ten Commandments he will find the central phrase is “remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.” As the sign of the covenant was placed in the very center of the ancient Near East treaty documents, so the Sabbath, as the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant, rightfully finds its place in the very center of the Ten Commandments.

Therefore, we may look at the covenant documents in three ways: (1) the Ten Commandments are the basic Sinaitic Covenant, the very words of the covenant, (2) the “other laws” or the “book of the law” is the covenant expanded and interpreted and (3) the Sabbath is the covenant reduced to a sign.

The Old Covenant: One Law

There are some who teach that the Ten Commandments are the Moral Law and the Book of the Law that was placed by the side of the ark is the Ceremonial Law. However, this is unbiblical and simplistic. The Book of the Law should be understood to be Genesis to Deuteronomy⁷ and it contained the Ten Commandments as in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, as well as all the other regulations and laws. We must see the law of the old covenant as one law.⁸ While there are moral, ceremonial and societal aspects of the law, they comprise but one law. Often these aspects of the law are intermingled. There is no sharply defined separation between moral and ritual.

So far we have seen that the Ten Commandments are the “words of the covenant” God made with Israel at Sinai. We have also seen that the expanded version of the covenantthe interpretation of the Ten Commandments to their specific life situationsis also called “the words of the covenant” (Deut. 29:1,9) or “the book of the covenant” (Ex. 24:7). The Ten Commandments were placed inside the Ark of the Covenant, and “the book of the covenant” was placed at the side of the Ark of the Covenant and these comprised the law of the old covenant or simply “the law”.

God’s covenant promise to Israel

God’s covenant promise to Israel was broad. By the time Israel had arrived at Sinai, God had already delivered them from Egyptian bondage, opened up the Red Sea, provided water for them in the desert and given them manna from heaven. He would yet bring them into the Promised Land, protect them from their enemies, upon the offering of sacrifices he would forgive their sins. Therefore, God’s claim upon Israel was both past and future and rooted in His gracious redemption. In Exodus 19, Moses communicates to the people this message from God.

You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine (Ex. 19:4–5).9

Israel’s covenant promise to God

Moses then takes the covenant offered by God to the Israelites and records their response.

So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD had commanded him. And all the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD(Ex. 19:7–8).

Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD (Ex. 24:3).

Then he [Moses] took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient” (Ex. 24:7).

Stipulations of the covenant

The covenant requirements that Israel promised to keep are too numerous to mention. They included the Ten Commandments, the “other laws” recorded in Exodus through Deuteronomy and the covenant signs in all totaling 613 commandments.¹⁰

The Sinaitic Covenant vs. the Abrahamic Covenant

From the biblical text itself, it is evident that the stipulations of the Sinaitic Covenant were not included in the covenants God made with Abraham. A quotation from Deuteronomy confirms this point. Some have tried to read back into Abrahamic Covenant the requirements of the Sinaitic Covenant. Note how clear Scripture is on this point:

The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb [another name for Sinai]. The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all of those of us alive here today (Deut. 5:3).

Some who reviewed this manuscript argued that the “our fathers” in this text refers back to the generation who died in the wilderness and not to Abraham, whom they claim, was a Sabbath keeper. However, this cannot be the case because the above reference clearly states that the “LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The “us” includes not only Moses but all the children of Israel. The “our fathers” must refer to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who were not included in the Sinaitic Covenant. “Our fathers” is a term often used by Moses to refer to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.¹¹

Moses then lists the Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:1−21) and the other laws in the “book of the covenant” that were not given to Abraham or to “the fathers” as part of the covenant stipulations God made with them. However, the Israelites were the descendants of Abraham, and therefore came under the covenant of circumci- sion. In Lev. 12:1−3 God repeated the commandment of circumci- sion, indicating its continuing importance for the men of Israel.

The Israelites living after the Sinaitic Covenant were under both covenants.

Remember His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac. He also confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant (1 Chron. 16:15–17; cf. Ps. 105).

Covenant signs

The Sinaitic Covenant had one unique sign, yet because the Israelites were descendants of Abraham for all practical purposes the old covenant could be considered to have two signs: Sabbath and circumcision. Only those households where the males were circumcised were included in the covenant community of Israel. Notice the parallel in language between these two covenant signs: Circumcision “C” and Sabbath “S” as recorded in Genesis 17: 9−14 and Exodus 31:12−18; 20:12:

C. “You shall keep My covenant” 17:9.
S. “You shall surely observe My sabbath” 31:13.

C. “Me and you and your descendants” 17:9.
S. “Me and the sons of Israel” 31:17.

C. “And you shall be circumcised” 17:11.
S. “You are to observe the sabbath” 31:14.

C. “Throughout your generations” 17:12.
S. “Throughout your generations” 31:13.

C. “The sign…between Me and you” 17:11.
S. “A sign between Me and you” 31:13.

C. “An everlasting covenant” 17:13.
S. “A perpetual covenant” 31:16.

C. “Uncircumcised…cut off” 17:14.
S. “Whoever does any work…cut off” 31:14.

C. Servant to be circumcised 17:12.
S. Servant to keep Sabbath 20:10.

C. Sign of circumcision given at time of giving of the covenant 17:1−9.
S. Sign of Sabbath given at time of giving of the covenant 31:18.

C. Circumcision mentioned 6 times.
S. Sabbath mentioned 6 times.

The similarities in wording, style and time of giving, are too striking to be accidental. And the similarity is even more apparent in the original language. For example, “everlasting” (Gen. 17:13) and “perpetual” (Ex. 31:16) are translations from the same Hebrew word, olam. It is important that we understand the relationship between circumcision and Sabbath and see the role they play in the Sinaitic Covenant. Circumcision was the entrance sign into the covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants. It was the initiatory or entrance sign of the covenant by which one became a member of the covenant community. The Passover feast was a celebration for the covenant community only. In the following reference circumcision served as the entrance sign into the covenant community and thus gave one the right to participate in the Passover (or covenant) celebration.

And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; but every man’s slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it…if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it” (Ex. 12:43,44,48).

The Sabbath, in a similar way, was the continuing sign the covenant people—now under the Sinaitic covenant—were to “remember.” It was a ceremony observed weekly as a renewing of the covenant. As in the case with circumcision, if a foreigner desired to join in covenant fellowship he was to observe the Sabbath.

The seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you…or the sojourner who stays with you (Ex. 20:10).

Notice how in the time of Isaiah the Sabbath was related to the covenant and how foreigners who joined themselves to Israel were expected to observe the Sabbath of the covenant.

Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people.” Neither let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For thus says the LORD, “To the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, to them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath, and holds fast My covenant” (Isa. 56:3−6).

Circumcision was given to the descendants of Abraham as the one-time entrance sign into the covenant community. The Sabbath was given as a repeatable sign of the Sinaitic Covenant Israel was to “remember.”

Covenant partners

In many of the above quotations the covenant partners were clearly stated, nevertheless it is important that we thoroughly understand who they were. Scripture makes it very clear that the Sinaitic Covenant was made with the nation of Israel only.

The prologue to the Ten Commandments clearly identifies the covenant partners.

Then God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Ex. 20:1,2).

Who were the people who were brought out of the land of Egypt? The people of Israel.

In connection with the covenant of Sabbath (which stood for the whole of the Ten Commandments) we read,

Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, “You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations” (Ex. 31:13).

So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever (Ex. 31:16,17).

Then Moses summoned all Israel, and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I am speaking today in your hearing…The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb [Sinai]. The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive here today” (Deut. 5:1−3).

The Sinaitic Covenant partners were God and the sons of Israel only. Others could join the covenant community, but only if the males were circumcised and all kept the Sabbath.

Old Covenant righteousness

The old covenant was given in a grace/redemption setting. God had just delivered Israel from hundreds of years of Egyptian slavery. We will also see in the next chapter that grace was abundantly prefigured through the sacrificial system. However, the righteousness of the Sinaitic Covenant is markedly different from that of the Abrahamic Covenant. Abraham was accounted righteous solely on the basis of his faith.¹² The righteousness of the old covenant, however, was based on personal obedience to the law.

So the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us (Deut. 6:24,25).

However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them. (Gal 3:12).

At the giving of the covenant at Sinai, the sons of Israel felt that they could keep God’s law of commandments.

All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD (Ex. 19:8).¹³

Abraham had learned the lesson of faith that Israel never did. He finally came to the point where he no longer trusted in his ability to perform but trusted God to fulfill His own promises. The sons of Israel, however, felt they could go it on their own. Perhaps this is why God gave them the 613 detailed commandments to teach them the hard lesson that they could not be good enough without His grace and power.

Duration of the covenant

How long was the Sinaitic Covenant to last? All Old Testament scriptural references dealing expressly with the giving of the covenant indicate that it was to last forever. The following references are only samplings; others could be listed. Notice how many aspects of the covenant are said to be perpetual or everlasting. I encourage the reader to look in a Bible concordance and note how many of the entries under perpetual, everlasting, forever, and permanent have to do with some aspect of the Sinaitic Covenant.

It [describing the service of the lamps in the tent of meeting] shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel (Ex. 27:21).

Thus shall My covenant [circumcision] be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant (Gen. 17:13).

And you shall gird them with sashes, Aaron and his sons, and bind caps on them, and they shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute (Ex. 29:9).

There shall be perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations (Ex. 30:8).

It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood (Lev. 3:17).

Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you may not die—it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations (Lev. 10:9).

The seasonal yearly feasts are said to be perpetual statutes (Lev. 23:14,21,41).

But pasture fields of their [the Levites’] cities shall not be sold, for that is their perpetual possession (Lev. 25:34).

All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD to you and your descendants with you (Num. 18:19).

With rare exception everything connected with the covenant God made with Israel was said to be permanent, perpetual, everlasting, forever, or “throughout your generations.” It was not until Israel had broken the covenant and the nation was headed into captivity that we get mention of a new covenant (Jer. 31:31).

Purpose of the covenant

The covenant served as the basis of the relationship that existed between God and Israel. There were blessings and cursings associated with the covenant: blessings if Israel was obedient and kept the covenant, and cursings if Israel disobeyed and forsook the covenant. The covenant agreement also included provision for forgiveness if Israel sinned but later repented and returned to God.

One purpose the covenant held was to be a witness or testimony between God and Israel. When Israel disobeyed, they had no excuse when the cursing came upon them, for the “testimony” was there. In fact, the very presence of Israel in captivity was a witness of God’s faithfulness as a covenant partner.

Indeed all Israel has transgressed Thy law and turned aside, not obeying Thy voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity (Dan. 9:11,12).

The covenant was said to be written on two tablets of stone (Ex. 34:1). Artists often picture these tablets as written only on one side. But Scripture states they were written on both sides.

Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets which were written on both sides; they were written on one side and the other (Ex. 32:15).

The tablets of the covenant served a purpose much like a present-day contract. Today when we purchase a car or a home with a bank loan we get one copy of the contract (covenant) and the bank keeps a second, identical copy of the contract. In like manner some feel these two tables of the covenant were identical.¹⁴ One copy was for the vassal (Israel) and the other was for the Suzerain (God).¹⁵ The expanded version of the covenant, called “the book of the law,” was placed at the side of the ark and later copied so Israel could have free access to the stipulations of the covenant.

Violations of the covenant

It is important to recognize that a serious violation of any of the covenant stipulations could “break” the covenant. This could be a violation of the basic covenant, the Ten Commandments; a violation of the “book of the covenant” or a violation of the Sabbath, the covenant sign. In such cases the people were to be “cut off” from the covenant community.

But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant…(Lev. 26:14, 15).

We see this concept illustrated when Moses was on his way to Egypt: “It came about at the lodging-place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death.” At this point Zipporah, the wife of Moses, circumcised their sons “So He [the LORD] let him alone” (Ex. 4:24–26). This incident shows that if a member of the covenant community expected God’s covenant blessings he must comply with the sign of the covenant. Here even Moses was considered a violator of the covenant and would have been killed or “cut off” from the covenant community had he not complied with the sign of the covenant—a sobering thought indeed!

God allowed for a difference in punishment between intentional and unintentional sin.

Also if one person sins unintentionally, then he shall offer a one year old female goat for a sin offering…The person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people (Num. 15:27,30).

In this same context a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. He was put in custody and

Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” So all the congregation brought him outside the camp, and stoned him to death with stones, just as the LORD had commanded Moses (Num. 15:35,36).

We see here that a violation of the Sabbath, the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant, was considered to be open rebellion against the covenant. Note the many ways for which one could be “cut off” from the covenant people:

The offense:

Not circumcised (Gen. 17:14)
Breaking the Sabbath (Ex. 31:14)
Eating anything leavened (Ex. 12:15)
Misuse of anointing oil (Ex. 30:33)
Misuse of incense (Ex. 30:38)
Eating sacrifice while unclean (Lev. 7:20)
Misuse of sacrifice (Lev. 7:21)
Eating fat of sacrifice (Lev. 7:25)
Eating blood (Lev. 7:27)
Killing sacrifice wrongly (Lev. 17:1−4)
Incest (Lev. 18:6−18,29)
Intercourse during menstruation (Lev. 18:19,29)
Homosexual activity (Lev. 18:22,29)
Intercourse with animals (Lev. 18:23,29)
Eating a sacrifice wrongly (Lev. 19:1−8)
Offering children to Molech (Lev. 20:3)
Contact with spiritists (Lev. 20:6)
Not humbling oneself (Lev. 23:29)
Neglecting the Passover (Num. 9:13)

Limitations of the Old Covenant

Grace was offered in the old covenant for unintentional sin by theofferingofsacrifices.However, there were no sacrifices for high-handed, willful sin. There were no sacrifices prescribed for willfully breaking of any of the Ten Commandments. People who purposely broke the one of the Ten Commandments were dealt with individually by God. For example, after David committed adultery and murder he did not offer sacrifice, but confessed his sin and fell into both the judgment and mercy of God.¹⁶

Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your companion, and he shall lie with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun. Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die (2 Sam. 12:11–14).

Covenant characteristics

Those who start to read the Bible through usually do well until they come to the latter part of Exodus. From there through Deuteronomy it is usually rough going because they get bogged down in all the laws. These books contain literally hundreds of laws because the Sinaitic Covenant is a law covenant. While God’s grace was represented in His gracious provision of forgiveness on condition of repentance and the offering of certain sacrifices, the emphasis, nonetheless, is on law. It is characteristically a law covenant.

Not only is this covenant primarily law, but it is law in great detail. This covenant law does not simply ask people to bring an offering to the LORD, but it spells out exactly what kind of an offering to bring.

You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings (Lev. 23:19).

This law does not simply say to bring a cereal offering, but it tells how much cereal to bring and how to mix it.

Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil (Lev. 23:13).

This law does not simply say bring oil but it instructs the people to bring “clear oil from beaten olives” (Lev. 24:2).

This law does not simply say to bring cakes of bread to the LORD but:

You shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it; two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake. And you shall set them in two rows, six to a row, on the pure gold table before the LORD (Lev. 24:5,6).

This great detail of law is characteristic of the Sinaitic Covenant. I am reminded of times when I was teaching high school students, especially the freshmen. I was forced to go into great detail in making my assignments. Anything that could be misunderstood often was. I could not just say, “Answer these questions,” but would have to instruct them to, “Write answers to questions 1–10, page 56, and be ready to turn them in at the beginning of class on Tuesday, September 25. Please use 8 1/2 x 11 lined paper and write clearly. Place your name in the upper left- hand corner and the date in the upper right-hand corner.” From the great amount of detail and minute instructions included in the old covenant it appears that God was treating the Israelites as children. Israel had just spent several hundred years in slavery to Egypt, and God met them where they were.

Another characteristic of the Sinaitic Covenant is that it is a mediated covenant.¹⁷ Moses, and later Joshua and other leaders, served as a mediator between God and the sons of Israel. What the people knew about God they received through a mediator (Ex. 24:1−7). Usually only the prophets and certain other leaders of the people were filled with the Holy Spirit and had a personal knowledge of God. At times this mediatorial role was even intercessory. When the Israelites were bitten with snakes, Moses interceded with God Who gave him directions for making the brazen serpent. If the snake-bitten Israelite simply looked at the uplifted serpent he lived (Num. 21:4−9). On one occasion when the people grumbled against Moses and Aaron,

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces…Then Aaron took it [the censer of incense] as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. And he took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked (Num. 16:44−48).

Chapter Summary

The biblical covenants in general, and the Sinaitic Covenant in particular, closely follow the form of other ancient, Near East treaties.
1. There is a covenant promise of the suzerain to the vassal.
2. There is a covenant promise of the ruled party to suzerain.
3. The document which contains the covenant agreement has the sign of that covenant in the very center of the document.
4. Two identical copies of the covenant documents are made.
5. The documents are placed in the house of the vassal’s godwho is called to witness the oath of the covenant.

The stipulations of the Sinaitic Covenant were not a part ofthe covenant God made with Abraham.
The elements of the Sinaitic Covenant are three:
1. The Ten Commandments are the words of the Sinaitic Covenant.
2. The “other laws” found in Exodus through Deuteronomy are the expanded version of the Sinaitic Covenant and are usually called “the book of the covenant,” or “the book of the law.”
3. The Sabbath was the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant and, as such, was placed in the very center of the Ten Commandments.
The “book of the law” interpreted and applied the “tables of the law” to specific situations in the life of Israel.
The wording of the covenant of circumcision is nearly identical with the wording of the covenant of Sabbath. What is said of one is said of the other.
The covenant partners were God and the nation of Israel only. No other people were included within this covenant.
Old covenant righteousness was based upon personal obedience to the law.
The provisions of the Sinaitic Covenant were open to others, but only if they became circumcised, kept the Sabbath and were willing to abide by all the covenant stipulations.
The duration of the Sinaitic Covenant was said to be forever, eternal, perpetual, or “throughout your generations.”
The purpose of the covenant was to provide the basis of fellowship between God and Israel and to serve as a witness in case of covenant violations.
Violations of the covenant included violations of the Ten Commandments, the other laws in the “book of the covenant,” or the signs of the covenant: circumcision and Sabbath.
Provision was made for the difference between intentional and unintentional sin.
1. An Israelite who committed unintentional sin was provided atonement conditional on the fulfillment of certain sacrifices.
2. An Israelite was put to death or cut off from the covenant community for intentional sin or fell into the hands of God for individual judgment and/or mercy.
The Sinaitic Covenant is characteristically a law covenant.
The Sinaitic Covenant is minutely detailed as if it were written for children.
The Sinaitic Covenant is a mediated covenant with Moses, orat times Aaron, standing between God and the sons of Israel.

Endnotes

Meredith G. Kline, Treaty of the Great King, (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1963), pp. 13, 14.
Ibid., p. 19.
Ibid., p. 18.
Ibid., p. 19
Genesis is also considered part of the law.
Ibid, p. 19.
At least portions of these laws which were written at the time.
See H.M. Riggle, The Sabbath and the Lord’s Day, (Faith Publishing House, Guthrie, OK, 1922; Now published by LAM Publication, LLC, Glendale, AZ), pp. 46–60, for much supporting documentation. [2025: Now available online: https://blog.lifeassuranceministries.org/2021/10/02/riggle/]
See also the many other promises mentioned in Exodus and Deuteronomy.
See Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, Biblical Literacy [William Morrow and Company, Inc.] 1948, for a detailed description of each of the 613 commandments, their biblical foundation and Jewish interpretation.
See Ex. 3:15; 4:5; Deut 1:8; 6:10; 9:5; 30:20.
Gen. 15:6.
See also Ex. 24:3; 24:7; Lev. 18:5; Gal. 3:12.
Kline, Treaty of the Great King, p. 19.
Ibid., p. 59.
Ps. 51:16,17.
See D. A. Carson, Showing the Spirit, (Baker Book House, 1987), p. 151 ff.

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Dale Ratzlaff

Dale Ratzlaff (1936–2024), is the founder of Life Assurance Ministries and Proclamation! Magazine. He served as a Seventh-day Adventist pastor for 13 years, seven at Monterey Bay Academy where he taught Bible. He and his wife Carolyn left the Adventist church in 1981 when he realized he could no longer teach the investigative judgment with a clear conscience. He has authored several books on Adventism that are available through his website, SabbathInChrist.com.