To the ancient Hebrews a blood covenant was the most binding, sacred agreement one could enter into. The making
of blood covenants seems to be a universal concept found among all peoples in even the most remote parts of the
world. The custom of making blood covenants can be found among American Indians as well as in the deepest most
remote parts of Africa. The origin of the blood covenant custom looms somewhere beyond the horizon of history.
The customs surrounding the making of a blood covenant among the Hebrews involved:
1. Exchanging garments and swords
(1Sam. 18:4 "And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his
garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.")
2. A blood sacrifice
(Gen. 15:9-17 "And he said unto 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. And he took unto him all these, and divided
them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came
down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and,
lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be
a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation
they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. And it came to pass, that, when
the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.")
(Gen. 31:43-54 "And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children
are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto
these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant,
I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there
upon the heap. And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. And Laban said, This heap is a
witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; And Mizpah; for he said, The
LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if
thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. And
Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; This heap
be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass
over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father,
judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount,
and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.")
(Jer. 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 twain, and passed between the parts
thereof, The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of
the land, which passed between the parts of the calf")
3. A memorial covenant meal
(Gen. 31:54 "Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they
did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.")
When two men were in a covenant relationship everything they owned and their very lives were offered to each other.
Moreover a person with a covenant relationship held heirship rights with his coventor. For this reason David was
the legal heir to the throne when Jonathan and Saul were killed. One of the best pictures we have of the power
of the blood covenant is given in 1Samuel 18-20. Because of their covenant Jonathan pleaded with his father the
King on David's behalf (1Sam. 19:4-7 "And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto
him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because
his works have been to thee-ward very good: For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the
LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin
against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul
sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those
things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past."). And because of
the covenant David sought out Jonathan's son Mephilbosheth so as to show kindness to him and make him as one of
his own sons (2 Sam. 9).
Now our covenants with God are patterened after the Hebrew blood covenant customs. In the same way we:
1. Exchange garments and swords
(Eph. 6:11-17 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of
God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your
loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery
darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:")
2. Have a blood sacrifice
(Heb. 9:12-22 "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the
holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of
an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve
the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption
of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament
is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither
the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according
to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both
the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover
he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by
the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.")
3. Have a memorial covenant meal
(Mt. 26:26-29 "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to
the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them,
saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission
of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink
it new with you in my Father's kingdom.")
As covenentors with the Messiah we also have an inheritence.
(Rom. 8:15-17 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit
of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children
of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together.")
(Eph. 1:11, 14, 18 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will . . . Which is the earnest of our inheritance
until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory . . . The eyes of your understanding
being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints")
Heb. 9:15-17 "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the
redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise
of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For
a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.")
(1Peter 1:4 "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
for you")
This inheritence is the topic of the Epistle to the Hebrews. In this Epistle Paul shows that the Messiah was "made
heir of all things" (Hebrews 1:2, 4 "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds . . . Being made so much better than the angels,
as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.") and the "firstborn" (Hebrews
1:6 "And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels
of God worship him.") and (Hebrews 12:23 "To the general assembly and church of the firstborn,
which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,").
"Firstborn" is an inheritance term, and refers to the birthright where authority is given to the eldest
over the younger members of the household, where he receives a double portion of the inheritance, and bears an
honorable distinction from other younger members of the family. He shows that the oath which made Abraham's seed
the chosen people was a covenant (Hebrews 6:13-14 "For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could
swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply
thee."), and that the oath which makes the Messiah a priest after the order of Melchizadek (Hebrews 7:20-22
"And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: For those priests were made without an oath; but
this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after
the order of Melchisedec: By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.") is the New Covenant
(Hebrews 8:6-13 "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator
of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless,
then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according
to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the
land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is
the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into
their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And
they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know
me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities
will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth
and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.").
He also shows that this is a blood covenant sealed with the Messiah's blood (Hebrews 8 & 9). Paul argues that
because of this covenant relationship we have an inheritance (Hebrews 9:11-22 "But Christ being come an
high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say,
not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the
holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of
an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve
the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption
of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament
is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither
the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according
to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both
the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover
he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by
the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.").
Since we are blood covenantors with the Messiah who is heir of all things (i.e. the Kingdom) (Hebrews 1:13 "But
to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?"
and Hebrews 2:5-9 "For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that
thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and
didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he
put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put
under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.") we inherit with him.
Hebrews 1:14 "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs
of salvation?"
Hebrews 2:10-18 "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many
sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth
and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I
will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will
put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of
Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful
and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in
that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."
Hebrews 9:11-22 "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves,
but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if
the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying
of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot
to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of
the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament,
they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also
of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no
strength at all while the testator liveth. Thereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For
when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of
goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, This
is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle,
and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding
of blood is no remission."
Hebrews 12:23 "To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to
God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect." |