Covenant Theology 101

"And he said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess." But he said, "O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?" He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away." (Genesis 15:7-11, ESV)

God of Promise - Introducing Covenant Theology by Michael Horton is another book that you will never find in a Christian Bookstore. As some of the readers of After Skubalon, Light blog will know that many years ago I worked in a “Christian” Bookstore, and I have mix feelings about the experience.

Many things have change in the “Christian” market place since working at the bookstore 15 to 20 years ago. The inventory on the shelves of the bookstore then was shallow but today it is a hundred times worst! Of course this is before mega churches and the Promise Driven Life. Fifteen to 20 years ago you may have seen a book like God of Promise sitting on our shelves, not selling. Today most of the more shallow Christian readers buy their books at Wal-Mart, and the deeper thinking Christian readers will buy books like God of Promise on the Internet.

About a year ago I decided that I was going to read the whole Bible. I been studying the Bible for years in part but never read the whole Bible. I read it once in the New International Version (which is the most popular version in the United States) and then I read it again in the English Standard Version (which is the newest of the “essentially literal” translations). What stood out the most as I was reading the Bible was that I was able to see the whole of scripture as systematic. I was able to detect the overall structure of “law and gospel” and the concept of covenantal relationships with God and His people. Being a reader of “Reformed” Theology gave me the background needed to read the scripture through the lenses of covenant.

The more I see the theology of scripture as systematic the more I am firmly convinced that it is God’s word! Covenant Theology seems to be best theology that systematically fit the whole of scripture. Dispensationalism sees the Bible not as one systematic message but a message divided up into different economies. I think Dispensational Theology is not systematic like Covenant Theology. And the most important thing we can learn from Covenant Theology is that we Christian are NOT “purpose driven” but “promise driven.”

Mike Horton has written a rigorous introduction to Covenant Theology. I am fascinated on how the ancient middle-eastern treaties shed light on the covenantal arrangement between God and his people of the Old Testament and how Christ became the fulfillment of those promises. Mike Horton excellent book is a great read on how these ancient treaties can help us get a better understanding how God related to His people then, now, and future promises. By stating that his book is rigorous is NOT a criticism but in fact praise to him. Because of this I may have to read it again.

Timotheus
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