Covenant In The Old Testament

A B S T R ACT

This Thesis is divided into six Chapters,

preceded by the Preface.

The Preface explains the concept of Covenant. It

examines the Israelite faith from its rudimentary stage

and its gradual development; and the relationship between

the Israelite Covenant and the other peoples.

Chapter One begins with the Introduction to the

Thesis. It discusses the Covenant upon which the religion

of Yahweh was based, and as the institution which established

a unique relationship between God and Israel. Covenant,

it explains, was enshrined in the Salvation history of the

Israelites as a saving grace of God. It is therefore a gift

made by Yahweh to Israel. The Chapter also examines the

definition and etymology of Covenant. The Covenant in the

Ancient world, especially, the structure of the Hittite

treaties; and the terminologies of the Covenant in the Old

Testament are looked into.

Chapter Two is devoted to the Covenant forms in Israel,

namely, the Secular traditions, the God-bound, and Israelbound

Covenants, and the Covenant of Joshua. Chapter Three

focuses attention on the physical aspects of the Covenant:

Statutes, Instruments and Sacred objects.

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Chapter Four examines the nature of the Covenant

God as an Ethical and Personal Being; the relationship

between Him and Baal; the Covenant as a doctrine of

Redemption, namely, the religious and saving consciousness

of Israel; the motive to the formation of the covenant;

and the justif1cati6h of the Choice of Israel for the Cove-

.-an'. The Chapter ends with a study of the Covenant

people as a righteous people.

Chapter Five is concentrated on the Deuteronomic reform;

the idea of a new Covenant; Covenant breaking and judgment;

the Covenant in Exilic period; and the Post-exilic impact on

the Covenant.

The Conclusion forms the first section of the last

Chapte~. It gives a consise'account of the crucial views

reached in this Thesis, especially in stressing the fundamenta4s

and uniqueness of the Covenant theology. The

Chapter concludes with the examination of the effect of

covenant on the Israelites.