More Than Just Another Treaty
Reflections on Abrahamic Covenant in the Patriarchal Narratives
By Red Robregado (February 2021)
I can still vividly remember a time in my 4th grade elementary year when I was fervently reading a chapter in my big, wordy Philippine History textbook and I felt so elated to know that the U.S.-Philippines combined military forces finally defeated imperial Japan and that my beloved country was granted official independence at long last. Following closely, I recall encountering a rather alien concept at that time: a treaty between the U.S. and the Philippines on Mutual Defense.
I’m sure that I came across the word treaty before, but this was the first time that I truly cared due to the first-hand involvement of my country. I curiously looked it up, and soon enough, I learned that a treaty is commonly bilateral in nature as it emphasizes a mutual commitment, agreement of, risk, and benefits for the parties involved. It seems like treaties come in handy after all.
At 17, I started reading the Bible and I remember being inquisitive every time I encounter the word covenant. I assumed that a Biblical covenant always functions like a treaty — a conditional agreement between parties. However, as I have listened to the lecture on the Primeval and Patriarchal Narrative and keenly observed the term usage within a given context, I noticed that there are certain God-initiated covenants such as the Noahide and Abrahamic Covenant that seem to be distinct for its strikingly unconditional and unilateral essence.
Humans do not have parity with God in any aspect. Thus, a Parity Covenant in which two equal parties are expected to observe the mutually-consented provisions cannot be instituted. A rightful covenant in relation to the nature of God and mankind is such that of the Ancient Near East’s Suzerainty Covenant wherein a superior party, a suzerain — in this case, God — alone dictates the terms and sets forth the conditions of the promise. Consequently, humankind, as the inferior party, is covenantally bind to obey the given parameters to serve the interest of God, the Ultimate Suzerain.
In the ancient world, a covenant would be made official by walking between the halves of slain animals to signify mutual responsibility, commitment, and dependence. The most staggering thing happens in Genesis 15 when God passed between the pieces alone. This solitary action indicates that the full weight of responsibility was to fall on God, depending totally on His faithfulness for the fulfillment of the covenant. Moreover, this God-initiated, God-made official Abrahamic Covenant is a complete reversal of the structure of a suzerainty covenant, since it is the inferior party, Abraham, and not the Suzerain, God, who ultimately benefits from it.
The Patriarchal Narrative talks about a particular family in the road, all linked by a common root, all divinely preserved and kept for a specific covenantal purpose. God’s covenantal promise to Abraham was constantly affirmed, confirmed, and re-affirmed in the life and familial line of Isaac, Jacob, and throughout the generations thereafter.
A threefold promise of progeny, blessing, and a homeland will one day find its final fulfillment as the long-awaited seed of Abraham, the promised Messiah of the New Covenant returns to fully establish His righteous rule in a new land, a new World blessed with an abundance of peace, pleasure, and more. Oh, what grace! After all, this is certainly, infinitely more than just another handy, man-made treaty!
