Covenant and Creation: A Theology of Old Testament Covenants

by Dumbrell, William J.

• ISBN13: 9781608992386
• ISBN10: 1608992381
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-11-01
• Publisher: Wipf & Stock Pub

Summary

Covenant Theology. From Noah to David, successive covenants are seen in the Old Testament as expressions of divine purpose. The argument for and against the close relation of these "terms of agreement" between humankind and God have, for the past fifty years, been at the heart of biblical studies. Old Testament scholar W. J. Dumbrell reaffirms one facet of this study--the theory of covenant--inCovenant and Creation. Where many have since tried to refute or seriously modify this covenant model, Dumbrell finds it at the core of Reformed doctrine.Covenant and Creationtraces the background and content of each biblical covenant beginning with Noah and God after the flood, Abraham (the creation of Israel and its people), Mt. Sinai and Moses (the creation of the Law), and David (the creation of the monarchy). And what of the New Covenant? The effects of the Babylonian exile and the connecting themes in the books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah are evaluated. The epilogue delves into theological implications of the postexilic period in Israel's history, and further developments by the major exilic prophets. Readers will find this a summary most helpful in understanding New Covenant theology that emerged in the early Christian era.

Author Biography

William J. Dumbrell received his ThD from Harvard University. He has published books and many essays on the Old Testament and biblical theology issues. He is currently teaching in the Master's course at the Presbyterian Theological Centre.

Table of Contents

The Covenant with Noah - a Recall to a Basic Pattern of Creation	p. 11
In the general context of the flood	p. 11
The immediate context of Genesis 6:17,18	p. 11
Extra-biblical parallels	p. 12
Noah and his age - Noah as 'righteous'	p. 13
Covenant at Genesis 6:18	p. 15
The meaning of Berît	p. 15
Berît - does the term initiate or confirm relationships?	p. 16
Why is the terminology of covenant initiation lacking in Genesis 6:18 and 9:9ff?	p. 20
After the Flood	p. 26
The new beginning of Genesis 9:1ff	p. 26
Sequence of thought in Genesis 9:1-17	p. 27
Covenant in Genesis 9:9-17 and the sign of the bow	p. 28
Summary of the argument to this point	p. 31
Details of the covenant with creation-Genesis 1-3.	p. 33
The covenant with Noah as redemptive	p. 39
The Old Testament use of the flood imagery	p. 39
The covenant connection of 1 Peter 3:19-21	p. 40
A Comprehensive View	p. 41
Summary	p. 43
Excursus: Noah and Adam and the 'covenant of works'	p. 44
The Covenant with Abraham	p. 47
The order of the argument	p. 47
Genesis 15:18 and its context	p. 47
The covenant ritual of Genesis 15:18	p. 47
Content of the covenant-land and people	p. 49
The content of Genesis 15	p. 51
Genesis 12:1-3	p. 55
The call of Abraham and its relationship to Genesis 11:1-9	p. 55
The call as an elective call	p. 57
The call as a divine response to Genesis 1:1-11:9	p. 58
The content of Genesis 12:1-3	p. 64
Genesis 17	p. 72
Analysis of the chapter	p. 72
Genesis 17 as a summary of the Abrahamic covenant	p. 74
Operation of the Abrahamic promises in the later patriarchal narratives	p. 77
Later Old, Testament references to the Abrahamic promises	p. 78
Summary	p. 78
The Sinai Covenant - Israel as a Nation within the Abrahamic Framework	p. 80
Exodus 19:3b-8 and the covenant introduction of the divine name Yahweh	p. 80
The General setting of Exodus 19:3b-8	p. 80
Yahweh and the call of Moses	p. 81
Significance of the name Yahweh	p. 83
Exodus 19:3b-6	p. 84
Relationship of 'covenant' and 'law'	p. 91
Exodus 20 and the meaning of Heb Tôrāh	p. 91
'Commandments' (Exodus 20) and ordinances' (Exodus 21-23)	p. 92
Israel's understanding of the Sinai covenant	p. 93
The ratification of the covenant (Exodus 24)	p. 93
The Hittite treaty analogies	p. 94
The covenant and family relationships	p. 99
Exodus 15-the goal of the Sinai covenant	p. 100
Worship as the recognition of divine kingship (Exodus 25-31)	p. 104
Covenant fracture and renewal (Exodus 32-34)	p. 105
Apostasy and covenant renewal (Exodus 32-34)	p. 105
The veil of Moses (Exodus 34:29-35)	p. 107
Moses' mediatorial role	p. 109
Sin within the covenant framework: sacrifice	p. 110
The efficacy of the sacrificial system	p. 110
The meaning of the system	p. 112
Deuteronomy as covenant address	p. 114
Structure of the book and the use of Berît	p. 114
Deuteronomy and the treaties	p. 115
Deuteronomy - life in the land	p. 116
Deuteronomy 26	p. 116
Canaan as Israel's 'inheritance'	p. 117
Canaan as Eden recaptured	p. 119
'Given' and yet 'to be taken'	p. 120
'Rest'in the land	p. 121
Israel's response - 'law' and 'love'	p. 123
Summary	p. 125
The Covenant with David: The Covenant and Messiahship	p. 127
Historical background to the rise of kingship	p. 127
The conquest	p. 127
The period of the judges	p. 129
Samuel and the rise of the monarchy	p. 132
The crisis (1 Samuel 1-6)	p. 132
The request for a king and the choice of Saul	p. 133
The emergence of the prophetic office	p. 136
Messianism-a theology of kingship	p. 139
David and the Kingdom of God	p. 141
The order of 2 Samuel 6-7: sanctuary and kingship	p. 141
2 Samuel 6 and the function of the ark	p. 143
2 Samuel 7:1-16. A charter for the Davidic dynasty	p. 145
2 Samuel 7:18-29; the charter of man	p. 151
Priest after the order of Melchizedek	p. 152
The development of Davidic eschatology	p. 153
The dissolution of the political empire and the emergence of Jerusalem/Zion as a symbol	p. 153
The emergence of the 'people of God' notion	p. 156
Attempts at covenant renewal to the exile	p. 159
The assessment of the period in 1 and 2 Kings	p. 161
Summary	p. 162
The New Covenant. The Shape of Biblical Eschatology	p. 164
The effect of the exile	p. 164
Covenant exposition in the pre-exilic prophets	p. 167
1 Kings 17-19 and Elijah	p. 167
Amos	p. 168
Hosea	p. 169
Jeremiah	p. 170
The reaction of the prophet to his times	p. 170
Jeremiah 31-34, the new covenant	p. 172
Ezekiel and the New Covenant	p. 185
Ezekiel's blueprint for the return of Israel (33:21-39:29)	p. 185
Ezekiel 40-48: the new creation	p. 188
Ezekiel and Davidic monarchy. New Covenant and divine kingship	p. 189
The New Covenant theology of Isaiah 40-66	p. 190
Re-creation through the divine word - covenant renewal	p. 190
Servant and covenant	p. 192
Isaiah 54, 55: a review of covenant theology	p. 194
Universalism and particularism in covenant emphasis in Isaiah 40-55	p. 196
Survey of Isaiah 56-66	p. 197
The question of the fulfilment of the Exilic prophetic redaction	p. 198
Summary	p. 199
Epilogue: The Post-Exilic developments	p. 201
Daniel	p. 201
Haggai and Zechariah	p. 202
Malachi-Ezra-Nehemiah	p. 204
The Wisdom Literature	p. 205
Kingdom and Covenant	p. 206
Index of Authors
Index of References
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