Covenant of Exodus and How to Preach It Essay

Tags: modern world exodus law ancient

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 666 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 1

Page 1 of 2

The covenant is the central motif in Jewish identity and consciousness, representing the unique relationship between the Jews and God. Although there are several instances during which the Jewish people engage in covenant with God, the most significant and momentous is the covenant God forms with Moses, who in turn communicates God's will to the Jewish people. As Boadt (1984) points out, the covenant is also significant from literary and historical perspectives because "all of biblical history may be called a theology of the covenant," (p. 174). The covenant represents a bilateral relationship and form of communication, a sort of mutually beneficial agreement in which both God and the Jewish people agree to specific behaviors that are expressions of mutual trust, love, and loyalty. Essentially, the covenant is a binding contract between God and the Jews, which outlines the parameters of the relationship and what is expected of both parties.



The central covenant in Exodus is by no means the first one God makes with a group of people but this covenant is nevertheless unique because of the way it solidifies the Jewish community and continues to do so thousands of years after it was forged. Coming on the heels of tremendous turmoil, the Exodus covenant helps the Jewish people to renew and recharge their faith.

Stuck Writing Your "Covenant of Exodus and How to Preach It" Essay?

View All Our Example Covenant of Exodus and How to Preach It Essay

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

Unlike previous covenants extant in the ancient Near East, the Exodus covenant is apodictic and indisputable, far more binding and serious in nature than any other of its kind. The covenant is not only religious or spiritual in nature, but it is also political with direct social and economic impact on the people. With the covenant, the people are empowered and united under a common rubric. The Sinai covenant also differs from Hittite and other ancient Near Eastern covenants in its ability to permeate common law and not simply remain within the province of priests. The Pentateuch becomes law under the new covenant, solidifying Jewish cultural and political identity.



Preaching to Christians about the covenant outlined in Exodus can be tricky, but essentially entails contextualization. Far from being negative, the original Sinai covenant singularly expresses God's commitment to upholding His end of the bargain. Moreover, the covenant in Exodus shows how human beings can come to accept boundaries and rules as being beneficial for spiritual, social, and political development. The covenant is not simply about an economic exchange,….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


References


Boadt, L. (1984). Reading the Old Testament. New York: The Missionary Society.

sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Covenant Of Exodus And How To Preach It" (2016, September 25) Retrieved May 22, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/covenant-of-exodus-and-how-to-preach-it-essay

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Covenant Of Exodus And How To Preach It" 25 September 2016. Web.22 May. 2025. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/covenant-of-exodus-and-how-to-preach-it-essay>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Covenant Of Exodus And How To Preach It", 25 September 2016, Accessed.22 May. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/covenant-of-exodus-and-how-to-preach-it-essay
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example