What your Sunday-School Teacher Didn’t Tell You About Covenants

Suppose you were teaching a class of Israelite youth in biblical times and posed the question: “What is a covenant?” Would they have responded that a covenant is a two-way promise? Probably not. Ancient Israel didn’t claim to be the Lord’s “two-way promise” people. They were the Lord’s covenant people and understood covenants in terms of a sacred relationship. Our modern definition of covenants as two-way promises between God and man misses the very heart of covenants. Covenants can create the most binding relationships possible.

We find the same idea in the Book of Mormon. King Benjamin taught his people, “And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters” (Mosiah 5:7; emphasis added). Did you catch that? A new relationship is being established with Christ by means of a covenant.

Covenant Ceremonies

Anciently, covenants were formed between two or more people through a ceremony.  These ceremonies generally included many or all of the following steps:

• An exchange of robes
• An exchange of weapons
• Shedding of blood
• Covenant terms and conditions
• Blessings and penalties for keeping or breaking the covenant
• An exchange of names
• A mark or other token of the covenant
• A covenant meal
• Witnesses of the covenant
• Covenant beneficiaries

These same elements were also found in covenants between God and man. The central idea behind covenant relationships was that of merging or combining identities—of two becoming one. Because of their binding nature, covenants were considered sacred and not entered into lightly. Each step was highly symbolic and held great meaning for the participants. Here we will consider just two of them.

The Exchange of Robes

As part of the ceremony, two people entering into a covenant together often exchanged robes or other garments. The biblical story of Jonathan and David is a good example.

We read in Samuel, “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (1 Samuel 18:1). This describes the kind of a relationship that should precede and motivate the making of a covenant. “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul” (1 Samuel 18:3). Notice what the record describes next as part of the covenant process. “And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle” (1 Samuel 18:3-4). We might wonder, why as part of their covenant did Jonathan give David his robe? What did this exchange symbolize?

Today, we wear mass-produced clothing, but in biblical times clothes were handmade. Robes were often unique to an individual, especially in the case of someone important like Jonathan. You might even recognize a person’s identity from a distance by the robe they wore. Robes could also indicate a person’s status.  Jonathan was the oldest son of King Saul and heir to the throne. As such, Jonathan’s robe undoubtedly identified him.

By giving his robe to David, Jonathan symbolically hands his identity and his status, as the heir to the kingdom, to David.  This moment held great symbolic meaning for these two friends. Jonathan’s great love for David motivates this exchange. Though we are not told if David did likewise, in many cases both parties exchanged robes and thus shared or merged their two separate identities into one.

In this, Jonathan stands as a type (or symbol) of the Savior and David as a symbol of each of us. When we accept the gospel and enter into a covenant, we are also invited to an exchange of robes. We are offered a chance to exchange the filthiness and nakedness of the natural man and to be clothed by the Lord (see 2 Nephi 9:14; D&C 109:76,80). Isaiah testified: “And I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10; emphasis added).

For each of us this exchange can also involve a merging of or an exchange of identities as the Savior, through the atonement, was clothed in our sinfulness. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteous of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). As the Savior assumes our sinfulness, He offers us the opportunity to be clothed in His holiness.

In the covenant between Jonathan and David, we find a beautiful type. Jonathan’s love for David is a beautiful reflection of the Savior’s love for us. Like Jonathan, Christ offers us the chance to share in His status as heir to the kingdom.

With this idea in mind, consider anew the parable of the prodigal son and how it might apply to our temple ordinances. As you will recall, the younger son eventually comes to his senses and decides to return to his father. But while he was still a long ways off, his father saw him and ran to greet and embrace him. The son explained that he had sinned and was no longer worthy to be called a son. And yet notice what the Father does. He has his servants bring forth the best robe and clothe his son (see Luke 15:11-23). There was great meaning in this simple act of restoring his son’s status, not as a servant but as a member of the family. Do we see it reflected in our own temple ceremonies?

The Exchange of Weapons

As part of their covenant, Jonathan also gave his sword and his bow to David. This represented a pledge of his strength, a promise to safeguard and protect the other, along with an exchange of enemies. David’s enemies were now Jonathan’s enemies. And Jonathan kept this covenant, even when the enemy turned out to be his own father, King Saul.

Jonathan saved David’s life by warning him and helping him to hide (1 Samuel 19:2). He defended David verbally before his father, and for a time softened Saul’s heart (1 Samuel 19:4-6). When Saul once again turned against David, Jonathan continued to defend him even at the risk of his own life. At one point, he so angered the king that Saul actually tried to kill Jonathan, who then warned David of the danger with the pre-arranged sign of the arrows (1 Samuel 20:18-42). Jonathan risked his own life to protect his covenant partner. In the case of Christ, He was required to lay down his life.

We see a similar idea reflected in our own gospel covenants: As covenant partners, God will be our strength (2 Nephi 22:2, D&C 109:24-28). Our enemies—Satan, death, sin and the natural man—become the Lord’s enemies as well. In the strength of the Lord, we shall contend against our enemies (see Words of Mormon 1:14). Those not in the covenant are left to their own strength (Mosiah 10:11). Indeed, Paul testified that the Lord’s people can do all things through Christ (see Philippians 4:13).

Much more could be said about each of the symbolic covenant steps, but the central idea was always two or more parties becoming one in a sacred, binding relationship. These covenant relationships were so revered that they were often meant to endure even beyond the lives of the original covenanting parties to include their posterity as well.

Covenants are Serious

 In the gospel, covenants are a serious matter with the Lord. We see this in the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland temple. This prayer was given by revelation. The words are the Lord’s and have significance. It begins by stating: “Thanks be to thy name, O Lord God of Israel, who keepest covenant” (D&C 109:1; emphasis added). Of all God’s titles and of all the ways He could properly be addressed, here at the dedication of the first temple of the restoration, He chooses to remind us and to be known as one who keeps his covenants!

We find another example of how the Lord views covenants as the ancient Israelites concluded their wandering in the wilderness and entered into the Promised Land (see Joshua chapters 9 and 10). Israel had been destroying the existing inhabitants as commanded by the Lord. Upon hearing of the annihilation of both Jericho and Ai, the people of Gibeon were deathly afraid of the Israelites and realized it is only a matter of time before they met with the same fate. Recognizing they would not prevail in a fight, they resolved upon a strategy to save their lives.

The Gibeonites sent an embassy to the Israelites. These emissaries came disguised with old garments, old shoes and provisions, which appeared to be the remnants of a long journey. Upon meeting with Joshua, these ambassadors lied stating they were from a far country and that word of Israel and Israel’s God had reached them. The Gibeonites sought to make a covenant treaty with the Israelites. Joshua and the others were fooled by their appearance and made a grave error. Rather than asking the Lord’s direction, they proceeded to enter into a covenant with the Gibeonites (see Joshua 9:14).

Later Joshua and the Israelites learned the truth. They were very angry at having been duped and were left in a dilemma: should they honor God’s prior command to destroy all the inhabitants of the land? Or should they honor their covenant even though it had been entered into under false pretenses? The Israelites honored the covenant and refrained from destroying Gibeon, opting to make them servants instead. The Lord supported them in their decision.

And as if that weren’t trying enough for the Israelites, it got worse. Once word spread of the covenant between Gibeon and Israel, some of the neighboring kingdoms banded together in war against Gibeon. Now, not only did Israel have to refrain from destroying Gibeon, but also were called upon to defend her as a covenant partner. Once again, Israel honored the covenant. And the Lord himself went to battle with the Israelites against Gibeon’s enemies. In fact, the scriptures record that the Lord cast down “great stones” from heaven and slew more of them than did the children of Israel (see Joshua 10:11).

Following this battle, Israel kept their covenant with Gibeon from generation to generation for about 500 years. Eventually, over-zealous King Saul broke it by slaying some of the Gibeonites. The Lord punished Israel for this offense by sending a famine lasting three years. King David inquired and was told the famine was a result of Saul’s breaking of the covenant with Gibeon. David made restitution by delivering, as demanded by the Gibeonites, seven of Saul’s sons into their hands for hanging. King David spared Mephibosheth of this fate for the sake of his oath with Jonathan, his father  (see 2 Samuel 21:1-7).

When we realize that these events occurred half a millennium later and with people who had nothing to do with the original covenant (which had been entered into under false pretenses), it serves as another powerful example of how seriously the Lord views covenants.

With this in mind, let us return to the Kirtland dedicatory prayer. In the same verse reminding us that God keeps covenants perfectly, we find some hope for ourselves, “…and showest mercy unto thy servants who walk uprightly before thee, with all their hearts” (D&C 109:1). God recognizes that we do not keep all of our covenants perfectly all of the time. He shows mercy unto us, but in return expects us to walk uprightly with all our hearts.

His claim that he “showest mercy” is, I believe, humbly understated. He is full of long-suffering. The allegory of Zenos (see Jacob 5) is a witness of the Lord’s patience and long-suffering with the House of Israel. Israel’s entire history and status as a covenant people is testimony, not to their greatness or faithfulness or of their favored status (most often they failed miserably and should serve as a warning to us), but rather to how fully God intends to fulfill His covenants.

He tries over and over and over again until he finally asks three times, “What could I have done more?” (Jacob 5:41, 47, 49). Jacob concludes his recital of the allegory by admonishing us to repent and come unto God with full purpose of heart and to “cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you” (Jacob 6:5).

Understanding the symbolism and meaning that covenants held anciently provides us with insight into and greater appreciation for our own gospel covenants. We gain a sense of the kind of relationship God wants to have with each of us. All of which attests to the greatness of God and His love and condescension towards his children. It’s not about us being chosen or special. It’s about God’s greatness and willingness to rescue us. These blessings are available to all, but it remains up to us to enter into and then strive to keep our end of our covenants. We need to establish with the Lord the type of relationship and oneness implied in the covenant. This relationship isn’t automatic but something we should understand and work toward (see John 17:20-21).