The model covenant pattern is revealed in Genesis 31. I will break this down into five major components, although some scholars have noted as many as seven parts.
- Historical Background
Genesis 31:36-42 gives the reader a historical background describing the relationship and history between Jacob and his uncle and father-in-law, Laban. In verses 36-37, Jacob asks what his trespass has been against Laban and why Laban has pursued him following his secret escape. He inquires regarding Laban’s search through their tents to find his stolen images. Jacob is unaware that Rachel had taken and hidden them. Jacob asks for a third- party judge, which is frequently a part of such agreements. Often the Lord is the judge.
“And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
“Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.”
Jacob pleads his case in verses 38-42:
“This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
“That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
“Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
“Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
“Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.”
Jacob contends that he has not eaten Laban’s animals, that he suffered the loss for animals torn by beasts, that he worked twenty years in Laban’s house, that he worked seven years for Rachel, but was tricked into marrying Leah, that he had to work another seven years for Rachel, that his wages were changed ten times, and that Laban intended to send him away empty. By the way, Jewish weddings now have a bedecken ceremony where the groom gets “to check” the bride before veiling to make sure he doesn’t get tricked like Jacob was.
Let’s look at two other scriptural covenants. In D&C 84, we have the oath and covenant of the Priesthood. In D&C 84:6-17, the Melchizedek Priesthood line of authority from Moses back to Adam is given. Verse 17 reveals the eternal nature of the priesthood—that it “is without beginning of days or end of years,” and that it continues in the church of God in all generations. This is the historical background of the covenant.
In D&C 132, the New and Everlasting Covenant of Celestial Marriage is revealed. Verse 1 speaks of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David and Solomon having multiple wives and concubines. Verses 28-40 describe the eternal nature of the covenant ordained by the Father and the Son before the world was created, Abraham’s role and exaltation, the continuation of the covenant in each generation, Sarah giving Hagar to Abraham to wife, Hagar’s role in fulfilling the covenant, Isaac and Jacob’s roles and their exaltation and status as gods, David’s violation of the covenant in the case of Uriah and Bathsheba, and the restoration of the covenant through Joseph Smith and beyond.
- Offering the Covenant
Laban responds to Jacob’s complaints by saying, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou.” (Genesis 31:43-44). In ancient covenant making, and even in Israel today, covenants can only be offered by the party of power. Laban has the power, in this case, because he has the daughters, the land, cattle, and all the stuff. Compare this with a modern revelation: “And I now give unto you power from this very hour . . . I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine. And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine” (D&C 104:10,14-15). The weaker party does not get to beg or barter their way into a true covenant.
It’s significant that the agreement between Nephi and Zoram is called an oath. Nephi records, “And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go down in the wilderness with us” (1 Nephi 4:33). The phrase, “like unto us,” suggests that they are on equal terms—that neither party has power over the other. I like to think of the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood with the oath being our relationship with each other, and the covenant being our relationship with the Lord.
The party of power gets to establish the terms of the covenant. The Lord says in D&C 104:16, “But it must needs be done in mine own way.” In D&C 132:9-10, He said, “Will I accept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name? Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed?” The Lord is the only One who can extend the covenant. We don’t get to change the terms of the covenant.
- Witnesses
All covenants have witnesses. Ordinances necessary for our salvation have witnesses. There are witnesses at temple marriages, baptisms, temple ordinances, and even the sacrament, as the prayer states, “that they may witness unto thee.”
“And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
“And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: (Aramaic for “witness heap”) but Jacob called it Galeed (Hebrew for “witness heap”).
“And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed.” (Genesis 31:46-48).
Jacob and Laban gather stones to make a heap of witness. This demonstrates the necessity of witnesses, even if human witnesses are not present. Joshua invited all Israel to make a covenant saying, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve. . . And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. . . And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God” (Joshua 24:15,22,27). King Benjamin gave a speech similar to Joshua’s. Scholars believe both speeches were given during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). King Benjamin gave a report of his reign, based on the requirements for Israelite kings found in Deuteronomy 17:14-20 and then said, “And of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day” (Mosiah 2:14).
- Terms and Conditions
Laban set the terms of the covenant by saying, “The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. . . This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm” (Genesis 31:49-50, 52).
The terms and conditions of the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood are set forth:
“For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.
“They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.
“And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord;
“For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me;
“And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father;
“And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.
“And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood.
“Therefore, all those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved.
“But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come.
“And wo unto all those who come not unto this priesthood which ye have received, which I now confirm upon you who are present this day, by mine own voice out of the heavens; and even I have given the heavenly hosts and mine angels charge concerning you.” (D&C 84:33-42).
The blessings associated with the covenant are outlined and also the penalties for violating the covenant. Similar terms and conditions are explained in the New and Everlasting Covenant of Celestial Marriage:
“For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.
“For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world.
“And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.” (D&C 132:4-5,7).
The Lord has said, “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (D&C 130:20-21).
When I read the blessings associated with the New and Everlasting Covenant, it blows my mind! They are so incredible!
“And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths . . .” (D&C 132:19)
- The Ceremonial Act
The final component of a covenant is the ceremonial act, which is a symbol of completion and a sealing of the covenant. This outward physical action symbolizes a pledge to keep the covenant. Abraham said, “I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God” (Genesis 14:22). The Lord commanded Moses saying, “And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him” (Exodus 40:12-13).
For Jacob, he “offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount” (Genesis 31:54).
For us, we are immersed and come forth out of the waters of baptism. We eat and drink the emblems of the sacrament. We have hands placed upon our heads and a blessing pronounced. We kneel at an altar, exchange rings, and enter into an eternal covenant.
We walk the covenant path.
