Sealed with an Oath

I will make an everlasting covenant with you ... ' (Isaiah 55:3). 'Covenant' is a major theme in the Bible, and many Christian thinkers across the centuries have made it the organizing principle by which they understand the Old and New Testaments. The biblical material is undoubtedly plentiful, but some specific texts are also much disputed. In this stimulating overview, Paul Williamson offers fresh readings of many passages that contribute to the theme of covenant, highlights its significance for biblical theology, and explores its role within God's unfolding purpose. He concludes that covenant is essentially 'a solemn commitment, guaranteeing promises undertaken by one or both parties, sealed with an oath', and that its primary function is to advance God's creative purpose of universal blessing, from its inception in the primeval period to its consummation in the new heavens and the new earth.