Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

What is a covenant?
It's an agreement between two or more persons, also known as:

contract - promise - pact - understanding

When Elohim makes a promise it is to bring about a relationship between Himself and His people.  He explains what is expected (the terms) and then we choose whether or not to accept His Terms.  If we agree with His terms then we must uphold our end of the deal.

When we accept and agree to do as He says, we are to abide by the 'Terms of the Contract'.  In order to know the terms we need to read Scriptures, beginning with Genesis, wherein YHWH explains what is expected of His People.

Genesis 2:15 - YHWH Elohim took Adam and placed him in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it.  And He commanded the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat; but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die."

This was the understanding between Yah and Adam.

Genesis 3 - Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild beasts... He said to the woman, "Did Elohim really say: You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?"  Eve replied, "We may eat of the fruit of the other trees of the garden. It is only  about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden Elohim said 'You shall not eat of it or touch it, lest you die.'  And the serpent said to her, "You are not going to die, but Elohim knows that as soon as you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like divine beings who know good and bad."

Thus, the serpent caused Eve to doubt the Word of Elohim and also convinced Adam to do likewise.  They betrayed the understanding between them and their Creator. YHWH banished them from the Garden.  Their faith, their trust in the Creator was tested - they did not resist temptation; the devil did not flee from them.

Fast-forward to the time of Noah.

In Genesis 6 YHWH tells Noah He's going to put an end to all flesh because of how corrupt the earth had become, filled with lawlessness.  He instructs Noah in the building of the ark because of the flood to come.

Genesis 6:17 - For My part, I am about to bring the Flood... to destroy all flesh under the sky... everything on earth shall perish. But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark with your sons, your wife and your sons' wives...
Genesis 9:9 - I now establish My covenant with you and your offspring to come, and with every living thing that is with you... all that have come out of the ark, every living thing on earth.  I will maintain My covenant with you: never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.
Genesis 9:12 - This is the sign that I set for the covenant between Me and you... for all ages to come.  I have set My bow in the clouds and it shall serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.  When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature among all flesh, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.  When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between Me and all living creatures, all flesh on earth.  That shall be the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and all flesh that is on earth."

The promise here is that Elohim will not flood the world again in order to destroy all flesh.  He calls this an everlasting covenant which means it is still in effect in this day and age.  Think about this next time you see a rainbow.

Moving along, in Genesis 12 YHWH makes a promise to Abram.  He tells Abram to leave 'home' and travel to the land He will show him.

Genesis 12:2 - I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you and curse him that curses you; and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you." (the terms of the contract)

Abram left and took his wife and his nephew Lot and all their belongings with him.  When they arrived in the land of Canaan YHWH appeared to Abram and told him, "I will assign this land to your offspring."

Eventually Abraham and Lot go separate ways.  

In Genesis 13:14 YHWH reminds Abraham that the land he sees belongs to him and his offspring forever - generation after generation. This covenant is still in effect.

Genesis 15:18 - On that day YHWH made a covenant with Abram saying, "To your offspring I assign this land 

Genesis 17 - I am El Shaddai. Walk in My ways and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between me and you and I will make you exceedingly numerous.  This is My covenant with you: You shall be the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fertile, and make nations of you; kings shall come forth from you.  I will maintain My covenant with you and your offspring to come, as an everlasting covenant throughout the ages, to be God to you and to your offspring to come. I assign the land you sojourn in to you and your offspring to come, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting holding.  I will be their Elohim. 

Genesis 17:9 - As for you, you and your offspring to come throughout the ages shall keep My covenant. Such shall be the covenant... every male among you shall be circumcised... that shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.  Throughout the generations every male shall be circumcised at the age of eight days... Thus shall My covenant be marked in your flesh as an everlasting pact. If any male fails to do so he shall be cut off from his kin because he has broken My covenant. 

Genesis 17:19 - Sarah your wife shall bear you a son and you shall name him Isaac and I will maintain My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring to come... Ishmael I will bless... but My covenant I will maintain with Isaac.

Years go by and Abraham stays true to Elohim. Even so, YHWH tests him.  He tells Abraham to take his favorite son, Isaac, and offer him as a burnt offering.  Abraham's faith is as such that He obeys the command and totally trusts Yah to know what He's doing.  He proceeds to the place as instructed.  Of course YHWH stops Abraham from slaying his son and now commits to blessing Abraham.

Genesis 22:17 - I will bestow My blessing upon you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands on the seashore. All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed My command.

In Genesis 26, YHWH tells Isaac about fulfilling the oath He swore to his father, Abraham, about the land and his descendants and the blessing -

26:5- Inasmuch as Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge: My commandments, My laws and My teachings (the terms of the covenant = obey the Creator).

In Genesis 28, YHWH meets Jacob and lets him know that He is the Elohim of Abraham and of Isaac. He reaffirms the covenant, points out the land that is his and his offspring and tell  him that He won't leave him until He has done what He has promised.

Genesis 35:10 -  You whose name is Jacob, you shall be called Jacob no more, but Israel shall be your name.  I am El Shaddai. Be fertile and increase; a nation, yes an assembly of nations, shall descend from you.  Kings shall issue from your loins.  The land that I assigned to Abraham and Isaac I assign to you; and to your offspring to come will I assign the land.

We learn that the Creator, our heavenly Father, made a promise long ago, an everlasting covenant with a select group of people:

Any one who obeys His Instructions and

Have the testimony of His Son