If a covenant is unilateral, can it be broken?
A covenant is an agreement between parties and there are always expected obligations on both sides. If not, then there is no real covenant. One party simply does something for someone else without any agreement between them. So I would suggest that there is no such thing as a unilateral covenant.
The various covenants found in the Hebrew Scriptures indicate that they could be broken by man. Consider the following two passages:
Abrahamic Covenant-
Genesis 17:14
(14) And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses covenants-
Jeremiah 11:10
(10) They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
Therefore, Terry's concept of the covenant being broken and therefore setting aside the "forever" clauses is valid. The idea that there is a new covenant in Christ, a different covenant with different elements, is certainly a valid consideration here.
As an example, consider the sabbath commandment. When it was established, God expected them to keep it forever, for a "perpetual covenant."
Exodus 31:15-18
(15) Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
(16) Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
(17) It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
(18) And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
But when Israel sinned and broke the covenant, God told Israel to stop keeping the sabbath.
Isaiah 1:10-18
(10) Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
(11) To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
(12) When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
(13) Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
(14) Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
(15) And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
(16) Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
(17) Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
(18) Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Peace be with you.
David Miller.
---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
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