There were 2 main types of covenant, Promissory and obligatory.
The covenant between god and the people of Israel was however a mixture of both. The promissory aspect of the covenant was that god promised his people land, authority, his blessing (protection) and descendants, however the Sinai covenant was also an obligatory one which meant the Israelites had obligations which were to be upheld (10 commandments) if they were to receive gods gifts, In this covenant there is not an agreement made between 2 parties of equal standing as god is superior whilst Israel is inferior. “The Patriarchal covenant rested only on the divine promise and demanded of the worshipper only his trust” (J bright)
The Sinai covenant is the supreme covenant of the Old Testament and from the moment the Israelites accept the covenant they are bound to the unbreakable union with Yahweh “The escaping slaves recognised their dept to Yahweh and his servant Moses and pledged themselves to worship him.” (Drane)
Therefore the people owe god worship, fidelity and obedience, and god promises to assist them and deliver them, however if they are unfaithful then god will remove his favour.
Moses was a strong caring leader and when the people of Israel failed to obey god during the exodus, he pleaded with god on there behalf, Moses had a very personal relationship with god and he was a role model for all the later prophets. He guided them through the journey out of slavery and did as god asked.” This is the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob… I have let you see it with your own eyes but you will not cross over into it… And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab”
The exodus was one of the most crucial events in Israel’s history because it shows that God was with his people and that he had freed them from slavery to deliver them to a promised land, it also showed that god wanted his people to act in a certain way and he allowed them to remain in the desert for so long so as they built up respect and trust for god and they were prepared to accept the covenant..
There was a notion of “election” which give Israel the strong awareness that it had a unique status among the nations of the world, but with this came responsibility i.e. Israel is called to be holy and behave in a certain way that befits there calling.
The covenant was established at Mount Sinai when the whole of Israel took part in a ceremony at the foot of the mountain. Moses again plays another important role in the history of Israel as he is the one who is chosen to go to the top of the mountain to meet Yahweh alone. He receives the 10 commandments and explains them to the people of Israel, He then puts them into writing and prepares a ceremony where the people of Israel agree to the rules of the covenant “and taking the book of the covenant he read it to the listening people and they said “ we will observe all that Yahweh has decreed; We will obey”
The laws of the covenant had many important features and were moreso based on moral requirements than worship (although this was an important factor) the central theme of the laws created were that Honesty, truth and justice were as important (if not moreso) than Religious worship.
