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impression that this covenant is dissociated altogether from the covenant of grace. Though the
two differ, they are also most intimately connected.
a. Points of difference.
The following points of difference should be noted: (1) While the
covenant of grace pertains primarily, though not exclusively, to spiritual blessings, the covenant
of nature assures man only of earthly and temporal blessings. (2) While the covenant of grace
in the broadest sense of the word includes only believers and their seed, and is fully realized
only in the lives of the elect, the covenant with Noah was not only universal in its inception, but
was destined to remain all-inclusive. Up to the days of the covenant transaction with Abraham
there was no seal of the covenant of grace, but the covenant with Noah was confirmed by the
token of the rainbow, a seal quite different from those that were later on connected with the
covenant of grace.
b. Points of connection.
Notwithstanding the differences just mentioned, there is a most
intimate connection between the two covenants. (1) The covenant of nature also originated in
the grace of God. In this covenant, just as in the covenant of grace, God bestows on man not
only unmerited favors, but blessings that were forfeited by sin. By nature man has no claim
whatsoever on the natural blessings promised in this covenant. (2) This covenant also rests on
the covenant of grace. It was established more particularly with Noah and his seed, because
there were clear evidences of the realization of the covenant of grace in this family, Gen. 6:9;
7:1; 9:9,26,27. (3) It is also a necessary appendage (Witsius: “aanhangsel”) of the covenant of
grace. The revelation of the covenant of grace in Gen. 3:16-19 already pointed to earthly and
temporal blessings. These were absolutely necessary for the realization of the covenant of
grace. In the covenant with Noah the general character of these blessings is clearly brought out,
and their continuance is confirmed.
3. THE COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM.
With Abraham we enter upon a new epoch in the Old
Testament revelation of the covenant of grace. There are several points that deserve attention
here:
a. Up to the time of Abraham there was no formal establishment of the covenant of grace.
While Gen. 3:15 already contains the elements of this covenant, it does not record a formal
transaction by which the covenant was established. It does not even speak explicitly of a
covenant. The establishment of the covenant with Abraham marked the beginning of an
institutional Church. In pre-Abrahamic times there was what may be called “the church in the
house.” There were families in which the true religion found expression, and undoubtedly also
gatherings of believers, but there was no definitely marked body of believers, separated from
the world, that might be called the Church. There were “sons of God” and “sons of men,” but
these were not yet separated by a visible line of demarcation. At the time of Abraham,