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I liked the review, but I have one nitpick, and that is if we are to believe Joseph Smith the first significant covenant with respect to God is that made between the members of the godhead:
“Everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth. These personages … are called God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the Witness or Testator.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith [2007], Chapter 2, pg 42)
Though Adam was the first man with whom covenant was established, our theology admits a deeper, more eternal significance of covenant relationship.
In the book he says, “This is exactly why part of the covenant is that a special mercy and love (hesed) is available to all who enter into this binding and intimate relationship with God (Deut. 7:9). That is surely what Nephi spoke of when he said that God ‘loveth those who will have him to be their God’ (1 Ne 17:40).”
I wonder if this is the same kind of love spoken of in D&C 95:12 where it says, “If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you”. I wonder if the love of the Father that is conditional on our obedience is the special love (hesed) spoken of by Kerry in his book. So, while God might love all of his children, the is a separate (higher?) love reserved for those who enter into the covenant and keep the associated commandments, a love that is conditional and can be lost through disobedience.
Thank you. Maybe we should think of the New and Everlasting Covenant as the Renewed Covenant. Just as every Sabbath we partake of the Sacrament to renew all our covenants. And, we should always consider our work for the dead as part of the gathering and fulfilling of the Covenant.
All covenants are not the same.
There are really two very separate types of covenants in Scripture, conditional and unconditional. An example of a conditional covenant is the Lehite Covenant, which is restated throughout the Book of Mormon, the best exemplar of which is at 2 Ne 1:20, “in as much as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land, but in as much as ye will not keep his commandments, ye shall be cut off from his presance” (original text), which is very similar to the Mosaic Covenant (Deut 29:9, Josh 1:7, John 15:10). The Nephites failed to keep that covenant and so were destroyed.
The classic example of an unconditional covenant is the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1-3), which requires no obedience and will be brought to full fruition (Rom 11:26-29). The ceremonial oath is one-sided (Gen 15 God alone moving between the pieces), and it is accompanied by a sign, circumcision (Gen 17).
God enables the fulfillment of his unconditional covenant, as he did when he had Apostle Orson Hyde sent to the Holy Land to formally dedicate that land to the final gathering of the Jews and to the rebuilding of their temple (1841). These are truly the latter-days.
A very impressive review Jasmin – more than enough depth to engage with the book under review, while stimulating interest in reading it.
Thank you!