Covenants and the Exile

4. Covenants and the ExileEach of the three covenants marks a significant development in God's covenantal relationship with Israel. Each covenant has a specific sign attached to it whereby the continuation of the covenant would be evident. The special importance of the last two signs becomes clear in the context of the origin of the Priestly source in the Babylonian exile. All three are called eternal covenants (Genesis 9:16, 17:7; Exodus 31:16), and the signs of circumcision and Sabbath observance became the covenant community's primary identifying symbols of the exilic period and after. During those times when the religious identity of God's people was threatened, these rituals became primary identifiers because they could be practiced anywhere. Even though the people were not in Jerusalem, the only place temple rituals and sacrifices could be performed, they could still perform circumcision and observe the Sabbath.