A Covenant of Salt

 In our previous study of covenants, we discussed the blood covenant. We saw that Almighty God takes covenants very, very seriously — especially our covenant with Him. And we also saw that God deems covenant-breakers worthy of death!

To that study could be added the following passage in Romans 1, where the apostle Paul listed many of the abominations of the heathen. Here are verses 29-32 in the KJV:

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

32 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

“Covenantbreakers” is Strong’s # G802, asynthetos in Greek. It can be translated “faithless,” “unfaithful,” or “untrustworthy,” as many versions do, but the literal meaning is “covenant breaker.”

Now, in addition to the blood covenant, God’s Word describes another view of covenants, too: salt. Three times, the Bible mentions a “covenant of salt.” Here are those three.

In the Book of Leviticus, God commanded the Israelites, “And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt” (Lev. 2:13).

In Num. 18:19, the Eternal told the priests, “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you.”

And in 2 Chronicles, we learn that God also entered into a covenant of salt with King David: “Should you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt?” (2 Chron. 13:5).

So what is a covenant of salt? And why salt? What does salt mean?

Symbolism of Salt

First, we must note that a covenant of salt isn’t necessarily exclusive of a blood covenant. In our study of blood covenants, we saw that a covenant ceremony generally concluded with a meal. Most food, especially meat, must be salted in order to be palatable. As Job 6:6 queries, “Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?” Thus, a blood covenant included an element of salt.

Speaking of food and salt, Yeshua/Jesus told us, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Mat. 5:13). He went on to draw another analogy: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (v. 14).

Here’s Luke’s account: “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Luke 14:34-35).

In Mark 9, Jesus added a little more detail: “For everyone will be seasoned [lit. salted] with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned [lit. salted] with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”

Why did Yeshua liken His people to salt? This paints a fascinating picture!

Salt is white, though it may appear pink if mixed with other minerals. White symbolizes righteousness: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18). “And to her [the bride of Christ] it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Rev. 19:8).

Many small grains compose salt, similar to grains of sand. In fact, the Hebrew word for salt, melakh (Strong’s # H4417), describes its powdery nature. Grains of sand symbolize people. God’s Word often compares large numbers of people to sand (e.g., Gen. 22:17; Josh. 11:4; 1 Sam. 13:5; Hos. 1:10). Grains of salt symbolize righteous people, the followers of Jesus Christ.

Salt bears a dual nature. Consuming either too much or too little salt will harm your health or even kill you! One must have the right balance. Salt is an essential nutrient, but salty land kills most vegetation.

All these properties combine to paint an interesting picture. Salt is indispensable, but must be used sparingly. It’s not a food in and of itself; its purpose is to season food. Most importantly, its purpose is to be different. Salt must stand out from everything else as light stands out from darkness. Otherwise, it’s useless.

That, of course, was Jesus’ teaching. He has called us out of this world, called us to be righteous in His sight, called us to be different. If we’re just like everyone else in the world, then we’re useless to Him. King Solomon observed, “A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well” (Prov. 25:26). And remember Christ’s own warning: “If the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Mat. 5:13).

A Calling and a Covenant

So what does this have to do with the covenant of salt? Why did God command the Israelites to include the salt of the covenant with every grain offering? Why did He specify that His covenant with the Levitical priests and with the house of David was a covenant of salt?

The Almighty gave each of those three groups a special calling to be His people. He called them to be the salt of the earth.

Moses announced before all Israel, “Also today the LORD has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken” (Deut. 26:18-19).

Again, God said to Israel, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:5-6).

God called the Israelites to be an example of righteous obedience — a light — to the rest of the world. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Mat. 5:14). He called them to be the salt of the earth.

Of the Levitical priesthood, God said, “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear Me; so he feared Me and was reverent before My name. For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts” (Mal. 2:5, 7).

And as for King David and his descendants, God called them to lead His people and administer His justice. Twice, we’re told, “So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people” (2 Sam. 8:15; 1 Chron. 18:14). Regarding David’s descendant Jesus Christ, the prophet Isaiah foretold, “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever” (Isa. 9:7).

So when our heavenly High Priest and Mediator of the New Covenant, Jesus Christ, called us to be His people and described us as the salt of the earth, that means He made a covenant of salt with us. He has called us to be Israelites, to be priests, and to be rulers with Him in His Kingdom!

Notice 1 Pet. 2:9: “But YOU are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Those whom our Savior chooses to be in the First Resurrection “shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” and for all eternity (Rev. 20:6; also Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 22:5).

Purity or Destruction?

Let’s remember, though, that not only does salt picture purity and righteousness, but it also can bring about death and destruction. It can preserve life, but it can also destroy.

So it is with God’s righteousness. He will save the repentant, those who accept the purifying blood of Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:5), but all sin must be destroyed, for God cannot dwell in the presence of sin (Psa. 5:4; Rev. 21:27). Those who refuse to repent will be destroyed WITH their sins!

Moments before God rained fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah, purging their wickedness from the earth, His angelic messengers commanded Lot and his family to flee from Sodom without looking back (Gen. 19:17). But Lot’s wife disobeyed God’s command; she turned and looked behind her at the destruction of the city. And so God purged her sin and her with it: she became a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26).

God warned the ancient Israelites that, should they break their covenant with Him and turn away after other gods, His judgment against their wickedness in that land would cause the surrounding nations to marvel, saying, “The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger and His wrath” (Deut. 29:23).

One way or the other, all sin must be purged away with the salt of God’s righteous judgment. “For everyone will be seasoned [lit. salted] with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned [lit. salted] with salt” (Mark 9:49).

Those who refuse to repent, who persist in clinging to their sins, will be purged with them. They won’t die a mere physical death, either, but will be erased forever. “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).

We each have a choice between life and death. Salt that makes alive, or salt that destroys. Keeping God’s covenant, or forsaking it. Forsaking the ways of this world and choosing life, or clinging to our sins and perishing with them. Which will it be?