In his helpful introduction to covenant theology, Baptist pastor Earl Blackburn notes that the first division is the Covenant of Redemption, “which refers to the intratrinitarian agreement made before the world began in heaven among the members of the Godhead (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) to save elect sinners by grace alone. . . . Although it is not mentioned first in Bible chronology, it is inferred and taught throughout the OT and NT as being foundational for all that takes place in redemptive history. The Covenant of Redemption is the chief and greatest of all God’s Covenants” (Earl Blackburn, “Covenant Theology,” in Going Beyond the Five Points: Pursuing a More Comprehensive Reformation, 139-40). 

Notice Psalm 2:6-8: ⁶ “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”  ⁷ I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.  ⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” What is going on in this passage? Blackburn explains, “David is the earthly person speaking. Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he unveils a divine conversation between God the Father and God the Son that could have obviously only taken place in eternity past. In it the Father states that he will utter the decree. What decree? The decree the Father made with the Son to resurrect and enthrone Him to an exalted kingly status. Then the Father speaks and promises the Son a great heritage of souls from among the nations and the ends of the earth” (“Covenant Theology,” 141).

Isaiah 42:5-7 echoes Psalm 2:6-8: ⁵ Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:  ⁶ “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,  ⁷ to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. In verse one of Isaiah 42 we find God introducing his servant: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” It becomes clear as you read the following chapters in Isaiah, especially chapter 53, that the servant is the prophesied Messiah, the Lord Jesus. God covenanted with this Servant, the Lord Jesus, to bring redemption to multitudes. It was obviously before time, that is, in eternity past.

Concerning these and other passages relating to the Covenant of Redemption, Blackburn explains: “Two primary parties were involved in this Covenant: (1) The Father speaks of work given to the Son (Psalm 2: 7-9; Isaiah 42: 6-7); (2) Though the Holy Spirit is not excluded, Christ the Son executes the prominent role in the Covenant pact and its outworkings. Jesus speaks of promises made to Him before coming into the world and repeatedly refers to a commission which He received from the Father (John 5: 30, 43, 6: 37-40, 17: 2-12). (NOTE: The Spirit acts on behalf behalf of the Father and the Son in the powerful carrying out of the Covenant of Redemption)” (“Covenant Theology,” 143-44).

Blackburn goes on to explain what the Bible clearly affirms: the Son would assume with a human nature but without sin (Psalm 40:8; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 2:10-11, 14, 15, 4:15), Christ would place himself under the Law to pay the penalty of sin and “earn eternal life and justification for those whom the Father had chosen (John 10:11; Gal 1:4, 4:4-5; Rom. 4:25),” the Father “would anoint and assist the Son with the Holy Spirit (Isa. 11:1-3; 42:1-4; 49:8; 61:1; John 3:34; Acts 10:38),” the “Father would support the Son and deliver him from the power of death,” placing him after his ascension in the place of authority (Isa 42:6-7; Luke 22:43; Ps. 16:8-11; Phil. 2:9-11). As we know from the book of Acts, the story does not end there: “the Father would send the Holy Spirit to form and finish the work of building the Church (John 14: 26, 15: 26, 16: 13-14; Ephesians 3: 9-11)” (“Covenant Theology,” 144).

Pastor Blackburn concludes by noting, “There are two rewards the Father promised Christ the Son in this Covenant that assured His success: (1) He would draw and preserve the elect unto eternal glory (John 6: 37, 39, 40, 44, 45); and (2) He would grant to Christ a numerous seed from every ‘tribe, language, people, and nation’ gathered from the ends of the earth (Psalm 2: 7, 22: 27, 72: 17, 110: 1; Hebrews 12: 1-3, 13: 20, Revelation 5: 9). What is seen, from the above mentioned passages, is that salvation is not an after-thought, but a carefully devised and well-planned blueprint of the triune God to save poor, undeserving sinners” (“Covenant Theology,” 144), emphasis added.