A covenant is an agreement or legal contract between two individuals or groups of people. There are generally terms and conditions on both sides, and if one side breaks the contract, the other side is freed from their obligations. The Old Testament contains a number of covenants, but what is particularly interesting is how many of them are unconditional.

We all know the story: Abraham takes Isaac, two young men and a donkey, and travels three days to Mount Moriah. Abraham leaves the donkey and the two young men at the base of the mount, and takes Isaac to the top where he prepares to offer him as a sacrifice. At the final moment, an angel interrupts the proceedings and a ram is substituted.

But what’s the real point of this famous event?