The Pattern of the "Covenant Treaty" in Scripture

In one of the books I am reading right now, Days of Vengeance by David Chilton, the author notes a pattern of how treaties were established in ancient near eastern nations in Bible times, and how when Scripture discusses treaties or covenants, this pattern is found, most notably in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, but also in the books of the prophets and the Revelation.  Here is the pattern:

1. Preamble (identifying the lordship of the Great King,
stressing both his transcendence [greatness and power] and his
immanence [nearness and presence]);
2. Historical Prologue (surveying the lord’s previous relationship
to the vassal, especially emphasizing the blessings bestowed);
3. Ethical Stipulations (expounding the vassal’s obligations,
his “guide to citizenship” in the covenant);
4. Sanctions (outlining the blessings for obedience and
curses for disobedience);
5. Succession Arrangements (dealing with the continuity of
the covenant relationship over future generations).


Like many other Biblical prophecies, the Book of Revelation
is a prophecy of Covenant wrath against apostate Israel, which
irrevocably turned away from the Covenant in her rejection of
Christ. And, like many other Biblical prophecies, the Book of
Revelation is written in the form of the Covenant Lawsuit, with
five parts, conforming to the treaty structure of the Covenant.


In order to grasp the five-part structure of Revelation, we
must first consider how St. John’s prophecy is related to the
message of Leviticus 26. Like Deuteronomy 28, Leviticus 26 sets
forth the sanctions of the Covenant: If Israel obeys God, she
will be blessed in every area of life (Lev. 26:1-13; Deut. 28:1-14);
if she disobeys, however, she will be visited with the Curse, spelled
out in horrifying detail (Lev. 26:14-39; Deut. 28:15-68). (These
curses were most fully poured out in the progressive desolation
of Israel during the Last Days, culminating in the Great Tribulation
of A.D. 67-70, as punishment for her apostasy and rejection
of her True Husband, the Lord Jesus Christ.).