WORDTIPS: GOD OF COVENANT
Covenants or Treaties are common in the world even today. Recently on 30th March 2021 an ‘International Pandemic Treaty’ was signed by 25 heads of Governments and International agencies headed by the World Health Organization to well-prepare and respond effectively to the health crises in future.
The Scripture is full of such covenants from the beginning to the end and God is bound to act effectively upon every word He had attested. God made a covenant with man on the very first day of his creation (Genesis 1:26-30) and the Bible closes with the Edenic blessings in Revelation chapter 22. Man was given reign over the earth. He lost it because he lost his intimacy with God. But once again man is going to get united with God and resume all that he had lost thus making sure that the covenant that God made with man remains unaffected.
THE COVENANT OF GOD IS EVERLASTING
The Psalmist says in Psalms 105:8-11, “He remembers His covenant forever,
the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance.”
DEFINITION OF COVENANT:
Covenant is an agreement or unbreakable bond made between two individuals or groups that cannot be broken but can be renewed. Covenant is the word derived from the Hebrew word ‘beriyth’ ‘בְּרִית’ meaning ‘cutting’ because covenants were made by passing between cut pieces of flesh of animal sacrifices (Genesis 15:17). This is illustrated clearly when Abraham offered sacrifice on the altar, he saw a smoking oven and a burning torch passing between the pieces of the flesh and then the Lord made a covenant with him. This cutting of flesh during a covenant meant that the same will be the consequence to the one who breaks the covenant.
MAIN FEATURES OF A COVENANT
The covenants in the Scriptures usually involved these four features.
i) SACRIFICE – There was usually a sacrifice that preceded any covenant except for a few occasions. Noah sacrificed and God made a covenant with him. Sacrifices drew God’s attention towards men. Abraham, Manoah, Gideon, etc. are other examples. In the New Testament we see Jesus Christ offering Himself as a sacrifice to the Father God in order to make a new covenant with us. We are called to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. It is the only way by which we get transformed and get to know the perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).
ii) SIGN – Covenants normally comprised a sign. Here are a few –
* RAINBOW – Genesis 9:9-17
* CIRCUMCISION IN O.T – Acts 7:8 &
* BAPTISM IN N.T – 1 Peter 3:21
* SABBATH – Exodus 31:12-18
* ROBE, TUNIC, BELT, SWORD, BOW – 1 Samuel 18:3-4
* BLOOD OF COVENANT (ANIMAL IN O.T) – Exodus 24:5-11
* BLOOD OF COVENANT (JESUS CHRIST IN N.T) – 1 Corinthians 11:25
* HEAP OF STONES – Genesis 31:46-50
* ARK OF COVENANT – Hebrews 9:4
* BOOK OF COVENANT – Exodus 24:7
* RED ROPE – Joshua 2:17
iii) MEAL – Covenants were customarily accompanied with a meal. For example, Isaac and Abimelech, the Philistine king had a meal and made a covenant with each other (Genesis 26:30), Jacob and Laban (Genesis 31:54), etc. Even Jesus had a meal with His disciples before making the New Covenant (Matthew 26:20, 27-28).
iv) PROMISE – Every covenant is complemented by a promise. For example, Noah sacrificed and God made a covenant with him, promising change of seasons and an end to obliteration with waters. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son and God promised to bless the whole earth through him, and there are much more.
COVENANTS ARE UAUALLY MADE BETWEEN
A) TWO PERSONS OR GROUPS
Covenants are usually made between two individuals or groups or nations. The most common covenant between people on earth is the ‘marriage’. A few Biblical examples of covenant between men are
- Abraham & Abimelech – Genesis 21:22-33
- Jacob & Laban – Genesis 31:44-55
- David & Jonathan – 1 Samuel 18:1-5; 20:14-15
- Husband & Wife – Malachi 2:14
COVENANTS SAVED GENERATIONS & FAMILIES
At times covenants between individuals may be obligated to take responsibility over their family too. When Jonathan and David made a covenant with each other, Jonathan ensured of David’s favor to his family when David takes the position (1 Samuel 20:15-16). Keeping up his word even years after Jonathan’s death, David probed to see if he has anyone left in Saul’s family for him to show kindness to him for Jonathan’s sake (2 Samuel9:1). Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth ate at David’s table everyday like one of the sons of David (2 Samuel 9:13).
Joshua’s spies to Jericho made a covenant with Rahab. Here too Rahab ensured of her family’s protection when they captured Jericho (Joshua 2:12-13). When Jericho was captured by Joshua and his army, they made sure to first safeguard Rahab and her family before putting Jericho on flames (Joshua 6:22-23).
COVENANTS CANNOT BE BROKEN
After making a treaty with the Gibeonites, Joshua realized that he had been cheated. Yet, because of his covenant with them Joshua could not let them go but as a punishment, he made them carry water and wood for the temple of God (Joshua 9:14-27).
GOD AS WITNESS IN OUR COVENANTS
The Scripture teaches us that even when men make covenant, they call God as witness between them. Laban said to Jacob that though there was none between them when they made the covenant, the Lord was their Witness between them (Genesis 31:50). Jonathan said to David, “And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the LORD be between you and me forever” (1 Samuel 20:23). Significantly true is that GOD STANDS AS A WITNESS between the husband and wife when they unite together in marriage (Malachi 2:14) as He did at the garden of Eden.
B) GOD AND MAN
Most times it is God who voluntarily makes a covenant with man or is at times drawn through the sacrifice of men to make a covenant with them. Such covenants of God with men may be conditional or unconditional. A few examples of God making covenants with men are
- God & Noah – Genesis 9:10-17 (Unconditional)
- God & Abraham – Genesis 15:18: 17:21 (Unconditional & Conditional)
- God & David – 2 Samuel 7:15-16; 2 Samuel 23:5 (Unconditional)
MAJOR COVENANTS OF THE BIBLE
i) ADAMIC COVENANT – Creating man, God gave the governance of the earth to Adam and Eve, charging them to procreate and have dominion over the earth. He gave every herb with seeds and every fruit-tree with seeds for them as food (Genesis 1:28-30). This covenant with Adam is a covenant that God made with the nature, the environment and the humankind as a whole.
ii) NOAHIC COVENANT – As soon as they came out of the ark, Noah built an altar and sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord. Then God promises not to destroy all life on earth again by flood and gives rainbow as the sign of His covenant. He promises unceasing seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter and day and night as long as the earth remains. He added to their food every living thing that moves (Genesis 8:20-9:17). This covenant with Noah is a complement to the humanity as a whole.
iii) ABRAHAMIC COVENANT – Abraham was promised infinite descendants and manifold lands. He was promised to be made a great nation and the whole world would be blessed only through him. The promises to Abraham from Genesis 12-15 were unconditional. But in chapter 17, God wants them to have a sign on them through circumcision to set them apart from other people of the world as His own peculiar people. This covenant with Abraham is not only to his descendants but also to those adopted into his family.
iv) MOSAIC COVENANT – This included a set of 613 strict laws. If they keep all these commands, they would be God’s treasured people, His holy nation and a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19-24; Deuteronomy 1-34). As these commandments were written in stone tablets, the hearts of men were alike (Zechariah 7:12). Sabbath was the sign that they had to keep (Exodus 31:12-18). This covenant is specifically for the nation of Israel and all those who are in allegiance with them.
v) DAVIDIC COVENANT – This comprised chiefly of an eternal reign and monarchy in the lineage of David (2 Samuel 7; Psalm 72, 89, 132). This covenant is given to David and his descendants.
vi) THE NEW COVENANT – All of the above five covenants are seen being fulfilled in and through Jesus Christ. He frames a totally new covenant founded on grace. Jesus restored back to His believers all that were promised in the Scriptures and were lost or left unzipped or that were half-done. On creating man, God had promised and given him i) God’s own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26) ii) Rule over the earth (Genesis 1:26) iii) Multiplication iv) Subjugation (Genesis 1:28) v) Abundance (Genesis 1:29-30) vi) Eternal life (Genesis 2:17) (No death if man had not disobeyed) and vii) Glory-covering (Genesis 2:25). Man lost all these blessings simply by disobeying God. God promised to restore back all the lost blessings through the Messiah Jesus Christ throughout the Scripture – to Eve (Genesis 3: 15), to Abram (Genesis 12:2-3), to David (2 Samuel 7:12-13,28), and to the prophets (lsaiah 2:2-5; 4:2; 55:5). The Messianic prophecies are altogether about 75 in the Pentateuch, 243 in the Prophets, and 138 in the Writings according to Alfred Edersheim. We find every one of this being fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
MORE ABOUT THE NEW COVENANT – ALL ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
JESUS RESTORED THE ADAMIC COVENANT
Jesus, being born as the second Adam, restored back to humankind all that the first Adam had lost (1 Corinthians 15:22; Romans 5:11-14).
JESUS REPLENISHED THE NOAHIC COVENANT
As the flood in the days of Noah cleansed the world of its sins, so does baptism cleanse us not from the filth of the flesh but a covenant with God for a clear conscience (1 Peter 3:21).
JESUS REGENERATED THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
Jesus, being born in the lineage of Abraham, the promise that world would be blessed through Abraham is now being fulfilled through Jesus Christ. So, in Christ Jesus we can receive all the blessings of Abraham through faith (Galatians 3:14).
JESUS SWAPPED THE MOSAIC COVENANT
Jesus fulfilled and put an end to the law of Moses, making a new covenant with us, whose commandments are not burdensome (Matthew 5:17; Romans 10:4; 1 John 5:3).
JESUS RESUMED THE DAVIDIC COVENANT
Being called the stem of Jesse, son of David, root and offspring of David, Jesus Christ is the RULER of the kings of the earth, KING of kings and the LORD of lords forever (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1; Revelation 1:5; 17:14; 22:16). We being the children and heirs of God are now co-heirs with Christ and we will reign together with Him (2 Timothy 2:12; Romans 8:17). Even the last chapter of the Bible records Jesus addressing Himself as ‘the Root & Offspring of David’ (Revelation 22:16).
Jesus said that He shed His blood to make a new covenant which ONLY will forgive the sins of men (Matthew 26:28). Jesus Christ became our Priest with an OATH with God and has become our SURETY of our covenant with God (Hebrews 7:20-22). Unlike other priests who cannot endure because death carries them away, Jesus is alive forever and is our EVERLASTING PRIEST (Hebrews 7:23). Jesus is also the MEDIATOR of the new covenant which is established upon better promises (Hebrews 8:6).
As children of God, we all eagerly await the second coming of Jesus Christ. Some are waiting to meet Him in the air while others to meet Him when He comes to the earth. Bringing an end to the animal sacrifices, Jesus offered Himself as a living sacrifice and made a new covenant with us through His flesh and blood, which we remember whenever we take part in the communion (John 6:51-57). Only those who are in covenant with God through Christ will be raised up on the last day and will have eternal life (John 6:54). Every time we partake in the bread and wine, we proclaim the death of Jesus Christ for us until He comes back again (1 Corinthians 11:26).
The covenant that God made with the Levites is their life and peace (Malachi 2:5). We are the chosen generation and a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:5-9). So, it is our covenant with God that gives us life and peace. God has qualified us to be ministers of the new covenant, which is not of the letter but of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:6).
GOD OF COVENANT
We are indeed so much privileged to serve the God of covenant. Though He has unconditionally made covenant with human beings in general, the Scripture insists on men making covenant with God. In the Old Testament it was by circumcision that people made covenant with God (Acts 7:8). The male people made covenant and their families belonged to God. But in the New Testament it is through baptism that we make a covenant with God (1 Peter 3:21). Not only the male but every individual is obligated to make his or her personal commitment with God because all those who are baptized into Christ have clothed themselves in Christ and are ONE in CHRIST – no longer male or female. And only when this covenant with God through baptism is fulfilled, we become Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:27-29). When John the Baptist preached on baptism, even sinners heeded and were baptized and confessed that God is righteous. But it was the Pharisees and the Lawyers who were experts in the Mosaic Laws who rejected the doctrine of John, and the Scripture records it saying that they rejected the counsel of God against themselves (Luke 7:29-30).
Only through covenant we say that He is our God and He says that we are His people. Through covenant we are special and peculiar people to God that He
i) MAKES HIS COVENANT WITH US – TO BE OUR GOD (Jeremiah 31:33)
ii) CONFIRMS HIS COVENANT WITH US – a) TO MULTIPLY US (Leviticus 26:9) &
b) TO GIVE US POWER TO EARN WEALTH
(Deuteronomy 8:18)
iii) KEEPS HIS COVENANT – TO OBSERVE & UNDERSTAND ALL OUR HARDSHIPS
(Nehemiah 9:32)
iv) REMEMBERS HIS COVENANT – a) TO HEAR OUR GROANING (Exodus 2:24)
b) TO REMEMBER OUR LAND (Leviticus 26:42)
c) TO SYMPATHIZE FOR US (Psalm 106:45)
d) TO FEED US (Psalm 111:5)
e) TO SAVE US (Luke 1:70-75)
WHAT WILL NOT HAPPEN TO HIS COVENANT?
i) He will not break it – Judges 2:1
ii) He will not violate it – Psalm 89:34
iii) It will not be shaken – Isaiah 54:10
iv) It will not be dismissed – Jeremiah 33:25
v) It will not be nullified – Jeremiah 33:21
SPECIAL PRIVILEGES OF THE COVENANT
i) Deliverance through the blood of the covenant (Zechariah 9:11)
ii) Presence of the Holy Spirit through the Word of the covenant (Haggai 2:5)
iii) Multiplication through His covenant of peace and everlasting covenant (Ezekiel 37:26)
iv) Setting His sanctuary in our midst through His covenant of peace and everlasting covenant (Ezekiel 37:26)
v) Ceasing of wild beasts and safe dwelling (Ezekiel 34:25)
vi) Sure mercies through His everlasting covenant (Isaiah 55:3)
HOW CAN I MAKE A COVENANT WITH GOD TODAY?
i) REPENTING OF SINS & TAKING BAPTISM (1 Peter 3:21) – It is like a man and woman united in marriage.
ii) PARTAKING IN THE HOLY COMMUNION (1 Corinthians 11:25) – It resembles the living together of the husband and wife all through their lives.
iii) OFFERING SACRIFICES OF PRAISE (Psalm 50:5) – It is like renewing and refreshing their love for one another and keep going until the end.
Our God is a covenant-keeping God and there is not a shadow of change in what He has assured. The sign of rainbow that He gave to Noah still exists in heaven around the throne of the Father God (Revelation 4:3). Those that are yet to start your life with God, do not postpone to start your covenant by repenting for your sins, accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and confessing that He died for your sins and rose up from the dead on the third day. Get baptized, be cleansed and have communion with Him and His saints. Those who are already on the run with God, let us keep offering sacrifices of praises and refresh our intimacy with Him and prepare to meet Him. To offer praises to God amidst our situations truly will need from us sacrifice of time, unloading of burdens, etc. But it really is paid in loads. God bless you!
