THE BIBLE AND YOUR COVENANT WITH GOD

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939  E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

THE BIBLE AND YOUR COVENANT WITH GOD

Devotional Text: Psalm 89:2-34

Introduction:

According to Fartex’s Free Dictionary of the English Language, “a covenant is a mutual agreement of two or more persons or parties, or one of the stipulations in such an agreement”. Also, according to the E.U English Dictionary, covenant could equally mean, “an agreement to do or not do a particular thing”. From the cited definitions one notices that covenant involves not just an individual, but individuals or group(s) and goes with stipulations or terms of the covenant, which are basically the dos and don’ts.

Covenant could be between humans, that is, between a person and another person, like the case of David and Jonathan, (I Sam 18:3), and could be between human and Divine, that is, between a person or group and God, like between Israel and God, (Ex. 24:8) or between David and God, (Psalm 89:33). And, for the subject under review, the focus is on personal covenant between an individual and his God, which David is cited in the text as a case study.

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)     Covenant brings two individuals or group(s) together for a mutual relationship, (I Sam 18:1-3).

(2)     God makes covenant with people by putting His laws in their hearts and minds, (Heb 10:16).

(3)     Covenant is based on certain terms of agreement, (Ex. 24:7).

(4)     God is always faithful to His covenant(s) with people, (Psalm 89:34).

COVENANT AND BLOOD

For the purpose of clarity, not every covenant is established by blood, but most of them are by blood, thus, we talk of “Blood Covenant”. The Scripture shows that Israel’s covenant with God is that of blood, (Ex. 24:5-7), which is also common in that part of the world, (See Zech 9:11). In fact, when blood is involved in covenant, something more than the ordinary is involved, and since, there is life in blood (Lev. 17:11) one may infer that blood gives life to covenant, and by implication, when one breaks a blood covenant, one breaks its life, and this, in turn, could be life threatening, and accounts for the reason why some have been affected mentally or in other areas of health. To this end, the believer should be informed that with the Everlasting Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ now in place (Heb. 13:L20-21). 

(i)                   human or animal blood covenant is no longer fashionable, (vs. 20);

(ii)                 marriage engagement or business partnership informed by human or animal blood

(iii)                 covenant is henceforth, a violation of the code of the everlasting covenant, (vs. 20)

(iv)                every good work in covenant relationship is now achieved through the Blood, (vs. 20-21).

COVENANT AND STIPULATIONS

Covenant stipulations are the agreeable terms of a covenant. Every covenant is based on certain terms, which this lesson has already referred to as the dos and don’ts (of a covenant). Israel has a compendium of such terms in their covenant with God, which they pledged to obey (Ex. 24:7), but violated with devastating consequences, (Jer. 11:10-11). This implies that terms of covenant are conditional, be it, between human and human or between God and human, and so, when there is a violation of terms from any side, withdrawal of pledges and services from the betrayed party become inevitable. Thus, the Lord decided to bring evil upon Israel for violating the terms of their covenant, instead of protecting them, (vs. 10-11). Based on the foregoing, therefore, the believer is urged to realize that;

(i)                   he needs to yield totally to the Lord for the implanting of His Laws in his heart and minds,

as well as empower him to live by them, (Heb. 8:10-11);

(ii)                 By so doing, the believer obtains mercy for the sins and unrighteousness of the past, (vs. 12);   

(iii)                without the Lord, no one can keep the terms of Divine covenant, (see John 15:5).

THE BELIEVER AND HIS PERSONAL COVENANT WITH GOD

The redemption of the believer automatically ushers him unto the Blood Covenant of Christ, for the remission of sins (Matt. 26:28), which makes him an integral part of His Body, as well as be at peace with God, (Col. 1:18-20). But, the foregoing, notwithstanding, the believer needs to come into a personal covenant with the Lord, which inspires his consecration and specific objectives in the house of God. Like Jacob, in his vow (Gen. 28:20-22), the believer should come up before the Lord in prayer with certain duties and consecration he wishes to devote himself to, for the sake of His Kingdom, as he, in turn, engages the Lord into performing certain duties for him. In this connection, it becomes advisable that every believer learns to enter into personal covenant with the Lord to:

(i)       worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24), as he asks Him to become the supplier of his needs, (Phil. 4:19);

(ii)     keep himself from idols (I John 5:20), as he asks Him to fight his battles, (Deu. 20:4);

(iii)    always allow Him do His will in his life (Matt. 26:29), as he asks Him to lead him to green pasture, (Psalm 23:2).

In conclusion, the text of this lesson shows David as a man of personal covenant with the Lord, and pictures God’s faithfulness in the deal. The lesson, also shows that animal blood was often used in the Mosaic era, for covenant, as it cites that the sledding of the Blood of Jesus Christ on the cross of cavalry nullifies the use of animal blood in covenant, as well as stresses the consequences of not keeping to the terms of covenant, and finally suggests the need and ways the believer could enter into personal covenant with the Lord. PLEASE, COVENANT WITH GOD TODAY!