The word covenant is used very rarely today, perhaps in obscure or niche legal contracts, but not in your daily vernacular.
But it is a rich word, a word that describes God’s intimate, immensely faithful relationship with His people far more so that the word contract.
But what does it mean when we read it in the bible: what does it say about God, about us and about how to have a relationship with God?
How does being in a covenant with the Lord impact my daily walk with him?
Meaning:
A covenant is an agreement between two parties made in good faith and with serious consequences if the agreement is broken by either party. It comes from the Latin word for come together or an agreement.
The stories in Genesis where God walks through the middle of split carcasses is an ancient Near Eastern practice where God is identifying with the animals who have been killed for the purpose of the covenant and saying “If this covenant is broken, let me die, like these animals. I identify with their blood.”
Covenants through Redemptive History
Yahweh used covenants throughout redemptive history to establish and deepen his relationship with His people. Each covenant successively revealed more of God’s love and passion for His chosen people and the wider world.
Here they are in order:
Adamic- Genesis 2:16
Noahic- Genesis 9: 9-17
Abrahamic - Genesis 12: 1-3, Gen 15, Genesis 17 (Covenant of Circumcision)
Mosaic - Exodus 19: 3-6
Priestly - Numbers 25: 12-13
Davidic - 2 Samuel 7: 12-16, Psalm 89: 3-4
The New Covenant: The Promised Messiah, Lord Jesus Christ
All these Covenants ultimate point to the larger, deeper, stronger covenant that was fulfilled in Christ.
Christ is the new Adam, He is the new Noah, He is the true Abraham, He is the ultimate Priest and King. He is the Davidic King that sits on the throne for eternity and He fulfills the law and gives us the Holy Spirit, who writes the law on our hearts.
He is the yes and amen.
In Christ the promises of God are fulfilled or are awaiting fulfilment in Him, when He returns to rule and reign and re-create and restore.
In Genesis, the Presence of God walked through outstretched carcasses and said “I’ll keep this Promise for us: if the terms are not met by either party, I’ll be like these animals”. That’s exactly what happened on the Cross; God the Son met the terms of the covenant that we has broken and died, outstretched, like an animal. And then He rose again three days later, completing the covenant, meeting the terms, overcoming death and sin, which were the just result of us breaking the covenant.
One of the very best things about the Bible is the fact the prophecies were fulfilled: in the immediate historical context, in Christ and then in the New Creation. It’s really pretty amazing. Nancy Guthrie has written a great book that talks you through how Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises called “Even Better than Eden”. I’ll link it below.
What does this say about God?
God knew that people were fickle, hard hearted, forgetful, panic ridden sinners so why would he enter into covenants with people He knew would let Him down? Why would He ask them to enter into a relationship based on trust and faithfulness, when He knew they just didn’t have it in them, especially in the long term?
Because He has enough faithfulness to meet both parties' agreements. God not only keeps His own promises, but keeps the promises of those with whom He has entered into a covenant with.
When our triune God was making all these promises in Old Testament to the Patriarchs, he had already set his face towards the cross. The Father was promising His Son and His Spirit, even when He was placing the rainbow in the sky.
What does this mean for our daily lives?
God is faithful. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He keeps His promises. Christ has done all the work, fulfilled the law and been the sacrifice. The Holy Spirit is our deposit, our taste of things to come.
The ending is certain. Those aren't pithy cat poster quotes: they are eternal truths worth planting your flag on!
The now is in His control and part of His plan. We are not alone. God is reliable and faithful: He is who He says who He is and He will do what He says He will.
He don’t worship a changeable, moody, capricious god who changes His mind based on how well behaved we have been. We worship a loving, faithful, eternal Father who passionately loves us according to His Son, not our track record and has promised to lavish all his love on us, just as He lavishes it upon the Son.
For me, this is a tremendous antidote to anxiety, or fear of failure or even that God has ignored or forgot me.
He can never forget. He cannot fail. He has proven himself over and over that He keeps the promises He makes, even we can’t mess those up. We are in safe, loving hands, which means we can be brave and unashamed.
It also puts a pin in my self-righteousness, which says "I can keep up my side of the bargain, I can earn God's favour and love". No I can't and neither can you. We have a good and kind God, who has taken on the penalty of breaking the covenant upon His own Son. If there had been any other way or means of the Covenant being met without the pain and humiliation of the cross, the Jesus would have taken it. Jesus is kept the promise and not only met the terms, but written a new covenant based on His obedience, death and resurrection and He shares it with us. Are you as good as Jesus? Nope, so we need Him to be our New Covenant.
What would be different in your life if we really, truely, deep in your bones, trusted the promises of God and relied on Who He is rather than anything else?
References:
Table of Covenants adapted from Mary Wiley’s chapter on God. Which is an excellent resource.
Even Better than Eden
Let me know what you think: how has God being the Promise Keeper made a difference in your life?
Is there a promise of God that you struggle with believing?
Do you find that framing His promises in "then, Christ and His return" a helpful way to understand His promises when we're reading and praying His word?
Let's connect: reach out through email or instagram and we can encourage each other!