31. God of covenants.

Why does God make covenants? Wasn’t God’s word to Abraham more than enough for him to believe that he would take possession of the land? Nevertheless, God made a blood covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:18) and confirmed it with an oath (Genesis 17:2,22:16), because Abraham had asked, “How can I know that I will gain possession of it ?” – (Genesis 15:8) In other words, Abraham had the ‘certainty of things not seen’ but he was asking for the ‘surety of things hoped for’; that God will not give up on his descendants but will discipline them and enable them to take possession of the land against all odds. Therefore ‘God did this ( ie made a covenant and swore an oath) so that by two unchangeable things ( ie the promise and the oath) in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.’ – (Hebrews 6:18) The reasons why God chooses to make a covenant with us are as follows:-

1. God desires an everlasting bond – God is not interested in a temporary relationship but in a permanent relationship that requires commitment from both parties. He therefore enters into a covenant with men (not a contract that can be breached) that will not be breached by him nor should be breached by us! ‘If we are faithless, he will remain faithful for he cannot disown himself.’ – (2 Timothy 2:13) So is marriage, and God hates divorce – (Malachi 2:16), the breaking of faith with the wife of your marriage covenant. – (vs 14)

2. God reveals his unchanging nature – He is not man that he should change his mind! ‘God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?’ – (Numbers 23:19) Has the Lord spoken, so shall it be! ‘Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath’ for ‘the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.’ – (Hebrews 6:16-17)

3. God sets clear-cut expectations – God told Abraham what he will do for him and what he expected of Abraham. “AS FOR ME, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations .. the whole land of Canaan where you are now an alien, I will give you and your descendants as an everlasting possession and will be their God … AS FOR YOU, you must keep my covenant … , Every male among you shall be circumcised … My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.” – (Genesis 17:4-14)

We too have a new covenant in the blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:25) which assures us of the promise of the Spirit (Acts 2:39), the blessing given to Abraham (Galatians 3:14) and healing in Christ (1 Peter 2:24). Amen.