Knowing the Word - Covenants

Knowing the Word Covenant - What is it? June 16th 2021 Background on knowing the word - I really enjoy the Bible - and really enjoy studying it and learning about God and about how my walk with God is transformed by Knowing Him better. What I've come to realize over the last 25 years is that there can be some pretty confusing things in here. Some things that I've read I thought they might not be important or I didn't fully understand them but after spending a little time on those things I realize how important they are. So Knowing the Word is about tackling some of the most overlooked, confusing or challenging concepts in scripture, and why they are important to us today. If you've got an idea for a future confusing topic - post a comment below or drop me an email at steve@thevineyard.org - I'd love to hear from you. So grab something to drink, settle in for a bit and we'll dive in to today's topic. Today I want to look at a word, or concept, that we may have heard and even used, but I want to really dig in deeper to explore the meaning and richness in the Bible and the word is covenant..... Now before you tune out because you're sure you know what a covenant is - hang with me for a bit - I thought I knew what it was as well - but there is considerable depth to the concept that can help us know scripture better. Also realize this is a SHORT intro to the concept of a covenant - there are books written on the topic - MUCH MORE DEPTH.... But I believe a better understanding of the concept will give us a better understanding of scripture Before I jump in to this really important word and concept in scripture let's pray. [PRAY] The word covenant is a bit of a curious word because we read about it in scripture, but we also hear about it today.... We hear about the word covenant in weddings - where a couple makes a covenant before God for their marriage vows. I was a member of a homeowners association years ago and there were covenants that we had to abide by - for instance there had to be a yard post light always on through the night and you couldn't park a trailer in your driveway longer than a few days and you had to keep your yard looking nice. The concept of a covenant is also used in business. I recall at one of my jobs a number of years ago I signed a covenant not to compete where I agreed that if I left the company I would not do similar activity at another company that was close. So as I give examples of the word you start to get this basic picture that a covenant is like an agreement - seems binding - legally. One legal definition of a covenant is this: A formal agreement or promise, usually included in a contract or deed, to do or not do a particular act. Seems like a good working definition - so a covenant can be thought of as maybe like a contract.... So let's look at an example in scripture... which there are many - when you just do a word count in scripture for the number of times that covenant is used it's over 300 times e.g. Joshua in the OT, walked around the walls of Jericho and the walls fell down - destroyed and city - the town next to it heard about it and came to Joshua and tried to deceive him by telling Joshua that they were from far away... they said - Joshua 9:6 - Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, "We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us." 1 Joshua ends up in covenant with them, an agreement that they can come in to the community, but finds out that he was tricked, They are actually neighbors and they lied about the covenant - in my mind they broke the contract. But something interesting happens that gives us a little more insight the concept of what a covenant in scripture and the differences between what we might think it is - The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 19 but all the leaders answered, "We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God's wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them."2 So they lied to get into the covenant and when they are found out the covenant is not broken - like a contract would be in my mind - they end up continuing in covenant and still integrated with Joshua - they end up being wood cutters. There seems to be a difference between a legal agreement and a covenant... look at this Scott Hahn a biblical scholar outlines the difference between contracts and covenants in biblical times. Contracts and covenants differ in a few areas. In terms of initiation, "Contracts are made by the exchange of promises, whereas covenants are sworn by solemn oaths. In application, contracts are limited by the terms of the exchange of property ("this is yours, that is mine"), while covenants involve an exchange of life ("I am yours, you are mine"), which covers a virtually unlimited range of human relations and duties. Isn't that interesting - and it gives depth to my understanding of a marriage covenant doesn't it - two people are an exchange of LIFE - I am yours you are mine and covers the unlimited range of human relations. And when we look at the example earlier with Joshua and the covenant with the deceitful neighbor we see their relationship continue after the trickery is uncovered - they have become part of Joshua's community, the covenant did not end. In terms of motivation, contracts are based on profit and self-interest, while covenants call for self-giving loyalty and sacrificial love. Contracts are temporary while covenant bonds are permanent...." Scott Hahn, "Covenant," ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). Such a helpful understanding of the difference between contracts and covenants - and helpful when we read about covenants in the Bible! Now with that understanding let's start to unpack covenants in scripture between God and man.... It's one thing to make a covenant between to people but imagine with the understanding of the seriousness of covenant and then to understand that God, the creator of the universe, has made covenants with people.... Number of examples in scripture of God making a covenant with his people... never once did God break a covenant with his people! I want to look at 5 major covenants in the Bible from God to his people that, if we understand the biblical understanding of covenant, will give us a really good understanding of scripture - these 5 covenants from God hold this entire account together - and help give us more understanding of the nature of God with us.... Remember covenants call for self-giving loyalty and sacrificial love - so the relationship between the parties - between God and man in these covenants are based on self-giving loyalty and sacrificial love. 5 Major covenants 1. The covenant with Noah From Genesis 9, this is a covenant God establishes with Noah after the flood in which he renews the blessings of creation. This covenant promises the preservation of humanity and provides for the restraint of human evil and violence. Genesis 9:8-11 8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you-the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you-every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth." 3 2. The covenant with Abraham Genesis 17:3-7 3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, c for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you4 This blessing promised to Abraham would extend through him to all the peoples of the earth. Do you see the permanence that God is establishing - for the generations to come God is establishing a relationship.... 3. The Covenant with Moses (Israel) Outlined in Exodus 19-24 - Moses has an encounter with God and God provides two stone tablets - the 10 commandments that outline the law - the things that God wants his people to follow strictly. This is the covenant God establishes with the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai after he led them out of Egyptian slavery. With it, God supplies the Law that is meant to govern and shape the people of Israel in the Promised Land. Understanding the this covenant is foundational to understanding the blessing and curses in the Old Testament, the exiles of Israel and Judah, the arguments between Jesus and the Pharisees and Paul's teachings grace. So the Lord outlines the 10 commandments to Moses and look at this Exodus 19:5 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 5 Exodus 24:7 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, "We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey." 6 - it's an agreement of loyalty - Remember a covenant is based on self-giving loyalty and sacrificial love...Do you see the Loyalty and love in this covenant relationship? Both God and the people so treasured their relationship and they put the book of the covenant (the tablets with the law) and built an ark - the ark of the covenant - and God's presence hovered around it... 4. The covenant with David King David - 2Samuel account - has a tabernacle that was not permanent and David and an intimate and special relationship with God.... So God makes a covenant with David... This is the covenant where God promises a descendant of David to reign on the throne over the people of God. This covenant becomes the basis for hope of a Messiah and makes sense of the Gospels' concern to show Jesus was the rightful King of the Jews. 2Sam 7:12-13 - I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.7 2Sam 7:16 - 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.' "8 The angel of the Lord comes to Mary to tell her she is going to have a baby - Jesus... describes the baby this way: Luke 1:32 - He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end." 9 5. The New Covenant In the OT God gives the prophet Jeremiah a foreshadow of a new covenant that was to come because of the disobedience of Israel...but to continually uphold his previous covenants with his people Jeremiah 31:31,34 31 "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.10 "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." 11 On the night of Jesus's Last Supper, Jesus takes the cup and declares that his death would be the inauguration of this new covenant that God had promised - the significance to the disciples would have been significant - they would have likely understood deeply the other covenants that God had promised and made to his people - and the promise of a new covenant in which God would look at their sins no longer.... Jesus shares this symbol of the new covenant by sharing this at the last supper. Luke 22:20 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 12 So when we take communion we remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us - the new covenant fulfilled that through Jesus our sins will be forgiven. Going back to the deeper definition of covenant - covenants call for self-giving loyalty and sacrificial love, which is exactly what Jesus does for us. While there are a few other covenants that God made with people - and that he upheld - the five that I've outlined are the 5 that hold the entire relationship and promises between God and his people - between God and us - together. Covenants involve, as I stated earlier, an exchange of life - an exchange of I am yours and you are mine - and throughout scripture and specifically the 5 core covenants I hope you can see the depth of relationship that God desires for us and that He is continually pursuing that covenantal relationship. So I hope you have a better understanding of the concept of what a covenant is - and how knowing that helps us to know God's word and the relationship He desires with us even more clearly. Thanks for joining Knowing the Word and if you have suggestions for future topics to unpack or if you have questions you can email me at steve@thevineyard.org. 1 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jos 9:6. 2 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jos 9:18-20. 3 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ge 9:8-11. 4 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ge 17:3-7. 5 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ex 19:5-23:32. 6 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ex 24:7. 7 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 2 Sa 7:12-13. 8 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 2 Sa 7:16. 9 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Lk 1:32-33. 10 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Je 31:31. 11 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Je 31:34. 12 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Lk 22:20. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ 1