Believe it or not, these covenant-making days are more significant than Runnymede or Independence Hall.
In our last study we saw that “a covenant is a long-term arrangement between two individuals or groups.” A covenant with God means an offer to join Him as junior partners in His thrilling projects. Amazing, isn’t it! The first arrangement was between the Creator and Adam and Eve, representing the human race. The offer made them lords over earth’s creation, and they were welcomed into a personal relationship with God. The one proviso? To leave setting the standard of good and evil to the Lord. Sadly, we know what happened. However, the Lord promised a Deliverer who, we discover later, would ratify a New Covenant by His own blood, offered to all who receive Him as their Sin-bearer. The next covenant God made with Noah (Gen 9:1-17). It included the right to take animals for food (minus their blood), and the responsibility for society to execute first-degree murderers since the killer had taken the life of one made in God’s image. He also put a rainbow in the clouds to declare His promise to never again destroy the world with a flood. Now we come to the Abrahamic Covenant, which has both temporal arrangements for Abraham’s earthly children, Israel, and eternal arrangements for Abraham’s spiritual children, those who trust in the Lord. Two other covenants, the Mosaic and Davidic, will be looked at in greater detail later. But let me conclude with this wonderful truth: in spite of the repeated failures of people to keep their covenant promises, God remains resolute in His purpose to have a free, eternal, and intimate partnership with us! “He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: holy and awesome is His name” (Ps 111:9). Yes, He will prevail!