A covenant is an agreement between two or more persons for the performance or non-performance of an act or acts. Below are examples of these two aspects of a covenant:
A. COVENANT OF PERFORMANCE:
Genesis 6:7-22; 15:1-21; 17:1-13
As the term implies, this is a covenant (or a promise) between two or more persons to perform an act or acts. God was going to destroy the then-known world, but Noah found favour with God and was spared (along with his family) from that destruction. Genesis 6:7, 8, 17, 18.
We also see Abraham, who obtained favour from God Almighty. God covenanted to make him a father of nations and to give him the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession. Genesis 17:1-8.
B. COVENANT OF NON-PERFORMANCE:
Genesis 9:8-17; Joshua 2:1-21; 6:20-27; 9:1-27
After sparing Noah and his family from the flood that destroyed the then-known world, God later covenanted never again to destroy all living things, and the token of that covenant is the rainbow, which, up till now, still appears to assure mankind of God’s faithful promise not to destroy the world with a flood again. So, this type of covenant prohibits the parties bound by it from performing an act or acts.
Below is yet another example of this covenant:
Joshua’s mandate was to lead the Israelites to possess the Promised Land of Canaan. He was to destroy all the natives of that land entirely, but a twist of events led to their making two covenants of non-performance: firstly, with a woman (Rahab) and her family (Joshua 2:12-14), and secondly, with a whole nation (Gibeon) in Joshua 9:1-15.
Why are covenants necessary? Well, they are necessary for certain reasons we shall explore more deeply in the course of this study. But suffice it to say that covenants serve as a reasonable ground for assurance, security, hope, mutual trust, peace of mind, and proof of honesty.
All of the above would not have been necessary if the world had continued in the peace and holiness in which God had ordained it to flourish, prosper, and continue forever. But due to the breach caused by sin, mankind has always looked up to a higher power to help them survive the evils that threaten their present existence in this life and their eternal destiny after death.
The foregoing is just the introductory part of the study. In the subsequent parts below we shall be looking at the following subtitles:
- The Guiding Principles of a Covenant Relationship.
- The Necessity of Living a Covenanted Life in Christ.
- The Present and Future Benefits and Rewards of a Good Covenant Relationship with God. 1.The Guiding Principle of a Covenant Relationship
Psalm 50:1-23; Deuteronomy 4:1-14.
We started this study by stating that a covenant is broadly divided into two, namely:
- The covenant to perform an act or acts.
- The covenant not to perform an act or acts.
The various covenants in the Holy Bible (which we shall come across subsequently) each fall under one of the two divisions of God’s covenant. Wherever a covenant is brokered between two or more parties, it is either to perform an act or acts or not to perform them.
At the very root of this performance or non-performance of acts lies the principle of the covenant.
A principle, as we know it, is a set of ideas formulated to govern the performance of an activity or activities in a well-defined way in order to achieve a set goal or purpose. Therefore, a covenant is defined and governed by the principles under which it is established.
In the Old Testament, the principles under which the Old Covenant was established are called the statutes and judgments. They are a set of ideas formulated by God for the Israelites as a guide towards living a defined life aimed at fostering a cordial relationship between Him and them.
Deuteronomy 4:1-9; 14:1-21.
The covenant is binding only on the parties who swore allegiance to it and, by extension, to any foreigner who freely chooses to pledge allegiance to Almighty God and to live by the tenets of His covenant with the Israelites. Numbers 15:14-16; Isaiah 56:1-8.
The observance of these principles (statutes and judgments), which govern the covenant between God and His people, forms the basis for rewards, blessings, and the imputation of righteousness and holiness on all the faithful.
Genesis 15:1-6; Deuteronomy 4:39-40; 6:17-25.
“So you shall keep His commandment which I am giving you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may live long on the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4:40.
“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; and I shall rescue you, and you will honour Me.” Psalm 50:14-15.
“And it will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this command before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us.” Deuteronomy 6:25.
Conversely, the non-performance of these principles (statutes and judgments), which govern God’s people, brings about God’s judgment. All defaulters (both those who are parties to the covenant but failed to keep it and those who are not parties to it) will have no basis for claiming the benefits of God’s covenant and, thus, stand in jeopardy of being alienated from the blessings of God now and of suffering eternal damnation after death.
Ephesians 2:11-12; Psalm 50:16-23; Isaiah 1:1-31.
“But to the wicked God says, ‘What right have you to tell of My statutes, and to take My covenant in your mouth? For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you…’” Psalm 50:16-17.
As it was with the Old Testament, so is it now with the New Testament; they are all governed by principles, the observance or non-observance of which determines the eternal destiny of every soul. But the principles governing the New Testament (or New Covenant) are somewhat different from those of the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the principles are not based on the observance of statutes, ordinances, or judgments, but on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, who imparts His very life to all who come into this covenant relationship with Him.
Broadly speaking, in the Old Covenant, righteousness is sought through the observance of so many laws, statutes, ordinances, and judgments, whereas in the New Covenant, righteousness is attained through the inward transformation of the heart by Jesus Christ’s presence there. But He can only come into that heart through the covenant of His blood, when it is accepted in simple faith and in obedience to turn away from all sin and unrighteousness.
Ephesians 2:6-17; John 3:16-17; 10:22-29; Matthew 11:25-30; John 15:1-5; 17:1-3; Romans 10:8-13; 8:31-32.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16.
On the other hand, those who reject the simple principle of this New Covenant in Jesus Christ (whether as backsliders or as those who have never accepted Him as their Lord and Saviour) would be cut off from the benefits inherent in it, both now and forever, unless they have recourse to it before the rapture or the time of their death, whichever comes first. John 3:18-19; 15:6.
“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”. John 3:18.
We shall conclude here by saying that the guiding principle of the covenant relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, is such that seeks to bring all beneficiaries into an everlasting relationship with God, which throws open to them the unlimited favours, blessings and privileges made available to them only by that means. The treasures of God’s riches through Christ are simply beyond human understanding. They are unsearchable and inexhaustible. Time and eternity cannot suffice to fully unravel these treasures because they are the very essence of the life of God Himself! All of these are ours for the asking, but only if we keep faith with God, through Jesus Christ our savior. Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 9:8; 1 Corinthians 2:9-12; John 16:27-29.
The blessings of God’s covenant provides for both our spiritual and material needs, both now and for eternity. There is no limit to what you can ask as long as it is done in righteousness and within the bounds of God’s Word, which is the very principle governing His covenant with us.
“He who did not spare His own son, but delivered Him for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32.
2.The Necessity Of Living A Covenanted Life In Christ.
Matthew 26:26-30; John 17:1-26; 1 Corinthians 6:14-20.
Before delving further into this second subtitle, I want to say that the first subtitle, The Guiding Principle of a Covenant Relationship, actually set the tone for this study proper. It is intended to help us understand the divine idea behind any covenant relationship with God and also to help us see the need to enter into that covenant relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, His Holy Son.
“But the one who joins himself with the Lord is one spirit with Him.” 1 Corinthians 6:17.
In doing justice to this second subtitle of the study we need to ask the leading question: Why is it necessary for anyone to be joined with Jesus Christ in a covenant relationship?
We shall answer this very important question by the points raised below, namely:
- Because man is created a free moral agent.
- Because God’s plan of redemption is based on a covenant.
- Because the benefits of this new covenant must be sought for in order to be received.
We shall develop the points outlined above in the following manner for an in-depth study, namely:
1. MAN AS A FREE MORAL AGENT. Micah 6:8; Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Joshua 24:1-15; Revelation 22:17; John 7:14-17.
God did not create mankind as robots already programmed to do His will; rather, He created them with the liberty to choose to love, obey, and serve Him willingly, or not to. Nevertheless, He gave them a conscience, which serves as a monitor to let them know if their decisions are for or against Him, thus making man accountable for his decisions.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8.
God is love, and His relationship with us is governed by the rhythms of true love, which are unforced. By contrast, however, let us consider how business is done in the corporate world: hardly would any business corporation survive on the kind of principle existing between God and mankind because they operate on the principles of a master-and-servant or hire-and-fire relationship. The corporation spells out the conditions of service for all employees, who, in turn, undertake to abide by them. Here, loyalty is forced and discipline enforced against any breach of the conditions of service. There is nothing like love and compassion, but duty and loyalty. But with God, everything is about love; both the restrictions and liberty He gives us are based on love and for our sole benefit.
“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity…” Deuteronomy 30:15.
“And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…” Joshua 24:15.
However, knowing the inclination of man’s heart towards evil (Jeremiah 24:7), God offers us the advantage of allowing Him to direct and guide us successfully throughout our tenure on earth if we, on the other hand, would relinquish our rights to personal assertion over to Him. This, in a nutshell, is what God’s covenant with us entails, provided there’s a mutual agreement to walk by the tenets of the covenant.
Based on this mutual agreement between God and man, a covenant relationship is forged for man’s sole benefit; God can now act on man’s behalf to do what is beneficial for him, even without seeking his consent any further, because his rights are well protected. There is no entertainment of fears because God is perfect in all His ways, and we can rest assured that He would do what is needful for our eternal benefit.
As we, on our part, yield completely to Him in line with the terms of His covenant, we come to realize that God’s warnings to us, through His Word, the Holy Bible, are only loving counsel, and His restrictions are just honest and loving guides towards living a righteous and holy life. If we understand it this way, we would strive not to sin deliberately against God. We’d embrace the holy life enshrined in our covenant with Him, and no fun would be lost forsaking our sinful past! Psalm 119:1-11; Hebrews 12:3-11.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word… Thy word have I treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee.” Psalm 119:9, 11.
We have previously emphasized the need for man to join himself in covenant with God through Jesus Christ because, as a free moral creature of God, his choices might not always be the perfect choices to lead him aright in his walk with God.
“There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12.
So, man needs a perfect Helper whom he can trust to safeguard his relinquished rights to self-determination under a safe and fair covenant.
When man joins himself with Christ in a covenant relationship, part of the many benefits he enjoys from Him is that the Lord intervenes in times of man’s weakness to help him do what God expects and approves of as acceptable conduct. Romans 8:22-28; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.
“But the one who joins himself with the Lord is one spirit with Him.” 1 Corinthians 6:17.
We shall now consider the second reason why man should enter into a covenant relationship with God.
2. THE COVENANT OF REDEMPTION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. Jeremiah 31:31-37; Ezekiel 36:25-27; John 14:15-17; 16:12-14; Matthew 26:26-30.
Why is it necessary for anyone to be joined with Christ in a covenant relationship? It is necessary because the redemption of mankind was made possible under a covenant; so, no one benefits from it except through that same covenant and with the same Mediator, Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12; 1 John 2:1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
Under the new covenant of grace, man’s effort at obtaining God’s salvation, with the ultimate benefit of enjoying eternal life in heaven (provided he continues in the covenant), is drastically whittled down to just believing, accepting, and walking in the grace of the new covenant. Romans 10:1-13.
This is a far cry from the old covenant, where so much work was needed to prove man’s acceptability. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27.
“And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins…’” Matthew 26:27-28.
The penalty for sin has been finally paid for everyone under this new covenant, and the grace to transit from the old life of sin to the new life of holiness has been fully secured; but all of it remains dormant for them until they, of their own will, consciously activate it through the unconditional acceptance of the Mediator of the covenant (Jesus Christ) as their personal Lord and Saviour. John 10:25-29; 11:25-27; Acts 8:34-39; Acts 16:29-34.
“…that if you confess with your mouth (not another person’s mouth) Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart (not anyone believing for you) that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved…”
Romans 10:9.
Below are some salient points to ponder:
(i) Each prospective beneficiary of the new covenant must activate it on a personal basis. No one does it on behalf of another. Acts 2:33.
(ii) Children born to already saved parents cannot just grow up into this covenant; they must be taught the principles of this covenant diligently to help convince them to accept it when they are of age.
2 Timothy 3:14-15.
(iii) You cannot cajole, force, or deceive anyone into this covenant because it works by the will of the one who yields to Christ of their own accord. The least you could do is to intercede for them, that God would touch and turn their hearts to Jesus Christ, so that they may be saved. Revelation 22:17.
This makes prayer for our unsaved neighbours and relatives imperative.
(iv) There is no other covenant in heaven or on earth that can substitute for the covenant of the blood of Jesus Christ. All other covenants, creeds, articles of belief and/or faith in the name of any other mediator (other than Jesus Christ) are merely professions of dead faith, which are neither binding on nor recognized by the Godhead and are, thus, of no benefit to their adherents, whoever they are and whatever religious persuasion they belong to. Romans 10:4; John 8:21, 24; 14:6; Hebrews 10:26-31.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” John 14:6.
(v) For those of us who are so privileged to be in this new and everlasting covenant of the blood of Jesus Christ, it is imperative to know that it is a lifelong relationship that must be renewed as often as we can or deem necessary, not because we have to remind God of His obligation towards the covenant (because He does not forget like humans), but because we sometimes fall short of our obligations towards this covenant.
The following scriptures give instances of such renewal for our admonition: Exodus 32:1 gives the account of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God’s covenant; Exodus 33:1-23 tells us about Israel’s sorrow and repentance when God refused to go along with them because of the breach of the covenant, and how, afterwards, He accepted their repentance and forgave them; Exodus 34:1-35 tells us how the Lord renewed the covenant with the Israelites and even graciously added more glory to it. Verses 29-35.
The new covenant, unlike the old one, is written in the heart (or spirit) of the beneficiary and so must be renewed through spiritual means as well, to wit: by the washing of the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:9; 2:1-2) and/or by the partaking of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Whereas the washing by the blood of Jesus Christ renews the heart and takes away all sins therein, the Lord’s Supper, on the other hand, renews our hope in Jesus Christ daily until He returns for us or calls us to Himself, whichever comes first. But the cumulative effect of both is the renewal of our covenant with the Lord, which ensures that we live a covenanted life daily in Christ till the end.
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
1 Corinthians 11:26.
Let us now consider the third and final reason why we should seek a covenant relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.
3. THE INTERCESSORY ROLE OF CHRIST FOR THE SEEKER. Psalm 50:14-23; Matthew 10:32-33; John 17:6-10; Romans 8:33-34; Hebrews 7:17-25.
Why is it necessary for the seeker of the benefits of the New Covenant to be joined with Christ in a covenant relationship? It is necessary because the benefits of the New Covenant must come from God through an intermediary. Jesus is the only intermediary between God and the human race. All the covenant blessings we seek, desire, and ask for must be through Jesus Christ, but this can be possible only if we have an existing covenant relationship with Him in the first place. John 3:31-36; 10:7-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 8:6; 9:15.
“…I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:9.
Consider the important facts below:
- No mortal being can approach God directly except through the One He has chosen, who is Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 6:13-16; John 6:45-46; Exodus 33:18-23. “…Who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honour and eternal dominion! Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:16.
- Jesus is the only access to God for everyone willing to approach Him, whether they are saints or sinners. John 14:16; 6:37; Matthew 11:27-30.
- Jesus is the Intercessor for only those who have a covenant relationship with God through Him. Romans 8:33-34; Hebrews 7:22-25. “I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine.” John 17:9.
- Jesus, being our Intercessor before God in heaven, guarantees the benefits of our covenant with Him once we ask in prayer through faith, because He confesses our allegiance with Him to God, His Father. Matthew 10:32; Philippians 4:19. “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19. 3.The Present and Future Benefits and Rewards of a Good Covenant Relationship with God
Matthew 26:26-30; John 17:1-26; 1 Corinthians 6:14-20.
So far, we have studied under two sub-titles, namely:
- The Guiding Principles of a Covenant Relationship.
- The Necessity of Living a Covenanted Life in Christ.
We shall now be considering the third, and last, sub-title of this study, which is as outlined above, but we shall consider it under two points, namely:
- Maximizing Our Present Benefits in the New Covenant.
- Holding Unto God’s Covenant in Hope of Our Future Reward in Heaven.
1.Maximizing Our Present Benefits in the New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Luke 22:17-20; Hebrews 9:11-15.
The New Covenant was initiated by God Himself a great while before Jesus Christ was manifested in the flesh to seal it with His blood and, thus, activate it for the benefit of all those who, through grace, are drawn by God into the riches of this eternal covenant.
“And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood…’” Luke 22:20.
The operation of the New Covenant through Jesus Christ has opened to us who are saved a great door of opportunity to reap the benefits which God had beforehand prepared for the heirs of salvation. Romans 8:31-32; 1 Corinthians 2:12.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32.
For every covenant child of God’s kingdom, there are endless possibilities at our disposal, just for the asking under the covenant of the blood of Jesus Christ.
When we invoke this covenant, God listens and acts for our benefit because the blood of Jesus Christ speaks in intercession for us before His throne. Hebrews 12:22-24.
“…and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” Hebrews 12:24.
The main point of this final part of the study would be to help us understand how to invoke the covenant of the blood of Jesus for our benefit. But before doing so, let us examine the scriptural records of those who invoked the covenant of God and how they fared. Take, for instance, the following Bible characters:
1. JACOB: Genesis 28:10-22; 30:25-43; 35:1-15.
“Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the LORD will be my God. And this stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house; and of all that Thou dost give me I will surely give a tenth to Thee.’”
Genesis 28:20-22.
In his moment of despair and uncertainty, Jacob made a vow to God to seek His blessings and protection, for which, in return, he (Jacob) would serve the LORD only, give Him a tenth of all his increase, and build an altar to the name of the LORD.
The Holy Bible records that God fulfilled His part of the covenant (Genesis 30:43; 31:20-29) , while Jacob also did his own part (Genesis 35:1-7).
2. JEPHTHAH: Judges 11:29-40.
In the face of impending danger of warfare, Jephthah made a covenant with God, asking for victory, for which in return he too would dedicate to the LORD the first thing that came out of his house to meet him as he returned from battle.
God fulfilled His part of the covenant (Judges 11:32-33), while Jephthah faithfully (even though painstakingly) kept his own part of the covenant (Judges 11:34-35). It wasn’t easy for Jephthah to dedicate his only child as a nun all her life because he may have hoped to have his genealogy sustained through her, but, nevertheless, he kept his covenant with God.
“And it came about at the end of two months that she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made; and she had no relations with a man…”
Judges 11:39.
3. HANNAH: 1 Samuel 1:1-28.
Hannah’s many years of barrenness came to an immediate end when she decided to do something different from what she had been doing for the many years past since she knew she was barren: she made a covenant with God.
“And she made a vow and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thy maidservant and remember me, and not forget Thy maidservant, but wilt give Thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.’”
1 Samuel 1:11.
God answered Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19-20), while she, on her part, dedicated the son He gave to her, Samuel, to His services all his life as she had covenanted (1 Samuel 1:24-28).
Worthy of note is that the three Bible characters discussed above were Israelites, a people under an everlasting covenant with God (Jeremiah 31:35-36; 33:19-26), but that, nevertheless, did not guarantee that their problems would be taken away because that covenant was a general one, made to many people on a general (not a specific or personal) term. That general, national covenant guaranteed acceptance before God, on a general term, for any Israelite who kept to it faithfully; but they had to invoke it on a personal level for it to minister to their personal needs.
The same is the case with the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ; it was made for all of mankind.
“And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the covenant which is to be shed on behalf of many.’”
Mark 14:24.
However, the fact above notwithstanding, anyone who hopes to benefit personally and specifically from this general covenant must invoke it on that personal and specific level in order to enjoy its benefits.
Having examined the scriptural records of some Bible characters who invoked the covenant of God and how it fared with them, we are going to learn how to apply the same biblical principles they employed by asking from God in a covenant prayer, with the view to achieving the same or better results than they achieved, seeing that we are under the grace of a better covenant.
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the Mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.”
Hebrews 8:6.
Below are some time-tested Bible principles that have proved helpful in obtaining the promises of God through covenant prayers:
1. Be Moderate in Asking:
Genesis 28:20-21; James 4:3; Luke 21:34; Matthew 6:9-13; 1 Timothy 6:6-12
“And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.”
1 Timothy 6:8.
Most of the things we have come to accept as the basic necessities of life, which we must possess, have been foisted on us by greed and societal pressures, not by God. The Word of God advocates moderation, unless where God Himself decides to bestow riches on whomever He wishes to. God does not encourage greed, and spiritually unhealthy competitions, therefore He will not honour any prayer borne out by any of them.
2 Chronicles 1:7-13; Deuteronomy 17:14-20; Psalm 62:10.
“…If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.”
Psalm 62:10.
In his covenant prayer, Jacob was moderate to a fault in what he requested from God. When you place side by side what God promised him in Genesis 28:13-15 against what he requested in Genesis 28:20-21, you would better appreciate this point. It is not for us to tell God what our future needs are or how He should go about taking care of them; what we should ask from Him are the very basics of everyday life while we occupy ourselves with the works and demands of His Kingdom’s administration here on earth, and allow Him to add to us whatsoever He deems fit for us to have in furtherance to that. Matthew 6:31-34.
“But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33.
2. Be Selfless in Asking:
Genesis 32:1-14; 13:14; 18:17-33; Judges 11:29-40; 1 Samuel 1:9-11
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasure.” James 4:3.
Jephthah’s covenant prayer was not made for his own benefit, but for the benefit of Israel as the people of God: he sacrificed his only child to a life-long consecration and service to God so Israel could be saved from her enemy. Judges 11:1-11, 29-35.
Hannah also prayed for a child whom she planned to raise up for the work of God’s Kingdom. She raised Samuel to be a Nazirite to the LORD all his life. She selflessly tore off the strong bond between herself and her barely two-year-old son so that he could begin his service to the LORD all his life. 1 Samuel 1:24-28.
“Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh, although the child was young… And she said, ‘Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD. For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So, I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD…’”
1 Samuel 1:24-28.
God delights in prayers that place His interests and those of others first before that of the seeker. Before we pray, we must be sure our requests, if granted, would glorify God first and would not jeopardize the godly expectations of other people. To pray otherwise would be asking in vain. Romans 12:9-10; 14:19; 1 Corinthians 8:13.
“Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.”
1 Corinthians 8:13.
3. Be Humble in Asking:
Genesis 28:20-22; Judges 11:30-31; 1 Samuel 1:11; James 4:13-16; Matthew 26:36-39.
Although we have the right to boldly approach the throne of God in prayer and lay before Him our requests, we must never presume to do this in a manner that suggests (even in the slightest way!) that such a right is the reward of our personal merits. No, it is not! Our right to gain access into the presence of God is absolutely based on the undeserved merits of Jesus Christ. We must both respect this and be humbled by it, giving Him honour.
Jacob, Jephthah, and Hannah, in their covenant prayers, began their requests with the word “If,” thus humbly allowing the LORD the choice of answering or rejecting their requests. That was not doubt, but humility.
“…Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that…’” James 4:15.
Storming into God’s presence with a barrage of demanding words and commanding instructions, all in the name of faith, is hardly the best way to get God’s audience, let alone receive His answer or blessing. Most people’s prayers are already rejected before they are even offered to God, because He sees us all and understands our thoughts even before they become words.
“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.’” James 4:6.
2.Holding Unto God’s Covenant in Hope of Our Future Reward in Heaven.Hebrews 10:32-39; Revelation 3:10-13; 21:1-8; 22:1-21; 1 Timothy 4:8-10.
In concluding this study with the last point above, I want to draw the reader’s attention to the fact that the greatest reward of living in a covenant relationship with God for a lifetime is the promise of eternal life in heaven. Granted that our covenant relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ guarantees many blessings in our present temporal life on earth, yet that is a very little consolation when compared with the eternal reward of heaven if we continue steadfastly with Him in our covenant relationship to the very end.
“For bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8.
We have studied the Scriptures, under the first point, to see how we can reap the present benefits available to us in the covenant of the blood of Jesus Christ; and now, under the second point, we shall explore the possibility of reaping the eternal rewards of this covenant in God’s heavenly kingdom.
Whether we are holding onto God’s covenant for the temporal earthly blessings or the eternal heavenly ones it offers, or both, the principles are pretty much the same; the only difference, however, lies with the desire of the seeker.
Jacob, Jephthah, and Hannah all sought earthly blessings in their covenant prayers. Jacob asked for a modest blessing of food, clothing, and protection; Jephthah asked for victory over the enemy of his nation, Israel; Hannah asked for the blessing of a son. Each of these seekers got their desires and enjoyed them while they lasted.
Jacob became rich, but he died and left those riches (Genesis 49:33); Jephthah won the battle over the Ammonites, but in the process of time that victory faded away, and the Israelites soon found themselves under Philistine dominance (Judges 12:7; 13:1); Hannah got Samuel, who did great and mighty exploits for the Lord, but he lived out His life and eventually died (1 Samuel 15:34-35; 28:3).
As beneficial as all those blessings were to their beneficiaries, there came a day when those blessings ceased to be, either because of unfaithfulness to God or due to natural causes like death.
“…While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18.
How can we hold on to the New Covenant of the blood of Jesus to the end and, therefore, enjoy forever the rewards of this covenant in heaven? Below are some Bible principles that will prove helpful:
1. Ask more for spiritual blessings than for physical ones.
Colossians 3:1-4; Matthew 5:8; 6:33; 22:37.
What we ask from God is what He gives. If we use all the grace and privileges available to us in asking for earthly blessings, that is what we shall get, but to the detriment of our spiritual life and, by consequence, a possible loss of the hope of eternal life with Jesus Christ in heaven.
Asking God, in a covenant prayer, to help us love Him (Matthew 22:37), to help us focus more on heavenly things (Colossians 3:1-4), and to live in purity of heart and conduct would certainly help us remain in God’s covenant to the end.
2. Set specific and achievable periodic spiritual goals, backed up with a covenant prayer, and pursue them zealously over the set period of time; thus, get yourself occupied with God’s work as you await your eternal union with Him.
Luke 19:12-13, 15-19; Matthew 24:44-51.
You can covenant with God to declare and set aside a particular month to be a time of holy consecration unto Him, and to prayerfully commit yourself to prayers, fasting, and evangelism throughout it. This way, God will find you a ready vessel for service in His hands during that covenanted month, and you can be sure He will not forget your commitment to His causes.
Romans 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:15; 4:1-5; John 4:34-38.
3. Purposefully devise a means for bringing fellow brethren in the church together to pray for revival and growth in the church; groom them for purpose-driven visitation teamwork over a specific timeframe, or continuously, as God gives the grace.
Acts 13:1-5; 15:30-36; Malachi 3:16-18.
“Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.” Acts 20:28.
There are many other things we could engage in doing for the Lord under a covenant prayer as we await the time of our departure from this world, either by death or by the rapture of the true Church of Christ.
If we have bound ourselves in covenant to serve the Lord with all our heart and, in return, ask Him to remember us on the last day, He would be happy and willing to do just that.
“Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name. ‘They shall be Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.’”
Malachi 3:16-17.
A Summary Of The Whole Study
This Bible study undertaken under the title, subtitles and points canvassed above comes to an end with a summary of all that has been said so far, the details of which can be seen below:
In Part One of the study, we defined covenant to be an agreement between two or more persons for the performance or non-performance of an act or acts.
In any covenant where parties bind themselves under oath to perform an act, whether in return for a favour or not, it is known as a covenant of performance. Conversely, where the oath upon the parties restrains them from doing any act or acts, it is known as a covenant of non-performance.
In Genesis 17:1-19, God made a covenant with Abram (whose covenant name became Abraham) to perform certain acts in his life and for his future generation, on the condition that Abram would also perform certain acts in return. Below were those terms of agreement:
i) That Abraham would serve God with a blameless (or holy) heart.
Genesis 17:1.
ii) That he and all the male members of his household must be circumcised.
Genesis 17:9-14.
On God’s part, He promised to do the following if Abraham faithfully kept his own part of the covenant:
i) That He (God) would multiply Abram from a household into many nations.
ii) That He would be God to him and his descendants, make him exceedingly fruitful (prosperous), and would change both his name and his wife’s name to Abraham and Sarah, respectively, to reflect this covenant promise.
Genesis 17:4-8, 15-19.
In Nehemiah 10:28-31, also, we see an example of a covenant of non-performance; verses 30-31 spell out what the Israelites would refrain from doing in keeping with the oath of their covenant with God.
In Part Two of the study, we talked about The Guiding Principles of a Covenant Relationship. We defined a principle to be a set of ideas formulated to govern the performance of an activity or activities in a well-defined way in order to achieve a set goal or purpose. With this definition, we can now say that a covenant is defined and governed by the principles under which it is established.
While the Old Covenant was governed by principles called statutes, ordinances, and judgments Deuteronomy 4:1-9; 4:1-2, the New Covenant, on the other hand, is not based on the observance of such statutes, ordinances, and judgments, but on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who imparts His very life into all who come into a covenant relationship with Him.
So, broadly speaking, in the Old Testament, righteousness was sought through the observance of the law, statutes, ordinances, and judgments, whereas in the New Testament, it is attained through the inward transformation of the heart by Jesus Christ, once the covenant of His blood is accepted and believed on in simple faith and obedience to hold on to Him as Lord and Saviour, while renouncing Satan and all acts of sin.
Ephesians 2:6-17; John 3:16-17; 10:22-29; Matthew 11:25-30; John 15:1-5; 17:1-3; Romans 10:8-13; 8:31-32.
In Part Three, we studied under the subtitle, The Necessity of Living a Covenanted Life in Christ, and developed three sub-topics to help us better understand the teaching. They were:
- Man As A Free Moral Agent
Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Joshua 24:1-15…. - The Covenant Of Redemption Through Jesus Christ
Jeremiah 31:31-37; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Matthew 26:26-30. - The Intercessory Role Of Christ For The Seeker
Matthew 10:32-33; John 17:6-10; Romans 8:33-34; Hebrews 7:17-25.
Man, as a free moral agent, cannot always know and do what is right in the manner God wants. Therefore, it is necessary for him to surrender his life to a perfect God through Jesus Christ, in a covenant relationship, so that He could help him live the life acceptable to God.
Proverbs 14:12; 1 Corinthians 6:17.
In Part Four, finally, we looked at the topic, The Present and Future Benefits and Rewards of a Good Covenant Relationship with God.
We developed two points for the study as follows:
A. Maximizing Our Present Benefits in the New Covenant
Romans 8:31-32.
- Be moderate in asking: Genesis 28:20-21; 1 Timothy 6:6-12.
- Be selfless in asking: 1 Samuel 1:9; James 4:3.
- Be humble in asking: James 4:13-16; Matthew 26:36-39.
B. Holding Unto God’s Covenant in Hope of Our Future Reward in Heaven
Hebrews 10:32-39; Revelation 3:10-13; 21:1-8; 22:1-21; 1 Timothy 4:8-10.
Worthy of note is the solemn fact that unless we hold this covenant relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ unto the end, we cannot hope to enjoy the eternal benefits of our redemption in the heavenly kingdom of our Lord.
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draws back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
Hebrews 10:38-39.
THE END