II, God Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Covenantal from Creation to Eternity

I AM the one who has made multiple covenants with My creation. Yes, even when Satan planted the seed of doubt in man’s heart, I have continued to show my love (agape) to it regardless of their indiscretion. My first covenant was in My perfect garden (Edenic) where I pledged to Adam and Eve that they would rule over her and fill her with offspring.  Eventually I closed off the beautiful garden following man’s sin.  But I continued to covenant My grace to Adam and his descendants by promising (1st Gospel, protoevangelium) a savior. (Adamic Covenant).

Sin continued to infest My world to the extent that I destroy all living creatures except Noah and his family. I sent rain all over the earth such that will never occur again. To that end, I covenanted to Noah with a sign in the form of a rainbow promising never to destroy the earth again with a flood. Again, I instructed Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply; and furthermore, I said, “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you…never again will all life be cut off by waters of a flood.”

Several hundreds of years later, I made a covenant with a man named Abram that is unconditional. Yes, I made him and his descendants a “great nation,” and blessed them beyond any human measure. This blessing will be bestowed upon all those who are made righteous by FAITH. (emphasis added). Abram and his descendants believed in My promise to give them land – such faith I have not seen! I said to My servant Abram, “fear not for I AM your shield and exceeding great reward.” And again, I said, “I will make you a great nation and I will bless you.” But without an heir, Abram was confused. Again I promised a son and when born, My covenant sign was circumcision.

My promise of a great nation was difficult to comprehend.  Why? Famine continued that resulted in the nation of Israel traveling to Egypt where I placed one of their own (Joseph) who I blessed with an abundance of food. My people grew in size that was troublesome to the Egyptians. They were enslaved and I saw and felt their pain! But I resurrected one of their own (Moses) who would be My spokesman to convince Pharaoh to release My people from their slave condition. While Moses and Aaron (his brother) encountered much difficulty, My people left Egypt for a land that I alone would lead them. My covenant with Moses and My people was written in stone. My ten laws would outline My covenant beginning with I AM their only God! And they are to worship me on the Sabbath. Later, I instructed Moses to write, “worship the LORD your God with all your heart, mind, and strength,” and “your neighbor as yourself.”

The travel to the Promised Land was filled with roadblocks, not of My doing, but theirs. They failed to heed My instructions and suffered wandering for decades. And not even Moses entered the land.  But in My unmatched love for him, I took him to a mountain top and showed him the land – and then buried him.

My people lived through times that included judges, prophets, and priests that attempted to shepherd them according to my law with Moses. But again they mumbled and demanded a king like most other nations around them. I gave them a king (Saul) who eventually fell from grace that caused Me to be disheartened. But I knew that Saul’s replacement would be a man who would walk in My ways – and I promised to walk ahead of him as he would reign victorious in all his battles. Yes, even as a young boy, David gave Me all the credit for the victory over the Philistines. I promised him that “I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom…and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” My covenant with David was that the Son of David will bring salvation from David’s line as “The King.”

A thousand years later, My plan unfolded with the birth of My Son, Jesus, the One promised from of old. He, and He alone, is the New Covenant that will fulfill and replace My previous covenants. My New Covenant was foretold by My prophet Jeremiah. My instructions to repeat Jeremiah’s words was to the author of Hebrews saying, “I will replace the Mosaic laws of stone and place them in their hearts and mind.” And “I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.” Yes, My Son was The High Priest that atoned for the sins of antiquity and those yet to come.

From God to Me

What is a covenant? From webtruth.org, I found Michael Penfold’s definition as one that truly states God’s intentions. “A Divine Covenant is a promise from God, formalized in a legal framework, solemnized by sacrifice and guaranteed by oath.” Various articles on covenants range from seven or eight down to the primary five (Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and the New Covenant).

Many of you know that I am a man of mnemonics. This time, I have taken the ROY G BIV (colors) mnemonic that I learned in physics to describe the Noahic covenant.

I came under God’s covenant when I was baptized and became a child of God and an heir of salvation. The gospel writer, Mark, says, “whoever lives and believes and is baptized will be saved.” (Mark 16:16, paraphrased)

Yes, God’s Son fulfilled His high priestly duties on Calvary’s cross. He was sacrificed as the perfect Lamb of God for the sins of all creation. Yes, Yahweh’s perfect creation will be restored at His second coming to claim all believers to live with Him in eternity. I am reminded of St. Paul’s comments in his letter to the church at Philippi, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the LORD Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20-21). May the God of all grace keep you in His covenant until the Day of the LORD.

Peace

Connected in Him, I stand

GHR