Deuteronomy 7:6-10 MSG [6] Do this because you are a people set apart as holy to God , your God. God , your God, chose you out of all the people on Earth for himself as a cherished, personal treasure. [7-10] God wasn’t attracted to you and didn’t choose you because you were big and important—the fact is, there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love, keeping the promise he made to your ancestors. God stepped in and mightily bought you back out of that world of slavery, freed you from the iron grip of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know this: God , your God, is God indeed, a God you can depend upon. He keeps his covenant of loyal love with those who love him and observe his commandments for a thousand generations. But he also pays back those who hate him, pays them the wages of death; he isn’t slow to pay them off—those who hate him, he pays right on time.
James 4:8 NIV [8] Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Covenant is an agreement between one person or entity to another. A covenant, according to Google dictionary in theological terms, is “an agreement that brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people.”
Relationship and Position
Genesis 18:32-33 KJV [32] And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. [33] And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
This scripture (Genesis 18:32-33) is concerning the demise of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham talked with God, asking Him, if he could find just a few good men in the city would He spare the doomed city from destruction. Since God had such a close relationship with Abraham He allowed him to go and attempt to find a few good men, if he could, in the city. Long story short Abraham was unsuccessful in finding any good men there and the city was destroyed with fire from heaven. I brought this scripture up to say this, that when you have a close relationship with God He will speak with you and commune with you closely. He is very concerned for us and He wants to show us how He deeply cares for our well being by giving us options and doting on us, because that’s what good fathers do. We have an illustration of the type of relationship God would like us to have through Abraham. We see that God loves us, He cares, and He is faithful to the end.
Abraham was given a promise by God to be the father of many nations because of his obedience and faithfulness to God. He was faithful even when situations didn’t make sense. God wants us to have that deep devotion to Him just as Abraham had and vice versa.
Hebrews 2:5-9 MSG [5-9] God didn’t put angels in charge of this business of salvation that we’re dealing with here. It says in Scripture, What is man and woman that you bother with them; why take a second look their way? You made them not quite as high as angels, bright with Eden’s dawn light; Then you put them in charge of your entire handcrafted world. When God put them in charge of everything, nothing was excluded. But we don’t see it yet, don’t see everything under human jurisdiction. What we do see is Jesus, made “not quite as high as angels,” and then, through the experience of death, crowned so much higher than any angel, with a glory “bright with Eden’s dawn light.” In that death, by God’s grace, he fully experienced death in every person’s place.
The Blessing of Abraham Extended To His Descendants
When you commune with God, He will make a covenant with your descendants. Communication is paramount in any relationship and giving someone time and your attention brings about a closer relationship.
Genesis 26:3-5 KJV (God speaking to Isaac) [3] Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; [4] And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; [5] Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Other terms that are associated with covenant are guarantee, pledge, contract ….
I love this definition of covenant because it tells us that the agreement that God made with those such as Abraham and Isaac brought about a RELATIONSHIP between a man and God. A relationship, a connection, a parallel of a man’s life and the Marvelous. In any relationship, communication is paramount. Abraham communed with God and did as God asked Him to do. He lived a life of obedience to God and God honored that. The plus side of communing with God is you get to know Him. You become more and more familiar with His personality and you begin to understand how to please Him. We are the seed of Abraham and his blessing is on us. Let us all as children of the Most High live a life devoted to God just as Abraham. Let us all live in the promises of Abraham.
Galatians 3:6-9 NIV [6] So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” [7] Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. [8] Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” [9] So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.