A contract is an agreement between two parties. In the Old
Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is
derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a
"cutting," with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into
two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a
covenant ( Genesis 15 ; Jeremiah 34:18 Jeremiah 34:19 ).
The corresponding word in the New Testament Greek is diatheke,
which is, however, rendered "testament" generally in the Authorized
Version. It ought to be rendered, just as the word berith of the Old
Testament, "covenant."
Deuteronomy 7:9 Know
therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his
covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his
commandments.
Matthew 26:28 This
is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness
of sins.
2 Samuel 23:5 "Truly
is not my house so with God? For He has made an everlasting covenant with me,
Ordered in all things, and secured; For all my salvation and all my desire,
Will He not indeed make it grow?
Do you promise? Have you ever been on the receiving end of
this question? Have you ever broken a promise or had someone break a promise to
you? I am sure at one point or another we have all had our fair share of
heartbreak when it comes to this word: promise. Thankfully, our
relationship with God is not based on a halfhearted promise.
Jesus didn't pinky swear that if we loved and trusted
Him, He would be in a relationship with us. No, instead He made much more than
a promise, He made a covenant.
A covenant is different from a promise. A promise can be one
sided and a promise is not dependent on another party doing anything.
God keeps His promises in spite of our halfhearted efforts …how
do you honor the covenants?
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