By Christopher Dryden
The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples,
for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
Exodus 19:3-6 ESV
It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today.
Deuteronomy 7:7-11 ESV
Covenant is a fascinating concept. It is more than an agreement or a contract. From God's perspective, the nature of the covenants in scripture saw Him connect and engage with those who were clearly not at His level as if they had anything to offer. Entering into a covenant with those He created was God choosing to bind Himself to a man, a people, and a nation to display His character on the earth and leave a marker that He is all He said He is.
The story of God’s covenant relationship is the greatest love story ever told. It’s a love story that’s not outlined like a romance that gets the sighs and swoons. This is a love story of faithfulness in spite of faithlessness; it’s how one who loves so deeply will remain true and come in for the rescue even when the response is murmuring, complaining and outright rebellion.
This love story reveals something about the nature of God’s rule. In line with what He has displayed about how He rules from what we learn in creation to how He engages with Noah, God expresses tremendous mercy to rescue and restore even as man goes on to grow apart from Him.
When God reached out to humanity again with His Son, Jesus, it was to establish a covenant relationship with all who would put their trust in Him. There is something breathtaking about being so weak, frail, prone to wander and yet in the arms of a loving covenant-keeping God. Chosen not because of how we look or are qualified but because of Jesus. As we see the wonderful works of God in Jesus Christ, we’re invited into a relationship where He will lead us, guide us, rule over us in grace and wisdom and establish us as the kingdom of priests, revealing to the world through our praises just how glorious He is, worthy of adoration and worthy of a committed life under His rule in a beautiful covenant.
Ask: What is the significance of a covenant relationship between God and Israel?
Seek: How does being in a covenant relationship affect your daily walk with God?
Knock: Because He loves us, He gives us a new covenant in Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord, for being a covenant-keeping God. Help us to cherish and appreciate this relationship for your glory.
