There is always a time when every child of God will come in contact with His attribute as a Refiner. This is a very serious season in our lives, and without His refining fire at work in us, we cannot experience His fullness or attain a significant level in our relationship with Him.
Zechariah 13:9 says:
“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.”
Until they pass through the refiner’s fire, God said:
1. He will answer them when they call upon His name.
2. He will identify them as His people.
3. They shall be able to say, “The LORD is my God.”
I want you to know that there is no refining without fire. Have you ever seen where gold and other metals are mined? You would rightly call it mud or dirt. At that stage, there is no beauty, no radiance, just impurity. It is then transported to the refinery where the real work begins.
At the point of mining, many other substances are mixed with the gold. Silver is often found alongside gold, sometimes embedded within the same ore. Though they originate together, they must be separated through intense refining processes.
So what happens in the refinery? Refining is the process of converting raw materials into valuable, usable, and high-purity products. It involves:
A. Separating complex mixtures
B. Removing impurities
C. Altering the structure to meet specific quality standards
Gold is refined through chemical, electrical, or heat-based processes:
* Aqua regia leaching dissolves gold using hydrochloric and nitric acids, then precipitates it into pure form.
* Electrolytic refining uses electric current to separate pure gold from impurities.
* Miller process melts gold and introduces chlorine gas to remove impurities quickly.
In petroleum refining:
* Distillation separates crude oil into fractions like gasoline, kerosene, and diesel.
* Cracking and reforming break down heavy molecules into lighter, more valuable ones.
* Treatment removes impurities like sulfur.
* Blending ensures the final product meets required standards.
In all these processes, the principle remains the same: the more intense the heat, the greater the purity; and the greater the purity, the higher the value and usefulness. As the saying goes, nothing good comes easy.
When the Divine Refiner begins His work, He first separates you from the crowd and takes you into His refinery. He begins by turning up the heat. At that point, it may feel as though your life is going in reverse. Things you once enjoyed begin to fade, and help seems to disappear.
Separation begins. Fair-weather friends fall away. Those who surrounded you because of what they could gain leave. Sometimes even family and close relationships withdraw. Just like crude oil is separated into its components, your life begins to undergo divine separation.
Then the searchlight is turned on your character. Under intense heat, you come face to face with yourself, the human nature, pride, arrogance, self-dependence, reliance on beauty, intellect, money. All these begin to fail. The heavy, low-value weights, the “little foxes that spoil the vine”begin to crack and break down.
You are brought to ground zero.
At that point, you realize that the only One you can cry to is the Refiner.
When you are fully surrendered, He begins to rebuild you. He takes what was stripped and begins to form something of higher value. He teaches you how those former impurities can become tools in His hand. He transforms your yielded life to reflect His divine nature.
Then He applies even more fire, to purify you further, to meet heavenly standards, to produce a life that burns clean and acceptable before Him. After this, He pours upon you His grace and weight of glory, making you a vessel of honor fit for the Master’s use.
At this stage, He is not afraid to send you anywhere because He knows you will represent Him well as an ambassador of His kingdom.
Many of us admire the anointing upon certain servants of God. We covet the grace upon their lives and assume they are simply favorites of God. You may say that, but it did not come cheaply. They have been through the refinery of heaven. They have endured the fire, the pressure, the process and they came out as pure gold.
Even among gold, there are different levels of purity, different carats. As the Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:20–21:
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
They are all vessels, but their use differs based on their level of refinement.
Where are you positioned? What is your assignment? Are you in the marketplace, in business, in the home raising the next generation, in the health sector, or in politics? Wherever you are, you can become a vessel of honor fit for God’s use and prepared for great works.
Before you begin to covet a greater anointing, before you embark on fasting for higher realms, understand this: you must pass through the heavenly refinery. You must be refined before you can carry that grace, before heaven can proclaim, “Hear ye him.”
Oh, what unstoppable grace will be released upon you.
It is possible. It is visible. But are you ready to let Him refine you, beloved?
GOD BLESS YOU
GOD CAN SEND ON AN ASSIGNMENT
Our God, who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, desires that all men know Him and fulfill His counsel. He gave an assignment to the apostles and all believers through Jesus Christ in Mark 16:15, that we should go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. This is a vast assignment, considering the number of people in the world and the different geographical locations. The harvest is very ripe, especially now that the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is near. Jesus even encouraged us to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into His harvest.
We have many examples in the Bible of people whom God sent on assignment, and we will do well to learn from their lives:
1. Joseph was sent ahead to prepare the ground for the Israelites to come into Egypt so they would not perish in famine (Genesis 45:4–7). God sent Joseph ahead to preserve the seed of Abraham, with whom He had a covenant.
2. Moses in Exodus 3, God sent Moses for the deliverance of the Israelites in Egypt when the fullness of time had come. In verse 10, God told Moses that He was sending him to His people for their deliverance.
3. In Isaiah 6:8, God asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” This shows that God is always looking for people to send.
4. In Jeremiah 1:6–7, God said He had prepared Jeremiah from the womb and ordained him as a prophet to the nations.
5. In Matthew 9:38, Jesus, who was also sent by God, asked us to pray for more labourers to be sent into the harvest.
6. In 1 Kings 13, a man of God was sent to Bethel to deliver a message to Jeroboam.
All through the Bible and even now, God is still sending people on assignments. Every assignment is meant to reveal His glory and His love to His creation. Now, there are certain signatures, God’s imprint, that will be evident both in the one sent and in the assignment itself.
A. When God calls and sends, there is a procedure that must be followed.
It is not enough to receive the call; you must also tarry in God’s presence to receive the procedure, the step-by-step method for accomplishing the assignment. Yes, you may be educated, you may have seen others do something similar, but this is God’s assignment, and He alone knows the way to accomplish it.
The way He parted the Red Sea is different from how He parted the River Jordan, even though both are bodies of water. If we were to break down the wall of Jericho today, common sense would suggest using heavy machinery, but divine instruction was to march around it for seven days and shout. That is not learned in any university or ministry school.
God has specific procedures for every assignment, and they often differ. Do not assume. Do not copy. A way that seems right may not be right, it may lead to destruction.
B. When God sends, He provides for the assignment.
He gives grace, enablement, wisdom, and all necessary resources.
* He provides helpers (Exodus 31:1–5).
* He assigns angels (Exodus 32:14; Isaiah 63:9).
* He ensures that all resources are available.
Every assignment given by God is important, and He allocates heavenly support for it. However, He expects complete obedience. Be careful that these resources are not misused or redirected, it is dangerous.
Are you struggling where you are? Is it truly an assignment given by God or by man? You must confirm if you are sent. And if you are sure God sent you, did you receive the blueprint before moving ahead? Your intellect alone is too small to carry out a divine assignment. If you have the blueprint, then the resources will follow. Go back to Him and ask for everything needed to fulfill the assignment.
Please note: not everyone who appears active is sent by God. Some send themselves; others are driven by need. In Jeremiah 23:17–32, God warns about false prophets and the consequences of running without being sent.
Imagine being truly called, yet copying those who are not sent because you see what looks like success in their lives, what a catastrophe that would be. Be sure of your calling and wait on Him. It is not how long, but how well you fulfill your assignment that matters.
Jesus our Saviour was also sent. Isaiah 61:1 outlines His purpose. In the Gospels, He clearly acknowledged those God gave Him to help fulfill His mission. In Malachi 3:1, we are told that God would send a forerunner to prepare His way.
What an awesome God we serve. All you need is to tune in to His frequency.
You will never fail, in Jesus’ name.
We have many examples in the Bible of people whom God sent on assignment, and we will do well to learn from their lives:
1. Joseph was sent ahead to prepare the ground for the Israelites to come into Egypt so they would not perish in famine (Genesis 45:4–7). God sent Joseph ahead to preserve the seed of Abraham, with whom He had a covenant.
2. Moses in Exodus 3, God sent Moses for the deliverance of the Israelites in Egypt when the fullness of time had come. In verse 10, God told Moses that He was sending him to His people for their deliverance.
3. In Isaiah 6:8, God asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” This shows that God is always looking for people to send.
4. In Jeremiah 1:6–7, God said He had prepared Jeremiah from the womb and ordained him as a prophet to the nations.
5. In Matthew 9:38, Jesus, who was also sent by God, asked us to pray for more labourers to be sent into the harvest.
6. In 1 Kings 13, a man of God was sent to Bethel to deliver a message to Jeroboam.
All through the Bible and even now, God is still sending people on assignments. Every assignment is meant to reveal His glory and His love to His creation. Now, there are certain signatures, God’s imprint, that will be evident both in the one sent and in the assignment itself.
A. When God calls and sends, there is a procedure that must be followed.
It is not enough to receive the call; you must also tarry in God’s presence to receive the procedure, the step-by-step method for accomplishing the assignment. Yes, you may be educated, you may have seen others do something similar, but this is God’s assignment, and He alone knows the way to accomplish it.
The way He parted the Red Sea is different from how He parted the River Jordan, even though both are bodies of water. If we were to break down the wall of Jericho today, common sense would suggest using heavy machinery, but divine instruction was to march around it for seven days and shout. That is not learned in any university or ministry school.
God has specific procedures for every assignment, and they often differ. Do not assume. Do not copy. A way that seems right may not be right, it may lead to destruction.
B. When God sends, He provides for the assignment.
He gives grace, enablement, wisdom, and all necessary resources.
* He provides helpers (Exodus 31:1–5).
* He assigns angels (Exodus 32:14; Isaiah 63:9).
* He ensures that all resources are available.
Every assignment given by God is important, and He allocates heavenly support for it. However, He expects complete obedience. Be careful that these resources are not misused or redirected, it is dangerous.
Are you struggling where you are? Is it truly an assignment given by God or by man? You must confirm if you are sent. And if you are sure God sent you, did you receive the blueprint before moving ahead? Your intellect alone is too small to carry out a divine assignment. If you have the blueprint, then the resources will follow. Go back to Him and ask for everything needed to fulfill the assignment.
Please note: not everyone who appears active is sent by God. Some send themselves; others are driven by need. In Jeremiah 23:17–32, God warns about false prophets and the consequences of running without being sent.
Imagine being truly called, yet copying those who are not sent because you see what looks like success in their lives, what a catastrophe that would be. Be sure of your calling and wait on Him. It is not how long, but how well you fulfill your assignment that matters.
Jesus our Saviour was also sent. Isaiah 61:1 outlines His purpose. In the Gospels, He clearly acknowledged those God gave Him to help fulfill His mission. In Malachi 3:1, we are told that God would send a forerunner to prepare His way.
What an awesome God we serve. All you need is to tune in to His frequency.
You will never fail, in Jesus’ name.
GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD
Jealousy is a feeling of resentment, insecurity, or bitterness caused by the fear of losing someone or something to another or to a rival. It is also envy of another’s success, possessions, or advantage. It can also mean being protective or vigilant in guarding something or someone. This can be separated into three major sections:
Envy or resentment of another’s success
Possessiveness / suspicion
Vigilance, being watchful or protective
The Hebrew word translated jealousy is Qanna. This is an adjective used to describe God as jealous or zealous. Another derivative word from Qanna is Kinah, which denotes envy. Qanna / Qanah implies an intense burning passion or, in a positive sense, a protective, zealous, and loyal devotion.
Many passages in the Bible describe our God as a jealous God. This implies that God has an intense concern for the protective and exclusive loyalty of His children, rather than mere insecurity. Our God is not insecure. He has all power in heaven, on earth, and underneath the earth, so He is not afraid of anyone or anything. Rather, He loves His children too much to watch them fall into the trap of the devil and his cohorts.
God is fiercely protective of His own. He will stop at nothing to make sure they are protected. He will spare nothing at all. In Epistle to the Hebrews 12:24, the Bible says that our God is a consuming fire. He will leave no stone unturned and spare nothing when it comes to the object of His love.
Have you ever seen or heard of a husband’s rage when he perceives that his wife is having an affair with another man, or when he senses that her heart is more favorably disposed toward another than toward him? In fact, in some cases it becomes so extreme that some husbands are even jealous of their own sons because the wife seems to care more for the son. One may argue that such jealousy is based on insecurity. But God is not insecure. He knows that if you continue to fraternize with the devil, it can only lead to your destruction.
Therefore, He has put some guards in place for you. You are not the only person in the world. God can afford to do without you, but the sacrifice of His only begotten Son is too great for Him to simply let you go. Because of that, He cannot tolerate certain things:
1. He cannot stand you having or worshipping another god.
Sometimes we are so disillusioned that we think idolatry only happens when someone builds a shrine or makes an image, or when someone stops going to church and begins to associate with gatherings of darkness. But having another god begins when you put anything ahead of God in your life.
What do you value most? Examine your heart right now. What occupies the number one position in it? Do you value your beauty, work, business, family, traditions, or even possessions such as houses, jewelry, or clothes more than Him?
Anything that occupies your life to the point that you cannot let it go at God’s command has become an idol to you. Even if it is something God Himself gave to you, He will not hesitate to remove it. You are to worship the Giver, not the gift.
2. God is a consuming fire.
He can consume anything or anyone in His anger. Yes, He is a loving Father, and He will destroy anything that threatens your well-being. Why then put your life and the lives of those around you in jeopardy? Order your priorities correctly and give Him His rightful place, which is number one.
3. God can be provoked to jealousy with strange gods.
This happens when people sacrifice to devils or hold something or someone so dear that their demands come before God’s commands. When you do this, you are sacrificing your relationship with God on the altar of their demands. Be warned.
4. God can also be provoked to jealousy with “high places.”
These may not necessarily be physical locations. They may be areas of your life where you decide that certain things cannot be touched or surrendered. Sometimes even your possessions can become altars of darkness or graven images that provoke God’s jealousy and His consuming anger.
When God’s rage is stirred, He can wipe things out completely, and His anger can last for a long time.
Yet, because His jealousy springs from love, He is always ready and willing to take you back if you realize your mistake and turn away from your wicked ways.
Prayerfully study the following scriptures and examine your life to ensure that you are not drawing the anger of God upon yourself. You will excel in Jesus’ name.
Study:
Book of Exodus 20:5
Book of Deuteronomy 5:9
Book of Exodus 34:14
Book of Deuteronomy 4:24
Book of Deuteronomy 6:15
Book of Deuteronomy 32:16
Book of Ezekiel 39:25
Book of Joel 2:18
Book of Psalms 78:58
GOD THE I AM
Our God is the I AM THAT I AM. This was His response to Moses in Exodus 3:14 when Moses asked whom he should tell the Israelites had sent him. The Israelites had been in bondage in Egypt for over 400 years. God said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM. Tell them I AM sent you.”
The Hebrew words translated as I AM THAT I AM are Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. To me it means: I am who you want me to be. I do not need permission from anyone or from any power. I exist alone, absolutely and independently. I am all fullness. Who or what do you want me to be? I will be what I want to be. I cannot be challenged.
It is like having an open cheque already signed, just insert what you want there. He exists. This is awesome.
There are diverse people on earth and, as such, our desires, needs, and wants are also diverse. There is no way an individual, no matter how rich he is, can satisfy the whole human race. The challenges facing humanity are so many that it is impossible for all to be satisfied at once.
For an analogy, let us look at the moon. It orbits around the earth. When it appears in the east, it is different from when it reaches the west. When you look toward the east while the moon is in the west, you cannot see it. Does that mean the moon does not exist? No. It only means that at that particular time you cannot see it in the east.
This shows that there are always different challenges at different times for different people. Therefore, there is always the need for a Supreme God who has the ability to be in different places at the same time.
Our God is Omnipresent. He is at all places at all times, fully present with His entire being. He is universally accessible, unlike the moon that rotates. As such, no matter what your need is, He is able to meet it.
In addition to being present everywhere simultaneously, He has all power (Omnipotent) and knows all things (Omniscient). Think, dear friend: what is it that is out of God’s jurisdiction? He has the power to exercise all authority, the power to govern and to legislate. No one and nothing can stand against Him.
Wow! You have the whole power in heaven, on earth, and underneath the earth backing you. Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh – I will be to you who you want me to be.
You see, God will not force Himself on you. His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is gentle. He waits for you to invite Him yourself. Yes, God has all power, but He created you in His own image and gave you a will.
Just like in Deuteronomy 30, He can only advise you to choose life, to choose blessing. But if you refuse, be ready to live with the consequences of your choice.
Further, in Proverbs 12:28, we are told that there is life in the way of righteousness, and there is no death in its path. There are no two ways about it. You either choose God or you have chosen Satan, for friendship with the world is automatically enmity with God (James 4:4).
When you choose Him, then He will be whatever you want Him to be. What is your challenge? He is able to bring it down before you.
Take quality time to seek His face in prayer and study His Word to know the things that are freely given to you. Then go with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3; John 4:14).
Today Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh is open to receive you, and He will be to you whatever you want Him to be.
Shalom.
The Hebrew words translated as I AM THAT I AM are Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. To me it means: I am who you want me to be. I do not need permission from anyone or from any power. I exist alone, absolutely and independently. I am all fullness. Who or what do you want me to be? I will be what I want to be. I cannot be challenged.
It is like having an open cheque already signed, just insert what you want there. He exists. This is awesome.
There are diverse people on earth and, as such, our desires, needs, and wants are also diverse. There is no way an individual, no matter how rich he is, can satisfy the whole human race. The challenges facing humanity are so many that it is impossible for all to be satisfied at once.
For an analogy, let us look at the moon. It orbits around the earth. When it appears in the east, it is different from when it reaches the west. When you look toward the east while the moon is in the west, you cannot see it. Does that mean the moon does not exist? No. It only means that at that particular time you cannot see it in the east.
This shows that there are always different challenges at different times for different people. Therefore, there is always the need for a Supreme God who has the ability to be in different places at the same time.
Our God is Omnipresent. He is at all places at all times, fully present with His entire being. He is universally accessible, unlike the moon that rotates. As such, no matter what your need is, He is able to meet it.
In addition to being present everywhere simultaneously, He has all power (Omnipotent) and knows all things (Omniscient). Think, dear friend: what is it that is out of God’s jurisdiction? He has the power to exercise all authority, the power to govern and to legislate. No one and nothing can stand against Him.
Wow! You have the whole power in heaven, on earth, and underneath the earth backing you. Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh – I will be to you who you want me to be.
You see, God will not force Himself on you. His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is gentle. He waits for you to invite Him yourself. Yes, God has all power, but He created you in His own image and gave you a will.
Just like in Deuteronomy 30, He can only advise you to choose life, to choose blessing. But if you refuse, be ready to live with the consequences of your choice.
Further, in Proverbs 12:28, we are told that there is life in the way of righteousness, and there is no death in its path. There are no two ways about it. You either choose God or you have chosen Satan, for friendship with the world is automatically enmity with God (James 4:4).
When you choose Him, then He will be whatever you want Him to be. What is your challenge? He is able to bring it down before you.
Take quality time to seek His face in prayer and study His Word to know the things that are freely given to you. Then go with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3; John 4:14).
Today Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh is open to receive you, and He will be to you whatever you want Him to be.
Shalom.
GOD KEEPS COVENANT
Covenants in the Bible are binding relational agreements between God and man, and also between man and man. A covenant between God and humanity is designed to preserve and fulfill God’s redemptive plan. Simply put, it is an agreement to do or not to do a particular thing, a pact or binding agreement between two or more parties. It is a promise with conditions attached.
The first major covenant in the Bible is the Noahic covenant , the covenant between God and Noah after the flood. Though some believe there was an Adamic covenant, especially the prophecy that the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent and the serpent shall bruise His heel, that covenant is not as clearly structured because some formal terms are not stated explicitly.
In Genesis 6:18, we see God declaring that He would establish His covenant with Noah before the flood. In Genesis 7:5, the Bible records that Noah did according to all that God commanded him. Based on God’s covenant promise to Noah, the Bible says that God remembered Noah and every living thing in the ark, and He made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided (Genesis 8:1).
In Genesis 8:20, Noah offered a sacrifice, and the covenant was extended to all humanity. That covenant is still in existence today, and the token of the covenant was given by God , the rainbow (Genesis 9:12–17).
Let us now look at the elements of a covenant:
1. Cutting — signifying life and death.
2. Conditional or unconditional terms.
3. Structure — promises (terms or laws), blood, and a sign.
In the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17), we see the terms clearly:
1. The cutting of the covenant through the sacrifice of animals.
2. The token of the covenant, circumcision of every male child on the eighth day.
3. The structure of the promises found in verses 6–10:
> “And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
> And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
> And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
> And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
> This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every male child among you shall be circumcised.”
There is also the Mosaic covenant, which God entered into with the children of Israel after they left Egypt under the leadership of Moses.
There is the Davidic covenant between God and David and his descendants. (God does enter into covenants with individuals.) This covenant culminated in our Savior Jesus Christ coming from the lineage of David.
Then we have the Messianic covenant, which brings us, the Gentiles, into the promise, being grafted into the Abrahamic covenant. We are the seed of Abraham by virtue of our relationship with Christ Jesus. This is described as the New Covenant.
This New Covenant is:
* A grace-based relationship between God and man established by the shed blood of Jesus.
* If you agree with its terms, God’s law is written in your heart, unlike the laws written on tablets of stone in the Mosaic covenant.
* Full forgiveness of sins.
* The indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
* Mediated by Jesus Christ and enacted through His death and resurrection.
* An internal transformation —God writes His laws in the heart and mind for true obedience through a transformed life.
* Complete and permanent forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus, unlike the continual animal sacrifices of the Mosaic covenant.
(See Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:8–13; Hebrews 12:24; Acts 2:1.)
As sweet and beautiful as God’s covenant with man is, people still go against His covenant and are disciplined, not because God is wicked, but because covenant terms and conditions have been violated. There are always repercussions. However, our God is merciful. We see Him intervening again and again when people realize their wrongdoing and turn back to Him.
He said in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
> “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Know this, beloved: just as God takes His covenant with humanity seriously, He also takes seriously the covenants man makes with man. This demands our attention.
Have you entered into an agreement with another person? Then you must diligently keep your part of the agreement. Better still, think carefully before entering into any agreement at all. Do not blindly enter into business partnerships, marriage covenants, or other binding commitments if you are not prepared to keep your part.
Do not say it does not matter. As a child of God, there is no major decision you should enter into without seeking His face and confirming that He is leading you. If you have even the smallest doubt, return to Him until you receive clarity. If you do not have His clear direction, do not proceed.
Read 2 Samuel 21:1–14. What a sobering story. The children of Israel disobeyed God’s command to wipe out the Amorites completely. Instead, they made a covenant with the Gibeonites and promised to spare them. Later, when Saul became king, he killed some of them in his zeal to gain favor with his people.
Did the Gibeonites cause the three years of famine during David’s reign? Yes. Did they withhold the rain? No. Who gives rain in its season? God. After the demands of justice were met, verse 14 says that God answered prayer on behalf of the land.
Notice also that David spared Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, because of the covenant he had made with Jonathan (verse 7). That covenant between David and Jonathan was described as the LORD’s oath, a covenant between two people.
Do not blindly enter into agreements. It is dangerous if you fail to fulfill your part. See what happened to Saul’s descendants; even innocent individuals suffered. Even Michal, Saul’s daughter, lost her sons. God is Judge, and His judgment is always right.
BEWARE.
It is well.
The first major covenant in the Bible is the Noahic covenant , the covenant between God and Noah after the flood. Though some believe there was an Adamic covenant, especially the prophecy that the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent and the serpent shall bruise His heel, that covenant is not as clearly structured because some formal terms are not stated explicitly.
In Genesis 6:18, we see God declaring that He would establish His covenant with Noah before the flood. In Genesis 7:5, the Bible records that Noah did according to all that God commanded him. Based on God’s covenant promise to Noah, the Bible says that God remembered Noah and every living thing in the ark, and He made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided (Genesis 8:1).
In Genesis 8:20, Noah offered a sacrifice, and the covenant was extended to all humanity. That covenant is still in existence today, and the token of the covenant was given by God , the rainbow (Genesis 9:12–17).
Let us now look at the elements of a covenant:
1. Cutting — signifying life and death.
2. Conditional or unconditional terms.
3. Structure — promises (terms or laws), blood, and a sign.
In the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17), we see the terms clearly:
1. The cutting of the covenant through the sacrifice of animals.
2. The token of the covenant, circumcision of every male child on the eighth day.
3. The structure of the promises found in verses 6–10:
> “And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
> And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
> And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
> And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
> This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every male child among you shall be circumcised.”
There is also the Mosaic covenant, which God entered into with the children of Israel after they left Egypt under the leadership of Moses.
There is the Davidic covenant between God and David and his descendants. (God does enter into covenants with individuals.) This covenant culminated in our Savior Jesus Christ coming from the lineage of David.
Then we have the Messianic covenant, which brings us, the Gentiles, into the promise, being grafted into the Abrahamic covenant. We are the seed of Abraham by virtue of our relationship with Christ Jesus. This is described as the New Covenant.
This New Covenant is:
* A grace-based relationship between God and man established by the shed blood of Jesus.
* If you agree with its terms, God’s law is written in your heart, unlike the laws written on tablets of stone in the Mosaic covenant.
* Full forgiveness of sins.
* The indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
* Mediated by Jesus Christ and enacted through His death and resurrection.
* An internal transformation —God writes His laws in the heart and mind for true obedience through a transformed life.
* Complete and permanent forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus, unlike the continual animal sacrifices of the Mosaic covenant.
(See Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:8–13; Hebrews 12:24; Acts 2:1.)
As sweet and beautiful as God’s covenant with man is, people still go against His covenant and are disciplined, not because God is wicked, but because covenant terms and conditions have been violated. There are always repercussions. However, our God is merciful. We see Him intervening again and again when people realize their wrongdoing and turn back to Him.
He said in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
> “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Know this, beloved: just as God takes His covenant with humanity seriously, He also takes seriously the covenants man makes with man. This demands our attention.
Have you entered into an agreement with another person? Then you must diligently keep your part of the agreement. Better still, think carefully before entering into any agreement at all. Do not blindly enter into business partnerships, marriage covenants, or other binding commitments if you are not prepared to keep your part.
Do not say it does not matter. As a child of God, there is no major decision you should enter into without seeking His face and confirming that He is leading you. If you have even the smallest doubt, return to Him until you receive clarity. If you do not have His clear direction, do not proceed.
Read 2 Samuel 21:1–14. What a sobering story. The children of Israel disobeyed God’s command to wipe out the Amorites completely. Instead, they made a covenant with the Gibeonites and promised to spare them. Later, when Saul became king, he killed some of them in his zeal to gain favor with his people.
Did the Gibeonites cause the three years of famine during David’s reign? Yes. Did they withhold the rain? No. Who gives rain in its season? God. After the demands of justice were met, verse 14 says that God answered prayer on behalf of the land.
Notice also that David spared Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, because of the covenant he had made with Jonathan (verse 7). That covenant between David and Jonathan was described as the LORD’s oath, a covenant between two people.
Do not blindly enter into agreements. It is dangerous if you fail to fulfill your part. See what happened to Saul’s descendants; even innocent individuals suffered. Even Michal, Saul’s daughter, lost her sons. God is Judge, and His judgment is always right.
BEWARE.
It is well.