Understanding the Covenant

Genesis 8:18-22 – So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”

A covenant is an agreement or contract between at least two parties with set conditions of operation including benefits and consequence if conditions are not adhered to. I have observed in scriptures that God operates with people based on clear agreements and certain terms. This method of operation is called covenant. God operated with Adam and Eve in the garden based on the agreement that they could have the garden and eat of every tree except one. As long as they cooperated with God and kept their side of the contract all was well. But immediately they broke the agreement they lost the garden.

God told Noah to announce to his generation of the coming flood and to prepare an ark to preserve life. He did and he and his household were preserved and God blessed him and his household with an everlasting blessing.

God told Abraham to leave his father’s house and his country to the land that He would show him and that He would bless him and make him great if he cooperated. He obeyed God and followed divine guidance. He became the first rich man mentioned in the Bible and God blessed and made him great and all the families of the earth today are still benefiting from the blessings of Abraham.

Jesus told the disciples to follow Him and that He would make them fishers of men. They did and they were made and the world has not recovered from the impact made by the disciples.

In each of these cases, the people played their part and God and Jesus played theirs. They were blessed or cursed as in the case of Adam and Eve. God never changes, and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.

Everyone has equal opportunity to enter into a covenant with God. Every child of God entered into a covenant with God at new birth and the covenant entails giving and receiving. The law of the seedtime and harvest is the bedrock of the covenant we have with God. If we obey and serve Him we will spend our days in prosperity and our years in pleasure. If we are willing and obedient we shall eat the best of the land. If we give it shall be given unto us, good measure pressed down shaken together and running over. Every promise in the Bible is a covenant promise. The Bible is a book of covenant and you need to engage with it with a covenant- mindset. The Bible only works for those that work it.

Whenever you read the scriptures you should find the God part and the man part in its operation. God has always done His part; it is our part that delays the manifestation of the finished work. I want to encourage you to start seeing yourself as God’s partner in enforcing the kingdom of heaven on earth. And be aware that you have all of heaven’s resources at your disposal to accomplish the mission. You are God’s partner and God is your partner.

Further reading

Psalm 24:1, Psalm 50:10, Zechariah 4:6

Personal declaration for the day

Today I will cooperate with God and I will enjoy the blessing of walking and working with Him.

Questions for you to reflect on

Do you know you have a covenant with God?

Are you aware of the terms of the covenant and how to operate them?

God has done His part of the covenant; He is only waiting for your approval.

You determine when the covenant starts working for you not God