THE FRUIT OF COVENANT

There is a word used in Scriptures around 100 times, that many Christians use almost glibly not fully understanding or appreciating all that it means, the word is:

COVENANT

In English the word means a binding contract or obligation between two people.
The Hebrew word Beriyth that is translated Covenant means a contract made by passing between two pieces of flesh, which involved the animal being cut thus the thought of cutting. We see this in Genesis 15:17 & Jeremiah 34:18, this clearly portraying a covenant between God and man. It may also have been used when two individuals entered into a covenant, it is also recorded historically that 2 persons may cut their wrists and for a moment join their wrists together as a sign.
We understand that marriage is also a covenant.
A Jewish baby becomes a “son of the covenant” when he is circumcised.
There are at least 7 Covenants recorded in the Word of God  made between God and man, the two that we have some understanding of is the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. We are so glad we live under the New Covenant instituted through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, although we read that  it was in the heart of God in eternity past.

A COVENANT  HAS THREE PARTS TO IT

1. The Words of the Covenant,  that is the Promises, the Terms and Oath of the covenant
2. The Blood of the Covenant
3. The Seal of the Covenant the ongoing proof and outworking of the covenant
These three ingredients are completely expressed in the New Covenant
I want to illustrate the wonderful fruit of Covenant in the story of David and Jonathan’s covenant, we read in 1 Samuel 18:1-4 NKJV Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
These macho, manly married men, committed themselves to each other. They were either out in a field and killed and then cut an animal from top to bottom and laid the 2 parts side by side, and they walked between these parts and as they did Jonathan exchanges his royal robe with David, saying all that is represented here in this robe is yours, and then they exchanged swords, saying to each other, if you ever need me or my strength I am available to you.  Or they took a knife a cut their wrists and let their blood mingle together as they put their wrists together. Of course when it healed it left a scar.
In 1 Samuel 20:16 NKJV extends the covenant to the whole house of David, So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
It is then renewed again in 1 Samuel 23:18 NKJV So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.
David is really distraught when he receives the news that Jonathan and his father Saul were killed in battle we read in 2 Samuel 1 25-27 NKJV I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me, your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women, “How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished.
David who had been anointed by Samuel years before then ascends the throne, but David did not forget the covenant he had made with Jonathan, and believed it was still current even to Jonathan’s family. and then we read in 2 Samuel 9:1-4 NKJV Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said “at your service” then the king said, “Is there still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show
He said, “At your service!”
Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God? And Ziba said to the king, There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet”.
The son’s name was Mephibosheth, his nurse when she heard of the death of Saul & Jonathan picked up the baby but in her haste she fell and he was dropped, and this caused him to become permanently lame.
Mephibosheth’s name means ashamed, confused, rebellious, surely a picture of us outside of Christ.
David immediately asks that Mephibosheth  be brought to him, when he arrives he falls at David’s feet fearful for his life, as historically  the new king would kill off the old king’s family, David asks his name and Mephibosheth confirms who he was. I want to suggest  David lifted his sleeve, and said “do you see this scar what is it ?” and the reply would come it is a “Covenant scar”, David could then have said “I was in covenant with your father, we then read in 2 Samuel 9:7 NKJV So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”
Mephibosheth was fully restored in every way to his princely place in the palace, that was the fruit (or seal) of the covenant David had made with Jonathan.

THROUGH THE NEW COVENANT WE HAVE BEEN RESTORED TO OUR PRINCELY PLACE.

Last Sunday as Believers everywhere took Communion were asked to  Remember the Lord’s death until He comes, to look at these wounds, they are covenant wounds.
I do trust this blog has blessed you, I could have made it a series and it would become a theological statement, I wanted to write something that would remind you, we are all products of the new Covenant.
Please feel free to drop me a comment.