THE FRUIT OF COVENANT (2)
Two weeks ago I wrote the first blog on this topic, and there was a very good response for the teaching, as it is something that it not mentioned much or enough. There was some surprise when I recorded that David and Jonathan also personally could have cut a covenant, this was a common practice in the Middle East then and to this day. I preached this message in a Black African church in Sydney some years ago, and after the service over coffee, the Pastor informed me, that “cutting the covenant” was also very much part of many African cultures. He then went on to tell me a story of an English lady from London he knew, who through business had met this lady from Saudi Arabia, because of business they spent a lot of time together over a period of weeks. The day before the Saudi lady was to return home, they met. She said to the English lady, I have really got to appreciate and love you over these past weeks, so much so I want to do something we do in this type of situation in our culture in Saudi Arabia. She said I want to enter into a Covenant with you, I make my self available to you to be anything and everything you may ever need. She then made a tiny cut on the English woman’s wrist, and her own and put their wrists together to let their blood intermingle. It would quickly heal but would leave a tiny scar that neither would forget. The English lady didn’t know what was going on, but simply went along with her new friend’s action. The next day the Saudi lady returned home.
Some time later the English woman was diagnosed with a very nasty cancer, she simply messaged her Saudi friend to let her know about the situation. Within 24 hours there was a knock on her door, and when she opened it, here was the Saudi lady, “What are you doing here” she said, the response came quickly “remember the Covenant I made with you? I didn’t tell you my father owns 24 oil wells he is a very rich man, I am here to take full responsibility for your condition and see you have the very best treatment at my expense. The Saudi lady remained in London until the treatment was complete and the lady was cancer free. THAT IS WHAT COVENANT MEANT TO THE SAUDI LADY.
My Jamieson Fawcett & Brown Commentary tells me that the Jews had a custom of “puncturing” their hand as a reminder of God’s Covenants with His people and the City of Jerusalem.
When we have Holy Communion we are encouraged to “Look at the scars” and remember Christ’s suffering and death for us. It would be a good exercise to sit in the Lord’s presence at home regularly too and “Look at the scars” and meditate upon all the Lord has done for us. In eternity we are going to be always “Looking at the scars” as we will always be looking upon a Lamb that had been slain.
Last night I couldn’t sleep so was praying and meditating on these glorious truths, and the thought came to me, that as Jesus always lives to make intercession for us. Hebrews 7:25 NKJV JESUS IS ALSO ALWAYS LOOKING AT HIS SCARS, let us look at Isaiah 49:16 NKJV See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; The AMP says this Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands. The New Living expresses it this way I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
If there are any Theologians reading this, they will say this is talking about Jerusalem or Zion, and that is 100% correct. Now let us pass this verse through the Cross and apply New Covenant Principles to it. OUR BIG GOD HAS BIG HANDS, Christ’s hands is His prayer list, and my name is on His hand and so is yours.
I felt I could weep as I meditated on this awesome truth, Jesus knows my name,He sees it often when he looks at the scars, He knows everything about me, AND STILL LOVES ME and while I was yet a sinner he died for me, what a Saviour.
I THANK GOD FOR THE NEW COVENANT DON’T YOU?
