Tuesday: Covenantal Structure
Bible scholars recognize that there is a typical structure to biblical covenants; this was even seen in covenants made by the ancient Hittites. That is, God communicated to the people in a manner that they, in their culture, could especially understand.
The covenants that were common during the time of ancient Israel had the following parts:
preamble (who God is); historical prologue (past relationship defined); stipulations or laws; blessings and curses; witnesses, special provision or sign of the covenant. Thus, it should be no surprise that God used something similar in communicating to His people back then. He used what they were familiar with.
For example, the whole book of Deuteronomy is written in the form of a covenant, because Moses invites God’s people to enter into a new covenant relationship with their God. It expresses the covenant in the following manner: 1. Preamble (Deut. 1:1-5); 2. Historical prologue (Deut. 1:6-4:43); 3. Stipulations or laws (Deut. 4:44-26:19); 4. Blessings and Curses (Deuteronomy 27:1-30:20); 5. Witnesses (Deut. 30:19); and finally, 6. Special provision (Deut. 31:9-13).
Read Joshua 24:1-33. How is this covenant pattern revealed in that chapter as well?
The same is true with the renewal of the covenant made by Joshua.
First, a preamble is mentioned where God presents Himself as “the LORD, the God of Israel” (Josh. 24:2, NIV). Then follows a long historical prologue where Joshua reminds the people of what God has done for them in the past (Josh. 24:2-15, Josh. 24:23), blessings and curses are mentioned (Josh. 24:19-20), witnesses identified (Josh. 24:22, Josh. 24:27), and special provision stated (Josh. 24:25-26). Here, too, the basic form of a covenant was used to communicate with Israel and show them, not only God’s leading in their past, but what was required of them to uphold their end of the covenant.
Read Joshua 24:15. What principle is here that we can apply to ourselves today?
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It is interesting to compare the post exilic responses in Nehemiah with the post captivity responses of Joshua. In both cases God's people had returned from captivity and were in the process of connecting with God. They both needed reminding who he is and what he does.
Recently I visited Iceland and while there learned a little bit of the history of that country. We visited Godafoss waterfall and heard the story of how the Icelandic lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði (don't worry, I cannot pronounce it either!) proclaimed Iceland to be a Christian country around 1000CE and threw his Norse gods into the raging waters of this waterfall. While we recognise that it was a symbolic gesture in many ways, it represents the need to put other gods out of reach.
For modern Christians the implication is that we need to make that choice between our own self-interest and the selfless love characterised by Jesus. And yet, even in out own Christian experiences, how often do we want to get our own way. It is easy to throw away a hunk of rock, but very hard to choose between God and the god of self.
Many say that the LORD's Everlasting Covenant of Love was similar to those of the surrounding nations, however I believe it is the other way round. The LORD is the Creator and established His Covenant with the first two people - Adam & Eve. So all other covenants were copies and/or adaptations of it.
Just because they were in existence before the LORD renewed His original Covenant with Moses did not mean the LORD was copying them!
Jeremiah 31:31-34
31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
Here God introduced the broken relationship of the Israelites.
The moral law written on the tablet of stone was broken.
Therefore, He will write the law within their hearts and brings consciousness to sin.
Awareness of sin leads the people to reconciliation.
Reconciliation leads the people to oneness with the Lord.
He becomes their God and they become His people
Cleansed made a new creation In Christ, clothed in His righteousness, we are to stand firm.
With this strong foundation, now we are called to take the missionary work of God into the World.
Without being dead to sin, made alive in Christ, we can never complete the work of God.
Are you willing to have His law written with in your heart?
The law written in the heart will be enmity to the flesh.
Are you willing to acknowledge your weakness and die?
Don't nail the law to the cross. I am the one who needs to be crucified and die.
Are you willing to live a new in the life In Christ?
We can't play dead. There is a newness of life In Christ.
Let this mind be in you which was also In Christ Jesus.
Are you willing to work for Him?
Made new in Christ, you are able to carry the mission work of the Lord.
May God bless us as we get transformed in life to be ready for a translated life at His coming.
Accepting the Lord as Creator and donnor of everything we have may be essential to built a life of victories. "If God is for us, who is going to be against us?" We need to feel that we belong to Him and dedicate our lives to Him. We are instruments that can only be used if we allow this so.
PREAMBLE
It identifies who the parties to the covenant are. It just tells us this is a covenant between x and y.
PROLOGUE
It is a little bit of background information as to how it is that the parties are there.
STIPULATIONS
These are the laws. They tell us what the agreement is supposed to be.
BLESSINGS AND CURSES
Blessings are promises of benefits that come if we keep the covenant.
Curses are bad things that will happen to us if we don't keep the covenant.
WITNESSES
The heaven and the earth.
We are the focus of all creation in regard to our being faithful in keeping the covenant.
SPECIAL PROVISION.
documentation.
Each party has a copy of the agreement.
__________________________
I'm your God who brought you out of the
bondage of sin.
I have done all of it for you otherwise you won't be here. I have delivered, protected and guided you. I'll do many things for you.
Here are my laws. Please obey them and live.
If you obey my commandments, I will bless you. I'll be your God and be with you.
But if you don't, I'll bring calamity after another and wipe you out of the face of the earth forever.
WITNESSES:
Heaven ___________
Earth ____________
PARTICIPANTS:
Almighty God ___________
You and me______________
Original copy
Father, lead me by your mighty hand day by day lest I turn my back on you.
The last question for today study was asked using Joshua 24:15. What principle is here that we can apply to ourselves today?
These are heart searching words. To begin with, Joshua was a man of God and was saying to all the head of households predominantly men, men take charge and stand like "men of God". All of you this day will have to make a choice/decision who do you and your household serve but as for me and my household we will serve the Lord.
But the question is ask, what about those homes without a christian man to stand up as the Priest? What choice does the women leave with? Should a wife always agree with the husband just to make peace even when he is wrong because he is the head of the household and he says so?
Two quick stories in Joshua and Samuel.
1. Joshua 7- Achan disobey God, his wife agreed with him and all died an unnatural death.
There are dangers agreeing with your spouse about wrong doing.
2. 1 Samuel 25:25 - Abigale refused to obey her husband words, she even described the meaning of Nabal to David. Because of her actions her entire household was spared.
Not forgetting Job refused to obey his wife, he called her a foolish woman.
The principal for me is: as for myself and all (household) who wants to obey God instructions I am willing to agreed and work with. Christians do not have to agree with their spouse and children over every decision, neither we don't have to compromise. Christian have to stand on what does the word says even when others go against us.