King David Series: COVENANT FAVOR
One cannot fully appreciate the
privileges right relationship with God bestows without understanding what a
covenant relationship with God is. And without realizing the covenantal
dispensation we are in.
A covenant is the strongest form of
agreement between parties. The all-knowing and all loving God chose this form
of relationship for him and his people.
It is the anchor of faith and the firm foundation of hope. The quality of
a covenant determines the strength of
its promises. The character of the parties to a covenant indicates the
likelihood of it being fulfilled. A covenant guarantees its promises and grants
potential to its parties. It creates a dreaming space or the parameters of favor between the parties.
Covenant making involved symbolic
actions signifying the commitments parties to them were making to one another.
They exchanged promises. They exchanged obligations. They exchanged coats and
names to say they were one. They exchanged belts to say there is nothing hidden
and to commit to standing together and defending each other against enemies of
either. They would make a cut in the palm of the hand and shake to mingle blood
and register a blood covenant of oneness. The cut would leave a scar that
became a covenant sign. They would slaughter and animal and walk around it to
show the seriousness of the covenant as if to say if I break my commitment may
I be as the dead animal. They sometimes would plant a memorial tree and share
in a covenant meal. Three bible accounts show the strength of a covenant
relationship and the seriousness with which God views such a relationship. God
is a covenant keeping God.
a) The story of Mephibosheth. In 2 Samuel 9:1 King David after overcoming his enemies
and was enjoying relative peace remembered his covenant with Jonathan (1 Samuel
18:3-4). . Saul and his son Jonathan were dead but he sought for someone of
their house remaining so that he could show him/her favor. Ziba Saul’s servant
informed the king of Mephibosheth who was abandoned and probably hiding under
the care of Machir in Lo-debar. He was lame in both feet. He was literally and
generally going nowhere. He was in depression and at lowest of self-esteem. He
referred to himself as a ‘dead dog’ (9:8). But David called him from Lo-debar
to the palace. He sat with him at his table and announced that he would always
do so. .Sitting at the table the lame and the whole look the same. All that
remained of Saul was given back to Mephibosheth. Traditionally David would have
killed Mephibosheth to completely secure his throne. But he couldn’t because of
the covenant he had with Jonathan. God would kill us because of our sin but he
gave his son Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross of Calvary. Because of the
covenant of favour established through his son he is looking for you. He wants
to lift you out of your Lo-debar to his palace as his child. He wants to
restore your spiritual dignity and guarantee your wellness at his table.
b) The story of the
Gibeonites. In Josh 9 they forced a covenant
between them and the children of Israel to be spared from attack and
to leave peacefully with them. When Joshua had brought down the walls of Jericho and overran the
city as well as another called Ai. The Gibeonites knowing they would not survive
the impending tornado. Despite being neighbors to Joshua they went to him
pretending they had come from a far country. They wore worn out sandals and
clothes, carried moldy food, etc. The princes of Israel signed a treaty to spare
them. Years later Saul attacked the Gibeonites and as a result in 2 Samuel 21 during the rein of David there was
a drought for three years. God revealed that the problem was their violation of
what you would think was a fraudulent covenant. God honored such a covenant how
much more will he honor his covenant to save you and be with you.
c) The story in
Malachi. In Malachi 2:13-14 God rebuked the
children of Israel
‘Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail
because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with
pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the
witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to
her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.’ God would
not hear their tearful prayers because of what he had witnessed in their
covenant relationships particularly that of marriage. Couples do and say unkind
things to each other they will never repeat in public. But God is witnessing be
it in the bedroom, or any other place.
He doesn’t need other witnesses. He sees for himself. Make things right with your spouse or else
the Lord cannot hear you. The shortest distance between you and God is not
always direct but via the covenant person with whom things are not right.
God has given us his promises and
commands. He has given us his identity. He has taken our nothing and replaced
it with his all. He guarantees his faithfulness and ability through his Son,
His character and his covenant. ‘God did this so that, by two unchangeable
things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold
of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged (Hebrews 6:18)’.
The following God prescribed
covenants for his relationship with people are in two groups. The unconditional
covenant and the conditional. The unconditional are between two parties, but
only one of the two parties has to do something. In the conditional the two
parties must each do their part or else the covenant is breached and
fails. The covenants were however not
entirely one or the other of the categories each will have aspects of both
though some will have a bias to the other. They are also connected,
continuous, building on and completing each other. The promises that God made are eternal. Most
importantly they are all fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
a) The Edenic Covenant (innocence) Genesis 1:26-30;
2:16-17. Key word is LIFE. The Edenic gave dominion and stewardship of all creation
on earth in furthering God’s purposes. . It gave life, the image of God, trust
and perfect conditions. It gave all resources and ability to reproduce and
multiply. Adam lived on a vegetarian diet and lacked nothing, had supernatural
abilities, had significance, had super knowledge to name all animals, must have
had supernatural capabilities such as walking on water. It was based on innocence and fellowship
with God. To dominate care further an
agenda. Based on obedience. Mankind (male and female) created in God’s image.
It had a condition that eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil would result in death. Adam and Eve failed to fulfill this covenant. It
is only fulfilled by the Lord Jesus the last Adam. He came to restore and
progress all that Adam lost in the garden due to his disobedience.
b) The Adamic Covenant. Key word is SAVIOR. While the
Edenic covenant was based on innocence. The Adamic was based on grace. It was
also unconditional. God unilaterally promised a savior Genesis 3:15. With the
promised he restored hope. Adam had been cursed. Death had set in, childbirth
would be painful, survival would be a struggle, marital strife would exist, and
the soil cursed and produce thorns and thistles. Adam was called from hiding
since he had nothing to offer for mercy. God did not have to make any promise.
However just as His promise is fulfilled in Christ when Adam was lost he
promised provision for his salvation. In Christ God made the provision a
reality when humanity was lost in sin. .
c) The Noahic Covenant. Key word is MERCY. This was
another unconditional covenant. After God’s judgement that destroyed all
that was outside Noah’s ark God unilaterally promised never again to judge the
earth with a flood. He sealed the covenant with a rainbow as a covenant sign.
He will be patient with mankind and delay his second coming so that all may
hear the message of Christ and be saved. In the end he will still judge the
earth but not by flood but fire (2 Peter 3:10, 11; Revelation 20:9, 21:1, Genesis
9:8-17). Under this dispensation the option to eat meat was also introduced (Genesis
9:3). The covenant was with Noah and “every living creature” (Genesis 9:8-10).
Genesis 9:12-13). When we see a rainbow we should remember the faithfulness and
mercy of God fulfilled in Jesus Christ. It is a reminder that God has a holy
hatred for sin and will not allow sin to go unpunished forever. Jesus carried
the judgement for our sin on the cross and faith in him is the ark in which to
hide from the judgement of fire to come. God has provided a way for us to be
saved through Jesus Christ (Thessalonians 1:10)
d) The Abrahamic Covenant. Key word is BLESSINGS. . God
determined to call out a special people for Himself. In Genesis 12:1-2, 15, 17
God established an unconditional covenant with Abraham and his descendants
where he unilaterally promised to bless him, give him a name, a land,
innumerable descendants and to make him
a blessing to all nations. The covenant
was sealed with the circumcision sign. God did the covenant ceremony by himself
while Abraham was in a sleep (Genesis 15:18–21, Genesis 17:9–14). He made
promises to Abraham that required nothing of Abraham. However we also know that
Abraham facilitated this covenant by walking in faith. In Christ we access the
favour and blessings of God through faith (Galatians 3:16-18). In Him we are
elevated to sit with Christ and are blessed with every spiritual blessing.
Through the church nations are blessed and the gospel is preached.
e) The Mosaic Covenant. Key word is PRESENCE. This was
a conditional covenant (Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy 28). A rule of the
law, sacrificial system, priests and holiness
(Exodus 19:6). The condition for the human part was obedience. All blessings
and God’s favor was on the condition of obedience. God still honored the
Abrahamic since he was angry with Moses when he failed to circumcise his son
(Exodus 4:24-26). The nation of Israel would be his people and he would be
their God and dwell among them. It was centered
around the tabernacle of Moses and the manual provided on Mount Sinai. It
was a teacher to point to Christ ((Hebrews 9:11-28). The Law had no power to
give people new life, and the people were not able to obey the Law perfectly
(Galatians 3:21, Hebrews 10:1-4).
f) The Davidic Covenant. The key word is
KINGSHIP/THRONE. In 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17:11–14 and 2 Chronicles
6:16. God established the Davidic
everlasting covenant as a fore taste of the new covenant. It promised kingship, son-ship, grace, greatness, descendants and perpetuity. It was an unconditional covenant but we know
that it followed David’s expressed desire to build God a house. God however simply
declared what he would do. He said ‘When your days are over and you rest with
your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh
and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a
house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my
son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with
floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away
from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[a]; your throne
will be established forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16).’ What was prophesied. Isaiah 55:1-3 "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come
to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and
milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that
which is not bread and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Hearken diligently
to me and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in fatness. Incline your ear
and come to me; hear that your soul may live; and I will make with you an
everlasting covenant, my steadfast sure love for David." It was a covenant
of grace and favor. The focus was on giving David a throne that is
everlasting. I will give you authority to rule. Davidic anointing comes includes
Kingly, priestly and prophetic anointings.
With it God gives away his signet ring as in the story of Modecai. The right to decree. Kings have to be careful
what they say. They carefully utilize words to enforce the constitution, uphold
and defend it, God’s throne is associated with worship (ref Revelation). With
this covenant the taste and structure of worship was revised. The ark was in a
tent and approached especially by celebration, praise and worship. Aspects of
the Mosaic remained. The Davidic
Covenant is fulfilled in Christ,. He was introduced as the Son of David. He
rules God’s people and nations (Isaiah 9:6;Jeremiah 17:25, Luke 1:32, Revelation 22:16, 5:5, ). He will
rule forever on the throne of David. Believers
rule with Christ the son of David.
Instead of the rule of the law he restored the rule
of God. When they sought the rule of man
they were harassed by Philistines with the rule of God they will reign forever.
This covenant fulfilled in Christ expects and inspires obedience but does not
depend on it but on God’s grace.
g) The New Covenant. The key word is AMAZING
GRACE. A better covenant founded on
better promises. Christ Himself said that He did not come to abolish but to fulfill. God has done all by his grace – will you believe and receive. It marks the fulfillment of all the other
covenants. The law then was on stone now its on the heart to turn it from
stone. Pray and exercise faith to move yourself into alignment. Not to solicit
God’s favor – already given. Its promise is prophesied (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Hebrews
8:6–13).
Behold, the days
come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel,
and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made
with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of
the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto
them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law
in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and
they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor,
and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me,
from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will
forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. - Jeremiah
31:29-34
Message by Dr. Kurai Chitima.
Faith Ministries – Johannesburg Faith Life Center.
First Floor Dhando House,
66 Eloff Street Extension,
Johannesburg, South Africa
