Read Hebrews 13:1-25
“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20, 21)
“Covenant” is not a term we use often today. I suppose that some of the closest parallels would be words like “agreement” or “contract.” Depending on your experience, however, those latter words may not communicate the essence of the kinds of covenants you find in the Bible. Instead, they can imply a sense of reluctant obligation towards an uncaring individual or institution. Remember how you initially felt about buying a car or home? It was exciting to have that new thing! Fast forward a few years. If you took out a loan to purchase them, how did you feel about the monthly payment? How much concern was the lending institution demonstrating towards you?
Meanwhile, a biblical covenant is different. God is far from an uncaring individual. He, as a loving Father, repeatedly established covenantal agreements in which He obligated Himself or His people to certain actions. At times, there were specific consequences of rewards or punishments for keeping or violating the terms of the agreements. These are called “conditional covenants.” The Bible also describes other “unconditional covenants” which are guarantees given by God without any strings or expectations attached.
The first covenant established predated creation. It was a covenant established in eternity past between the Father and the Son. It was one, in which the omniscient God of the universe knew of the future desperate need of the very mankind He had yet to create. It was one, which would provide for the redemption of all who would turn to Him in repentant faith. It was one that would reconcile the relationship of man that was yet to be torn apart by man’s sinful choices. And it was one that would require the sacrifice of the Son. The Father and the Son had already agreed upon the shedding of the precious blood of the Son in eternity past in order to guarantee your salvation!
sbk
