Covenant relationship

What is a covenant? Covenant is an unchangeable, divinely imposed legal agreement between God and man, which stipulates the condition of their relationship.

It’s unchangeable because it’s for life. The phrase “is also included to show that the man can never negotiate with God or change the term of the covenant: he can only accept the covenant obligation or reject them. The agreement in this definition shows that there are two parties: God and man, who must enter into the provision of the relationship.

Covenant cannot be changed. God has made series of covenants with man in the scriptures, and the essential element at the heart of them is the promise: “I will be their God and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33, 2 Corinthians 6:16).

Covenant relationship is not like ordinary friendship.1 Samuel 18. Covenant relationship affects the soul; it is the work of the spirit. Love attracts people to covenant. There is no covenant without sacrifice, as before the covenant there must be a sacrifice with blood or material. The parties involved must give their all to sustain the covenant, else it won’t be worth its salt. Covenant requires sincerity. The efficacy of a covenant can never be forgotten.

Types Of Covenants
Covenant can be seen in two major ways, namely: conditional covenant and unconditional covenant.

Conditional Covenants
Covenant relationships are based on certain obligations and requirements. The conditional covenant mentioned in the scriptures is the mosaic covenant. The blessings it extends are contingent upon Israel. The mosaic covenant friend in Deuteronomy 11 promised the Israelites a blessing for obedience and a curse for disobedience. Much of the Old Testament chronicles in fulfilment of this cycle of judgment for the sin and late blessing, when God’s people repented and returned to Him.

Unconditional Covenants: These are made with no strings attached and will be kept regardless of one party’s fidelity or infidelity. The unconditional covenants mentioned in the Bible are the Abraham and David covenants. God promises to fulfil these regardless of other factors. The unconditional covenant first made to Abraham – Genesis 12:1-3, promised God’s blessing upon Abraham to make his progeny into great nation. The covenant also promised blessing to those who blessed Abraham and curses to those that cursed him. Further, God vowed to bless the entire world through Abraham’s seed. Circumcision was the sign that Abraham believed the covenant (Romans 4:11).

The fulfilment of this covenant is seen in the history of Abraham’s descendant and in the creation of the nation Israel. The worldwide blessing came through Jesus Christ, Who was of Abraham’s family line.

The Davidic covenant found in 2 Samuel 7:8-16, promised to bless David’s family line and ensure an everlasting kingdom. Jesus is from the family line of David (Luke 1:32-33) and as the son of David (Mark 10:47) is the fulfilment of this covenant.

Let us bring our discussion to more of practical fusions by looking at salt covenant. Salt is a necessity of life. The covenant of salt appeared three times in the Old Testament.

First occurrence: Leviticus 2:13 “And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of covenant of your God to be lacking from grain offering with all you’re offering you shall offer salt” (NKJV) Note here that the offerings were to be seasoned with salt.

Second occurrence: Number19: 19 “All the heaven offering of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever. It is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendant with you” (NKJV). Third occurrence: 2Chronicle 13:5 “should you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever to him and his sons by covenant of salt.”

Rev. Emmanuel Sampson (Okereke) General Overseer, Divine Spring
Mechanic Village, Off Osolo Way (Behind Aswani Market), Isolo, Lagos.