February 20, 2005

The Covenant is Forever

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am El Shaddai. Walk in My ways and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will make you exceedingly numerous." Abram threw himself on his face; and God spoke to him further, "As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You shall be the father of a multitude of nations. And you shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I make you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fertile, and make nations of you; and kings shall come forth from you. I will maintain My covenant between Me and you, and your offspring to come, as an everlasting covenant throughout the ages,
to be God to you and to your offspring to come. I assign the land you sojourn in to you and your offspring to come, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting holding. I will be their God
." Genesis 17:2-8

Since the day that Hashem spoke to Abraham and established His covenant with Abraham's descendants forever there have been forces intent on destroying the children of Israel. To this day, there are many who would seek to nullify G-d's covenant through philosophy, replacement theologies and political interests.

The Good News is that the Holy One of Israel is Sovereign of the Universe and His covenant with Israel will not and cannot be broken or destroyed!

To suggest that He has cast aside His chosen people is to call G-d a liar!

To insinuate that study of the Hebrew Scriptures (called by some the Old Testament) is unnecessary and/or superfluous is to insult the One who inspired them and delivered the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai in the presence of the entire nation.

To declare that any other covenant cancels this one in Genesis is to declare that NO covenant is trustworthy for if Hashem can cancel this one, what reason is there to believe in any other 'covenant'?

The Good News is that the Holy One of Israel is not a man that He should lie; He keeps His Covenant with Israel, even as He promised, FOREVER!

Thus said the LORD: As surely as I have established My covenant with day and night -- the laws of heaven and earth -- so I will never reject the offspring of Jacob and My servant David; I will never fail to take from his offspring rulers for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed, I will restore their fortunes and take them back in love. Jeremiah 33:25-26

But some would argue, "Israel sinned and therefore, G-d rejected her."

Oh, really! Have not all men sinned? If G-d rejected Israel because of her sin, then there is NO HOPE for any man, woman or child.

This is what the L-rd says in response to that argument:

Truly, thus said the Lord GOD: I will deal with you as you have dealt, for you have spurned the pact and violated the covenant. Nevertheless, I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish it with you as an everlasting covenant. You shall remember your ways and feel ashamed, when you receive your older sisters and your younger sisters, and I give them to you as daughters, though they are not of your covenant. I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 16:59-62

And of His covenant with David, He says, I will maintain My steadfast love for him always; My covenant with him shall endure. I will establish his line forever, his throne, as long as the heavens last. If his sons forsake My Teaching and do not live by My rules; if they violate My laws, and do not observe My commands, I will punish their transgression with the rod, their iniquity with plagues. But I will not take away My steadfast love from him; I will not betray My faithfulness. I will not violate My covenant, or change what I have uttered. Psalm 89:29-35

Truly He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps and from His Throne in the heavens He watches over His Land and His people. It matters not if we fail to understand what He is doing at any given time. What does matter is that our faith in Him and in His revealed will remain steadfast and immoveable for as the prophet, Habbakuki, instructed us, "The righteous shall be rewarded with life by his faith." 2:4

You will keep faith with Jacob, loyalty to Abraham, as You promised on oath to our fathers in days gone by. Micah 7:20

The Covenant is Forever

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