season with salt; neither shalt | them, On this condition will I make thou suffer the salt of the cove- a covenant with you, that I may nant of thy God to be lacking thrust out all your right eyes, from thy meat-offering: with all and lay it for a reproach upon all thine offerings thou shalt offer Israel. Num. xvill, 19. All the heaveofferings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee, and to thy seed with thee. 2 Chron. xiii, 5. Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? BLOOD OF COVENANT. Exod. xxiv, 8. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words. Zech. ix, 11. As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Heb. x, 29. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Heb. xiii, 20. The God of peace. that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. INSTANCES OF HUMAN Gen. xxi, 27, 32. And Abraham 1 Sam. xviii, 3. Then Jonathan and Divid made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. made a covenant with the house 1 Sam. xx, 16. So Jonathan of David, saying, Let the LORD David's enemies. even require it at the hand of 1 Sam. xxiii, 18. And they two And David abode in the wood, made a covenant before the LORD. and Jonathan went to his house. 1 Kings xx, 34. And Benhadad said unto him, The cities which my father took from thy father I will restore; and thou shalt cus, as my father made in Samaria. make streets for thee in DamasThen said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away. WITH ABRAHAM. said unto him, I am the LORD that Gen. xv, 7, 8, 12-16, 18. And he brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And when the sun upon Abram; and lo, an horror of was going down, a deep sleep fell great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not 2 Kings xl, 4, 17. seventh year Jehoiada sent and they shall afflict them four hunAnd the theirs, and shall serve them; and fetched the rulers over hundreds, dred years: And also that nation, with the captains and the guard, whom they shall serve, will I and brought them to him into the judge; and afterward shall they house of the LORD, and made a come out with great substance. covenant with them, and took an And thou shalt go to thy fathers oath of them in the house of the in peace; thou shalt be buried in LORD, and shewed them king's son. the a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. In that same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from river, the river Euphrates. the river of Egypt unto the great And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and the people. 1 Chron, xi, 3. Therefore came Covenant with them in Hebron ablish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. shalt keep my covenant therefore, And God said unto Abraham, Thou thou, and thy seed after thee, in their generations. Gen. xvii, 7, 9. And I will esta 2 Chron. xxiii, 3. And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. Thus God. they made a covenant at Beer-Behold, the king's son shall reign, was gracious unto them, and had sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines. Gen. xxxi, 44. Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. Josh. xxiv, 25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 1 Sam. xi, 1, 2. Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. And Nabash the Ammonite answered And he said unto them, as the LORD hath said of the sous Jer. xxxiv, 8. This is the word 2 Kings xiii, 23. And the LORD compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his and Jacob, and would not destroy Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet. Luke i, 72. To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant. Acts iii, 25. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with cur in thy seed shall all the kindreds fathers, saying unto Abraham, And of the earth be blessed. and his seed were the promises Gal. iii, 16, 17. Now to Abraham as of many; but as of one, And to made. He saith not, And to seeds, thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. WITH ISAAC. Gen. xvii, 19, 21. And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his hame Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Gen. xxvi, 3, 4. Sojourn in this Land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; And I will make thy sced to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries: and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. WITH JACOB. Gen. xxviii, 13, 14. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth; and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 1 Chron. xvi, 16, 17. Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant. land of Moab, besides the cove- 1 Kings vill, 9. There was 2 Kings xvii, 15, 35, 38. And they of this covenant, and speak unto man that obeyeth not the words Jer. xxxiv, 13. Thus saith the Ezek. xxxvii, 26. Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. Acts iii, 25. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers. WITH LEVI. Mal. il, 4, 8. And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. parted out of the way; ye have But ye are decaused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. WITH DAVID. house be not so with God; yet he 2 Sam. xxiii, 5. Although my hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. 2 Chron. vil, 18. Then will I dom, according as I have covestablish the throne of thy kingnanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel. will I not break, nor alter the Ps. lxxxix, 34-37. My covenant thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah. GOD FAITHFUL TO HIS Deut. iv, 31. (For the LORD thy not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he sware unto them. Know therefore Deut. vii, 9. that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him, and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. LORD God of Israel, there is no 1 Kings viii, 23. And he said, God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart. 2 Chron. vi, 14. And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts. Nch. i, 5. And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him, and observe his commandments. Neh. ix, 32. Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. Ps. xxv, 14. The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; end he will shew them his covenant. Ps. cv, 8-10. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations: Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant. Lev. xxiv, 8. Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 2 Sam. xxiii, 5. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. . .... Isa. xxiv, 5. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Isa. iv, 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Ezek. xxxvii, 26. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlast Isa. Ivi, 10. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD, that hathing mercy on thee. Jer. xxxiii, 20, 21, 25. Thus saith the LORD, If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. Thus saith the LORD, If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth. Ezek. xvi, 60-62. Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. Ezek. xx, 37. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. AND THEREFORE IT IS CALLED AN EVERLASTING COVENANT. Gen. ix, 16. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. Gen. xvii, 19. . . . . . And I will establish my covenant with him [Isaac] for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. in transgressing his covenant. Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die. Deut. xxix, 9, 25. Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do. Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt. Josh. vii, 11, 15. Israel hath gressed my covenant which I sinned, and they have also transcommanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. And it shall be, that he that is taken covenant with them...... with the accursed thing shall be Heb. xiii, 20. . . . . . That great burnt with fire, he and all that he Shepherd of the sheep, through hath; because he hath transgressthe blood of the everlasting cove-ed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. nant. THE OBLIGATION OF KEEPING GOD'S COVENANT, AND DANGER OF VIOLAT Josh. xxiii, 16. When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you. Judges ii, 20. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; people and he said, Because that this hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice. 1 Kings xix, 10. And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 2 Kings xvill, 12. Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses Deut. iv, 23. Take heed unto the servant of the LORD comyourselves, lest ye forget the cove-manded, and would not hear nant of the LORD your God, which them, nor do them. he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. Deut. xvii, 2, 5. If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, Ps. xxv, 10. All the paths of the such as keep his covenant and LORD are mercy and truth unto his testimonies. Ps. xliv, 17. All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. Ps. lv, 20. He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace | my covenant, which have not Ps. lxxviii, 10, 11, 37. They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. performed the words of the cove- Ezek. xvii, 15, 16, 19. But he re- Josh. xxiv, 25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 2 Kings xi, 17. And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people. 2 Kings xxiii, 3. And the king Ps. clii, 18. To such as keep his escape that doeth such thingst or stood by a pillar, and made a covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. Prov. ii, 17. Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. Isa. xxxiii, 8. The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth; he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man. the Isa. lvi, 4-7. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house, and within my walls, a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keep eth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar, for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Jer. xi, 3. And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant. Jer. xiv, 21. Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake; do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. Jer. xxi, 9. Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them. Jer. xxxi, 32. 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.) Jer. xxxiv, 18. And I will give the men that have transgressed shall he break the covenant, and Dan. xl, 28, 30, 32. Then shall and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries; but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. Rom. i, 31. Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful. MAN MAKING COVENANT WITH GOD. covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the cove nant. 2 Chron. XV, 12. And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul. 2 Chron. xxiii, 16. And Jeholada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that should be the LORD's people. they 2 Chron. xxix, 10. Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. 2 Chron. xxxiv, 31, 32. And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testi monies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to which are written in this book. perform the words of the covenant And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. Neh. ix, 38. And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it. THE NEW COVENANT. Isa. lix, 21. As for me, this is LORD; My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. Deut. xxix, 10-15. Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water; That thou shouldest enter into cove-my covenant with them, saith the nant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day: That he may establish thee to-day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not hero with us this day. 140 Jer. xxxi, 31-33. 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 withi their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them Jer. xxxii, 40. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first cove nant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For, finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with For this is the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. the covenant that I will make with the house those days, saith the Lord; I will of Israel after my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. Ezek. xvi, 8. Now, when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and enter-put ed into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou be camest mine. Gal. iii, 17, 18. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Gal. iv, 24, 25. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children, Heb. viil, 6-10, 13. But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ghost also is a witness to us: for Heb. x, 15, 16. Whereof the Holy after that he had said before, This with them after those days, saith is the covenant that I will make the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. WONDERFUL COVENANTS. Job v, 23. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. Hosea il, 18. And in that day will I make a covenant for them 141 with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground. RUINOUS COVENANTS. have said, We have made a cove Isa. xxviii, 15, 18, 19. Because ye nant with death, and with hell are flowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we we at agreement; when the overhave made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the scourge shall pass through, then shall take you: for morning by From the time that it goeth forth it ye shall be trodden down by it. morning shall it pass over, by day and by night; and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. overflowing JEWS FORBIDDEN TO MAKE Exod. xxiii, 32. Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. thy God shall deliver them before Deut. vii, 2. And when the LORD thee, thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them. Hosea xii, 1. Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies a covenant with the Assyrians, and desolation; and they do make and oil is carried into Egypt. |