Why are the covenants with God expressed as being one-sided? It’s not that there’s nothing expected of the humans in the covenant but they are really not qualified to negotiate or to lay down any conditions. When God chose Israel as His people, He had already established a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and I believe Jacob. But it is when Moses comes along that the choice is finalized and Israel is locked in even though they never recited an oath nor signed on any dotted line. It’s also part of the nature of a covenant between a single, omnipotent God and a nation of individuals.
Even more interesting in this line of thinking might be the covenant that God established with Noah. If you look at that and the wording, it also is extended to all animals in the world.
Genesis 9:8-10 (KJV) 8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.Notice this covenant was established right after God gave Noah permission to eat all of the animals. It is an interesting way to look at a covenant.
Today, however, we live under the new covenant. I would suggest that one aspect of the new covenant is that it is individual as opposed to national. Although it remains one-sided, because only God has anything to offer, it still requires our individual buy in. Based on repeated references in the Old Testament about how some people have a desire to live a righteous life, and others are totally wicked God has already given us the ability through the Holy Spirit to move towards Him and be open in faith to His salvation. That gives us hope and something to look forward to.
homo unius libris
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
DeleteGrace and peace