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ALL WERE INCLUDED IN THE COVENANT
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9
Deuteronomy 29:1-15

2 Chronicles 29:10-11

 

“Now it is in mine heart
to make a covenant with

the LORD God of Israel…”

 

ALL WERE INCLUDED IN THE COVENANT
 
As Moses was speaking, they had defeated the kings of Moab: Sihon (king of Heshbon) and Og (king of Bashan). Both were very powerful and had strong armies, but the Lord delivered them into the hands of Israel. Their nations were destroyed, and Moses gave their land to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh. In the strategy of war, the first necessity was to have a strong army. In the early days, this depended on the number of soldiers that a king had. Second was to have good training and brave hearts. Israel did not have these qualities more than their enemies, but the Lord was their strength and victory. Moses stressed that it was the Lord who had given them victory over those kings. According to the Epistle to the Ephesians, believers are now engaged in a spiritual warfare. It thus exhorts us to put on the whole armour of God. Victory in this warfare as it was to Israel can only come from the Lord.
 
The solemnity of a covenant requires each party to keep their side of the bargain. Israel was commanded to keep the words of the covenant and to do them so that they might prosper in all that they did. They were to stand before the Lord from the smallest to the greatest. The captains of the tribes, elders, all officers and all men were to keep the covenant. Also, their little ones, their wives and strangers, all of them were to enter into the covenant with the Lord that day. The inclusion of everybody and the specification of their participation stressed the importance of personal responsibility. Everyone regardless of their status was responsible before God. In the days of Nehemiah, when he had completed the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, he asked Ezra the priest to bring the book of the Law of God to read to the people. Those who were invited to the meeting were men, women and all who could understand, meaning mature children were also included. Israel’s covenant was all inclusive. The communication from Moses to Israel was received in the whole assembly of the nation. Everyone was responsible.
 
THOUGHT: God does not entertain covenant breakers.

PRAYER: Father, help me to be a covenant keeper.

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