Jer 31:31—34 and Matt 26: 26—28, Genesis 15: 1– 21

Have you ever been disappointed by an individual, group of people or even an institution? You had agreed on some mutual expectations. You did your part but they failed to do theirs? They let you down in a bad way. If yes, you are not alone. Building, voting for leaders, buying and selling, employment, financial dealings... Trust, reliability, dependability has be- come a very essential commodity. The result is that many people have become cynical in their interpersonal relationships. They find it difficult to fully trust others. What is frightening, though, is the fact that, somehow, this lack of total trust appears to be finding its way into the relationship between some Christians and their God. It is as if, “this God, if you show total devotion to Him, He would give you a raw deal and make your life difficult”. “In God we trust” has become, “In God we sometimes trust”. And that is why we need a Covenant Service on the Christian calendar. To help us to re-focus.

A covenant is based on a relationship. It is an agreement between two parties and involves promises on the part of each to the other. There are human covenants (between equals or a superior and an inferior) as well as divine: between a superior (God) and an inferior (a person or people). This is an important theological truth.

In Jeremiah 31:31-34, the Lord is informing the people of Israel about another or new covenant. Pointing to the future. Some of the features? His law in them, written on their hearts; be their God and they, His peo- ple; forgive their iniquity, remember their sin no more. In Matthew 26:26- 28, we find Jesus talking about this new covenant at the last supper.

By the way, in Genesis 15, there was a blood covenant between God and Abraham. There was an important difference in the blood covenant here, though. When the evening came, God appeared in the form of a “smoking fire pot and flaming torch which passed between the pieces” (verse 17). Abraham had fallen “into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him” (verse 12). In the end, God alone passed through the carcases, and the covenant was sealed by God alone. Everything depend- ed on God, who promised to be faithful to His covenant. This shadow became a reality in Christ, who fulfilled all of the Old Testament blood covenants with His own blood. (Luke 22:20) A blood covenant is a promise made by God that He will choose a people for Himself and bless them. The covenant was originally for Abraham’s physical descendants but was later extended, spiritually, to all those who, like Abraham, believe God (Galatians 3:7; cf. Genesis 15:6). God’s promise of eternal blessing is given only on the basis of faith in the saving blood of His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:12). Any part we have to play is only possible by depending on the Lord for help.