Bible scholars recognize that there is a typical structure to biblical covenants; this was even seen in covenants made by the ancient Hittites. That is, God communicated to the people in a manner that they, in their culture, could especially understand.

The covenants that were common during the time of ancient Israel had the following parts:

preamble (who God is); historical prologue (past relationship defined); stipulations or laws; blessings and curses; witnesses, special provision or sign of the covenant. Thus, it should be no surprise that God used something similar in communicating to His people back then. He used what they were familiar with.

For example, the whole book of Deuteronomy is written in the form of a covenant, because Moses invites God’s people to enter into a new covenant relationship with their God. It expresses the covenant in the following manner: 1. Preamble (Deut. 1:1-5); 2. Historical prologue (Deut. 1:6-4:43); 3. Stipulations or laws (Deut. 4:44-26:19); 4. Blessings and Curses (Deuteronomy 27:1-30:20); 5. Witnesses (Deut. 30:19); and finally, 6. Special provision (Deut. 31:9-13).

Read Joshua 24:1-33. How is this covenant pattern revealed in that chapter as well?

The same is true with the renewal of the covenant made by Joshua.

First, a preamble is mentioned where God presents Himself as “the LORD, the God of Israel” (Josh. 24:2, NIV). Then follows a long historical prologue where Joshua reminds the people of what God has done for them in the past (Josh. 24:2-15, Josh. 24:23), blessings and curses are mentioned (Josh. 24:19-20), witnesses identified (Josh. 24:22, Josh. 24:27), and special provision stated (Josh. 24:25-26). Here, too, the basic form of a covenant was used to communicate with Israel and show them, not only God’s leading in their past, but what was required of them to uphold their end of the covenant.

Read Joshua 24:15. What principle is here that we can apply to ourselves today?

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After the flood, God began again, now with Noah and the people who came afterward. With them, too, He sought a relationship, and central to that relationship was the idea of covenant. The Bible identifies seven major covenants that God has made with people:

• 1st Covenant – Adam (Genesis 1:1-3:24)
• 

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  2nd Covenant – Noah (Genesis 6:1-9:29)

• 3rd Covenant – Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3)
• 4th Covenant – Moses and the Israelite nation (known as Sinaitic or Mosaic Covenant; Exodus 19:1-24:18)
• 5th Covenant – Phineas ( Num. 25:10-13)
• 6th Covenant – David (2 Sam. 7:5-16)
• 7th Covenant – New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34)

Read the following texts. What do they mean by the “everlasting covenant”? (Gen. 9:16, Gen. 17:7, Isa. 55:3, Heb. 13:20).

The Bible incorporates the term “everlasting covenant” sixteen times. Out of them, thirteen are specifically applied to the covenants with Abraham, Israel at Sinai, and David. Each of the covenants mentioned above, although unique, bore the imprint of “the everlasting covenant”. Just as the everlasting gospel is first announced in Genesis 3:15, but then progressively revealed throughout the Bible, the same applies to the everlasting covenant. Each consecutive covenant serves to expound and deepen our understanding of the everlasting covenant of love, which is revealed most fully in the plan of salvation. The New and Old Covenants, as they are often distinguished, contain the same components.

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Read Nehemiah 10:1-29 (and refresh your memory by reading Nehemiah 9:36-38). Who is making this covenant, and why did they enter into it?

Although only the leaders signed the document, the text pointedly notes that all of “the rest the people” entered into “a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God” (Neh. 10:28-29, NIV). What was so significant about the covenant that they all desired to enter into an agreement with God?

Hearing the Law

In order to answer this question, we have to go back to the very beginning, and understand the biblical idea of the covenant.

The covenant was important because it was part of God’s story in dealing with sinful humanity, and it demonstrated God’s yearning for a relationship with people. It also allowed people to demonstrate their desire to be dedicated to God.

The biblical creation story in Genesis 1 and 2 reveals not only the creation of the first humans but the relationship between them and God, and between each other, as well. However, sin then entered and broke all those relationships. Sin is the antithesis of creation, bringing de-creation (death) instead.

The genealogy of Adam eventually splits, as Cain chooses evil (Gen. 4:8-19) and Seth embraces God (Gen. 5:3-24). Cain’s genealogy culminates in Lamech (Gen. 4:17-19), the seventh (inclusively) from Adam, who introduced polygamy. Violence and vengeance on Cain’s side stand in juxtaposition to the faithful lineage of Seth. Seth’s genealogy is also enumerated, but the seventh in this line is Enoch, who “walked with God” (Gen. 5:24) and was taken to heaven.

Unfortunately, the world embraced evil more than it did God, and there came a point when the lineage of the faithful was very small, and soon there might not be any family left through whom God could fulfill His word by sending the promised Seed to save humans. At that point, God intervenes with the flood. The flood, however, was a further de-creation, a reversal and destruction of life, and yet God destroyed only what humans had already ruined (Gen. 6:11-13).

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Read for This Week’s Study: Neh. 10:1-29, Gen. 4:8-19, Heb. 13:20, Joshua 24:1-33, Neh. 10:30-39, Heb. 8:1-7.

Memory Text: “‘And because of all this, we make a sure covenant and write it; our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it’. … we will not neglect the house of our God” (Nehemiah 9:38; Nehemiah 10:39, NKJV).

What does the Bible mean when it talks about the “covenant”? The easiest explanation of this kind of biblical covenant is that it is the legal establishment of a relationship between God and His people. It is God saying, “You are my people, and I am your God”. Beyond this, we can find the use of written covenants among other people in the ancient world, often between leaders and the vassals under them.

These covenants were established because they were beneficial to both parties. The leader would take care of the people, and the people would pay tribute. But with God, the covenant was different. God wasn’t really getting anything out of it, and yet He promised to be faithful to it, even when people were not. Indeed, the blessings and curses attached to the covenant made it possible for the Israelites to know when bad things started happening, that they had been breaking the covenant.

This week, we will look at the covenant that the Israelites renewed with God, in Nehemiah chapter 10, and also discuss some general information about the history and importance of covenant making in the Bible.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 23.

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Have you ever been haunted by your past?

Over a decade ago I was preaching during the first worship service and I guess I was all wound up in what I was preaching, because an elder motioned to me that it was time for Sabbath School. I had a real passion for what I was preaching at the moment and basically chastised the elder for telling me to stop. It came across kind of … no it definitely came across as high and mighty and condescending to the elder. The elder quickly ducked out of view of the congregation. I soon realized I did not react appropriately and even made a fool of myself. After church I told the elder I was sorry. He graciously accepted my apology and for the remainder of our time together in that congregation he acted like it never happened. But I had trouble shaking it. Four or five years later, he and I were talking in the hallway, and of course he was acting totally natural, while I was still cringing inside over what I did years ago. As we were talking, the obvious finally dawned on me. He does not even remember what I am cringing about! I am the only one who remembers it! He forgot about it years ago after he forgave me. Why am I holding on to this?  I had to forgive myself then and there, and now I no longer feel awkward when I see him, and, of course, I have never repeated the incident. 

It appears in the days of Nehemiah Israel was still haunted by its past, going back to the days of Moses. 

But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,  even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies. Nehemiah 9:17-18 NLT 

This came during their time of confession. They are claiming God’s forgiveness but still going over things that happened long ago. The good news is, history does not have to repeat itself. Paul was haunted by his previous actions towards Christians, but he still was able to move on. 

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14 NLT 

Paul was able to get over his past by not continually thinking about it, but also by being sure not to let his history repeat itself. He pressed on to what was ahead instead of repeating what was behind him. When a runner trips over a hurdle she can’t waste time wallowing in self pity. There is no time to lose. She must get back up and run! But she also must make sure she does not trip over any more hurdles. There is no time for self-pity or for tripping over more hurdles. 

David made some big mistakes, but we don’t see him making the same mistakes over and over. I think his prayer of repentance in Psalm 51 offers us some clues as to how he moved forward instead of letting history repeat itself. 

For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So David was haunted by his rebellion just like Israel, and just like I was. Often times we try to ignore negative feelings and emotions but they have their place. Those negative feelings are symptoms telling us a problem needs to be fixed. If we only treat the symptoms then the problem remains and still needs to be fixed. 

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. Psalms‬ ‭51:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David recognized that He hurt God. He is not sorry that he hurt himself. He is sorry he hurt God and others. 

Forgive me for shedding blood…Psalms 51:14 NLT

David’s confession is specific, just like Israel’s in Nehemiah 9.  

At the Christian school where I occasionally substitute teach, one of the classrooms uses what is called a fix-it ticket. When students do something inappropriate,  students writes down on a piece of paper exactly what they did wrong, and how they are going to fix that form of behavior. They sign the paper themselves, and then the teacher signs it and the student takes it home for the parents to sign. In Psalms 51 David appears to be writing a fix-it ticket. He is writing specifically about what he did wrong and also how the problem is going to be fixed. A while back I had an attitude that I knew was not right. I wrote a letter to God telling him specifically why I was wrong and asked for Him to help me in specific ways not to have that attitude any more. I have never had that attitude since.. I believe that actually writing things out, not typing but actually hand writing things out can be very therapeutic. If nothing else it shows God and ourselves that our repentance is earnest, rather than just giving a flippant “Please forgive me. I’m sorry.”

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51:1, 7, 10, 12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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Instead of just making promises to do better, David claims God’s promises. 2 Peter 1:4  Tells us that we can participate in Jesus’ divine nature by claiming His promises rather than making our own promises. David even has to ask God for the willingness to obey. It reminds me of Jesus crying in Gethsemane, “Father, Not My will but Your will be done.”  Realizing David could not clean his own heart he asked God to clean and purify it for him. 

We don’t see David repeating his history over and over because his repentance and confession were very specific and very deep. David realized and openly confessed his own weaknesses and how we was prone to sin. 

For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. Psalms 51:5 NLT

Therefore instead of being self-confident David put his confidence in God’s powerful love and promises. We too can keep our sinful history from continually repeating itself by making our repentance deep and heartfelt, and by having no confidence in our flesh or human effort (Philippians 3:3), but rather put our hope and faith in God’s powerful love and promises. 

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