1 Chron 17:7 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. 8 And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 9 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 10 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a house. 11 And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. 14 And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever."
When you are in the process of buying or selling a house, there comes a point in the negotiations when the home is said to be ‘under contract.’ This is the point in time, (exciting for both sides, usually,) when the terms and conditions of sale have been agreed to by both sides – even down to agreement over what may break the contract and void the sale.
Our God is a contractual God. He calls the contracts He makes with man ‘covenants.’ There have been many covenants made by God with man over the ages. These covenants cannot be related in terms of relative importance – as each one is a stepping stone to the stumbling stone – which is Christ.
The difference between contracts made by men and contracts made by God with men is found in who keeps the contract. With men, a contract is a mutual agreement, wherein both sides must keep their part of the bargain in order for the terms of the contract to be completed. God’s covenants with men are exclusively kept by God.
All of God’s covenants are promises from God to do for men. Man has no part in the process of keeping the covenant. God knows the future. God is in control. His promises will be kept because they have been kept already in His sight. God speaks of the future as if it has already happened – have you noticed?
God’s covenant with David is that the long-promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, will come through his house - and be of his lineage. Like us – David responds, (paraphrase,) “How can this be?” (David knows his own heart.) How can this be? God says so.
- Pastor Bill
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