Post 78 – The Covenant and the Exchange.

Marriage, Covenant or Contract

Some look at marriage as a contract, but that isn’t how the Bible looks at marriage. The Bible looks at marriage as a covenant. The difference between contract and covenant is dramatic. 

Marriage is not a business agreement, in a business contract both parties in the contract agree to fulfill certain responsibilities. In a contract, if one party does not live up to the terms of the contract the contract becomes void. Divorce in modern society is so common because so many couples look at marriage as a contract.

Marriage is a covenant between the bride and the groom. The marriage covenant is an example of two becoming one. In marriage, the two parties become one, one flesh (Gen 2:24; Matt 19:5,6; Eph 5:31). In the marriage vows you are saying that you are taking your spouse as your flesh, to love your spouse even as Christ loves the Church, to protect your spouse and care for your spouse for the rest of your lives. There is no way to void a covenant! Our confidence in Jesus is because we are in a covenant relationship with Him.

In addition, in a marriage covenant there is an exchange, all that belongs to the bride including possessions, debts, and future potential – now belongs to the bridegroom. All that belongs to the bridegroom – possessions, debts, and future potential – now belongs to the bride. All the resources, power, and authority are now shared between the covenant-heads, in this case, the bride and bridegroom.

Covenants cannot be broken for any reason. A covenant implies faithfulness, loyalty, and commitment. If one side of a covenant does not fulfill its obligations, that doesn’t void the covenant. 

David and Jonathan

In a biblical covenant, one covenant-head is generally weaker in power, authority, or wealth. The weaker party would usually covenant with a stronger covenant-head. For instance, Jonathan, a prince and the son of King Saul, was a stronger party who formed a covenant with young David (1 Sam 18:1-4). At that time, David was just a common man from a small family of shepherds.

Just after David killed Goliath a conversation between Jonathan and David is revealed in 1 Samuel 18:1-4, “Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt”. 

You see the more powerful Prince Jonathan gave to David, the emblems of his authority and power- the robe and his weapons. David had nothing to give except his loyalty. Doesn’t that sound like our covenant relationship with Jesus? 

David and Mephibosheth

Let’s go further to look at the relationship between David the King and Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. After both King Saul and Jonathan were dead and David was now King of Israel, David remembered the covenant he had made with Jonathan. Here is an important point about Covenants, the terms of a covenant apply to all members associated with the Covenant Heads (Jonathan’s family and David’s family).

For the details please read 2 Samuel chapter 9.  Mephibosheth was crippled in his feet and living in exile outside of Jerusalem. King David was reminded of his covenant with Jonathan and wanted to bless the family of Jonathan, even though he, Jonathan, was dead. David finds out that Mephibosheth is alive. David immediately sends for Mephibosheth. When Mephibosheth arrives in King David’s court, he comes as a pauper and slave, because that was how he saw himself. The King, on the other hand, sees Mephibosheth through the “eyes” of the covenant. David sees him as a prince in his court. David restores all that was rightfully his as the heir of Jonathan, all the land and possessions. Then, listen to this, and I quote, “As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.” This is the same promise Jesus makes to those who follow Him (Luke 14:12, Revelation 19:9)!

Abram and Lot

Another example in the Bible of a powerful person coming to the aid of a weaker one because of the covenant principle. This principle gives the weaker person the authority to call upon and receive the power of the stronger one because of the promises made in the covenant agreement. We find in Genesis 14, Lot, Abram’s nephew who is also called brother, chose to leave the physical protection and covering of Abram and move to the region of Sodom. Sometime later, a war broke out (v8, 9). The region in which Lot lived was conquered and of course “to the victor goes the spoils.” The cities, including Lot’s, were plundered of all their wealth (v11).

In this case, the conquering kings made a fatal mistake; they took Lot captive (v12). Abramdiscovered what had happened: “Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan” (v14). Because Lot was of Abram’s clan, Lot’s captivity caused the entire clan of Abram to unite and fight against their now common enemy. “So he brought back all the goods and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people” (v16). 

The weaker (Lot) received the power of the stronger (Abram) because Lot was covered as part of the body of people (covenant-body) under the covenant relationship.

This is a very important covenant principle for us as Christians. Because of the New Covenant we have with Christ, which was established by His own blood, we have the power and authority of Jesus released to us! All because, as believers, we are part of the Body of Christ! 

The Great Exchange

In all covenants with God, an exchange takes place. As covenants are made and kept, God, as the stronger party, gives blessing, provision, protection, wisdom and more to the weaker party, which is mankind. 

In our look at covenants, there is no better example of this exchange than the New Covenant. The exchange is so clear, and what we receive is so glorious and abundant, that it is known by some Bible teachers as “The Great Exchange.” 

I promise that in my next post we will look at some of the provisions provided by the New Covenant!