Step Six - Covenant Mark and Oath - part 1 of 2 (covenant series)

Another image by Gwen Meharg - a friend and inspiring artist.

6.         Covenant mark and oath

This step of covenant has multiple parts, so I am breaking the teaching up into two parts so that you are not overwhelmed and can truly internalize the richness of this step of covenant!

Parts of making the covenant mark:

a.         The right arm is raised, the palms cut and then brought together.  As this is done, the blood of the covenant partners intermingle.  As the blood intermingles, it was believed that their lives were intermingling and becoming one life.  This is because “the life is in the blood”.  Our blood is our life and to intermingle blood is to intermingle life….so…in a sense, covenant makers are "putting off our old nature and putting on the new nature" of our blood covenant partner.  We two are becoming one.  Man has always believed that intermingling blood is intermingling life.  Thus, this act symbolically shows the two of us becoming one.

This 'bringing together of palms' is what we know as a handshake.

b.         As the partners stand there with their blood intermingling, they exchange names.  “I take your last name as part of my name, and you take my last name as part of your name.” The new name was a way of announcing to the world that there had been a covenant made between the ones whose names were changed and joined.

A Biblical example of this is when Abram's name was changed to Abraham in Genesis 17, verse 5. God had initiated a covenant promise with Abram in Genesis 15 (you can read the passage here and you will recognize the covenant steps!) and some 15 years later (Genesis 17), God appears again to Abram, speaking in covenant language and initiating the name change, combining Abram's name with God's..."Abram" + "Yah" of God's name "Yahweh"...what a powerful reminder to Abraham, that God is forever on his side; eternally and irrevocably linked to him!

c.         Making the scar:

            The next step is to rub the intermingled blood together and make a scar as a permanent testimony to the covenant; a type of "seal".  The scar will bear witness to the covenant that was made.  It will always be there to remind the partners of their covenant responsibilities to each other.  It is the guarantee of their covenant.   

            If anyone tries to harm one of the partners, all they have to do is raise up that right arm and show their scar.  By that we are saying, “There’s more to me than meets the eye.  If you’re coming after me, you’re also going to have to fight my blood covenant partner.  And you don’t know how big he is.  So what are you going to do?  Are you going to take your chances or back off?”  If the would be attacker has any sense, he’s going to back off.  So the scar is our seal that testifies to the covenant.

II Corinthians 1:21-22 declares that the giving of the Holy Spirit is our 'seal of covenant' with God:

 "...it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee."

 and Ephesians 1:13-14:

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[d] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it..."

Such powerful truths about our covenant making and keeping God is woven throughout the scriptures that we hold dear, even when we don't understand the incredible depth of meaning they contain!

heARTfilled blessings,
Cindy

Step Five - The walk of death: Berith (covenant series)

Painting by Gwen Meharg: The Exchange

This step of making an ancient covenant could be very disturbing to our modern sensibilities; yet this particular step highlights the solemn nature of what a covenant truly is...and in grasping the depth and seriousness of covenant, we can embrace anew the incredible, indescribable gift that has been given to us through Jesus coming to earth in "the form of man" (Philippians 2:7).

Now, on to the graphic details...

The covenant is “cut” by taking an animal and splitting it right down the middle. Each half is laid to the side and the covenant partners stand between the two bloody halves of flesh, with their backs to one another. Then they walk right through the bloody halves, making a figure eight, and come back to stop, facing each other.

Their walk through the sacrificed animal is saying two things:

First, that they are dying to themselves, giving up the rights to their own life and beginning a new walk with the covenant partner unto death. (Each half of the dead animal represents the covenant partners).

Second, as the covenant partners walk, they point to each half of the animal, in effect saying “God do so to me and more if I ever try to break this covenant.”

As we think about this step of covenant, fear and anxiety might overcome us as the overwhelming truth strikes to the center of our being; the truth that we each are a covenant breaker! We are under the penalty of death for having broken the covenant! 

Covenant gives an even deeper understanding to my heart of why Romans 6:23 declares "the wages of sin is death"! BUT, the verse goes on to remind us that the covenant is restored through Jesus. In fact, Jesus is both covenant partners...He is God, making the Berith journey, and He is man, making the Berith journey. Being man, and a sinless man - was always His plan in restoring our covenant standing before God! 

 Are you grasping this? It is so powerful! So full of incredible truth! And when we really comprehend this reality, we never need to be ashamed of our failures in our Christian walk again...He knew we would fail, but He had a plan to cover this terrible paradox of being a spirit being that still can cave in to the flesh nature! A foreshadowing of Christ fulfilling both sides of this covenant is found in Genesis 15, where God makes a covenant with Abram and his descendants, and takes two separate forms to walk through the sacrificed animals.

As a sinless man, Jesus walked the covenant journey in our place and as a covenant partner with God, He paid the penalty of death of our covenant breaking in His own body. Now, when we receive Him as Lord and Savior, we are entering into covenant with both parties of a covenant already cut...we are joining with Christ in proclaiming that we are entering into a death and are journeying into a new life. He and we are declaring that we each are dying to living for our self-interests alone and passing through death to a new relationship of union with each other!

May this truth deeply penetrate your hearts and spirit this Passover and First Fruits season!

Step Four - The Exchange of Weapons (covenant series)

Armed and ready for war - 

Click on the link to see Gwen's description - 

she says "YES!" to art being warfare in the Spirit!

4. The exchange of weapons

Think about how we "battle" our fellow man...we might avoid someone, gossip, speak unkindly to them, even speak maliciously. We might yell, slam a door, even strike someone physically. Unforgiveness, hatred, bitterness, and wrath become the internal fruit of such behavior. In this step, we give up our weapons in exchange for God’s. The qualities of His weapons are listed in II Corinthians 10:3-5:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Some of these weapons are:

Praise - Check out these verses!
Isaiah 30:32
Psalm 149
Psalm 22:3

The Sword of the Spirit - which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17)...one author I have read said that the original language could be translated as "swords of the Spirit", meaning that any portion of Scripture could be used as a weapon, depending on the situation....

The words of our testimony - Revelation 12:11. Remembering what God has done for us and for others sure helps when the attacks of the enemy threaten to overwhelm our life and faith!

The Blood of the Lamb - Revelation 12:11. Remembering the price of our Redemption is a phenomenal weapon on any day!

Not loving our own life, even at the point of death - Revelation 12:11. Now this is a tremendous picture of someone who understands covenant! They are willing to lay down everything IN their life, as well as their VERY life, for the sake of the One they are in covenant with! There is so much more in the Bible about loving the world, loving the Lord, loving our fellow man...and each passage can be considered insight into this weapon of warfare.

The Name of Jesus - Philippians 2:10. At the name of Jesus, EVERY knee will bow!

I am sure I have missed one or two - of course any prayer is a weapon against the enemy!

Following the commands in Romans 12:14, 17, 19 makes room for God to fight our battles. See what these verses say:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (verse 14)
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. (verse 17)
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. (verse 19)

Enjoy your thoughts as the Spirit brings more insights to your mind!

Step Three- The Exchange of Belts (Covenant series)

Together in battle (hands lifting the rod) - 

Click on the link to see Gwen's explanation of her picture.

3. The exchange of belts
The belt is the symbol of strength - see II Corinthians 12:9.

Belts were used to hold weapons (bow, arrow, sword, dagger). The belt also holds my armor together. So symbolically I’m giving you all my strength and pledging you all my support and protection. As I give you my belt, I’m saying, “Here is my strength and all my ability to fight. If anybody attacks you, they are also attacking me. Your battles are my battles and mine are yours. I will fight with you. I will help defend you and protect you.” And you do the same to me. (This paragraph is adapted from the book “The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread” by Richard Booker)

Wow, this is a little daunting - I like the idea that God will protect me, but the idea that His enemies are also now my enemies???? But yet experience says that this is true...I have to fight a spiritual enemy who hates me simply because I am made in the image of his enemy, and now that I am in covenant with the Enemy, the other hates me doubly! I think I REALLY need God in my life!!!!!

Step Two - The Exchange of Outer Garments (covenant series)

Clothed in righteousness - click on the link to see Gwen's description of this picture

2. The exchange of outer garments

Scripture says that He has given us His divine nature - II Peter 1:3-4.

To the Hebrew, a person’s robe represents the person. By taking off my robe and giving it to you, I’m symbolically saying, “I’m giving you all myself. My total being and my life, I pledge to you.” And then you would do the same to me.

Also read Colossians 3:8-10; 12-14 for more information on His garments that are given to us, and that we need to reach for and put on ourselves!

Step One - Counting the Cost (Covenant series)

Behold -A New Thing - artwork by Gwen Meharg. 

 Click on the link to see her explanation of the painting!

1. Count the cost
Read Luke 14:27-33. This passage is about considering the cost of entering into a covenant with someone...
God initiates covenant with us - read John 1:1-5; 9-13.

Remember, if a person has considered the cost, and chooses to walk away, there is no covenant...if the parties move on to step two, the covenant is initiated and binding. Can you see how this applies to a person who has heard the Good News, and doesn't take the step to receive Jesus into their heart?

heARTfilled blessings,
Cindy

Covenant - the ancient steps

Here is another image by Gwen Meharg - a friend and inspiring artist.

I chose this image to illustrate a new study series I am posting about covenants as they were understood in Biblical times. Understanding the process of covenant deeply enriched my Christian walk, and helped me dig out even richer truth from well loved scriptures!

For today, I am giving you a simple list of the steps of covenant, and in the days that follow, I will explain in more detail each of these steps...

7 Steps of a Blood Covenant:

1. Counting the cost (you can decide not to go through with the covenant at this step. If you progress to step two, the covenant is initiated and considered binding to both parties.)
2. The Exchange of outer garments
3. The exchange of belts
(the belt is a symbol of strength. It was used to hold weapons.)
4. The exchange of weapons
5. The walk of death: Berith (walking in a figure eight between the pieces of a sacrificed animal)
6. Covenant mark
7. Covenant meal

Intrigued? I bet the Holy Spirit is already whispering the details to your heart!