The Everlasting Covenant

Genesis 17:1-8, 15-16

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”

3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! 5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!

7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

15 Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. 16 And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”

One thing I know about God is that He doesn't change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. When He says to Abraham in verse 7 that He is making an "everlasting covenant" with him, that must mean it is still in effect today.

I know that many religions teach what's called replacement theology today. If you're not familiar with it here it is in a nutshell; when Jesus came and died on the cross and was raised from the dead He brought a new covenant. This covenant is taught as replacing any covenants God made prior to this one. Since that is what is taught, the believers of the new covenant must replace the believers of the old covenants. It's no surprise that this teaching would take place and people would grasp onto it. It basically tells them that they are now God's favorites and the others aren't. It is this same mindset that caused the settlers of this country to all but wipeout the people who were living here when they arrived. It was the settlers thoughts that since they weren't like them then they were heathens and needed to be wiped out. Very dangerous thought process.

Since God doesn't change then His covenants don't change either. If God made a covenant with Abraham and said that it is an everlasting covenant then it is still in effect today for any of Abraham's descendants. The new covenant is what the Gentiles fall under. I live under the new covenant of Jesus but I am also under the covenant God made with Noah. God told Noah that He would never destroy the earth with a flood again and His symbol to Noah was a rainbow. I still see rainbows when it rains so that is a sign to me that God's covenant is still in effect. It didn't get replaced because Jesus came.

The descendants of Abraham alive today still enjoy the covenant God made with him, as long as they fulfill their end of the covenant. One thing I notice about God's covenants is that there is usually a part for us to play in that covenant. If we don't do our part, then we are not a part of that covenant. For example, with the new covenant with Jesus, the only way one qualifies to be under that covenant is that they must believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins, was resurrected on the third day, ascended to heaven AND they must confess it with their mouth. Upon doing that one is under the new covenant, which is a wonderful and life giving covenant.
Since the descendants of Abraham still enjoy their covenant with God we must not be a stumbling block to them. We are "grafted" into the family of Abraham by our faith and are beneficiaries of the existing covenants God made with Abraham and his descendants.

When the Word says this in Genesis 12:2-3:

2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

I want to bless the descendants of Abraham. I definitely don't want to curst them and say that my covenant has replaced their covenant. God's Word doesn't go away because I think that I am better than someone else. If God said it is this way then that is the way it is. My job is to bless the decendants of Abraham so that I too can be blessed.

My prayer today is that I embrace the descendants of Abraham and bless them any way that I can so that they can fulfill their covenant with the God of their father Abraham. Lord show me ways that I can be a blessing to them and how my resources can be used for your purpose in fulfilling Your covenant with them. I thank You and praise You for Your Word and Your faithfulness to fulfill Your Word. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.