Covenant Reasons
Why Believers Are Being Killed Today
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By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze
Introduction
Let us go back, down the memory lane, down the corridors of time, and discover the evident facts about God’s covenant.
In the process of leading the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, Moses encountered so many difficult challenges. But he was able to easily overcome the challenges, simply because God was with him. The same point was true of Joshua. He was able to conquer so many nations at the same time because the Lord of Hosts was His strength.
40 So Joshua conquered all the land: the mountain country and the South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and all their kings; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded. 41 And Joshua conquered them from Kadesh Barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon. 42 All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. Joshua 10:40-42
Indeed, God fulfilled His promise to Joshua:
After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: 2 "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them — the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:1-9
What of the mighty warrior, David the King of Israel. He attained great heights in life and defeated all his enemy nations because God was fighting for him.
Today, all over the world, Christians and believers, irrespective of their religions, are suffering both persecution and hardship, simply because they have abandoned the covenant-keeping God and His laws, even as the Lord made known before the end time.
7 "The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. Deuteronomy 28:7
if you disobey the terms of the covenant,
25 "The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth. Deuteronomy 28:25-26
Case Studies
Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, 3 for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment . 5 He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him.(Today, people see things going wrong and keep quiet or join in the acts.) 6 And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest. 7 Therefore he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered. 2 Chronicles 14:2-7
20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:20-21
The Last Book Of The Old Testament As A Closing Remarks
Calls On Everybody To Keep The Ancient Laws Of God
4 "Remember the Law of Moses, My servant,
Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,
With the statutes and judgments.
Malachi 4:4
Who Are The Saints?
Today, churches have forged different conditions for making somebody a saint. The surprising fact is that the conditions are not even recognized in heaven. So, why do religious leaders continue to mislead the masses. Both Old and New Testaments bear testimony that the saints are the people who read, hear and disobey the commandments of God. In other words, most of the people regarded as saints, are not saints, because they do not abide by the covenant of God.
Scope Of God’s Covenant
The scope of application of God’s covenant in the lives of His people is a comprehensive one. That means that terms of the covenant should guide the children of God in every aspect of their lives: in education, at home, in business, on the road, in the office, inside the bus, etc. One major problem with the world is that people do not practice their religions in every aspect of their lives. That is why Jesus says, “many believers are hypocrites, and therefore not qualified to enter heaven. Inside the churches, they pretend as if they are saints, in front of the pastors. But once they leave the church premises, they revert to their evil ways and conducts.” Anything that is contrary to God’s covenant should be rejected.
Every Day Examples Of Covenant
In everyday social and business relationships, covenant is very much involved. Examples of covenant are:
- Terms of reference, given to committees, panels and commissions.
- Constitution, used by the citizens of a nation.
- Agreement, between two or more parties/groups.
- Memorandum of understanding, used by national and international organizations.
- Rules and regulations, as is the practice in schools.
- Treaties, between the nations of the world.
- Terms and conditions (Ts and Cs), used by the social networks, online service providers and marketing companies.