Day 6 Jesus, Your Covenant Partner
Hannah and Sarah sat together and reviewed the Ketubah, the marriage covenant she was given by Jacob. It was very clear; Jacob would provide for her every need. He would pay a very dear price to have Sarah as his wife; the equivalent of 3 years wages for the privilege of marrying Sarah. This meant 3 years of his life would be devoted to working to pay this price.
In addition Jacob, as an heir and representative of his fathers estate, gave Sarah full privilege as a wife and access to his father’s wealth at their betrothal. She did not have to wait until he returned for her; all her needs would be met. Sarah remembered Jacob’s words. “I will return for you.” He gave Sarah his maid Hannah to teach and counsel and bring her comfort. This was Jacob’s promise, a business agreement, signed by witnesses and sealed when Jacob drank “The Cup of Acceptance.”
Sarah’s part of the contract was to keep herself separated to Jacob, unavailable to any other men. She was to prepare for the marriage; to learn from Hannah who and what Jacob is so she could fully exchange her identity and authority with him at their wedding. She was to prepare by learning the skills needed to be Jacob’s wife and Sarah was to be ready to go at any moment when Jacob returned for her. This was her Covenant with Jacob, signed by witnesses and sealed when Sarah drank “The Cup of Acceptance.”
Sara was fully aware of what it meant to be “In Covenant”. Sarah saw covenant relationships in action on a daily basis; they were a vital part of survival in her culture and her family.
Sara’s father managed flocks of sheep on the hills outside their village. These sheep belonged to other people, but because he covenanted with the sheep owners, he took care of them as if they were his own. If a predator or thief came after the sheep, they came after him. If a sheep was injured or wounded, Sarah’s father was grieved and cared for it as he would a member of his family. If a sheep were lost, full effort was given to find it.
Her father did these things, not out of fear of losing his job, but out of covenant mindset; what is mine is yours and what is yours is mine. If you are hurting I am hurting. If you are blessed I am blessed. He could fully have this relationship because of his covenant relationship with the sheep’s owners.
When Sarah was born with a damaged foot her father’s covenant partners were there for the family. They grieved with Sarah’s mother and father over this hurting child. They provided support in the fields in the early days for Sarah’s father to be home and help with the household, as Sarah needed her mother’s full attention. They gave extra money to Sarah’s family so they could have help with household needs over the years, as Sarah needed extra care. The attitude of covenant is “no matter what happens, we have each other’s back”. Because Sarah’s family was fully supported by covenant partners Sarah grew up in a peaceful and supportive environment and became a joyful young woman. Yes Sarah fully understood covenant relationships.
Sarah’s marriage, and at this point betrothal to Jacob, was a covenant relationship. Sarah and Jacob would “have each other’s back”. They would exchange identity – taking on the good qualities of each other and compensating for each other’s weakness. Of course this melding takes time, but because the marriage was first based on covenant and not on “emotional love”, exchanging identity was a priority. “As covenant partners we must come to common ground in our thinking.”
Sarah and Jacob would exchange authority; what is yours is mine and what is mine is yours. “Separate Checking Accounts” was unheard of. “I and Mine” do not exist in covenant. Covenant thinking is “We and Ours”.
My Identity and Authority is Exchanged with Jesus Christ as My Covenant Partner
The more fully I understand the concept of covenant; and it has taken years because this is not part of our church or social culture, the more fully I understand what I have in my covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.
“I am my beloveds and He is mine”
“In Christ I am a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”
Jesus, my covenant partner, saw that I was separated from God because of my sin. The Covenant concept “if you hurt, I hurt” sent Jesus to the cross so I could be reconciled with God and experience peace with God. Jesus, my covenant partner knew that as a human being in a fallen world I would be subject to disease, the beatings he took before he went to the cross were for my healing. Isaiah 53:5 tells us
But He (Jesus) was wounded for our transgressions, Jesus was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Jesus, And by Jesus’ stripes we are healed. (NKJV)
This is not only an “Old Testament” or “Old World” concept; it is the heart of God. Romans 12:15-16 describes this type of covenant relationship among people:
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
The early church exemplified a true covenant relationship in Acts 2:45-47
45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Honor is a Covenant Mindset
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 takes on a whole new level of meaning when we think of it as a Covenant Mindset. When we ask Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Lord we enter into covenant with Him.
This is why 1 Corinthians 6:19 says
“do you not know your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in you?”
We become “one flesh” and receive the Holy Spirit when we truly enter into covenant with Jesus Christ.
The passage goes on to say, you were “bought with a price”, which we now understand to be the price of the bride; “therefore, Honor God with your body and your spirit which are God’s.”
“Therefore” since we are “one flesh” and in Covenant with Jesus and He paid the “price of the bride” with his very life so we could have peace and health, we must Honor God with our bodies and our spirits, which belong to God due to our covenant relationship with Jesus.
Next time we will look at David and Jonathan as examples of covenant partners.
How does Honor as a Covenant Mindset impact your thoughts and relationships?
About the Author: Celeste Davis, is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ with a heart to walk fully in Covenant with Him. As Founder of The Wellness Workshop, Celeste’s heart is to teach women and impact their families to “Be Nourished” as opposed to dieting or trying different life strategies. We nourish our bodies with God-Made Food, our Souls with God-Made Relationships and our Spirits with the Word of God and Prayer. More Info about Celeste
