In continuing with the names of God, I want to point out that as you watch videos or podcasts, or read articles about God and Christianity, to always do it with discernment. Don’t just take their word for it. Don’t just take my word for it. But read the scriptures. Is what a person is teaching backed up by scripture? Not just a verse here and there, but the whole content.
As I was looking for another “name of God” to write about, I came across “El Berith,” or God of the covenant. That does fit the character of our God, but the only place in the Bible the term is used is Judges 9:46, where the men of Shechem were hiding from King Abimelech. It was the temple of Baal-Berith, a false god that the Israelites worshipped after the death of Gideon (See Judges 9:4). These men and Abimelech conspired to kill seventy men of Abimelech’s half-brothers so that Abimelech could be king of Shechem. The full story is found in Judges 8:29-9:57.
But here, we will talk about the real God of the Covenant, who always keeps His promises and covenants.
1 Kings 8:54-61
And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the LORD, that he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. Then he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying:
“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses. May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers. And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.”
Solomon praises the Lord for His goodness and never failing them. After all the things God has done for them, he urges the people of Israel to obey Him. As it is today, we ought to keep His commands, not to earn salvation or God’s grace, but because He has given us salvation, and because He is a great God who always keeps His promises. When God makes a covenant with His people, it is binding.
Genesis 12:1-3
Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 26:3-4
Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your Seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…
One of the most significant covenants God made with His people was with Abraham, who was at that time Abram, and was reiterated to his son, Isaac. God took Him to a far away land. Abram didn’t understand why, or where he was about to go, but he obeyed God. And because of his faith, he was called righteous. Sometimes we need to just listen. Read God’s word and see where that takes us. Trust in Him and He will bless us. We know this because God keeps His promise and He told Abram that we would be blessed through Him. Abram didn’t know it yet, but his descendants would become the people of Israel, God’s Chosen People. Through Abraham’s descendants, God would send His Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ who would take away our sins through His blood on the cross. What greater blessing is there than that!
Galatians 3:15-18
Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “AND TO YOUR SEED,” who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
God always keeps His promises as He did with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As He did with us. God promised that Abraham would be a father of nations. He was. God promised Israel a land to which they would become a great nation, “a land of milk and honey.” He did. God promised salvation to all through His Son. He kept that promise too, for all who believe. He kept every promise He made. His word is true. Maybe not in the timing we would like, but in His perfect timing His promise will come. And His promise has come through His Son Jesus Christ, who will also come again.
2 Peter 3:9-13
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
God’s promise to us is salvation through Jesus Christ, who came as the promise through Abraham and throughout the Old Testament. Christ also promised that He would return. He would come to judge the earth. He would come to reward His people and take them home. He promised that there is a place prepared for us in heaven like a groom prepares a home for his bride. And He promised us the Holy Spirit who dwells in each of us who believe.
Luke 24:46-49
Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
Ephesians 1:13-14
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
As Christ promised, the Holy Spirit comes to live in each of us when we are saved. He is the guarantee of our salvation. He is the one who guides us. He is the reminder of our redemption, another promise from God.
Matthew 26:26-29
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Jesus Himself is a promise to us all. A promise of redemption. A promise of forgiveness of sins. He gave His life for us. He is the promised perfect sacrifice. And He promised that we will be with Him in heaven, that He is going to prepare a place for His bride the church…for us!
Hebrews 9:11-15
But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Our God is a great and awesome God. There is no other. He always keeps His promises and covenants. He is the true God of the Covenant, who’s promise is sure. He chose His people Israel and kepth His covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He kept His promise that all the nations would be blessed through Abrahm, but sending in His Son to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, that both Jew and Gentile would be made blameless in His eyes if we believe. And Jesus was that promise, and He sent His Spirit of Promise as a guarantee of our salvation. And one day again He will keep His promise to return for His people and His reward will be with Him; He will return to judge the earth, and He will reign.
My Daily Scriptures 