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COVENANT/AGREEMENT. Text: II Samuel 21:1-9 Intro: Lots of people are quick to enter a covenant but they easily take it for granted. At the end of the day, they suffer for it. Aim: For us to be aware that some of our sufferings were due to breaking a covenant; and to observe a covenant.
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COVENANT/AGREEMENT Text: II Samuel 21:1-9 Intro: Lots of people are quick to enter a covenant but they easily take it for granted. At the end of the day, they suffer for it. Aim: For us to be aware that some of our sufferings were due to breaking a covenant; and to observe a covenant.
I. There was a famine and David inquired of the Lord-v 1 • We have to be aware that the Lord talks to us through circumstances-Ex Jonah • A curse is always a result of not observing the covenant-Deut 28 • Some people’s sufferings even get worse because they could not be bothered with what’s going on. • The Lord answered David and so with you and me. II. Why was the covenant effective where in fact they deceived the Israelites? Joshua 9:1-14 • Because in the first place it is our duty to inquire before entering a covenant. • Isaac’s blessing was still effective even though Jacob tricked him
III. The danger of breaking a covenant-v 1 • The whole Israel suffered for 3 years although it was only Saul who tried to kill the Gibeonites. • The whole family of Achan suffered when Achan coveted the cursed things-Joshua 7:24 • When David sinned his sons and daughters suffered-II Samuel 13 • No wonder lots of families suffer because someone breaks a covenant-Ex 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;
IV. The main lesson here: It is very important to observe a covenant • Another Ex David and Jonathan-v 7, I Sam 18:19, 25:44, II Sam 6:23 • David and Shimei-II Sam 16:5-14, 19:18-23,I Kings 2:8-9 • At some point of our lives we made commitment/agreement/covenant somehow-Psalm 66:13-14 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, Psa 66:14Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
V. Breaking a covenant needs an atonement-v 3 • To atone is to say sorry and try make something better • It cost 7 lives in return • In the O.T. it was life for life- Ex 21:23-24 And if [any] mischief follow, then thou shall give life for life,Exd 21:24Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, • It was only after the atonement they made that the Lord heeded the prayer for the land-v 14 • Jesus made the atonement for us-Rom 5:11 And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Challenge: How do we keep our words? Do we observe covenants or agreement? Conclusion: Deu 29:9 Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.