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 20:5Thou 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 21:23-24And 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 5:11And 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.