Confessions of a Seminarian

Covenants- Obedience and Rebellion

In my last post, I discussed the nature of a Covenant itself.

What it is:  A specific form of relationship
How God relates to us through covenant:  He initiates, we respond.
What voids a covenant: Death
What blessing means: being in right relationship with YHWH

I ended the post claiming the purpose of God to bless the nations was achieved through Israel whether it was obedient or rebellious.  The nature of their participation in God’s world mission was up to them.  That assertion is the focus of this post.

Regardless if Israel is obedient to the covenant, God displays His power through it to bless the nations.  One example of the nations receiving God’s blessing through Israel’s obedience is the first half of Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 4:29-34).  Israel is firmly established at the geographical crossroads of the major world nations and there is peace.  The Temple is built and heads of state from all over the world come to Israel for education in the Lord’s wisdom given to Solomon.  All the nations marveled at how a people without military prowess came to be established in THE prime real estate in the world.  How could this be?  The only answer a Jew could rightly give was that YHWH placed them there.  Yet as great a moment in Israel’s history as this time was, the second half of Solomon’s rule led the nation into disobedience to the Lord (1 Kings 11:1-13, 31-39).  His desire for many wives led him into the idolatry of their pagan Gods, thus driving the entire nation away from service to YHWH.

However, Israel’s disobedience cannot thwart God’s desire for the nations to know His name and worship Him.  Perhaps the best example of the nations receiving God’s blessing through Israel’s rebellion is in Jeremiah 29:4-7.  Just as miraculously as Israel had been planted in Palestine, so were they swiftly routed.  Shortly after Solomon died, the kingdom of Israel split in two.  Ten of the 12 tribes became the Northern Kingdom (known as Israel), and two tribes remained faithful to the Davidic kingship and formed the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  The Northern Kingdom had already been defeated by Assyria (2 Kings 15:29-17:23), leaving the tiny Southern Kingdom of Judah surrounded.

As Judah slipped in and out of idolatry, God finally declared he would give them up to exile (Jer 1).  It is at this time that Jeremiah prophesied to Judah.  While he desperately lamented Jerusalem’s destruction, he encouraged the Jews to live and work to the benefit of the kingdom that conquered them (Jer 29:4-7).  Exile was certainly not the desire of the Jews.  They were being punished by God for their disobedience to the covenant, but Babylon benefited by the new purpose Jeremiah gave the exiles.  Now a conquering nation would have the people of God in its midst.  Once again, those who might not have otherwise known the name of the Lord are allowed the privilege of relationship with Him.  This illustrates God’s intention to be known by His creation through His chosen people, whether they are obedient or not.

So what do we learn from this?  From the first post we know that God makes covenant with His people regardless of their actions or merit.  We also know that this covenant has blessings and curses associated with its people’s obedience.  From this post we learn that regardless of the people’s obedient experience, God’s will is done in the world.  This will is primarily that people would know Him by His name, and worship Him.  These features of the biblical narrative should speak volumes about God’s values.  He loves us, He wants us to know Him, He desires us to receive blessing, He is faithful to us even when we are not to Him, etc.

My next post will examine how nations are blessed when other nations receive the Lord’s favor, or his judgment through Israel.  Stay tuned.