Covenant Renewed

Introduction

When a child is born into a family, the family receives that child unconditionally. The child has done nothing to be accepted into the family. The child was conceived through no effort on its own. The child grows up experiencing love and care largely without conditions. Because no parents are perfect sometimes love and care are given somewhat grudgingly. I’ve met very few parents who thought 2 a.m. feedings every night for several weeks were a blessing. Most parents just desire sleep. As we have experienced in this family, even in adoption children are brought into families unconditionally. Families want to care for children. The child who is adopted, depending on the age of the child, may not have an inkling of what is happening, but they experience unconditional love and care.

As children grow, parents begin to place conditions on the child. Rules are explained and enforced. These conditions do not, however, change the unconditional love and acceptance. Whether the child follows the rules or not doesn’t change that they belong to the family. The ten-year-old who lies isn’t banished from the family. Correction is given; discipline imposed and the child learns that lying is not acceptable. The parent who disciplines the child does not revoke the child’s last name or push the child out of the family. But the consequences remind both the parent and the child that conditions exist for the good of the family and to reveal the character of the family.

My father spoke frequently about the Baldwin name and warned with equal frequency not to dishonor it in some way. The Baldwin name meant something in his sphere of life. Living in large cities we have moved away from such, but in our realm of existence, our name still means something. As parents we want to instill the dignity and honor of our name. Conditions are placed and enforced because our name means something. We do not want our children to dishonor our reputation and the character that we have established. My dad said over and over again, your word is your bond. That is true only if your “yes” and “no” have been consistently upheld.

The same relationship exists with God. We are born into the family of God through no effort of our own. We are loved unconditionally, but conditions exist that reveal the nature and character of our Father. And when we go against those conditions, discipline and correction come. We see this truth today in Joshua 8. Israel has destroyed Jericho. Ai was the next place. Conditions from Jericho were violated and a part of Israel was punished, disciplined, and corrected. Rules matter. But Israel was not unsaved. They moved forward. At the end of chapter 8 is the renewal of the covenant. A refresher on the conditions and a reminder of the unconditional love of God. Let’s be encouraged.

Two Mountains

Conquering Jericho and Ai has opened a path to the north. Joshua takes the entire nation and goes northward toward Shechem. This would have been a long and difficult journey. The road was good, but taking the whole nation to this area would not have been easy. Why do this? Turn to Deuteronomy 27. Moses had told the leaders that once they had crossed the Jordan the entire nation was to assemble at the base of two mountains—Gerizim and Ebal. They are to build an altar on Ebal and then the Levites are to read the law and remind the people of the blessings and curses—the conditions for keeping the law.

This is a sacred place. Abraham some 600 years before had built an altar here. It was in this place that Jacob sought refuge after leaving his father-in-law, Laban. It was in this place that Joseph sought his brothers before heading to Dothan and being sold into slavery. It is here that Joseph was buried (Joshua 24:32). It was here that Jacob dug a well and it is here that Jesus had a conversation with a woman in John 4. God had instructed Moses for the people to return to the place where it had all started with Abraham.

The mountains are about 1.5 miles apart but only about 500 yards separate the base of the mountains. Nestled as it is between the two mountains, it is a natural amphitheater. It is in that small area that the nation would separate with half climbing part of the way up Gerizim and the other half climbing part of the way up Ebal. On top of Ebal an altar would be built and sacrifices offered. Burnt offerings first for the sins of the people and then fellowship offerings that are to be eaten with God. And then the Levites would read the curses and the blessings. And the people would shout “Amen” as they heard the curse, meaning that they agreed that the curse would be on them if they did those things.

But here is the interesting point. Ebal is the mountain where the curses are read. Gerizim is the mountain where the blessings are read. On which mountain is the altar built? Why is the altar built on the mountain of curses rather than on the mountain of blessing? God knew that his people were imperfect. He knew that they would need forgiveness. The altar was to deal with the breaking of the conditions. We have a hard time with this. So let’s walk through it. When Israel is gathering at the mountains, are they the people of God? Were they selected to be God’s people based on their size? Abilities? Goodness? They were selected because God wanted to select them. Was Abraham chosen because of his faithfulness? He was chosen and by faith he walked with God. Because of his trust in God’s promises, God justified him (saved him). God’s calling is unconditional. His love is unconditional. However, once responding to that call, conditions are placed.

Israel’s conditions were the law. Keep the law and blessings are yours. Disobey the law and consequences come. Even in exile, God brought them back. Their salvation was based on the unconditional love of God. Their blessings was in response to the conditions of the law.

What About Us?

You can’t be saved by keeping the law but keeping the law is a sign of your salvation. A child has nothing to do with being born into a family but a child who lives to honor the family name is a sign that he belongs to the family. In John 4, the woman at the well is a Samaritan. She meets Jesus at Jacob’s well. The Bible says this is in a city called Sychar. Archaeologists have verified that this city was just east of Shechem and indeed close to Jacob’s well. This town is close to the mountains of Gerizim and Ebal. Verse 20 says, “She says to Jesus, ‘our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.’”

This mountain is Gerizim. When Assyria destroyed the northern kingdom in 722 B.C. they transported the leaders away and imported people from other cultures. Over time, these new people and those Jews who remained after the destruction intermarried and formed a quasi-Jewish group called Samaritans. Because they were not fully Jewish, the Samaritans developed their own religious view of God from the first five books of the Old Testament and decided that Mount Gerizim, the mountain of blessing, would be their worship place. To this day the descendants of the ancient Samaritans still observe the Passover on Mount Gerizim including sacrificing of the lamb.

What did Jesus say? It isn’t about the place of worship; it is about understanding the heart of worship. We have been saved by one who loves us deeply. He acted on our behalf long before we came into this world. Our sin is real. Our hearts were set against him. As Paul writes in Romans we were enemies of God. But God acted and we chose to listen and follow. In our baptism, our sins were forgiven and God’s Spirit was provided to help us walk in holiness. Now there are conditions. Live life reflecting the character of God. Live by the Spirit not by the law. Love deeply. Invest in people. Treat your friend and enemy with kindness. Serve without seeking recognition. Pray without fanfare. Walk trusting that God is at work rather than walking in doubt. Don’t hurt others with your words but use your words to encourage and build up.

You say, “you are throwing us back into the law.” No! Does the child lose his position in the family when he breaks a family rule or are the family rules there to help the child know the character and nature of the family? And when we sin? The altar is still there. The cross remains as a reminder that our sins have been forgiven. Let us walk with a renewed understanding that we live to make sure God is seen. Let our lives reflect his character and nature.

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