Under Covenant
Nehemiah 9:3–10:29
Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing. Nehemiah 9:38
Things changed radically in Jerusalem under the governorship of Nehemiah and the pastoring of Ezra. The people had been spiritually dead. Now they revived, and the changes that came transformed their nation and culture permanently.
What were the steps of this revival? The first stage was the reading, teaching, and hearing of the Word of God. The result of this was that the people were awakened to their sin. This was the second stage of the revival.
Ah, but many people have expressed sorrow for sin and acknowledged their distress without changing. That is why the third stage of this revival is so critical. The third stage is a formal commitment to change, expressed in a covenant. The text refers to it as “a firm covenant” to which the leaders, Levites, and priests formally affixed their seals, the equivalent of a signature.
The Christian church is of a divided mind about covenants. On the one hand, there are those who distrust them, primarily because they rightly distrust any human ability to keep covenants. “Whenever you promise God that you will do something, you are sure to break that promise,” they argue. That is generally true, of course. At the very least, the reservations of these people warn us that none of us should subscribe to a covenant or covenants lightly.
On the other hand, it is impossible to write off all formal commitments. The very act of becoming a Christian is something of a covenant, for when we repent of our sin and turn in faith to Christ as our Savior, we also promise to follow him and serve him as our Lord. When we are baptized, we enter into a covenant. When we join a church, we make a covenant. In our church the promise is “to make diligent use of the means of grace, to share faithfully in the worship and service of the church, to give of your substance as the Lord may prosper you, and to give your whole heart to the service of Christ and his kingdom throughout the world.” Why should other important spiritual steps be any different? Why should we not frequently determine to change for the better—and covenant to do so?
I suggest that you formally covenant to put God first in everything you do: order your marriage or family according to the Bible’s standards, set aside one day in seven to worship and serve God in the company of other Christians, tithe your income for the Lord’s work—and do whatever else God puts it upon your mind to do for him. And make it a lifetime commitment!
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.