2 Kings 11:17, "And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and the people."

Jehoiada the priest was used of God to establish Joash as the rightful ruler of the people of Judah at the age of seven. Being a man of God, Jehoiada, wanted to establish the rule of Joash by making a commitment with the king and the people to honor and obey the LORD.  Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary states, "Covenants are of use, both to remind us of, and bind us to, the duties already binding on us. They immediately abolished idolatry; and, pursuant to the covenant with one another, they expressed mutual readiness to help each other. The people rejoiced, and Jerusalem was quiet. The way for people to be joyful and at peace, is to engage fully in the service of God; for the voice of joy and thanksgiving is in the dwellings of the righteous, but there is no peace for the wicked."  Matt Slick in his article, "What is a Covenant" states, "Using covenants is how God communicates to us, redeems us, and guarantee us eternal life in Jesus.  He does this because a covenant is a promise, and God's promises cannot be broken since they rest in his infinite, pure character.  The Bible is a covenant document.  The Old and New Testaments are really Old and New Covenants.  The word "testament" is Latin for Covenant."

We need to understand the importance of Covenants, they impact how we live and act.  Again, as stated by Matthew Henry, they both remind us and also bind us. 

Most churches have covenants, the institution of marriage is a covenant rather than simply a legal contract, the Old and New Testaments are covenants.  

Thank God Jehoiada made a covenant of righteousness to establish the rule and reign of the young King Joash.  Our God is a covenant keeping God, and we, as God's people should be true to the covenant relationships they have entered into.  May the Lord bless you as you keep those covenants operating in your life. 

Your Friend and HIS,

Pastor Abbott

QUESTIONS TO PONDER
1.  Make a list of covenants that you have entered into with the Lord.  Have you been faithful in keeping them?

2.  What does it mean to you that God is faithful and always keeps His promises?

3.  Have you broken any covenants?  Did that decision bring peace, righteousness and joy, or did all three disappear?