COVENANTS

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 23

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

This is the view looking south from the temple mount in Jerusalem where the Kidron Valley joins the Valley of Gehenna. In today’s reading, the Valley of Gehenna is referred to as the Valley of the Son of Hinnom (2 Kings 23:10).

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 2 Kings 23:3

Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord and keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took their stand for the covenant.

Three times in our key verse the word COVENANT is repeated! A covenant is the most solemn and most binding agreement into which two parties can enter. In verse two we read, “The king…read in their hearing all the words of the book of the COVENANT which had been found in the house of the Lord.” The King himself read the book out loud to all the people. What an experience this was! Imagine the loud voice of the young king ringing out across the crowded plaza. As did the people, will we commit with all our hearts and souls to perform the words of the covenant? According to Hebrews, for the past 2000 years we have had “A better COVENANT, which was established on better promises.” We may want to read (out loud if possible) Hebrews 8:1-13 & 2:11-15. Let us meditate on this amazing grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Almighty and eternal God, I am amazed that You would bind Your Self to such an eternally binding covenant with me and all who will personally sign the covenant with all our hearts and souls. You signed in blood at the cross. I am absolutely confident that You will keep Your end of this eternally and legally binding agreement. The courts of Heaven witness to Your signature, and those same courts rang with great joy when I signed on, and they continue to celebrate over each new name written in the Book of Life. Grant that I may bring another person to sign in today, I pray. In the Name of the “Mediator of the New Covenant,” Jesus my Lord and Saviour, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I am deeply moved to read the responses of readers of this blog. Her are two…

1. What insight you make David. If we (as in this generation) fail to reach-out to the next generation, the Word of God will be something we only see as an article on a shelf in the museum. Christ must be our life, we need to be filled daily anew with His Holy Spirit, and then go forth in His service. We mustn’t miss the opportunity to proclaim the gospel, for life in this world passes quickly.

2. Please don’t think for a moment that this blog is a chore. This blog has brought me renewal and great joy every day! I’ve been a Christian for 30 years, but have never felt so alive in my Christian walk as I have this last year. Thank you David for bringing this to us daily, you’ll never know how it has enhanced my Christian walk. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us in 100words for this next year. God Bless you for being a faithful servant in bringing this to us every day David.

Yours, celebrating the new covenant,

David

The southern wall of the temple mount in seen on the left and in the distance are some of the thousands of graves on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. You can even see a Jewish funeral service taking place. In todays reading, verse 6, the ashes of the wooden image King Josiah had burnt were thrown on the graves of the common people.