Newsletter #240 - October 1998 - By Shepherds Chapel - http://www.shepherdschapel.com/

God keeps is promises. These promises of God are also called covenants. The Hebrew word for covenant as found in the Old Testament is transliterated into English as beriyth (ber-eeth'). Beriyth means a compact made by passing between two pieces of flesh. Within the etymology of this word we even find a promise from God. You see the two primes of this word means to winnow, as in threshing wheat, and son. Throughout the Bible God's children are symbolized by wheat.

When God promised Abraham that his children would be as numerous as the stars in heaven and the sand of the sea shore, He knew what He was talking about. God already knew how many souls He created. So, withing the meaning of the word covenant we find a promise of God that each of His children would have the opportunity to pass through this life in the flesh. The alternative would have been to destroy the third of His children that followed Satan in the 1st earth age. Today, we are going to look at some of God's covenant signs. Signs that are so simple that many overlook them daily. When you see them take place, you know they represent the promises of God.

Jeremiah 33:19 And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying, 20 "Thus saith the LORD; 'If ye can break My covenant of the day, and My covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;

God is making a challenge. Do you know anyone that is able to stop the day or the night?

Jeremiah 33:21 Then may also My covenant be broken with David My servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, My ministers.

Every morning when you see the daybreak, you can rest assured God is going to have someone on the throne and a priest people.

Jeremiah 33:22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David My servant, and the Levites that minister unto Me.'

The only portion of God's children that won't pass through this flesh life are the fallen angels of Genesis 6 and Jude 1:6.

Jeremiah 33:23 Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 24 "Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, 'The two families which the LORD hath chosen, He hath even cast them off'? thus they have despised My people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

Read this verse very carefully. Did God say He cast His people off and despised them? No! The people said this. Don't listen to people. Listen to God!

Jeremiah 33:25 Thus saith the LORD; 'If My covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;

The natural events governed by the laws God established over heaven and earth are signs of His promises. Do you know anyone that can turn off gravity or the changing of the seasons?

Jeremiah 33:26 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.' "

If someone out there is able to change His laws of nature, God won't bring salvation to His children. That is a promise you can count on. God's covenant signs are witnessed daily by the rising ad the setting of the sun. Let's continue our study in Psalms. Psalm 74 is entitled "Maschil of Asaph". This means a Psalm of instruction for the collector of the people. It is for your instruction.

Psalm 74:1 O God, why hast Thou cast us off for ever? why doth Thine anger smoke against the sheep of Thy pasture?

God has emotions. He becomes angry with His children that disobey Him, and He chastises those He loves.

Psalm 74:2 Remember Thy congregation, which Thou hast purchased of old; the rod of Thine inheritance, which Thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein Thou hast dwelt. 3 Lift up Thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

What is being done wickedly in the churches? Satan utilizes many pulpits. Turn your television on next Sunday morning, if you don't believe me.

Psalm 74:4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of Thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. 5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

There was a time when men were famous for building the sanctuary and making it grow.

Psalm 74:6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.

Instead of building the sanctuary, they are tearing it down. We are talking about the many membered body, as well.

Psalm 74:7 They have cast fire into Thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of Thy name to the ground. 8 They said in their hearts, "Let us destroy them together:" they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

A church that doesn't teach God's Word is not pleasing to God.

Psalm 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

Oh, there isn't? Remember, the people are saying this, not God. God gives signs to those who are watching every day.

Psalm 74:10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme Thy name for ever?

The adversary will blaspheme God's name, until he goes into the lake of fire.

Psalm 74:11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

This is a Hebraism meaning , "Why aren't You doing anything God?" The people just don't know.

Psalm 74:12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. 13 Thou didst divide the sea by Thy strength: Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. 14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

God delivers the people that love Him.

Psalm 74:15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: Thou driedst up mighty rivers. 16 The day is Thine, the night also is Thine: Thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

The people know that God created the night and the day; however, do they know the night and day are signs?

Psalm 74:17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: Thou hast made summer and winter. 18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed Thy name.

The enemy scoffs at God, and foolish people make fun of His very name. Don't worry. God knows.

Psalm 74:19 O deliver not the soul of Thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of Thy poor for ever.

The turtledoves are His loved ones. The poor are the humble. Father won't forget either.

Psalm 74:20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

Those that are aware of God's covenant signs have no reason to fear darkness. When Satan rears his ugly head, we know where to tell him to go in the name of Jesus Christ. Let's turn to Luke. When God makes a promise, He keeps it. We will pick it up with Zacharias having been told by Gabriel that Elizabet would conceive and bear a son whose name would be John. Zacharias was struck dumb until all that was told him came to pass.

Luke 1:64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

The forerunner of Messiah had been born. The good news was traveling fast.

Luke 1:66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What manner of child shall this be!" And the hand of the Lord was with him.

When you make a stand for God, He will always be with you.

Luke 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people,

God will never leave us without a prophet. Father was announcing the coming of the Messiah that had been promised generations earlier.

Luke 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; 70 As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

Remember, the people in Psalm 74 said there is no more a prophet. God said, "His holy prophets which have been since the world began:". The problem hasn't been the lack of prophets. The problem is the people don't listen to the Word of God.

Luke 1:71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant;

That covenant is God's promise. Do you think He would ever break a promise? Not as long as you see the sun come up in the morning.

Luke 1:73 The oath which He sware to our father Abraham, 74 That He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear,

We have nothing to fear. We have power over all out enemies.

Luke 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life. 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways;

John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah. The spirit of Elijah is with all that prepare the way for the 2nd coming of the Lord including this ministry. God promised salvation to His children through Messiah. He kept His promise. Every day we should take note of our Father's covenant sign's. When you see the daily signs, rejoice! Our Father lives.

In His service,
Arnold Murray.