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Vol. 3, No. 5 | Page 6 |
May, 2001 |
The title of this article has a very hard word to say. It is not very important that you know how to say 'suzerainty.' But, it is important to know what it means.
There were two types of covenants in ancient times. One was a parity covenant. This was where two parties who were equal bound themselves together in a contract. The other covenant was the suzerainty covenant. This was an agreement between a strong party and a weak party. For example, a strong nation might overpower a weak nation. The victors would agree to protect the weaker nation if the weaker nation would keep certain rules.
God had this type of covenant with Israel. In Exodus 19:4-6 we read, "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel."
As long as Israel obeyed God, they remained under the care of his covenant. But, when they finally rejected him and his Son, they were no longer his special people. The old covenant was nailed to the cross and now there is a new suzerainty covenant. This covenant is with Christians.
Study the Bible. Learn what is necessary for you to do under God's new covenant. He loves you and wants to take care of you.
God is hard to understand. It is not easy trying to imagine what God looks like. It is not easy trying to understand how God works.
Even the word "God" is used in different ways in the Bible. Many times it refers to God the Father. At other times it refers to more than one person at the same time.
In Genesis 1:1, we read, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." In the very first verse of the Bible, we learn that there is more than one person in the Godhead. The word "God" in the Hebrew is in the plural form. It is somewhat like the word "they" in English. So God was saying there was more than one person involved in creating the world.
In this instance, the word "God" refers to the nature of those being named. The persons involved are all deity. They are all God. But they are not separate gods with different powers and different goals. There is only one God and there are three persons in that God. They all have the same power and goal.
This may be very confusing. I hope it is not too difficult for you to understand. The point to understand is that Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Father are all God. All three are in heaven.
Study God's Word. Learn all you can about the three persons in the Godhead. Get God's wisdom. Know what you need to do to live eternally with them in heaven. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
Copyright © 2001 Louis Rushmore. All Rights Reserved. Home | Current Issue | Archives | Bookstore | Printshop Computers | Long Distance | Calling Cards | Cellular/PCS | Callback | Dial-Around | Pagers
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