Am I Really Desired By God?Sample

A kinship covenant was different than a grant covenant, with each side taking on its own list of obligations. This type of covenant had a small set of obligations, and those obligations were evenly divided between the two parties.

A kinship covenant was also referred to as a “parity” covenant, meaning equal responsibilities. In keeping with what the Israelites requested, this kinship covenant was more about religion and rules, since His people had repeatedly broken the grant covenants and worshiped other gods.

The kinship covenant was much more like a business contract. My wife and I have carried out some remodeling projects around the house, and with each project, we sign a contract with the carpenter or craftsman. He agrees to do a certain amount of work to our specifications in a set amount of time for a set amount of money, and in return, we agree to pay him for that work on time. Both sides have to agree and both sides have obligations to fulfill, or else there are consequences. If the craftsman doesn’t do the work well and on time, he doesn’t get paid. If we don’t pay him for his work, he can pull us into arbitration or take us to court. Both sides agree to abide by the rules.

God created the new kinship agreement because His people had rejected Him and His love and pursued relationships with other gods, through the worship of and sacrifices to idols. If His people would accept the Ten Commandments given to Moses and agree to abide by those laws, then God would honor the new kinship covenant.

The kinship covenant forged with Moses, also called the Mosaic covenant, emphasized religion and rules more than love. It was more like a marriage of convenience than a passionate love relationship, and it required daily, ritualized sacrifices to atone for sin. To stay in a relationship with His people, God became the partner and the punisher in the agreement. If the people broke the agreement, there would be penalties. The people didn’t understand that, because of their slave-minded fear, they had sacrificed a relationship and asked Moses to give them rules instead. 

It was a huge shift and a tragic moment for Israel. God had offered a close, intimate relationship with His people and He was rejected.