The Mosaic Covenant is a conditional covenant made between God and the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-24). At the time of the covenant, God reminded the people of their obligation to be obedient to His law (Exodus 19:5), and the people agreed to the covenant when they said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do!" (Exodus 19:8). This covenant would serve to set the nation of Israel apart from all other nations as God's chosen people and was as equally binding as the unconditional covenant that God made with Abraham because it is also a blood covenant. The Mosaic Covenant is a significant covenant in both God's redemptive history and in the history of the nation of Israel through whom God would sovereignly chose to bless the world with both His written Word and the Living Word, Jesus Christ.

The Mosaic Covenant was centered around God's giving His divine law to Moses on Mount Sinai. In understanding the different covenants in the Bible and their relationship with one another, it is important to understand that the Mosaic Covenant differs significantly from the Abrahamic Covenant and later biblical covenants because it is conditional in that the blessings that God promises are directly related to Israel's obedience to the Mosaic Law. If Israel is obedient, then God will bless them, but if they disobey, then God will punish them. The blessings and curses that are associated with this conditional covenant are found in detail in Deuteronomy 28. The other covenants found in the Bible are unilateral covenants of promise, in which God binds Himself to do what He promised, regardless of what the recipients of the promises might do. On the other hand the Mosaic Covenant is a bilateral agreement, which specifies the obligations of both parties to the covenant. The Abrahamic covenant is focused on God keeping his promise regardless of the other party's obligations. What promise: The promise that God would send a savior as payment for the sins. The Mosaic Law was temporary. The Abrahamic covenant is eternal.

Abrahamic Marriage or Mosaic Marriage?

Marriage is a divine relationship established in Creation and mirrors the image of God in the Trinity. The marriage covenant today will either model the Abrahamic or Mosaic type.

Many marriages today are Mosaic in practice. I will love you and treat you well as long as my needs are met. As long as I get something out of this relationship for me, I will give to you. Love and actions of love are conditional. Many times the conditions are not known to us consciously and many times they are. We treat each other in love as long as our needs are being met, then turn on each other in anger and resentment when our needs are not met. We have a philosophy that "I have a right to be happy." The Old Covenant was not banished when Christ came even though it was over. Rather, the Old Covenant Law reminds us of our sin and our need to get out of ourselves and into Christ. This is meant to keep us living in humility. Humility makes a marriage grow and thrive.

Marriage was and is the Abrahamic covenant. It is based on a promise that God made to Abraham, whether Abraham kept his side of the agreement or not. In fact, God knew that Abraham would not. The Abrahamic covenant keeps its vow. Likewise, Jesus affirms that marriage is a covenant whereby one dies for the other.

IS YOUR MARRIAGE BECOMING A CONSUMER MARRIAGE?

How much consumer thinking has slipped into your marriage? Answer the questions below. (Thanks to Bill Doherty, PhD)

1. I (often, sometimes, rarely) compare my spouse unfavorably to others.

2. In relation to our problems, I (often, sometimes, rarely) dwell on my spouse's deficiencies; not my own.

3. I (often, sometimes, rarely) concentrate on how my spouse is not meeting my needs rather than how I am not meeting my spouse's needs.

4. I (often, sometimes, rarely) keep score; I add up when I do good things or when I think my spouse does something bad.

5. I (often, sometimes, rarely) think that my spouse is getting a better deal in this marriage than I am.

6. I (often, sometimes, rarely) wonder if I should have held out for someone better when I chose a mate.

7. I often focus on my spouse's defects rather than on his or her strengths.

8. When we have hard times, I (often, sometimes, rarely) ask myself whether the effort I am putting into this marriage is worth it.

If most of your answers are "rarely" congratulations. You do not treat marriage like a car that you can trade in when it ages and develops a touch of rust. If most of your answers are "sometimes," ask yourself if things that you want are disguising themselves as things that you absolutely need. Try discussing your spouse's needs and wants. If three or more of your answers are "often," consumerism has severely infected your view of marriage.

Here is what we have coming up.

SEP 10-12 The U In US Couples Retreat at Fort Wilderness in Wisconsin

SEP 17-18 Enriched Christian Marriage seminar at Westside Baptist Church, Gainesville, FL

OCT 15-17 HOPE Weekend, Jacksonville, FL

OCT 22-24 Enriched Christian Marriage couples retreat, Fort Wilderness in McNaughton, Wisconsin www.fortwilderness.com

NOV 5-6 Marriage Mentor training for Florida Baptist Convention at Westside Baptist Church, Gainesville, FL

NOV 12-13 Marriage seminar at Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL

NOV 19-21 HOPE Weekend, Jacksonville, FL

Cost: $25.00