COVENANT-FAVOUR AND RIGHTEOUSNESS

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: – Deuteronomy 28:1

Covenant-favour is not a guarantee to all human beings. It is connected to and embedded in the COVENANT. In the Old Testament, the Lord affirmed His covenant-relationship with Israel: “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth” (Deut.7:6). The witness concerning New Testament believers is similar: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet.2:9).

Favour is strongly connected to the covenant. Deuteronomy 28: 1-6 describe the favoured life: being set on high above all nations of the earth; attracting diverse blessings to overwhelming dimensions; being blessed in the city and in the field; in the fruit of the body, the ground and the livestock; in the basket and the store; and in one’s coming and going out. All of these are conditional upon hearkening diligently unto and obeying the Voice of the Lord God.

Favour is the heritage of the righteous: “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage” (Psa.16:6). Favour is God’s covenant release to the “righteous”: the believer in Christ Jesus, born-again by His Spirit and His Word (Ps.5:12; Jh.3:5-7). Righteousness transcends confession; it involves heart-condition, conduct and practice! By God’s grace, we have been CALLED righteous, but also empowered to DO righteousness (1 Jh. 3:7).

Righteousness is the route through which favour flows: “…among the righteous there is favour” (Pro.14:9b). Daniel determined to not be defiled with the portion of the king’s meat and wine; and God brought him into favour with the prince of the eunuchs (Dan.1:8, 9). The Psalmist prophesied concerning the Son of God: “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Ps.45:7). Beloved, may you likewise contact favour on the path of righteousness in Jesus name.