Honor God's Covenant

by Pastor Peter Lim


Big idea:
God wants us to treasure His covenant with us

1. Rahab Treasured God's Covenant

Joshua 2:1-5
Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”


Was lying to save the spies acceptable?
if not acceptable, why God allowed Rahab to be spared?

Ultimately it boils down to how God saw our believing loyalty and righteousness.

# Believing loyalty is trust in Yahweh and a corresponding expression of allegiance to God
- Rahab believes u is sov and she chose to be on His side
- She tied scarlet cord
- The account highlighted Rahab's courage and believing loyalty to Yahweh
- Rahab feared Yahweh more than her people and the gods that her people worshipped
- Rahab imperfect perfect expression of believing loyalty could be forgiven


Joshua 2:8-11
Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea[a] for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.[b] 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.


Joshua 6:25
But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.


She was commended in the New Testament

Hebrews 11:31
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.


James 2:25
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?


Matthew 1:5
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,


2. Achan Despised God's Covenant

Joshua 6:18-19
But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”


Joshua 7:20-21
Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia,[a] two hundred shekels[b] of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,[c] I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”


Because of his action, Israel suffered a defeat when they fought against the city of Ai. Because God was not with them, it could be an easy battle to be won. Achan and his entire family were stoned to death. There was no fear in his heart for God.


That beautiful cloak, 200 shekels of silver, and 50 shekels of gold captivated Achan's heart.


Achan was selfish and fool because he failed to see his covenant relationship with Yahweh was worth infinitely more.


3. Gibeonites were Half-Hearted About God's Covenant


Joshua 9:4-6
they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded[a] with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”


Israel did not seek the lord, therefore they were tricked by the Gibeonites to sign a treaty with them.

Joshua 9:14-15
The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.


Joshua 9:22-23
Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? 23 You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”


That oath could not be broken, but the Gibeonites were still cursed...

The Gibeonites sought to associate themselves with Y only for self preser and self intere, they didn't fully commit themselves to Y. They were half hearted.


Joshua 9:24
They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this.


The Gibeonites were not fully submitted.


What does it mean for us?
A. Enter a covenant relationship with God
- You could be attending church, say grace or read the bible. But do you have a relationship with God, fully committed to fully follow God's ways or you are half hearted?

B. Cherish your covenant relationship with God
- Your covenant relationship with Yahweh is worth infinitely more than any amount of silver, gold and pleasures this world can offer


What is that one small action you can take sincerely, consistently that says: "God, I cherish my relationship with You?"