Covenant Life

Part 2 - Covenant Assurance

Here is a key covenant requirement. "You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am the Lord" (Leviticus 26:2). Note the twin concepts of the Sabbath and the sanctuary. First, the Sabbath is a sign. "You shall surely observe My Sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you" (Exodus 31:13, also Ezekiel 20:12 and 20). Second, God sanctifies His sanctuary with His own holy presence. "It shall be consecrated by My glory" (Exodus 29:43).

Here is a key covenant promise. "I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people" (Leviticus 26:12). God most dramatically dwelt in the midst His people when the Shekina Glory filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34) and later filled Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:10). The Shekina Glory was God's visible presence, his tabernacled presence, with His people.

The apostle Paul applies the Old Testament promise of God to the church of Jesus Christ. Paul writes to the church at Corinth. The people of that day did not receive individual copies of the letter by email or by postal service. When the letter arrived, it was likely read to the congregation gathered for that purpose. That gathered body of believers heard these words of the apostle. "We are the temple of the living God; just as God said, 'I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people'" (2 Corinthians 6:16). We [plural] are God's temple [singular]. We are "living stones...being built up as a spiritual house...to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5). God promises to dwell among us as a people. As God's people, we become God's sanctuary.

What may we expect if we keep the Sabbath and take the truth of God dwelling with His people seriously? First of all, observing the Sabbath is a means of coming to assurance. It is a sign to us that God truly does sanctify us. As we lovingly serve God by setting this day apart from the others, it signifies He truly sets us apart from the world as His own possession. Loving observation of the Sabbath therefore serves to promote assurance.

Second, when we take the Sabbath seriously, we repair to the house of God and the assembly of God's people for worship. God promised His ancient people concerning the sanctuary, "I will meet with you, to speak to you there" (Exodus 29:42). And again, "I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God" (Exodus 29:44). As mentioned, collectively, we become God's sanctuary. Therefore, when we assemble with God's people, God promises to meet with us, to dwell among us, and to speak to us. In turn, we offer up our "sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name" (Hebrews 13:15). Our worship, our meeting with God, and God speaking to us all serve to further our assurance.

All this means that as we live under the grace of God in covenant with Him, God provides us the ready means to grow in assurance. Honoring the Sabbath and reverencing the sanctuary as covenant responsibilities before God direct us to set apart the Sabbath for the purposes of worship, to meet with God, and to hear Him speak to us. Growth in grace and growth in assurance are outcomes we may rightly expect and anticipate.