PSK 095. COVENANT CONSEQUENCES AND CHOICES!
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PSK 095. *_COVENANT CONSEQUENCES AND CHOICES!_*
🌹 Welcome to Sunday, the *_6th day of JULY 2025._* This is OUR MONTH OF PERFECTION! Happy New Month, Beloved!
Receive your *GOOD NEWS* through our encounter with the *_COVENANT CONSEQUENCES AND CHOICES!_* Papa in Heaven avails us, today, with another opportunity to be revived through knowledge in this *_2nd Half of the Year 2025_* starting with the Month of Perfection! ✅
https://youtu.be/KSbtCBzMiTU?si=lQ5VvP97Z2idSsXW
❤🔥 Our *_MHB. 64 – Praise to the LORD, the Almighty!_* 🦅🍇
Author: *Joachim Neander* 1650-1680.
Year of writing: *1680*
Translator: *Catherine Winkworth* -1827-1878.
Year of translation: *1863*
Meter: *14.14.4.7.8*
❤🔥🦅 *METHODIST HYMN BOOK (MHB) 64* 🍇
*1.*
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear; now to His temple draw near,
Joining in glad adoration.
*2.*
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shielded thee gently from all harms, or when fainting sustaineth:
Hast thou not seen
How thy heart’s wishes hath been
Granted in what he ordaineth?
*3.*
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
Who with his love doth befriend thee.
*4.*
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the Amen sound from his people again;
Gladly for e’er we adore him.
🎊 *ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND THE HYMN!* ❤🔥
Joachim Neander was born in 1650 and died on May 31, 1680 at the young age of 30.
In this hymn, Neander looked back on himself and found consolation in communion with God and Nature.
This fine jubilant Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving sets forth the Majesty of God in His works of beauty and wonder in Nature. There are doubtless harshness, and occasionally rather jarring imagery, naturally enough – the characteristic expressions and points of view of Pietism’s “Covenant Theology“.
But the glow and sweetness of this hymn, its firm faith, originality, Scriptural touch, variety and mastery of rhythmical forms, and genuine lyric character fully entitled it to the high place it holds.
This hymn is loosely based on Psalm 103:1-6 and Psalm 150, with echoes from other psalms – This is a strong hymn of praise to our covenant God, who heals, provides for, and defends us.
Let “all that has life and breath” sing praise to the Lord!
Singing this hymn should remind us that we are made for God’s pleasure and that everything that breathes should praise Him. All God ever does to man is good, and the Bible says, *_“How God anointed Jesus Christ of Nazareth who went about doing good, healing all those who were oppressed by the devil.”_*
This is how loving God is, and that’s why we should praise Him.
The Bible also says that God was in Christ reconciling the whole world to Himself, not imputing their sins and trespasses on them. That is another reason why we should praise Him. God wants man to stay and remain healthy, and that’s what this hymn is telling us. Glory to God! The exuberance of the text of this hymn is matched by its “galloping rhythm.” 🎉
🔥 🦅 Theme: “COVENANT CONSEQUENCES AND CHOICES!” ❤
This is a Theological Discourse on Divine Accountability and Human Responsibility.
Esteemed colleagues, distinguished scholars, and fellow seekers of truth, we gather today to examine a profound theological paradigm that transcends temporal boundaries and speaks to the very essence of human existence: the inextricable relationship between divine covenant, human choice, and inevitable consequences. Our textual foundation rests upon Joshua’s farewell discourse (Joshua 23:1-16) and Christ’s missionary instructions regarding rejection (Luke 10:10-16), both revealing the timeless principle that divine blessing and judgment flow from covenant faithfulness or unfaithfulness.
Permit me to give a simple, dictionary-style meaning for “Covenant, Consequences, and Choices”:
Covenant:
A serious agreement or promise between two or more people or parties, often involving commitments (oaths) or promises. Suzerainty is the type that deals with covenants in a vertical relationship: Between a more powerful Partner (God) and his subject (Humankind). Parity is the other type that deals with covenants in a horizontal relationship: Between a State or business and a comparable partner.
Consequences: The results or effects that happen because of a particular action or decision.
Choices:*
The options or decisions that a person makes.
Overall meaning:
“Covenant, Consequences, and Choices” refer to the idea that when people make serious promises, commitments or agreements (covenants), their choices and actions can lead to certain results or outcomes (consequences). It highlights the importance of making wise decisions because they can have lasting effects.
Exegetical Foundation.
Joshua’s valedictory address emerges from a context of divine fulfilment—God’s promises realised through conquest and settlement. Yet embedded within this triumphant moment lies a sobering warning: blessing contingent upon obedience, destruction awaiting disobedience. The covenant structure presents clear alternatives: adherence brings prosperity, violation brings catastrophe.
Similarly, Jesus’ instructions to the seventy reveal the gravity of gospel reception or rejection. Towns that welcome the message receive peace; those that reject it face judgment more severe than Sodom. Both passages illuminate the same theological truth: divine grace extended creates accountability; rejection of divine overture invites divine judgment.
Theological Synthesis.
The covenant principle operates on multiple levels—individual, communal, and institutional. It transcends religious boundaries, applying universal principles of moral accountability that even secular minds must acknowledge. This is not mere retributive justice but the natural outworking of moral law embedded in creation’s fabric.
Contemporary Applications.
- Government in Difficult Times.
To governmental leaders navigating crisis: Joshua’s words remind us that national prosperity flows not from military might or economic strategy alone, but from adherence to transcendent moral principles. When governments uphold justice, protect the vulnerable, and govern with integrity, they align with divine order. Conversely, when corruption, oppression, and moral relativism prevail, societal dissolution follows.
The principle is pragmatic: righteous governance creates stable societies; unjust governance sows seeds of its own destruction.
History witnesses this pattern repeatedly—from ancient empires to modern nations. The choice remains: govern according to higher law or face the consequences of moral anarchy.
- Business and Corporate Entities.
To business leaders and entrepreneurs: the covenant principle operates in economic spheres through what we might call “ethical sustainability.” Companies built on integrity, fair dealing, and genuine service to human needs tend toward longevity and prosperity. Those prioritising short-term gain through exploitation, deception, Corruption, or environmental destruction face eventual accountability—whether through market forces, regulatory response, or social rejection.
The choice is clear: build enterprises that serve human flourishing or construct monuments to temporary profit that ultimately crumble under the weight of their own contradictions.
- The Atheistic Mind.
To our colleagues who embrace naturalistic worldviews: while you may reject supernatural elements in these texts, the underlying principle remains observable through empirical means. Societies embracing compassion, justice, and truth demonstrate greater stability and human flourishing than those built on exploitation and deception.
Whether viewed through theological or evolutionary lenses, the pattern holds: cooperative, ethical behaviour produces beneficial outcomes; destructive, selfish behaviour generates negative consequences.
The choice transcends religious belief: align with patterns that promote human flourishing or face the natural consequences of destructive choices.
- Individuals Seeking Hope.
To those facing personal struggles, economic downturn, and seeking hope: these passages offer both comfort and challenge. Comfort lies in knowing that right choices, however difficult, align with cosmic order and ultimately lead to blessing. Challenge emerges from recognising that hope requires active participation—choosing paths of integrity, forgiveness, and service rather than bitterness, revenge, or despair.
Your circumstances may seem overwhelming, but within every situation lies choice. Choose attitudes and actions that reflect higher principles, and discover that even in darkness, seeds of redemption germinate. The path is demanding but the destination is worth the journey.
- Inter-faith Religious Leaders.
To religious leaders across traditions: these texts call us beyond sectarian boundaries to recognise universal principles operative across faith traditions. Whether expressed through Jewish covenant theology, Christian gospel proclamation, Islamic submission to Allah, Hindu dharma, or Buddhist ethical conduct, the pattern remains consistent: alignment with divine will/cosmic order brings harmony; opposition brings discord.
Our calling is not to diminish our particular traditions but to recognise how they participate in larger truths about moral accountability and divine grace. We serve a God who has no religious affiliations, but is universally worshipped!
We serve as witnesses to transcendent truth that manifests across cultural and religious boundaries. The covenant principle becomes a bridge for interfaith dialogue—not erasing distinctives but revealing common moral foundations upon which genuine cooperation can flourish. Jesus’ Christ did not come to abolish the Old Religious order, but to establish God’s Perfect will.
Our responsibility extends beyond preservation of tradition to prophetic witness: calling societies, institutions, and individuals to accountability while offering pathways to redemption. We must speak truth to power while extending grace to the powerless, challenging injustice while nurturing hope.
The Paradox of Divine Mercy and Justice.
Both Joshua and Jesus reveal a profound paradox: divine love expressed through both blessing and judgment. This is not capricious deity but consistent character—love that celebrates righteousness and grieves over destruction, yet allows consequences to unfold as testimonies to moral reality.
The towns that rejected Jesus’ messengers faced judgment not from vindictive deity but from their own choices.
Similarly, Israel’s potential exile resulted not from divine fickleness but from covenant violation. This paradox offers both sobering warning and magnificent hope: consequences are real, but repentance and return remain possible until the final moment.
Contemporary Prophetic Application.
The Environmental Covenant.
Modern ecological crisis exemplifies covenant principle perfectly. Creation itself operates under covenant-like conditions: stewardship brings abundance, exploitation brings destruction. Whether understood theologically as divine mandate or scientifically as ecological balance, the principle remains: our treatment of creation determines creation’s response to us.
Climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion represent consequences of covenant violation with creation itself. The choice remains: return to sustainable practices or face increasingly severe natural consequences.
The Social Covenant.
Contemporary social fragmentation reflects covenant breakdown in human relationships. When societies prioritise individual rights without corresponding responsibilities, when economic systems reward exploitation over service, when political discourse abandons civility for conquest, the social fabric tears.
Healing requires covenant renewal: commitment to common good, recognition of mutual interdependence, and willingness to sacrifice immediate advantage for long-term flourishing. The alternative is continued polarisation leading to societal collapse.
The Ultimate Choice.
These passages ultimately present a single choice repeated across history, cultures, and individuals: Will we align ourselves with patterns that promote life, justice, and flourishing, or will we choose paths that lead to destruction, oppression, and death?
This choice transcends religious belief, political affiliation, and economic status. It confronts every human being, every institution, every generation. The consequences flow not from arbitrary divine decree but from the moral structure of reality itself.
Pastoral Implications.
For the Hopeful.
To those embracing faith’s call: remember that covenant faithfulness requires both divine grace and human response. God’s promises are certain, but they engage our participation. Hope is not passive waiting but active cooperation with divine purposes.
For the Sceptical.
To those questioning faith’s relevance: observe how these principles operate regardless of belief. Societies, relationships, and individuals that embody covenant values—faithfulness, justice, compassion—demonstrate greater resilience and flourishing than those built on exploitation and deception.
For the Struggling.
To those facing consequences of past choices: these passages affirm both accountability and possibility. Consequences are real, but redemption remains available. The God who warns of judgment is the same God who provides pathways to restoration.
Academic Implications.
This theological paradigm offers rich material for interdisciplinary dialogue:
Political Science:
How do covenant principles inform just governance and international relations?
Economics:
What economic models reflect covenant values of mutual responsibility and shared flourishing?
Environmental Studies:
How does covenant theology inform sustainable practices and creation care?
Psychology:
How do covenant relationships promote mental health and personal development?
Sociology:
What social structures embody covenant principles of justice and community?
The Eternal Contemporary:
As we conclude, we must remind ourselves that Joshua’s ancient words and Jesus’ missionary instructions speak with startling contemporary relevance because they address the fundamental human condition: we are beings created for covenant relationship with the divine, with creation, and with each other. When these relationships flourish, we flourish. When they fracture, we suffer the consequences.
The choice before every generation, every institution, every individual remains unchanged: Will we choose the way of covenant faithfulness that leads to blessing, or will we choose the path of covenant violation that leads to judgment?
Yet embedded within this choice lies magnificent hope: it is never too late to choose differently. Until the final moment, repentance and return remain possible. Divine judgment serves redemptive purposes—not vindictive destruction but merciful correction designed to restore covenant relationship.
The Eschatological Dimension: Future Consequences of Present Choices.
Temporal and Eternal Convergence:
Both Joshua and Jesus point beyond immediate consequences to ultimate accountability. Joshua’s warning about Israel being “quickly destroyed from this good land” (Joshua 23:16) carries eschatological undertones—temporal judgment foreshadowing eternal realities. Jesus’ declaration that Capernaum would be “brought down to Hades” (Luke 10:15) reveals how present rejection of divine grace shapes eternal destiny.
This eschatological dimension transforms our understanding of choice and consequence from merely pragmatic to profoundly eternal. Every decision carries weight beyond temporal outcomes—they shape character, destiny, and eternal relationship with the divine.
The Christological Fulfilment:
Jesus as Ultimate Covenant:
While Joshua mediated the Mosaic covenant, Jesus embodies the New Covenant—not merely delivering divine law but incarnating divine grace. His instructions to the seventy reveal how the gospel transforms the covenant paradigm: rejection still brings consequences, but acceptance offers not just temporal blessing but eternal life.
Christ becomes both the perfect covenant keeper (fulfilling all righteousness) and the covenant mediator (reconciling covenant breakers to divine grace). This transforms our understanding of consequences: judgment remains real, but mercy triumphs through divine substitution.
The Cross as Covenant Intersection:
Calvary represents the ultimate convergence of covenant faithfulness and covenant violation. Christ’s perfect obedience meets humanity’s covenant failure, absorbing consequences while extending grace. This transforms the paradigm from pure retribution to redemptive justice.
Philosophical Implications.
Moral Realism versus Relativism:
These passages argue forcefully for moral realism—objective moral truths embedded in reality’s structure rather than subjective cultural constructs. The consequences Joshua and Jesus describe flow from violating transcendent moral order, not arbitrary divine preference.
This challenges contemporary moral relativism while avoiding fundamentalist rigidity. Truth exists, consequences are real, but grace remains available to all who acknowledge their need.
Free Will and Divine Sovereignty:
The covenant paradigm preserves genuine human agency while affirming divine sovereignty. God establishes the moral framework and declares consequences, but humans choose their response. Divine sovereignty operates through human freedom rather than despite it.
This paradox offers profound hope: we are not puppets in divine drama but genuine participants whose choices matter eternally. Yet divine grace ensures that no choice places us beyond redemptive reach.
Psychological and Sociological Dimensions.
The Psychology of Covenant.
Modern psychology confirms covenant principles through attachment theory, social psychology, and behavioral research. Humans flourish in relationships characterized by faithfulness, trust, and mutual commitment—covenant qualities. Relationships lacking these elements produce anxiety, depression, and relational breakdown.
The divine-human covenant provides the ultimate secure attachment, offering:
Consistency: Divine character remains unchanging
– Availability: Divine presence never withdraws.
– Responsiveness: Divine grace meets human need
– Acceptance: Divine love transcends human failure
Sociological Applications.
Societies reflect covenant principles through their institutions:
– Legal Systems: Justice requires consistent application of moral law
– Economic Structures: Sustainable prosperity demands mutual responsibility
– Educational Institutions: Learning flourishes in environments of trust and commitment
– Healthcare Systems:
Healing occurs through covenant relationships between caregivers and patients.
Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities.
Digital Age Covenants:
Modern technology creates new covenant contexts requiring ancient wisdom:
– Social Media: Virtual relationships need covenant qualities of honesty, faithfulness, and mutual respect
– Artificial Intelligence:
AI development requires covenant commitment to human flourishing rather than mere efficiency
– Global Connectivity: International relations demand covenant principles of justice, peace, and mutual responsibility.
Economic Justice Applications:
The covenant paradigm challenges contemporary economic inequality:
– Corporate Responsibility:
Businesses operating as covenant partners with communities rather than exploitative extractors
– Wealth Distribution:
Economic systems reflecting covenant principles of mutual care and shared responsibility
– Labour Relations:
Employment relationships embodying covenant qualities of dignity, fairness, and mutual benefit
Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue:
Universal Covenant Principles:
While specific covenant forms vary across traditions, underlying principles appear universally:
– Judaism:
Brit presents covenant as foundational relationship with Hashem — In Judaism, “Hashem” (sometimes spelled “Hashem” or “HaShem”) is a Hebrew term that means “The Name.” It is a respectful and reverent way to refer to God, especially when avoiding direct pronunciation of the divine name.
Traditionally, the sacred name of God in Judaism is represented by the Tetragrammation (YHWH), which is considered highly holy and is not pronounced aloud. Instead, Jews often say “Adonai” (Lord) or “Elohim” (God) during prayer and reading scripture. When referring to God in everyday speech or writing, many use “Hashem” to show reverence and avoid taking the divine name in vain.
In the context of the (Brit) Covenant between God and the Jewish people, “Hashem” is simply a respectful way to refer to God as the divine being with whom the covenant is established.
– In Christianity:
*_New Covenant_* through Christ’s redemptive work.
– In Islam: Mithaq (covenant) expresses submission to Allah’s will.
– In Hinduism:
Dharma as cosmic order demanding righteous response.
– In Buddhism: The Noble Eightfold Path as covenant with enlightenment.
– In Indigenous Traditions: Sacred relationships with land, ancestors, the totems, and community.
Each tradition recognises that alignment with transcendent reality brings flourishing while violation brings suffering. This provides common ground for interfaith cooperation without compromising distinctive beliefs.
The Pastoral Heart of Covenant.
Shepherding Through Consequences:
As spiritual leaders, we must embrace the pastoral paradox: proclaiming both divine love and divine accountability. This requires:
Prophetic Courage: Speaking the truth about consequences while maintaining compassion for those facing them.
Priestly Compassion: Offering grace and hope even amid deserved judgment.
Kingly Wisdom:
Discerning when to emphasize mercy and when to stress accountability
Personal Transformation Through Covenant Understanding.
The Individual’s Covenant Journey.
Every person travels through stages of covenant relationship:
- Invitation: Divine grace extends covenant possibility
- Response: Human choice determines covenant engagement
- Formation: Character develops through covenant living
- Testing: Trials reveal covenant commitment depth
- Maturation: Covenant faithfulness becomes natural response
- Multiplication: Mature covenant keepers mentor others.
The Ultimate Apologetic.
Living Proof of Covenant Reality:
The most powerful argument for covenant truth is not philosophical but experiential—lives transformed through covenant relationship demonstrate its reality. When individuals, communities, and institutions embody covenant principles, they become living apologetics for transcendent truth.
Final Prophetic Word:
The Eternal Choice:
Beloved colleagues, we stand at history’s crossroads where ancient wisdom meets contemporary crisis. The covenant choice confronts our generation with unprecedented urgency:
Will we choose paths that honour divine image in humanity, creation, and community by giving our lives to Christ Jesus?
Or, will we persist in patterns that lead to destruction, division, and despair?
The consequences of our choice will echo through generations. Yet hope remains—the same God who warned Joshua of potential exile also promised restoration. The same Christ who pronounced judgment on unrepentant cities also wept over Jerusalem’s coming destruction. *_But wẹ must believe ìn Hope to partake ìn God’s Plan. Jesus’ is Humankind’s only hope! Receive Him and Live!_*
Let us conclude with worship, for covenant reality ultimately leads to praise:
*To the God who establishes covenants in love,*
*Who honours faithfulness with blessing,*
*Who disciplines rebellion with mercy,*
*Who provides redemption through judgment,*
*And who calls us into eternal relationship—*
*_The Father of Jesus’ Christ, Our LORD…_*
*Be glory, honour, and praise forever and ever.*
The choice remains. The covenant stands. The consequences await, resonating through Christ Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice for humankind’s redemption.
*Choose life, that you and your descendants might live!*
This is our *GOOD NEWS!* 😇
✝️ Please, follow up with God’s inspirations from our website:
www.evangelion-tm.com/
*_“Enter to Worship: Depart To Serve!”_*
*Jesus is LORD!*
Believe this and be Blessed in accordance with the Grace bestowed on His Own! You will enjoy your Happiest New Year yet, indeed!
AMEN.🙏
*_May our discourse resonate in hearts, transform minds, and inspire covenant faithfulness in our generation and beyond, in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit._*
AMEN.
Glory to GOD alone!
*Soli Deo Gloria!*
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