A covenant is not a negotiated contract under any circumstances. Nor is it merely an agreement between two parties—both of whom bring elements for unity to the table of bargaining. A covenant is a relationship between two parties—one of whom has all of the power, and others who are freely willing to submit to that authority. There are terms and conditions which must be met—the failure of which cuts off favor by God.

We do not have a clue just how important a covenant is to God, but we can catch a glimpse of that reality in Exodus 4.24-26: At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him. WHAT!? WHY!? Simply, put this one through whom God was to lead his people into the covenant land of promise had failed to establish the covenantal relationship within his own family!

Praise God for an alert and faithful spouse! She saw in her spirit what was about to take place and she prevented the natural outcome with the Spiritual solution: But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. ‘Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,’ she said. God is serious about Moses being in covenant with him.

God’s reaction was also covenantal: So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said bridegroom of blood, referring to circumcision.) The sign of the covenant was established when the blood of the son touched the feet of Moses. Do you suppose that Father God has less of a view for Baptism—covenantal sign of the new covenant through the shed blood of his Son? I think not.