True Christianity # 285
285. Since this law provides for the Lord's partnership with us and our partnership with the Lord, it is called the covenant and the testimony. It is called the covenant because it provides for partnership; it is called the testimony because it confirms the agreements in the covenant. In the Word a "covenant" means a partnership and "testimony" means something confirming and witnessing to its agreements. This is why there were two tablets, one for God and one for us. The partnership comes from the Lord, but it comes when we do the things that have been written on our tablet. The Lord is constantly present and wanting to come in, but we have to use the freedom we have been given by the Lord to open the door. He says, "Behold! I am standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and will dine with them and they with me" (Revelation 3:20).
The stone tablets on which the law was engraved were called the tablets of the covenant. Because of them the ark was called the ark of the covenant and the law itself was called the covenant (see Numbers 10:33; Deuteronomy 4:13, 23; 5:2-3; 9:9; Joshua 3:11; 1 Kings 8:21; Revelation 11:19; and elsewhere).
Because "covenant" means partnership, it is said of the Lord that he will be "a covenant for the people" (Isaiah 42:6; 49:9). He is also called the angel or messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1), and his blood is called the blood of the covenant (Matthew 26:28; Zechariah 9:11; Exodus 24:4-10). This is why the Word is called the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Covenants are made for love, friendship, association, and partnership.
Joshua 6:1-20
1
Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel. No one went out, and no one came in.
2
Yahweh said to Joshua, "Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor.
3
All your men of war shall march around the city, going around the city once. You shall do this six days.
4
Seven priests shall bear Seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you shall march around the city Seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
5
It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him."
6
Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh."
7
They said to the people, "Advance! March around the city, and let the armed men pass on before Yahweh's ark."
8
It was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before Yahweh advanced, and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh followed them.
9
The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the ark went after them. The trumpets sounded as they went.
10
Joshua commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout."
11
So he caused the ark of Yahweh to go around the city, going about it once. Then they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
12
Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of Yahweh.
13
The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh went on continually, and blew the trumpets: and the armed men went before them. The rear guard came after the ark of Yahweh. The trumpets sounded as they went.
14
The second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. They did this six days.
15
It happened on the seventh day, that they rose early at the dawning of the day, and marched around the city in the same way seven times. Only on this day they marched around the city seven times.
16
It happened at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout, for Yahweh has given you the city!
17
The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
18
But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so would you make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.
19
But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to Yahweh. They shall come into Yahweh's treasury."
20
So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets. It happened, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
