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.