In the Bible, “covenant breakers” refer to individuals or nations that violate or disregard the sacred agreements made with God or between people. This term highlights the importance of faithfulness and loyalty in relationships, particularly in the context of God’s promises and expectations in the Old and New Testaments.
Scripture
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Covenant Breakers in the Bible
In the biblical context, the term “covenant breakers” underscores the seriousness of commitments made both to God and within human relationships. A covenant is more than a mere agreement; it represents a sacred bond or promise that carries divine significance. For instance, in Jeremiah 34:18, God condemns those who breach the covenant, likening them to “the men who have transgressed My covenant, and have not kept the words of the covenant which they made before Me.” This reflects the notion that covenant-breaking incurs not only social but also spiritual consequences, positioning the act of infidelity as a profound violation of trust both between individuals and towards God.
In the New Testament, covenant faithfulness is further emphasized through the teachings of Jesus and the apostolic writings. For example, in Romans 1:31, Paul lists those who are “untrustworthy” and “without understanding” among those who break their covenantal obligations. The New Covenant established through Christ calls for believers to embody faithfulness, integrity, and love as core aspects of their identity (Luke 22:20). The overarching biblical narrative illustrates that faithfulness to covenant obligations is synonymous with obedience to God’s will, while being a covenant breaker carries the weight of separation from God’s blessings and promises, illustrating the profound necessity for loyalty in both divine and human relationships.
The Bible presents covenant-breaking as a departure from a sacred commitment that holds deep relational and ethical implications. This concept is vivid in the prophetic literature, where the unfaithfulness of Israel is frequently likened to adultery. For example, in the book of Ezekiel, God uses graphic imagery to illustrate how His people have violated their covenant, portraying their infidelity as a betrayal of a marital bond. This portrayal not only highlights the severe reproach faced by those who break their covenants but also emphasizes God’s desire for a faithful relationship with His people, charging them with guilt for failing to uphold their end of the divine agreement.
Additionally, the concept of covenant breaking also permeates the wisdom literature. In the book of Proverbs, various admonitions warn against infidelity and the abandonment of commitments, underscoring that such actions bear dire social and moral consequences. For instance, those who betray trust are often contrasted with the righteous, who are characterized by their steadfastness and integrity. This wisdom teaches that covenant fidelity not only shapes individual character but also fortifies community ties. The persistent theme throughout scripture is that breaking a covenant signifies a serious breach that affects one’s standing before God and reflects a broader moral decay in society, thus reinforcing the call for loyalty, faithfulness, and the honoring of commitments in all aspects of life.
The Nature of Covenant Relationships
In biblical terms, a covenant represents a solemn agreement or promise between God and His people, often characterized by mutual commitments and responsibilities. Covenant breakers are those who violate these sacred agreements, demonstrating a lack of fidelity to the promises made. This breach not only affects the individual but also disrupts the communal relationship with God and others, highlighting the importance of loyalty and faithfulness in covenant relationships.
The Consequences of Breaking Covenants
Breaking a covenant in the biblical context often leads to severe consequences, both spiritually and socially. It signifies a rejection of divine authority and can result in estrangement from God, loss of blessings, and even communal repercussions. The concept serves as a warning about the seriousness of commitments made, emphasizing that faithfulness is essential for maintaining a healthy relationship with God and the community.
The Call to Restoration and Reconciliation
Despite the reality of covenant breaking, the Bible also emphasizes the possibility of restoration and reconciliation. Through repentance and a return to the terms of the covenant, individuals can seek to mend their relationship with God and others. This aspect underscores the themes of grace and forgiveness, illustrating that while breaking a covenant has serious implications, there is always an opportunity for redemption and renewal in the eyes of God.
How to Strengthen Faith and Keep Divine Promises
Strengthening your faith and keeping divine promises is a deeply personal journey that requires intentionality and reflection. Start by immersing yourself in Scripture; the Bible is filled with stories of God’s faithfulness that can inspire and reassure you. Make it a habit to pray regularly, not just to ask for things, but to cultivate a relationship with God, sharing your thoughts and listening for His guidance. Surround yourself with a community of believers who can encourage you and hold you accountable in your walk of faith. Remember, faith is often tested in times of trial, so when challenges arise, lean into those divine promises—like Romans 8:28, which reminds us that all things work together for good for those who love Him. Keep a journal of your prayers and the ways you see God working in your life; this will serve as a powerful reminder of His faithfulness. Ultimately, trust that God’s promises are not just words on a page, but a living reality that can transform your life when you choose to believe and act upon them.
Bible References to Covenant Breakers:
2 Timothy 3:1-5: 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
Jeremiah 11:1-10: 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
3 And say to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who does not hear the words of this covenant.
4 which I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. So shall you be my people, and I will be your God,
5 that I may confirm the oath that I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day.” Then I answered, “So be it, Lord.”
6 And the Lord said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: Hear the words of this covenant and do them.
7 For I solemnly warned your fathers when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, Obey my voice.
8 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. So I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.”
9 And the Lord said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. And they have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant that I made with their fathers.
Ezekiel 16:59-63: 59 For thus says the Lord God: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant,
60 yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant.
61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account of the covenant with you.
62 I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord,
63 that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.”
Hosea 6:7-10: 7 But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.
8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood.
9 As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy.
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim’s whoredom is there; Israel is defiled.
Deuteronomy 31:16-18: 16 And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them.
17 Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’
18 And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because they have turned to other gods.
Isaiah 24:5-6: 5 The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore a curse devours the earth,
and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,
and few men are left.
Hebrews 10:26-31: 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Leviticus 26:14-20: 14 “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments,
15 if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant,
16 then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
17 I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you.
18 And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins,
19 and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.
20 Then your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.
Psalm 78:10-11: 10 They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law.
11 They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them.
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.