A covenant is an agreement between two or more parties. The Everlasting Covenant is an agreement or contract between everlasting. This contract will last for all time, age after age. It was introduced long before Israel became a nation. In common with many business contracts, the Everlasting Covenant has the following properties:

1. Parties to the Covenant: YaHuWaH Elohim of Israel and His people.
2. A Specified Territory and area of interest.
3. Objectives. In other words it has a reason for its existence, an aim.
4. Regulations and Conditions.
5. Benefits and Penalties: ... Blessings and Curses.
6. Levels of Authority: each level having its own specified power.
7. Signs: symbols, emblems and tokens, spiritual icons which remind the parties of certain elements of the contract.
8. The everlasting covenant is also signed, sealed, recorded and ratified. The everlasting covenant has all these properties. This morning I will discuss only a small part of the Everlasting Covenant, the part played by the patriarch Abraham.

Abraham lived about 4000 years ago, yet his name is on the lips of millions of Israelites and Arabs the world over. Unlike Moses and other prophets, Abraham didn't write any books of the Bible, but his name is mentioned 230 times in the Scriptures. The city of Hebron, where Abraham was buried, ranks second in Israel to Jerusalem in importance. Why is Abraham so famous? What did he do that ranks him with the greatest people that ever lived? This morning we will find some of the answers to those questions. In his early life Abraham lived in the town of Ur of the Chaldees: that is in ancient Babylonia or modern Iraq. The name Abraham means "the Father is high." He is also called the 'father of the faithful' and the 'friend of Elohim.'

When Abraham was 100 years of age YaHuWaH promised that he would be the father of many nations. The old patriarch, as we would say in modern terms, 'fell about laughing.' So did his wife Sarah; she also thought the idea was quite funny. Here is the record of Elohim's promise.

YaHuWaH not only promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, though the promised seed (Messiah) would come through one nation, but He also promised Abraham the land of Israel, and ultimately the whole earth - for an everlasting possession!

This was no temporary gift. It was to be Abraham's everlasting possession.

The Promised Land will revert to Abraham and his progeny when YAHUSHUA the Messiah (the Seed of Abraham) returns to earth. It will not be won by the bullet or the bomb: but will be won by the Messiah when He returns as predicted in Zechariah chapter 14.

It was not till Israel arrived at Mount Sinai that the Most High actually recorded the everlasting covenant. It had been in existence before that time; but at Mount Sinai it was recorded for posterity. The heart of the everlasting covenant is the Ten Commandments. These commandments define obedience and disobedience, righteousness and sin. The Almighty wrote these commandments with His own hand. Many people suppose that YaHuWaH 's Torah was first introduced to mankind in the days of Moshe. This is an error; for we are plainly told that hundreds of years before Israel came to mount Sinai, Abraham was keeping Elohim's commandments.

The everlasting covenant includes all believers in the Most High, even those living in this 20th century: not just the Israelites who came out of Egypt with Moshe.

Abraham's finest qualification was that he believed YaHuWaH, even when told seemingly impossible things. This faith, this action of the mind, is called the 'righteousness of faith.' It is an invaluable credential. Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, had an abundance of faith.

An altar is the focus point in a place of worship. In olden days altars were made of unhewn rocks placed in a pile. Those rough altar stones symbolized true believers, most of whom are as unpolished in the ways of mankind as the rocks used in Abraham's altars. The sacrifices, fragrant incense etc. that rose to the Almighty symbolized the believer's faith prayers, praise and thanksgiving for the Lamb of YAHUSHUA the Messiah, who was to die for our sins. Wherever Abraham and his progeny traveled they raised up unhewn rock altars at which they worshiped YaHuWaH. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moshe, Joshua, David and Elijah all built rock altars.

Wherever Abraham went he also dug wells to water his flocks and family. The Canaanites allowed him to dig, but usually contested the well once it had been dug. Few could duplicate Abraham's knowledge and perseverance in digging wells.

We must not imagine that Abraham was absolutely perfect: he wasn't. He lied twice to save his life: but YaHuWaH forgave and delivered him on both occasions.

Strange as it may seem, barrenness is sometimes brought about by the Almighty. (Gen:25:21, Gen:29:31, Ex:23:26, Deut:7:14, Judg:13:3) He is also well able to open the womb of a barren woman.

It is possible that had Abraham not pleaded with YaHuWaH to be merciful, Lot and his family may well have been slain with the inhabitants of Sodom.

Sodom's Destruction according to the scriptures. Homosexuality (sodomy) is sin.

Abraham's finest hour came when he was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac in obedience to the Almighty's command. Living faith is at its best when it exhibits itself in obedience. In that amazing drama Abraham experienced much of the anguish of our heavenly Father felt when He allowed His son YAHUSHUA to die on mount Calvary for the sins of the world. Few of us are called to make such sacrifices: but Abraham's reward will undoubtedly be very, very special.

Abraham not only believed and obeyed YaHuWaH, he also exercised enormous control over his family and household. Isaac's willingness to die in obedience to YaHuWaH 's command is proof of Abraham's training.

The greatest blessing a person can receive is to have the Almighty with him/her. YaHuWaH was with Abraham. That fact made Abraham's life a success. Indeed YaHuWaH is with every son and daughter of Abraham even in this generation. Who are the children of Abraham? The answer is found in the next section.

On the purely physical level the seed (progeny) of Abraham are the Israelites, the Ishmaelites and the other peoples who were born to Keturah, Abraham's second wife. (Gen.25:1-6) On the spiritual level Abraham's seed is YAHUSHUA the Messiah, the Promised One, the One who was miraculously born of the virgin Mary.

Being a spiritual Israelite doesn't mean that YaHuWaH has cast off the Jews. The scriptures make it perfectly clear that the Most High has not cast off His people Israel. To be sure He has blinded them; and some branches from the Olive Tree of Israel have been pruned away. But the Almighty has not cast away His people Israel. They will continue to be the chosen race as long as there is the sun and moon in the sky. That is what the scriptures teach. See Israel... Chosen of Elohim!

Abraham lived to the ripe old age of 175 years. His bones lie in the town of Hebron in Israel awaiting the resurrection of the just.

It is a characteristic of YaHuWaH that He often called Himself the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Many Christians dislike the Jews, ignorantly supposing that they are the enemies of Elohim. The very opposite is true. The Jew is the pupil of YaHuWaH 's eye: His special nation. (Deut:32:10, Zech:2:8) YaHuWaH the Almighty refers to Himself as the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Israel: and His Son was correctly called the 'King of Israel.'