A Strangely Familiar Covenant

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          When Jonathan made a covenant with David, he took on the (probably) smelly, grubby, worn garments of a shepherd and exchanged them with his own royal robes. He willingly and knowingly risked the wrath of his father, King Saul, because he loved David. Jonathan subsequently protected David from his father’s evil plots as best he could.
          Likewise, Jesus initiated a covenant with sinful man. We were his Father’s enemy because of our sinful nature, yet Jesus willingly took our smelly, grubby, sinful garments and exchanged them with his pure, white robe of righteousness. He willingly and knowingly accepted the wrath of his Father for us because he loved us, and it is His blood covering that makes us acceptable to a righteous God who cannot tolerate sin. Don’t mistake me. There is no comparison between Saul, the King, and God, the Father. But when I look at the picture of Jonathan initiating a covenant, exchanging his robes with David, and taking on the role of intercessor between his father and David, I see a picture of Christ loving me, exchanging my sin with his righteousness, and interceding for me constantly. It’s a strangely familiar covenant, and one that helps me better understand the illogical love Christ has for me.

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