The covenant

The covenant.

 

37. The covenant is an agreement made by God with man, you do that and I will do this, with promises of salvation for men who comply to His will. This type of agreement is found throughout the religions of God not just in the Holy Bible and the Bahá’í Faith: God’s messengers have made covenants, or agreements, with man in all the religions of God. The covenant seems to be a necessary component in all God’s religions as a benefit to mankind. Jewish symbols star-8pix Judaism: Psalms 111:9 “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.” the cross-5pix Christianity: Hebrews 13:20 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,” The covenant is everlasting, which again points to the fact that the covenant is found in all of God’s religions. Jewish symbols star-8pix Judaism: Genesis 9:9 “Behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;” Genesis 15:18 “In the same day The LORD made a covenant with Abram (Abraham), saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:” Exodus 34:28 “And he was there with The LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.” Deuteronomy 5:1 “And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.” Deuteronomy 5:2 “The LORD our God made a covenant with us,” the cross-5pix Christianity: Luke 1:70 “As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:” Luke 1:72 “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;” Luke 1:73 “The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,” Galatians 3:17 “And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” Galatians 3:18 “For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” Galatians 3:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;” Galatians13:20 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,”

Islamic symbol-10 pix ISLAM: 7. “And call in remembrance the favor of Allah (God) unto you, and His Covenant, which He ratified with you, when ye said: ‘We hear and we obey:’ and fear Allah, for Allah knoweth well the secrets of your hearts”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   5)

Islamic symbol-5pix Islam: 7. “And remember We took from the Prophets their Covenant as (We did) from thee: from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from them a solemn Covenant:” 67. “For every Message is a limit of time,”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 6 and 33)

Islamic symbol-5pix Islam: 15. “O People of the Book! there hath come to you Our Messenger, revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary): There hath come to you from Allah a (new) Light and a perspicuous Book.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 5)

Zoroastrian symbol-12pix ZOROASTRIANISM: 3. “And we worship the former religions of the world devoted to Righteousness which were instituted at the creation, the holy religions of the Creator Ahura Mazda (God), the resplendent and glorious.” 14. “O Zarathushtra, what righteous man is thy friend for the great covenant?” 19. “He who accomplisheth for Me, even Zarathushtra, in accordance with Right that which best agrees with My will, to him as earning the reward of the Other Life.”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasnas16 and 46)

Zoroastrian symbol-5pix Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “The path which (leads) to Garothman (the highest Heaven, is) the covenant.”

Hindu symbol-10pix HINDUISM: 6. “Freedom from anger, from exultation, from grumbling, from covetousness, from perplexity, from hypocrisy (and) hurtfulness; truthfulness, moderation in eating, silencing a slander, freedom from envy, self-denying liberality, avoiding to accept gifts, uprightness, affability, extinction of the passions, subjection of the senses, peace with all created beings, concentration (of the mind on the contemplation of the Atman), regulation of one’s conduct according to that of the Aryas, peacefulness and contentedness; — these (good qualities) have been settled by the agreement (of the wise) (the covenant) for all (the four) orders; he who, according to the precepts of the sacred law, practices these, enters the universal soul.”

(Hindu, The Dharma Sutras, Apastamba Prasna I, Patala 8, Khanda 23)

Buddhist wheel symbol-10 pix BUDDHISM: 20. “Making the effort is your affair. The Buddhas have pointed out the Way. Those who are on the way and practicing meditation will be freed from Mara’s bonds.” 18. “Make yourself an island; work hard; be wise. When your impurities are purged and you are free from guilt, you will enter into the heavenly world.” (This is the agreement the holy covenant Buddha made with man)

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 2 (tr. J. Richards))

Mandaean symbol-15pix SABEANISM: “And it was revealed to me (?) and to all of them in this book, and they acted upon this reliable baser acting according to this (its) light and removing nothing from this writing of great revelation that was given to Adam the first man.’ ‘And Thou hast spoken to us with Thy Word And hast commanded us with Thy commandment ‘Be My glory and I will be your Glory. Be My light and I will be your Light. And My name shall be in your mouths And I will be with you.’ Thou art He who over-throwest (false) gods in their high-places And bringest reproach on the divinity of (false) deities.” This is the agreement (God) made with Adam; His covenant with mankind. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 75)

The shrine-17pix BABI RELIGION: “FEAR ye God and breathe not a word concerning His Most Great Remembrance other than what hath been ordained by God, inasmuch as We have established a separate covenant regarding Him with every Prophet and His followers. Indeed, We have not sent any Messenger without this binding covenant.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 45)

The shrine10 pix Babi Religion: “Announce unto them the joyful tidings that following this mighty Covenant there shall be everlasting reunion with God in the Paradise of His good-pleasure, nigh unto the Seat of Holiness. Verily God, the Lord of creation, is potent over all things.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 50)

the greatest name-12pixBAHA’I FAITH: “Today, every wise, vigilant and foresighted person is awakened, and to him are unveiled the mysteries of the future which show that nothing save the power of the Covenant is able to stir and move the heart of humanity, just as the New and Old Testaments propounded throughout all regions the Cause of Christ and were the pulsating power in the body of the human world.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 223)

the greatest name 8 pixBaha’i Faith: “O ye beloved of God, know that steadfastness and firmness in this new and wonderful Covenant is indeed the spirit that quickeneth the hearts which are overflowing with the love of the Glorious Lord; verily, it is the power which penetrates into the hearts of the people of the world!”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 357)