Why did God enter into covenant with His people?

Answer 1

Answer:

Two reasons come to mind.

One: because it conferred His promises to Abraham onto his children, perpetuating it.

Two: to ensure a pure undefiled lineage for the Messiah's birth.

Answer 2

What few people [including modern professing Christians] understand, is that the Almighty Creator God of the Old Testament was and is "Jesus Christ" of Nazareth.

"All things were made by Him [Jesus Christ, the WORD], and without Him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:3)

It was "faithful ABRAHAM" with whom Jesus made His covenant:

"...He [Jesus, the WORD] said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go unto thy fathers [die] in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age... In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land..." (Gen.15:13-18).

The "people" with whom Jesus "made a covenant" weren't just any people. They were Abraham's children. And it was through them, when Jesus brought them out of Egyptian slavery, with whom He perpetuated His promise to their faithful father.

Like as Jesus passed His covenant promise to Abraham on to Isaac after his father Abraham had died:

"Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because that Abraham OBEYED MY VOICE, and kept My charge, My Commandments, My statutes, and My laws." (Gen.26:3-5)

Jesus Christ [the WORD of God] was "performing the oath" that He swore unto their father, Abraham, when He liberated them from Egypt... and entered into covenant relationship with them, commanding them to, like their father Abraham did:

"Now therefore, if ye will OBEY MY VOICE indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people..." (Ex.19:5).

God's "covenant relationship" [His commanded agreement... His pact... His marriage vow] with His people is for them to OBEY HIS VOICE! Obey Him -- keep His Commandments [which is what His voice spoke to the people three days later: Exodus 20.

This always has been and always will be God's command to any who would follow Him: to OBEY His commands.

"This is My commandment, That ye love one another[the bottom line of the Ten Commandments], as I have loved you... Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." (John 15:12-14)

God entered into covenant relationship with Abraham to bring about the two promises He made to him. To, ultimately, establish the Kingdom of God [God's Government] on earth -- and to create and perfect His Family of Children to populate that Kingdom; which means, to save mankind from its chosen god through Jesus Christ [through whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed].

It an ancient goal God set for mankind... and it's through faithful Abraham - and his Seed - that He has been fulfilling it.

"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (Gal.3:7-9)

"And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (verse 29)

Jesus' reestablishment of His covenant with Abraham through his descendants, the Israelites, also assured that Jesus' "bloodline" would remain pure, until He would be born flesh and blood.

But Jesus' promise to Abraham was the primary reason He approached Abraham's descendants, when the time was right. It was to KEEP HIS PROMISE!

"Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision [the Jews] for the Truth of God, to CONFIRM THE PROMISES MADE UNTO THE FATHERS [Abraham, Isaac and Jacob]: and that the Gentiles [all the families of the earth] might glorify God for His Mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy Name... Rejoice, ye Gentiles [all of mankind], with His people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud Him, all ye people." (Rom.15:8-11)

That's why Jesus Christ [the WORD] entered into covenant relationship [a nurturing, yet disciplined, Family relationship] with Abraham's children. To prepare the way for His mortal birth... and to set the bar for any who would seek to enter therein afterward.