EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS: RIGHT DAY, WRONG YEAR
Once there was a covenant with Noah, with Abram, with Moses, and with David, but now there is a NEW covenant written in the blood of Jesus. That promise, that contract, never expires. It is guaranteed by God's action, not our actions. The word often translated as "steadfast love" in English translations is usually reserved to describe "covenant love" or "relational love." So, in my translation, I've taken the liberty of inserting the word "contract" (I could have used loving commitment) to describe God's steady dependable love. And, the word often translated as "forever" I've indicated as "never expiring."
We all hate it when we have coupons which expire just before we get to use them (worse when we find ourselves at the restaurant or the counter before we realize they have expired). I saw part of the old television show, Everybody Hates Chris, a couple of weeks ago. The whole plot was built around the fact that the Dad had bought great tickets for a Mets-Dodgers game at a bargain price. When they get to the game, the usher won't let them in. The dad points to the date and says that it's the right date. The usher says, "Right day, wrong year!" What a letdown!
Well, we don't have to worry about this with God's promise of eternal life. The great news is that God's most incredible deal for our salvation and eternal life never expires. So, when we thank God because He is good and remember that His contracts never expire, we have an advantage over those patriarchs with whom God made other covenants.