Alliance

 

    An alliance is a union between two or more people to work together toward a common goal.  An alliance can be a marriage, political, or religious.  It normally comes around through a treaty.  Christians are in alliance with God through salvation.  Anyone who goes against God's people who are serving Him, go against God Himself.

    Alliance in Hebrew is beerit (בְּרִית).  It is a covenant, pact, treaty, confederation, or testament.  In Aramaic it is salimatu.  In Greek it is symmachia (συμμαχία) which means an agreement between states to fight against a common enemy.  We get the word alliance from the Latin word alligare which means "to bind to".

    King Solomon made an alliance with the Pharoah (King of Egypt).  In this affinity Solomon was given a wife from the Pharoah's daughters.  Solomon brought his bride to the City of David (Jerusalem).  There she stayed until he finished his palace, God's Temple, and a wall around Jerusalem.  Solomon was still devoted to God at this time, but had many wives.

    An alliance was formed by the king of the north and the south.  The King of the south's daughter was given to the King of the north's son to marry.  Marriage was a way to secure the alliance.  It is an uncomfortable alliance because anything can shift in a political marriage.  In her case she lost influence which left her father vulnerable.  She ended up alone until a relative became king of the south.  He raised up his army and defeated the northern king.  

    Alliances are tricky.  It has to be a win win for it to succeed.  Most alliances are temporary.  Some can get you into more trouble.  That is why they need to be taken seriously and thought through.  To align yourself with God is different.  It is permanent.  He gives far more than you ever can.  It really does benefit you to choose Him.

1 Kings 3:1-2 & Daniel 11:6-8