WHY IS GOD A COVENANT GOD

AND

NEVER BREAKS HIS COVENANT?

Prepared by Barry Borthistle

God’s covenants are always unconditional and undeserving.

Again and again there is a prophetic call to recognize the hand of God, who will never cancel His covenant but whose unshakable purpose is that Israel shall be the witness that manifests His sovereign glory to all the nations. Shalom and berith (“covenant”) are practically synonymous. Shalom refers to the state of those who participate in the harmonious society. Berith refers to the community and all the privileges and obligations that community implies. Covenant and shalom go hand in hand; God’s community must have one to experience the other.

2 WHY STUDY THE COVENANTS?

James Garlow explains: “Life-changing” is a very strong term. We are inclined to use it too often, such as when we sometimes promise that hearing a special speaker will be a life-changing experience. But this isn’t always the case; not everything that is reported to be life-changing really is. However, the story of the covenant is an exception. Here I use the term “life-changing” carefully and guardedly, for

what you will read concerning the covenant will alter your thinking and significantly alter your life. The word “covenant” in its Hebrew form is used nearly 300 times in the Bible. It comes from the root word meaning “to cut”. The best way to find out why the covenant is so important is to take a look at what God had in mind from the start. The story of the covenant begins with God’s heart being

broken when He saw the destitution and destruction of humanity. He never designed His creation to be in such disarray and chaos. As He looked from heaven to earth, He observed that the ancient people (the people in Abram’s time, 2,000 years before Christ) participated in covenant-making ceremonies. They did this with full knowledge that once having committed themselves to each other, everything they had belonged to each other. They intentionally would release their individual identities in order to have a merged identity. God knew the covenant would be an effective way to reach humanity and help them understand the intensity of His love for them. By making a covenant with humanity, God would bind Himself to them and ask them to bind themselves to Him. Doing this would mean that everything He had would belong to them – all the blessings of heaven would be theirs.

What is it about the covenant that is so life changing? From my studies I discovered some remarkable insights. For one thing, understanding the steps of the covenant-making ceremony and its role in human history causes many Bible verse to spring to life with meanings that may not have been previously considered. Looking closer, I found that in many ways the covenant is the foundation of

our faith and the epicenter of what we understand about our relationship with God. Upon it is based our understanding

of salvation, holiness, healing, worship, deliverance and sanctification. The covenant is truly foundational and discovering this can be exhilarating – even life changing.”

The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are explained as secrets or mysteries; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10; Matthew 13:11. The word ‘mystery’ is only found in the New Testament. Greek def = imposed silence; the secret of spiritual truth. There are 14 mysteries explained in the New Testament. The mysteries of God can only be understood through the power of the Holy Spirit which only believers in Jesus

Christ possess. Perhaps a study of the covenants of God will assist us in understanding the love and mercy of our Heavenly Father.

4. What is our responsibility to understand these mysteries or secrets? I Cor. 4:1,2

v. 1 – we are to consider (to take into account of inventory, to think upon, a choice - we are servants (managers, overseers, fiscal agents)

v.2 – we are stewards (subordinates, under oarsman) of the mysteries of God; we are to be found faithful

Paul urged the Corinthians to think of him, Peter and Apollos not as leaders of parties, but as servants of Christ. A servant does what his master tells him to do. We must do what God tells us to do in the Bible and through His Holy Spirit. Daily God confronts us with needs and

opportunities that challenge us to do what we know is right. How are we to carry out our task of servants and stewards? Through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a gift from The Father received at the time of conversion –

Acts 2:38

Two Greek words relating to the power of the Holy Spirit:

‘exousia’ = denotes freedom of choice, action, privilege, competent, influence

Matt. 28:18 – Jesus had all power

Acts 5:4 - Ananias and Sapphira made a choice

Romans 13:1-3 – given by God to government

‘dunumis’ = special miraculous power, abundance, strength, mighty works. Jesus said that we will see the Kingdom of God with ‘dunumis’ power. Mark 9:1

Present, not the future

Jesus Christ’s last words, Acts 1:7,8

‘dunumis’ power to excel in financial giving; II Cor. 8:1-7; verse 3 key verse

It is the ‘dunumis’ power of God that saves I Cor. 1:18

Paul’s preaching was the ‘dunumis’ power of the Holy Spirit I Cor. 2:4,5

The Kingdom of God is not in word but in the ‘dunumis’ power of the Holy Spirit. I Cor. 4:19,20

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of ‘dunumis’ power and of love and of a sound mind” II Tim. 1:7 The English word ‘dynamite’ comes from ‘dunumis’. I believe an understanding of a covenant God helps us understand this ‘dunumis’ power.

God chose to work through people beginning with Adam and Eve Gen 1-3

God‘s incredible love and mercy proven in the many covenants that He has made with mankind is beyond human understanding. A great example is found in Ex. 3, Moses and the burning bush. God said “I have surely seen the oppression of my people in Egypt, I have heard their cry, I know their sorrows, I will come down and bring you into a land flowing with milk and honey." Deuteronomy chapter 1 tells us that the trip would take 11 days but probably due to their lack of obedience, it took 40 years!

THE POWER OF REPENTANCE AND THE INCREDIBLE LOVE OF GOD

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew definition for repentance is ‘to be sorry, to pity, to console, to avenge oneself, comfort oneself’. In the New Testament Greek, the definition is reversed ‘to think differently, to re-consider, reverse a decision, reformation;. Reformation being the

seat of moral reflection, implying a change. In the Old Testament, the majority of the references refer to God’s repentance, not man’s. Unlike man, who under the conviction of sin feels genuine remorse and sorrow, God is free from sin but yet He relents or repents or changes His dealings with men when 3 things occur:

1. repentance

2. obedience

3. faith ~ ~ Bruce Waltke

AMAZING TRUTH

A change in man’s conduct can bring about a change in God’s judgment in the Old Testament. (Bruce Waltke)

Gen. 6:6: God gave man 120 years to repent and then God repented (was sorry for creating us). But for the obedience of Noah, we would not be here

Ex. 32:14: Moses reminded God of the covenant He made with Abraham. After the rebellion with the golden calf, God saw how stiff-necked they were and wanted to consume them but relented after.

Exercising the authority of the Covenant (James Garlow)

How do we take the covenant teaching and apply it to our lives? Understanding the covenant and living in its authority is fundamental to the victorious Christian life. Grasping the significance of the covenant is imperative if the Church is to carry on the work of Jesus. Our need for authority – the purpose of the Church is to continue what Jesus started. One problem with the Church today is that it does many things Jesus doesn’t call it to do. But if we’re going to do what Jesus did, we need to understand authority. In Luke 10:19 Jesus said, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing will insure you.” Jesus said this to 70 relatively new Christians. They had been believers for less than three years, possibly less han that; yet He sent them out to change the world.

THREE REQUIREMENTS IN WHICH ALMIGHTY GOD SEEMS TO RESPOND FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION

All three are a choice mankind has to make because God created us with freewill.

1. Repentance – Jesus’ first sermon subject, Matt. 4:17; Peter’s first sermon in the church Acts 2:39

2. Obedience – “is better than sacrifice” Samuel said to King Saul in I Samuel 15:22-24. Rebellion or disobedience is as the sin of rebellion.

Wow.

3. Faith – “without faith it is impossible (impotent) to please God” Heb. 11:6. But remember, faith without works is dead (corpse) James 2:14-2

All three – repentance, obedience and faith are very clearly revealed by God in His covenant love for us. Praise the

Lord!

10 THE MYSTERIES OF GOD

1. Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Matt. 13:11

2. Mysteries of the Kingdom of God: Luke 8:10; Mark 4:15; I Cor. 4:5; Rev. 10:7; Mark 9:1

3. Mystery when Israel accepts Christ as Messiah Romans 15:24-26

4. Mystery of Salvation: Romans 16:25-27; Eph. 3:3,4, 9; 6:19; Col. :26,27;4:3

5. Mystery of wisdom of God I Cor. 2:7

6. Mystery of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ I Cor. 15:51

7. Mystery of the Will of God Eph. 1:9

8. Mystery of Christ and the Church, His Bride, in the Context of marriage Eph. 5:32

9. Mystery of Christian fellowship in the context of Knowing God and Christ Col. 2:2

10. Mystery of lawlessness in context of great apostasy in End times II Thess. 2:7

11. Mystery of faith I Tim. 3:9

12. Mystery of godliness I Tim. 3:16

13. Mystery of seven stars Rev. 1:20

14. Mystery of Babylon Rev. 17:5, 7

11

Judges 2:18: God, despite Israel’s unfaithfulness, by not listening to the judges, repented against further judgment (I Samuel 15:35.)

God repented – was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel with the reason being Saul was not obedient (v. 22, 23)

II Samuel 24:16 When the angel stretched his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it because of David’s sin, but David repented (v. 10) and changed the mind of God

I Chronicles 21:15 God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem after 70,000 had died from a plague but again because of the repentance of David, God changed His mind. Wow.

Jeremiah 26:17-19 The wise men remembered the words of the prophet Micah (Micah 3:12), similar to the words Jeremiah spoke. When Micah called the people to repent, they did not kill him but turned from their wickedness. Although the people did not kill Jeremiah because of this story, they missed the main point – that the application of the story was for them. They spared Jeremiah, but they did

not spare themselves by repenting of their sins. As yourecall a great story of the Bible, ask how it can be applied to your life.

Amos 7:3; 6 In the context of 1) vision of locusts, v. 1-3 and 2) vision of fire v. 4-6, twice Amos was shown a view of Israel’s impending punishment and his immediate response was to pray that God would spare Israel. Prayer is a powerful privilege. Amos’ prayers saved the nation and changed the mind of God.

Jonah 3:1,2 Jonah had ignored God and rebelled against him but God still showed him compassion. When we ignore God, he may punish us, but he will offer compassion and forgiveness if we turn from our sins and obey him. Jonah ran away form God, but he was given a second chance to participate in God’s work. You may feel you are disqualified from serving him because of past mistakes.

But serving God is not an earned position. None of us qualified for God’s service, but he asks us to be a part of his work. You may yet have another chance. Jonah was to preach only what God told him – a message of doom to the most powerful city in the world. This was

not the most desirable assignment, but those who bring God’s Word to others should not let society, social pressures or fear of people dictate their words. They are called to preach God’s message and his truth, no matter how unpopular it may be.

Verse 3 The Hebrew text makes no distinction between the city proper (the walls of which were only about eight miles in circumference, accommodating a population of about 175,000 people) and the administrative district of Nineveh which was about 30 to 60 miles across

Verses 4, 5 God’s message is for everyone. Despite the wickedness of the Ninevite people, they were open to God’s message and repented immediately. If we simply proclaim what we know of God, we may be surprised at how many people will listen.

Verse 10 The heathen people of Nineveh believed Jonah’s message and repented. What a miraculous effect God’s works had on these evil people! Their repentance stood in stark contrast to Israel’s stubbornness. The people of Israel heard many messages from the prophets but they refused to repent. The people of Nineveh only needed to hear God’s message once. Jesus said that at the Judgment Day, these

Ninevites will rise up to condemn the Israelites for their failure to repent (Matt. 12:39-41). It is not the hearing of God’s Word that pleases him, but an obedient response to it.

Joel 2:12-17 The Lord urges Joel to call for repentance and if man obeys, the Lord will repent of judgment and replace with a blessing

II Chron. 7:12-22

God’s Intent for us includes our response:

Months, maybe years had passed since Solomon’s prayer of dedication (chapter 6) Several other building projects had been completed after the Temple (7:11; 8:1). After all this time God told Solomon that he had heard his prayer. How often do we look for immediate answers to our prayers and when nothing happens, wonder if God has heard us? God does hear, and we must trust that he will answer at the

proper time. In chapter 7:14,15, Solomon asked god to make provisions for the people when they sinned. God answered with four conditions for forgiveness:

1) humble yourself by admitting your sins

2) pray to God, asking for forgiveness

3) search for God continually and

4) turn from sinful habits.

True repentance is more than talk – it is changed behavior. Whether we sin individually, as group, or as a nation, following these steps will lead to forgiveness. When we are in need, there may be no one with whom we can talk or we may be afraid to share our need with another person. God assures Solomon, however, that he will not lack assistance when he comes to God in humility, seeking help. God promises to listen to every prayer offered in the right attitude. God plainly set forth certain conditions for Solomon to meet if he wanted the kingdom to continue. If he followed God, Solomon and his descendants would prosper; if he did not, he and the nation would be destroyed. In Deut. 27 and 28, these conditions were outlined before all the people.

But sin is deceptively attractive and Solomon eventually turned from God and his descendants lost more of his kingdom. Following God brings benefits and rewards. Turning away from him brings suffering, punishment and ultimately destruction. Today, God’s conditions are just as clear as they were in Solomon’s day. Will you choose to obey God and live? Soon after Solomon’s reign, the Temple was ransacked

(12:9).

It is difficult for us to imagine that such a great and wise king could become corrupted by idols. But even today idols lure us into their traps. When we deliberately bring anything into our lives that rivals God’s proper place, we have taken the first step toward moral and spiritual decay.

New Testament

The instruction seems to be placed, like in the Old Testament, on the choice of man. Because of the coming of Christ and the New Covenant, there does not seem to be any Biblical evidence that man’s repentance will change the mind of God. Because God has given us everything He can through His son, God is satisfied with the sacrifice. Matthew (11:20-24). Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom were ancient cities with a longstanding reputation for wickedness (Gen. 18:19; Ez. 27:28). Each had been destroyed by God for its evil. The people of Bethsaida, Chorazin and Capernaum saw Jesus firsthand and yet they stubbornly refused to repent of their sins and believe in him. Jesus said that if

some of the wickedest cities in the world had seen him, they would have repented. Because Bethsaida, Chorazin and Capernaum saw Jesus and didn’t believe, they would suffer greater punishment than the wicked cities who didn’t see Jesus. Similarly, those nations and cities that have churches on every corner and Bibles in every home will have not excuse on Judgment Day if they do not repent and

believe.

Key Point: God in His incredible love and mercy has given us by grace the New Covenant through His precious Son, Jesus Christ.

Matthew chapter 12:38-42

The Pharisees were asking for another miracle, but they were not sincerely seeking to know Jesus. Jesus knew they had already seen enough miraculous proof to convince them that he was the Messiah, if they would just open their hearts. But they had already decided not to believe in him, and more miracles would not change that. Many people have thought, “If I could just see a real miracle, then I could really believe in God.”

But Jesus’ response to the Pharisees applies to us. We have plenty of evidence of Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension and

centuries of his work in the lives of believers around the world. Instead of looking for additional evidence or miracles, accept what God has already given and move forward. He may use your life as evidence to reach another person.

Jonah was a prophet sent to the Assyrian city of Nineveh (see the book of Jonah). Because Assyria was such a cruel and warlike nation, Jonah tried to run from his assignment and ended up spending three days in the belly of a great fish. When he got out, he grudgingly went to Nineveh, preached God’s message and saw the city repent. By contrast, when Jesus came to His people, they refused to

repent. Here He is clearly saying that His resurrection would prove He is the Messiah. Three days after His death He would come back to life, just as Jonah was given a new chance at life after three days in the fish.

Verses 41,42 - In Jonah’s day, Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire, and it was as powerful as it was evil (Jonah 1:2). But the entire city repented at Jonah’s preaching. The Queen of Sheba traveled far to see Solomon, king of Israel and learn about his great wisdom (I Kings 10:1-10). These Gentiles recognized the truth about God when it was presented to them, but the religious leaders ignored the truth even though it stared them in the face.

II Cor. 12:20,21 - After reading this catalog of sins, it is hard to believe that these are the people Paul said were enriched with “every spiritual gift and power for doing his will”

(I Cor. 1:7) - Paul feared that the practices of wicked Corinth had invaded the congregation and he wrote sternly in hope that they would straighten up their lives before he arrived. We must live differently than unbelievers, not letting secular society dictate how we are to treat others. Don’t let culture invade your practices at church.

(Matt. 3:2) - John the Baptist urges repentance, “for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand”, which is a mystery to unbelievers.

(Mark 6:7-13) -  the vital importance and power of repentance. The very first message by Peter in the church was repentance in Acts 2:38, and the message continued in Acts 3:19; 8:22; 17:30; 26:20. The first message of Jesus Christ on earth was repentance; Matt. 4:17. Repentance has and always will be a way for man to come back to God but the New Covenant is God’s final offer to mankind.

Hebrews 7:15-22

Verses 20-22 - Jesus Christ will not repent like His father did in the Old Testament, because He has become the surety (guarantor) of the better covenant. There is nothing more to offer and repentance is man’s only hope. Oh the supernatural, incredible love and mercy of God!!

The dynamite power of God’s kingdom, power and glory is ours. Matt. 6:13

Key Point: However we are not released until we release (forgive). Matt. 6:14,15

Jesus gives a startling warning about forgiveness: if we refuse to forgive others, he will also refuse to forgive us. Why? Because when we don’t forgive others, we are denying our common ground as sinners in need of God’s forgiveness. God’s forgiveness of sin is not the direct

result of our forgiving others, but it is based on our realizing what forgiveness means (Eph. 4:32). How forgiven would you be if God’s forgiveness were based on the way you forgive others? It is easy to ask God for forgiveness, but difficult to grant it to others. Whenever

we asks God to forgive us for sin, we should ask ourselves, “Have I forgiven the people who have hurt or wronged

me?”

THE ADAM COVENANT

“It is of vital importance for a right understanding of much in God’s Word to observe the relation which Adam sustained to his posterity. Adam was not only the common parent of mankind, but he was also their federal head and representative. The whole human race was placed on probation or trial in Eden. Adam acted not for himself alone, but he transacted for all who were to spring from him. Unless this basic fact be definitely apprehended, much that ought to be relatively clear to us will be shrouded in impenetrable mystery. Yea, we go further, and affirm that, until the federal headship of Adam and God’s covenant with him in that office be actually perceived, we are without the key to God’s dealings with the human race, we are unable to discern man’s relation to the divine law, and we appreciate not the fundamental principles upon which the atonement of Christ proceeded. When Adam stood in Eden as a responsible being before God, he stood there as a federal head, as the legal representative of all his posterity. Hence, when Adam sinned, all for whom he was

standing are accounted as having sinned; when he fell, all whom he represented fell; when he died, they died. So too was it with Christ. When He came to this earth, He, too, stood in a federal relationship to His own people; and when He became obedient unto death, all for whom He was acting were accounted righteous; when He rose again from the dead, all whom He represented rose with Him; when He ascended on high, they were regarded as ascending with Him. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Cor. 15:22)” ~ ~ A.W. Pink

God created man as a sinless human being in a sinless, perfect environment (the Garden of Eden - Gen. 1) but with the power of

choice, Genesis 3.

“We all have the right to choose…

We all have the right not to choose…

But none of us have the right to choose the

consequences of our choices…

However, not to choose is to choose”

The second covenant was with Noah in Genesis 8 and 9 “The general establishment of God’s covenant with this new world, and the extent of that covenant, v. 9,10. Here observe:

1) that God is graciously pleased to deal with man in the way of a covenant, wherein God greatly magnifies his condescending favour and greatly encourages man’s duty and obedience, as a reasonable and gainful service.

2) that all God’s covenants with man are of his own making: ‘I, behold, I.’ It is thus expressed both to raise our admiration – “Behold and wonder, that though God be high yet he has this respect to man,” and to confirm our assurances of the validity of the covenant – “Behold and see, I make it; I that am faithful and able to make it good.”

3) that God’s covenants are established more firmly than the pillars of heaven or the foundations of the earth, and cannot be disannulled.

4) that God’s covenants are made with covenanters and with their seed; the promise is to them and their children.

5) that those may be taken into covenant with God, and receive the benefits of it, who yet are not capable of re-stipulating, or giving their own consent. For this covenant is made with every living creature, every beast of the earth”

~ ~ Matthew Henry

Comments

• The Application Bible
• Solomon’s Temple, Kevin Commer

God responds to three actions from mankind:

1. repentance

2. obedience

3. faith

It is God who gives the power to get wealth. Why? That God may establish His covenant. Deut. 8:18-20 “in times of plenty, it is easy to take credit for your prosperity and begin to feel that your own hard work and cleverness have made you rich. It is easier yet to get so busy collecting and managing your wealth that you soon find God has been pushed right out of your life. But it is God who blesses us with abundance, and it is God who asks us to manage it for him. Don’t forget God in your abundance, or you will eventually lose all you have (8:19)."

Remember that the most valuable things in life – your relationship with God and eternal life – are free” God is a God of abundance.

Gen. 1:1 “beginning” = first fruits Prov. 3:9,10; Malachi 3:8-12

This is not ‘prosperity gospel’. God owns everything.

Psalm 24:12

We do not demand anything of God

This is amazing… in Genesis 7:11, the same word 'windows’ is used as God opens the windows of Heaven and caused it to rain as is used in Malachi 3:10

Windows in the Hebrew = chimney, floodgate

What God requires is obedience Deut. 28:1-14

Key verses: 11 - 14

God is a God of abundance and increase.

Deut. 8:11-17; 8:18-20

8:18 “remember” – dangers of forgetting God when we

think we created wealth

“power” - ability to produce

“wealth” - power – strength – riches

Why? “establish” - confirm

“covenant” – God’s solemn oath

“swore” – write, sign, inscribe

“fathers” – forefathers

v. 19 ; 20 – “obedience” – a covenant, a treaty, an alliance of friendship between God and man.

“obedience is better than sacrifice”. I Sam. 15:22,23

Hence Israel was to remember that it was Yahweh alone who gave her the strength to acquire wealth. Moreover, every blessing she enjoyed was the result of his covenant with her and the outcome of his promise to her forefathers. This lesson for Israel has wide implications for all mankind. Wealth and prosperity can never be regarded as a natural right. They are the gift of God. Since the majority of people in the world lack wealth, those who are wealthy need to beware lest pride in their own achievements possess them and bring about their ruin.

19,20. The section closes on a solemn note. Israel needed to learn that, if she as a nation dishonoured her covenant with Yahweh, she would cease to have a claim upon him and when judgment came at last she need only look to her disobedience and forgetfulness for the reason. Each new generation of Israel needed to grasp this fact and to decide for themselves to be obedient to Yahweh who loved them

and had chosen them for his own inscrutable purposes. Life and death hung upon that decision

J.A. Thompson

Here are two valid reasons of actions the Lord requires of those who manage His economy

1. O.T. Prov. 19:17 – incredible concept – ‘lends’ to be joined with

2. N.T. James 1:26,27 Carl Henry, founding editor of Christianity Today said “these verses are the uneasy conscience of the Christian

Church”.

‘visit” – to visit with help

The word ‘covenant’ is found 281 times in the Old Testament and 23 times in the New. O.T. meaning – a compact in the sense of cutting by

passing between pieces of flesh. Today we would call this a handshake.

‘covenant’ – between nations: a treaty, alliance of friendship. Between individuals: a pledge or agreement. With obligation between a monarch and subjects: a constitution. Between God and man: a covenant accompanied by signs, sacrifices, and a solemn oath that

sealed the relationship with promises of blessing for keeping the covenant and curses of breaking it. Again and again there is a prophetic call to recognize the hand of God, who will never cancel his covenant but whose unshakable purpose is that Israel shall be the witness that manifests His sovereign glory to all the nations. Shalom and berith (“covenant”) are practically synonymous. Shalom refers to the state of those who participate in the harmonious society. Berith refers to the community and all the privileges and obligations that

community implies. Covenant and shalom go hand in had; God’s community must have one to experience the other. New Testament meaning of ‘covenant’ – a disposition, a contract, testament - primarily signifies a disposition of property by will or otherwise. It is the rendering of a Hebrew word meaning a covenant or agreement (from a verb signifying to cut or divide, in allusion to a sacrificial

custom in connection with covenant-making, eg. Gen. 15:10 “divided” Jer. 34:18,19. In contradistinction to the English word “covenant” (lit., a coming together), which signifies a mutual undertaking between two parties or more, each bind himself to fulfill obligations, it does not in

itself contain the idea of joint obligation, it mostly signifies an obligation undertaken by a single person. For instance, in Gal. 3:17 it is used as an alternative to a “promise” (v. 16,17 and 18). God enjoined upon Abraham the rite of circumcision, but His promise to Abraham, here called a covenant, was not conditional upon the observance of circumcision, though a penalty attached to its non-observance.

“All of the covenant procedure provides the cultural setting in God’s relationship with His people is formulated” ~ ~

Bruce Waltke

Major covenants:

1. the Noah covenant

2. the patriarchal covenant – Abraham

3. the Sinai covenant – Moses

4. the Davidic covenant – David

5. the New Testament covenant – Jesus Christ

REMEMBER…

REMEMBER…

We have the right to choose. We have the right not to choose. But none of us have the right to Choose the consequences of our

Choices…

However, not to choose…Is to choose.

First covenant in the Old Testament

Gen. 6:18; 9:9,11,12,15-17

Noah got right to work when God told him to build the ark. The other people must have been warned about the coming disaster (I Peter 3:20) but apparently they did not expect it to happen. Today things haven’t changed much. Each day thousands of people are warned of God’s inevitable judgment, yet most of them don’t really believe it will happen. Don’t expect people to welcome or accept your message of God’s coming judgment on sin. Those who don’t believe in God will deny his judgment and try to get you to deny God as well. But remember God’s promise to Noah to keep him safe. This can inspire you to trust God for deliverance in the judgment that is sure to come.

KEY POINT: GOD IS A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY BUT ALSO A GOD OF JUDGMENT AND THE COVENANT IS HIS COVENANT.

V. 22 – NOAH OBEYED. THE POWER OF CHOICE. THE SIGN OF THE FIRST COVENANT WAS THE RAINBOW.

GEN. 9:8-17

8:15-19 THE NEW COMMISSION IT IS STILL NOAH WITH WHOM GOD DEALS. THE WHOLE SCHEME OF SALVATION HAS CENTERED ON HIM; HIS SONS ARE BENEFICIARIES, BUT NOT PARTNERS UNTIL CHAPTER 9. AS ALMOST A SECOND ADAM

(9:1) HE STEPS INTO A VIRGIN WORLD WASHED CLEAN BY JUDGMENT, AND THE SPECTACULAR DELIVERS IN THE ARK IS SEEN AS A MERE PRELIMINARY TO SALVATION PROPER, WHICH IS A NEW CREATION. THE NEW TESTAMENT SEES THE FLOOD AND THE RITE OF BAPTISM AS TWIN EXPRESSIONS OF THIS REALITY (I PET. 3:18-22); THAT IS, OF THE PROVISION OF A WAY THROUGH DEATH INTO LIFE. 8:20-22. THE ACCEPTED SACRIFICE

20. MALACHI 4:2 CONJURES UP THE SHEER PHYSICAL JOY OFRELEASE AFTER CONFINEMENT, BUT NOAH’S FIRST THOUGHT IS GODWARD. HOMAGE, DEDICATION AND ATONEMENT ARE ALL EXPRESSED IN THE BURNT OFFERINGS, THE NEW EARTH IS TO BE GOD’S, IF HE WILL HAVE IT.

GOD’S COVENANT WITH CREATION – GEN. 8:20-22

OUR FIRST THOUGHT SHOULD ALWAYS BE GODWARD. LOOK AT THE MERCY OF GOD. V. 22 HOW MANY OF THE EIGHT PROMISES OF GOD DO WE CONTROL? 9:1 GOD GAVE THE SAME BLESSING TO NOAH THAT HE GAVE TO ADAM.

WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE - GOD IS A GOD OF THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY

GOD’S SECOND COVENANT - ABRAHAM

GENESIS 15; KEY VERSE 18

15:16 THE AMORITES WERE ONE OF THE NATIONS LIVING IN CANAAN, THE LAND GOD PROMISED TO ABRAM. GOD KNEW THE PEOPLE WOULD GROW MORE WICKED AND WOULD SOMEDAY NEED TO BE PUNISHED. PART OF THAT PUNISHMENT WOULD INVOLVE TAKING AWAY THEIR LAND AND GIVING IT TO ABRAM’S DESCENDANTS. GOD, IN HIS MERCY, WAS GIVING THE AMORITES PLENTY OF TIME TO REPENT, BUT HE ALREADY KNEW THEY WOULD NOT. AT THE RIGHT TIME, THEY WOULD BE “READY FOR PUNISHMENT”. EVERYTHING GOD DOES IS TRUE TO HIS CHARACTER. HE IS

MERCIFUL, KNOWS ALL AND ACTS JUSTLY – AND HIS TIMING IS PERFECT.

15:17 WHY DID GOD SEND THIS STRANGE VISION TO ABRAM? GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAM WAS SERIOUS BUSINESS. IT REPRESENTED AN INCREDIBLE PROMISE FROM GOD AND A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ABRAM. TO CONFIRM HIS PROMISE, GOD GAVE ABRAM A SIGN – THE SMOKING FIRE-POT AND FLAMING TORCH. GOD TOOK THE INITIATIVE, GAVE THE CONFIRMATION AND FOLLOWED THROUGH ON HIS PROMISES. THE SIGN TO ABRAM WAS A VISIBLE ASSURANCE TO HIM THAT THE COVENANT GOD HAD MADE WAS REAL.

THE SIGN OF THE SECOND COVENANT –

CIRCUMCISION – BLOOD

MENTIONED IN GENESIS 17 THIRTEEN TIMES

17:1 THE LORD TOLD ABRAM: “I AM GOD; THEREFORE OBEY ME AND LIVE AS YOU SHOULD.” GOD HAS THE SAME MESSAGE FOR US TODAY. WE ARE TO OBEY HIM BECAUSE HE IS GOD. THAT IS REASON ENOUGH. IF YOU DON’T THINK THE BENEFITS ARE WORTH IT, CONSIDER FIRST WHO GOD IS – THE

ONLY ONE WHO HAS THE POWER AND ABILITY TO MEET YOUR EVERY NEED.

17:2-4 WHY DID GOD REPEAT HIS COVENANT TO ABRAM? TWICE BEFORE, GOD HAD MENTIONED THIS AGREEMENT (GEN.

12 AND 15). NOW, HOWEVER, GOD WAS BRINGING IT INTO FOCUS AND PREPARING TO CARRY IT OUT. GOD NOW REVEALED TO ABRAM SEVERAL SPECIFIC PARTS OF HIS COVENANT:

1) GOD WOULD MAKE ABRAM THE FATHER OF A MIGHTY NATION;

2) MANY NATIONS AND KINGS WOULD COME FROM HIS DESCENDANTS

3) GOD WOULD CONTINUE TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO THOSE DESCENDING FROM ABRAHAM

4) GOD WOULD GIVE ABRAM’S DESCENDANTS THE LAND OF CANAAN.

17:5 GOD CHANGES ABRAM’S NAME TO ABRAHAM TO REFLECT HIS NEW POSITION AS THE FATHER OF A NATION. FROM THIS POINT ON HE IS ALWAYS REFERRED TO AS ABRAHAM.

17:5-8 GOD WAS MAKING AN AGREEMENT, OR CONTRACT, BETWEEN HIMSELF AND ABRAHAM. THE TERMS WERE VERY SIMPLE. ABRAHAM’S PART WAS TO BELIEVE IN GOD AND OBEY HIM. GOD’S PART WAS TO GIVE HIM HEIRS, PROPERTY, POWER AND WEALTH. MOST CONTRACTS WE MAKE WITH OTHERS ARE EVEN TRADES. WE GIVE SOMETHING AND IN RETURN RECEIVE SOMETHING OF EQUAL VALUE. BUT WHEN

WE MAKE THE AGREEMENT TO BECOME PART OF GOD’S FAMILY, THE BLESSINGS FAR OUTWEIGH WHAT WE MUST GIVE

UP.

17:9,10 WHY DID GOD REQUIRE CIRCUMCISION?

1) AS A SIGN OF OBEDIENCE TO HIM IN ALL MATTERS.

2) AS A SIGN OF BELONGING TO HIS COVENANT PEOPLE. ONCE CIRCUMCISED, THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK. THE MAN WOULD BE IDENTIFIED AS A JEW FOREVER.

3) AS A SYMBOL OF “CUTTING OFF” THE OLD LIFE OF SIN, PURIFYING ONE’S HEART TOWARD GOD AND DEDICATING ONESELF TO GOD AND HIS PROMISES.

4) POSSIBLY AS A HEALTH MEASURE. CIRCUMCISION, MORE THAN ANY OTHER PRACTICE, TENDED TO SEPARATE GOD’S PEOPLE FROM THEIR HEATHEN NEIGHBORS. IN ABRAHAM’S DAY, THIS WAS ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOP THE PURE WORSHIP OF THE ONE TRUE GOD.

GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM BEGAN IN GENESIS 12:1-9

AND IN REALITY MADE A COVENANT WITH THE GENTILES

KEY POINT: THE BLESSINGS OF THIS COVENANT CAN BE OURS. GEN. 12:2,3; GAL. 3:26-29

EXAMPLE: TWO COVENANTS GAL. 4:21-31

FIRST EXAMPLE – OBEDIENCE;

SECOND EXAMPLE – DISOBEDIENCE

GOD REMEMBERS HIS COVENANT LEV. 26:42

EXCERPTS FROM DEREK BINDER:

GEN. 12:1-9 ABRAM FOLLOWS THE CALL THE HISTORY OF REDEMPTION, LIKE THAT OF CREATION, BEGINS WITH GOD SPEAKING: THIS, IN A NUTSHELL,

DIFFERENTIATES ABRAM’S STORY FROM HIS FATHER’S. THE CALL TO FORSAKE ALL AND FOLLOW FINDS ITS NEAREST PARALLELS IN THE GOSPELS (WHICH ARE IN SOME WAYS NEARER THE PATRIARCHAL PATTERN THAN WAS THE LAW – GAL 3), AND ABRAM’S EARLY HISTORY IS PARTLY THAT OF HIS GRADUAL DISENTANGLEMENT FROM COUNTRY, KINDRED AND FATHER’S HOUSE, A PROCESS NOT COMPLETED UNTIL THE END

OF CHAPTER 13. THE CALL HAD FIRST BEEN HEARD IN UR (ACTS 7:2-4) AND SOME INTERPRETERS CENSURE ABRAM FOR NOT BREAKING AT ONCE WITH HIS FATHER AND NEPHEW. BUT THE ACCOUNT DOES NOT BRAND HIM A LINGERER LIKE LOT (19:16) AND IT IS REASONABLE TO THINK THAT HE WAS BIDING GOD’S TIME UNTIL THE FAMILY TIES COULD BE HONOURABLY LOOSENED. TO WAIT ON WITHOUT SURRENDERING THE VISION CAN BE AN

EXACTING TASK (IT IS ASKED OF MANY AN INTENDING MINISTER, BUSINESS PERSON, EDUCATOR, DOCTOR, STUDENT, MISSIONARY, ETC.). IN DUE COURSE THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE FULFILLED AND THE OCCASION WAS CELEBRATED BY A RENEWAL OF THE PROMISE. GEN. 13:14-18

KEY POINT: GOD IS NO LESS INTERESTED IN MANKIND ACCEPTING THE NEW COVENANT IN JESUS CHRIST THAN HE WAS IN THE OBEDIENCE OF ABRAHAM

MOSES’ COVENANT

EXODUS 24:1-8 ISRAEL CONFIRMS THE COVENANT

24:6-8 WHY DID MOSES THROW THE BLOOD TOWARD THE PEOPLE AND HOW DID THIS BLOOD “CONFIRM AND SEAL THE COVENANT” GOD HAD MADE WITH THEM? GOD IS THE SOVEREIGN JUDGE OF THE UNIVERSE. HE IS ALSO ABSOLUTELY HOLY. AS THE HOLY JUDGE OF ALL, HE CONDEMNS SIN AND JUDGES IT WORTHY OF DEATH. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT GOD ACCEPTED THE DEATH OF AN ANIMAL AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SINNER. THE ANIMAL’S SHED BLOOD WAS PROOF THAT ONE LIFE HAD BEEN GIVEN FOR ANOTHER. SO ON THE ONE HAND BLOOD SYMBOLIZED THE DEATH OF THE ANIMAL, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND IT SYMBOLIZED THE LIFE THAT WAS SPARED AS A RESULT. OF COURSE THE DEATH OF THE ANIMAL THAT BROUGHT FORGIVENESS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY PROVISION, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DEATH

OF JESUS CHRIST (HEBREWS 9:9-10:24).

IN THIS CEREMONY THAT MOSES CONDUCTED, HALF THE BLOOD FROM THE SACRIFICED ANIMALS WAS THROWN AGAINST THE ALTAR TO SHOW THAT THE SINNER COULD ONCE AGAIN APPROACH GOD BECAUSE SOMETHING HAD DIED IN HIS PLACE. THE OTHER HALF OF THE BLOOD FROM THE SACRIFICE WAS PLACED IN BOWLS OR BASINS. THIS BLOOD WAS THEN THROWN TOWARD THE PEOPLE TO SHOW THAT THEIR PENALTY FOR SIN HAD BEEN PAID AND THEY COULD BE REUNITED WITH GOD. THROUGH THIS SYMBOLIC ACT GOD’S PROMISES TO ISRAEL WERE REAFFIRMED AND SPIRITUAL LESSONS WERE TAUGHT ABOUT THE FUTURE SACRIFICIAL DEATH (OR ATONEMENT) OF JESUS CHRIST.

EX. 34:10, 12, 15, 27, 28 34:12-14

GOD TOLD THE ISRAELITES NOT TO COMPROMISE WITH THE SINFUL PEOPLE AROUND THEM BUT TO GIVE THEIR ABSOLUTE LOYALTY AND EXCLUSIVE DEVOTION TO HIM. AS WE COMPROMISE, OUR SENSITIVITY TO SIN BECOMES DULLED. ARE YOU BEGINNING TO ACCEPT LOWER STANDARDS

REGARDING THE THINGS YOU DO OR THINK ABOUT? THIS COULD LEAD TO A DOWNHILL SLIDE YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO STOP. THE WAY YOU ACT SHOWS WHERE YOUR TRUE ALLEGIANCE LIES.

V. 28 THE WORDS OF THE COVENANT

– THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

KEY POINT: WESTERN DEMOCRACIES ARE BUILT ON THIS COVENANT. HOWEVER WE ARE QUICKLY PUTTING AWAY FROM THEM AND THE RESULT IS VERY OBVIOUS.

THE COVENANT RENEWED IN MOAB

DEUT. 29: 1,9,12,14,21,25 29:1 AT MOUNT SINAI, 40 YEARS EARLIER, GOD AND ISRAEL HAD MADE A COVENANT (EXODUS 19,20). ALTHOUGH THERE WERE MANY PARTS TO THE COVENANT (READ THE BOOKS OF EXODUS, LEVITICUS, NUMBERS), ITS PURPOSE CAN BE SUMMED UP IN ONE SENTENCE. GOD PROMISED TO BLESS THE ISRAELITES BY MAKING THEM THE NATION THROUGH WHOM THEREST OF THE WORLD COULD KNOW GOD. THE

ISRAELITES PROMISED TO LOVE AND OBEY GOD IN ORDER TO RECEIVE PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. HERE MOSES REVIEWS THIS COVENANT.

GOD WAS STILL KEEPING HIS PART OF THE BARGAIN (AND HE ALWAYS WOULD) BUT THE ISRAELITES WERE ALREADY NEGLECTING THEIR PART. MOSES RESTATED THE COVENANT TO WARN THE PEOPLE THAT IF THEY DID NOT KEEP THEIR PART OF THE AGREEMENT, THEY WOULD EXPERIENCE SEVERE DISCIPLINE.

29:18 MOSES CAUTIONED THAT THE DAY THE HEBREWS CHOOSES TO TURN FROM GOD, A ROOT WOULD BE PLANTED THAT WOULD PRODUCE BITTER FRUIT. WHEN WE DECIDE TO DO WHAT WE KNOW IS WRONG, WE PLANT AN EVIL SEED THAT BEGINS TO GROW OUT OF CONTROL, EVENTUALLY YIELDING A CROP OF SORROW AND PAIN. BUT WE CAN PREVENT THOSE SEEDS OF SIN FROM TAKING ROOT. IF YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG, CONFESS IT TO GOD AND OTHERS IMMEDIATELY. IF THE SEED NEVER FINDS FERTILE SOIL, ITS BITTER FRUIT WILL NEVER RIPEN.

EXCERPTS FROM J.A. THOMPSON

1. ISRAEL EXHORTED TO ACCEPT THE COVENANT (29:1-15)

A HISTORICAL REVIEW (1-9)

THE THIRD ADDRESS OF MOSES IS INTRODUCED AT THIS POINT 1:1; 4:44). MOSES IS THE COVENANT MEDIATOR. YAHWEH COMMANDED MOSES TO MAKE (THE COVENANT) WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. THE HEBREW FOR ‘MAKE A COVENANT’ IS LITERALLY ‘CUT A COVENANT’. THE EXPRESSION HAS ANCIENT ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE NEAR EASTERN NON-BIBLICAL TREATY (COVENANT), WHICH WAS RATIFIED IN A CEREMONY WHERE BEASTS WERE SLAIN. THE COVENANT IN THE LAND OF MOAB (1:5;5:2,3) IS CONTRASTED WITH THE COVENANT AT HOREB (1:2). TO JUDGE FROM A COMPARISON OF THE CONTENTS OF DEUTERONOMY 5-26 AND THOSE OF EXODUS 19 – 24, THE TWO WERE CLOSELY RELATED, ALTHOUGH THE

COVENANT OF DEUTERONOMY CONTAINS MANY NEW REGULATIONS.

THE REST OF CHAPTER 29 CONTAINS MANY REMINISCENCES OF THE NEAR EASTERN TREATY PATTERN. IT IS NOT PRESENTED IN A SYSTEMATIC

MANNER BUT IN NARRATIVE FORM. HOWEVER, ELEMENTS OF THE PATTERN ARE CLEARLY DISCERNIBLE, MAKING IT EXTREMELY LIKELY THAT

SOME KIND OF COVENANT CEREMONY UNDERLIES THE EVENTS HERE REPORTED.

14,15. THE COVENANT DEMAND IS HERE EXTENDED TO THOSE WHO WERE YET TO BE BORN. FUTURE GENERATIONS WERE ONE WITH THAT EARLY ISRAEL WHO TOOK THE OATH AT SINAI. THERE IS A GENEALOGICAL CONTINUITY TO THAT COVENANT, NOTBECAUSE GOD’S COVENANT MERCIES ARE AN INALIENABLE FAMILY RIGHT, BUT BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISE TO EXTEND HIS BLESSING TO ALL WHO LOVE HIM AND OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS.

EACH NEW GENERATION MUST RENEW THE COVENANT FOR ITSELF AND TAKE ITS STAND BEFORE YAHWEH AS DID ISRAEL OF OLD. THEN, HAVING LEARNT AGAIN OF GOD’S SAVING ACTIONS ON THEIR BEHALF AND OF HIS COVENANT STIPULATIONS, THEY ACCEPT THE COVENANT FOR THEMSELVES IN THEIR OWN THIS DAY. THIS LATTER EXPRESSION OCCURS SIX TIMES IN VERSES 2-15. IN LATER YEARS, BY MEANS OF A CEREMONY OF

THIS KIND, THE CONCEPT OF COVENANT WAS KEPT ALIVE AND WAS FOREVER CONTEMPORARY (II COR. 6:2; HEB. 2:3).

AGAIN…. OBEDIENCE!

GOD NEVER BREAKS HIS COVENANT LEVITICUS 26:9,15,25,42,44, 45 26:40-45 WHEN THE ISRAELITES FACED SUFFERING, GOD OFFERED THEM HOPE. ONE KEY TO HOLDING ONTO HOPE IN GOD IS TO MAINTAIN HIS PERSPECTIVE ON ALL OF LIFE WHILE LOOKING AT OUR PRESENT EXPERIENCES. OUR DAY-TO-DAY EXPERIENCES AND HARDSHIPS ARE SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING. UNLESS WE CAN SEE THAT GOD’S PURPOSE IS TO BRING ABOUT CONTINUAL GROWTH IN US, WE MAY DESPAIR. THE HOPE WE NEED IS BEST EXPRESSED IN JEREMIAH 29:11: “FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU’ SAYS THE LORD. “THEY ARE PLANS FOR GOOD AND NOT FOR EVIL, TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE.’” TO RETAIN HOPE IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING SHOWS WE HAVE AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE ON OUR PRESENT DIFFICULTIES.

THE DAVID COVENANT

THE WORD ‘COVENANT’ IS MENTIONED 21 TIMES BY DAVID. SOME OF THE KEY REFERENCES REMIND US OF TWO MAJOR THEMES:

1. THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF OBEDIENCE

2. THE VITAL IMPORTANCE THAT GOD NEVER FORGETS HIS COVENANT PROMISES

PSALM 89:3,28,34,39 89:1

THIS PSALM WAS WRITTEN TO DESCRIBE THE GLORIOUS REIGN OF KING DAVID. GOD HAD PROMISED TO MAKE DAVID THE MIGHTIEST KING ON EARTH AND TO KEEP HIS DESCENDANTS ON THE THRONE FOREVER (II SAM. 7:8-16). BECAUSE JERUSALEM WAS DESTROYED AND KINGS NO

LONGER REIGN THERE, THESE VERSES CAN ONLY LOOK FORWARD PROPHETICALLY TO THE FUTURE REIGN OF JESUS CHRIST, DAVID’S DESCENDANT. VERSE 27 IS A PROPHECY CONCERNING DAVID’S NEVER-ENDING DYNASTY, WHICH WILL BE CONSUMMATED BY CHRIST’S FUTURE REIGN OVER THE

WORLD (REV. 22:5)

89:5 IN THE COURTS OF HEAVEN, A MYRIAD OF ANGELS PRAISE THE LORD. THIS SCENE IS ONE OF MAJESTY AND GRANDEUR TO SHOW THAT GOD IS BEYOND COMPARE. HIS POWER AND PURITY PLACE HIM HIGH ABOVE NATURE AND ANGELS. (DEUT. 33:2; LUKE 2:13; HEBREWS 12:22)

89:34-37 IN LIGHT OF ISRAEL’S CONTINUAL DISOBEDIENCE THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THIS IS AN AMAZING PROMISE. GOD PROMISED THAT DAVID’S DESCENDANTS WOULD ALWAYS SIT ON THE THRONE (89:29) BUT THAT IF THE PEOPLE DISOBEYED, THEY WOULD BE PUNISHED (89:30-32) YET, EVEN THROUGH THEIR DISOBEDIENCE AND PUNISHMENT, GOD WOULD NEVER FAIL TO KEEP HIS PROMISES (89:33). ISRAEL DID DISOBEY, EVIL RAN RAMPANT, THE NATION WAS DIVIDED, EXILE CAME – BUT THROUGH IT ALL, A REMNANT OF GOD’S PEOPLE REMAINED FAITHFUL. CENTURIES LATER, THE MESSIAH ARRIVED, THE ETERNAL KING FROM DAVID’S LINE, JUST AS GOD HAD PROMISED. ALL THAT GOD PROMISES, HE FULFILLS. HE WILL

NOT TAKE BACK EVEN ONE WORD OF WHAT HE SAYS. GOD CAN ALSO BE TRUSTED TO SAVE US AS HE PROMISED HE

WOULD (HEBREWS 6:13-18) GOD IS COMPLETELY RELIABLE.

THE ETERNAL FAITHFULNESS OF GOD PSALM 105:1-10

PSALM 111:5-9

PSALMS 111 – 118 ARE CALLED HALLELUJAH PSALMS, MEANING PRAISE THE LORD AND THEY EXPRESS THE UPLIFTING AND OPTIMISTIC TONE OF THE SONGS. ONE “PRAISE THE LORD” THEME IS THAT GOD NEVER FORGETS HIS COVENANT

EZRA MADE A COVENANT WITH GOD EZRA 10:1-4

KEY POINT: OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD

REPENTANCE ~~ OBEDIENCE ~~ FAITH

IN THIS CASE, REPENTANCE OF IMPROPER MARRIAGES WHY DID EZRA DO THIS? IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD EZRA 9:4 ALL SCRIPTURE IS TO BE OBEYED II TIM. 3:16,17

KEY POINT: EZRA READS THE WORD OF GOD NEH. 8:1-6

NEHEMIAH SAID IT BEST IN NEHEMIAH 1:4,5

GETTING BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THIS TODAY AND RIGHTLY SO. GOD’S WORD IS NOT ONLY THE KEY TO SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE BUT ALSO THE KEY TO PRINCIPLES FOR LIVING A GODLY, FAITHFUL LIFE:

1. MARRIAGE

2. RAISING CHILDREN

3. FINANCES (2500 VERSES)

4. CAREER (WORK)

5. RELATIONSHIPS

6. HEALTH – WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

7. POLITICS, EDUCATION, ETC.

“ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY GOD AND IS INSPIRED (DIVINELY BREATHED) SO THAT WE MAY BE FULLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK” II TIM. 3:16,17

"THE “WORD” HAS TWO MEANINGS IN THE GREEK:

‘LOGAS’ -= A CONCEPT OR AN IDEA; EXPRESSION OF THOUGHT; A DIVINE EXPRESSION

JOHN 1:5; I TIM. 4:6; II TIM 1:13; I THESS. 1:5; I JOHN 2:7; HEBREWS 4:12; COL. 3:16,17

‘RHEMA” – THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ‘RHEMA’ DISTINCT FROM ‘LOGAS’ IS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE INJUNCTION TO TAKE THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE ‘REVEALED’ WORD OF GOD IN A PERSON EPH. 6:17

HERE THE REFERENCE IS NOT TO THE WHOLE BIBLE BUT TO THE INDIVIDUAL SCRIPTURE WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS OR REVEALS FOR USE IN TIME OF NEED. THAT IS WHY JOSHUA EXPLAINS THE INCREDIBLE VALUE OF MEDITATION AND SPEAKING THE WORD.

JOSHUA 1:7-9

ACTS 2:14; 6:11-13; PETER’S FIRST SERMON

ACTS 13:42; BEGGING FOR WORD OF GOD

ROMANS 10:17,18;

I PETER 1:25 RHEMA

I PETER 1:23 LOGAS

JUDE 17

HERE AGAIN THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD IS GOD’S PROMISE TO US AS A COVENANT GOD.

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT CONTEXT: DEPARTURE FROM SINAI WITH THE CLOUD OF GOD ABOVE THEM; NUMBERS 10:33-36

WHAT WAS IN THE ARK?

1. TEN COMMANDMENTS GOD, THE FATHER

2. MANNA GOD, THE SON

3. AARON’ ROD THAT BUDDED GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT

CLOUDS – JESUS CHRIST RETURNED TO HEAVEN IN A CLOUD AND WILL RETURN IN A CLOUD AND BELIEVERS WILL BE CAUGHT UP IN A CLOUD. ACTS 1:9-11; I THESS. 4:13-18

GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER

THE CONCEPT HERE IS THAT GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT ALWAYS GO BEFORE US. AMEN. THE TRINITY AS ALWAYS BEEN THE CREATION STORY. LET “US” (PLURAL) CREATE MAN. GEN. 1:26

STORY OF MOSES’ ROD (STAFF) AND AARON’S ROD THAT BUDDED EXODUS 4:1-5

1. YOU DO NOT PICK UP A SNAKE BY ITS TAIL

2. MOSES USES HIS STAFF TO FOLLOW GOD’S COMMANDMENTS AND TO BRING THE PLAGUES UPON EGYPT

ISRAEL’S HIGH PRIEST.. “FROM AARON, THE FIRST HIGH PRIEST, TO ANANIAS, THE LAST MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE, THE OFFICE OF HIGH PRIEST SPANNED MORE THAN 1,300 YEARS. AS LONG AS THE TABERNACLE OR TEMPLE STOOD, THE HIGH PRIEST WAS THE UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL WHO CARRIED OUT THE MOST HOLY ACT OF WORSHIP. ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT, THE HIGH PRIEST ALONE ENTERED THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE

HOLY OF HOLIES OF THE SANCTUARY TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE. HE WORE A WHITE LINEN TUNIC COVERED BY A BRILLIANT BLUE ROBE EDGED WITH GOLD BELLS THAT RANG WHENEVER HIS BARE FEET MOVED. ON HIS CHEST WAS A BREAST PIECE WITH 12 PRECIOUS STONES AND ON HIS HEAD A TURBAN AND A GOLDEN CROWN WITH THE WORDS “HOLY TO THE LORD.” THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD WAS HANDED DOWN WITHIN CERTAIN CLANS. AT FIRST, IT WAS OPEN TO ALL DESCENDANTS OF AARON BUT LATER IT WAS LIMITED TO DESCENDANTS OF

ZADOK, THE HIGH PRIEST WHEN SOLOMON BUILT HIS TEMPLE. IN THE SECOND CENTURY B.C. THE HASMONEAN RULERS TOOK OVER THE OFFICE; UNDER HEROD THE GREAT, IT BECAME A POLITICAL APPOINTMENT”

THE BUDDING OF AARON’S ROD, NUMBERS 17

IT WAS A VERY PROPER SIGN TO REPRESENT THE PRIESTHOOD ITSELF, WHICH WAS HEREBY CONFIRMED TO AARON, THAT:

1. IT SHOULD BE FRUITFUL AND SERVICEABLE TO THE CHURCH OF GOD. IT PRODUCED NOT ONLY BLOSSOMS, BUT ALMONDS; FOR THE PRIESTHOOD WAS DESIGNED, NOT ONLY FOR AN HONOUR TO AARON, BUT FOR A BLESSING TO ISRAEL. THUS CHRIST ORDAINED HIS APOSTLES AND MINISTERS THAT THEY SHOULD GO AND BRING FORTH FRUIT AND THAT THEIR FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN. JOHN 15:16

2. THERE SHOULD BE A SUCCESSION OF PRIESTS. HERE WERE NOT ONLY ALMONDS FOR THE PRESENT, BUT BUDS AND BLOSSOMS PROMISING MORE HEREAFTER. THUS HAS CHRIST PROVIDED IN HIS CHURCH THAT A SEED SHOULD SERVE HIM FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

3. YET THIS PRIESTHOOD SHOULD NOT BE PERPETUAL, BUT IN PROCESS OF TIME, LIKE THE BRANCHES AND BLOSSOMS OF A TREE, SHOULD FAIL AND WITHER. THE FLOURISHING OF THE ALMOND TREE IS MENTIONED AS ONE OF THE SIGNS OF OLD AGE, ECCL. 12:5. THIS CHARACTER WAS BETIMES PUT UPON THE MOSAIC PRIESTHOOD, WHICH SOON BECAME OLD AND READY TO VANISH AWAY, HEB. 8:13. IT WAS A TYPE AND FIGURE OF CHRIST AND HIS PRIESTHOOD: FOR HE IS THE MAN, THE BRANCH, THAT IS TO BE A PRIEST UPON HIS THRONE, AS IT FOLLOWS (ZECH. 6:12) AND HE WAS TO

GROW UP BEFORE GOD, AS THIS BEFORE THE ARK, LIKE A TENDER PLANT, AND A ROOT OUT OF A DRY GROUND. BISHOP HALL OBSERVES HERE THAT THE TABLE OF THE LAW, THE POT OF MANNA AND AARON’S ROD, WERE PRESERVED TOGETHER IN OR ABOUT THE ARK (THE APOSTLE TAKES

NOTICE OF THEM ALL THREE TOGETHER, HEB. 9:4), TO SHOW TO AFTER-AGES HOW THE ANCIENT CHURCH WAS TAUGHT AND FED AND RULED; AND HE INFERS HOW PRECIOUS THE DOCTRINE, SACRAMENTS AND GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH ARE TO GOD AND SHOULD BE TO US. THE ROD OF MOSES WAS USED IN WORKING MANY MIRACLES, YET WE DO NOT FIND THAT THIS WAS PRESERVED, FOR THE KEEPING OF IT WOULD SERVE ONLY TO GRATIFY MEN’S CURIOSITY; BUT THE ROD OF AARON, WHICH CARRIED ITS MIRACLE ALONG WITH IT, WAS CAREFULLY PRESERVED, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE OF STANDING USE TO CONVINCE MEN’S CONSCIENCES, TO SILENCE ALL DISPUTES ABOUT THE PRIESTHOOD AND TO CONFIRM THE FAITH OF GOD’S ISRAEL IN HIS INSTITUTIONS. SUCH IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SACRAMENTS WHICH CHRIST HAS APPOINTED FOR EDIFICATION AND THE RELICS WHICH MEN HAVE DEVISED FOR SUPERSTITION.

~ ~ MATTHEW HENRY

WE ARE DIFFERENT TODAY; NUMBERS 17:12,13

AFTER WITNESSING SPECTACULAR MIRACLES, SEEING THE EGYPTIANS PUNISHED BY THE PLAGUES AND EXPERIENCING THE ACTUAL PRESENCE OF GOD, THE ISRAELITES STILL COMPLAINED AND REBELLED. WE WONDER HOW THEY COULD BE SO BLIND AND IGNORANT AND YET WE OFTEN REPEAT THIS SAME PATTERN. WE HAVE CENTURIES OF EVIDENCE, THE BIBLE IN MANY TRANSLATIONS AND THE CONVINCING RESULTS OF ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL STUDIES. BUT PEOPLE TODAY CONTINUE TO DISOBEY GOD AND DO THINGS THEIR OWN WAY. LIKE THE ISRAELITES, WE PAY MORE

ATTENTION TO OUR PHYSICAL CONDITION THAN TO OUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION. WE CAN ESCAPE THIS PATTERN ONLY THROUGH SERVING GOD WITH OUR WHOLE HEART. A HALFHEARTED APPROACH DOESN’T GET US HALF WAY THERE – IT GETS US NOWHERE.

THE NEW COVENANT PROMISED

JEREMIAH 31:31-34

THE OLD COVENANT, BROKEN BY THE PEOPLE WOULD BE REPLACED BY A NEW COVENANT. THE FOUNDATION OF THIS NEW COVENANT IS CHRIST (HEBREWS 8:6). IT IS REVOLUTIONARY, INVOLVING NOT ONLY ISRAEL AND JUDAH BUT EVEN THE GENTILES. IT OFFERS A UNIQUE PERSONAL

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD HIMSELF, WITH HIS LAWS INSCRIBED ON HEARTS INSTEAD OF ON STONE. JEREMIAH LOOKED FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN JESUS WOULD COME TO ESTABLISH THIS COVENANT. BUT FOR US TODAY, THIS COVENTANT IS HERE. WE HAVE THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY

TO MAKE A FRESH START AND ESTABLISH A PERMANENT, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. THIS IS VERY EXCITING BECAUSE THE BIBLE IS APPROXIMATELY 25% PROPHETIC. THIS NEW COMMUNITY WILL BEAR 3 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS:

1. GOD KNEW THAT THE OLD COVENANTS WERE NOT WORKING AND WOULD NOT HAVE THE POWER TO FOREVER FORGIVE SIN – VERSES 31,32

2. GOD’S WORD WOULD BE IN MAN’S HEART (“INWARD PARTS”) THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT VERSE 33

3. THE THIRD MARK IS THAT THIS NEW COMMUNITY WOULD BE A COMMUNITY OF FORGIVENESS -VERSE 34 VERSE 32 – EXCITING… GOD SAID HE WAS A ‘HUSBAND’ TO THEM; HUSBAND = TO BE MASTER; TO MARRY; RESPONSIBLE USED ABOUT 80 TIMES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

• GEN. 3:6 ADAM
• GEN. 3:16 EVE’S DESIRE FOR A HUSBAND
• GEN. 29:32 LEAH

IN HOSEA 2:2 AND 3 IT IS USED IN CONTEXT OF GOD’S UNFAITHFUL PEOPLE RETURNING BACK TO THE LORD USING MARRIAGE AS AN EXAMPLE OF A WAYWARD WIFE RETURNING TO HER HUSBAND. PAUL SPEAKS OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH AS A MYSTERY

EPH. 5:32

THE NEW COVENANT IS EXPRESSED IN THE CONTEXT OF MARRIAGE – CHRIST AND THE CHURCH EPH. 5:21-33

5:25-30

PAUL DEVOTES TWICE AS MANY WORDS TO TELLING HUSBANDS TO LOVE THEIR WIVES AS TO TELLING WIVES TO SUBMIT TO THEIR HUSBANDS. HOW SHOULD A MAN LOVE HIS WIFE?

1) HE SHOULD BE WILLING TO SACRIFICE EVERYTHING FOR HER

2) HE SHOULD MAKE HER WELL-BEING OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE AND

3) HE SHOULD CARE FOR HER AS HE CARES FOR HIS BODY. NO WIFE NEEDS TO FEAR SUBMITTING TO A MAN WHO TREATS HER IN THIS WAY.

5:31-33 THE UNION OF HUSBAND AND WIFE MERGES TWO PERSONS IN SUCH A WAY THAT LITTLE CAN AFFECT ONE WITHOUT ALSO AFFECTING THE OTHER. ONENESS IN MARRIAGE DOES NOT MEAN LOSING YOUR PERSONALITY IN THE PERSONALITY OF THE OTHER. INSTEAD, IT MEANS CARING

FOR YOUR SPOUSE AS YOU CARE FOR YOURSELF, LEARNING TO ANTICIPATE THE OTHER PERSON’S NEEDS, HELPING THE OTHER PERSON BECOME ALL HE OR SHE CAN BE. THE CREATION STORY TELLS OF GOD’S PLAN THAT HUSBAND AND WIFE SHOULD BE ONE (GEN. 2:24) AND JESUS ALSO REFERRED TO THIS PLAN (MATT. 19:4-6)

THREE WORDS MUST BE UNDERSTOOD TO HELP WITH THIS INCREDIBLE TRUTH: EPHESIANS 5

• ‘HEAD’ MEANS SOURCE OF ORIGIN V. 23 MALE – FEMALE CHRIST - CHURCH
• ‘SUBMIT’ – SUBMIT SELF UNTO A CHOICE - THE FREEWILL PRINCIPLE OF THE HUMAN RACE
• ‘LOVE’ – AGAPE, THE CHARACTERISTIC WORD OF CHRISTIANITY

NOWHERE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS A WIFE SPECIFICALLY TOLD TO ‘AGAPE LOVE’ HER HUSBAND RATHER THE INSTRUCTION IS TO RESPECT HIM. EPH. 5:33

THE OLD SAYING IS VERY TRUE, WOMEN NEED SECURITY AND MEN NEED RESPECT. THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE HUSBAND ARE VERY CLEAR IN I

PETER 3:7… THE LAST WORD IN THE VERSE IS ‘HINDERED’; IN THE GREEK MEANS ‘CUT OFF’.

EXCITING CONCLUSION: JESUS CHRIST IN ESSENCE IS A HUSBAND TO ALL OF US BECAUSE WE ARE HIS BRIDE, ALL BECAUSE OF THE NEW

COVENANT.

MARRIAGE IS A GIFT FROM GOD FOR BOTH MAN AND WOMAN

ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUES IN OUR SOCIETY IS THE BREAKDOWN OF MARRIAGE AND THE BREAKUP OF THE HOME. RECENT INFORMATION SUGGESTS A 50-55% DIVORCE RATE IN NORTH AMERICA, WITH THE DRAMATIC EMOTIONAL EFFECT DIVORCE HAS UPON CHILDREN. MANY DIVORCES AND/OR SERIOUS MARRIAGE PROBLEMS COME FROM SPOUSES WHO THEMSELVES HAVE COME FROM TROUBLED HOMES. HOWEVER, IF WE ARE TO BE FAIR TO OUR SPOUSE AND OUR CHILDREN, WE MUST MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES TODAY BASED UPON THE RIGHT PRINCIPLES AND

KNOWLEDGE.

QUESTION: WHAT IS MARRIAGE AND WHOSE IDEA WAS IT?

ANSWER: GOD’S IDEA - GENESIS 2:8-25

ADAM LIVED IN A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL HIS NEEDS WERE SUPPLIED EXCEPT ONE – GOD KNEW ADAM NEEDED COMPANIONSHIP. GOD PROVIDED A ‘HELPER’ (VERSE 18) = DIVINE AID, SAME WORD USED FOR GOD’S HELP. PSA. 20:1-5; 79:9; 115:9-15; 121:2;

SOMEONE COMPARABLE TO HIM, MEANS EQUAL; THE PROOF BEING THAT WOMAN WAS CREATED OUT OF MAN’S SIDE NOT HIS HEAD OR FOOT

(VERSE 21) THIS IS A LIFE CHANGING TRUTH!

WHEN THE TIME COMES A MAN WILL LEAVE HIS HOME AND BE JOINED (TO STICK LIKE GLUE, TO HOLD FAST) TO HIS WIFE AND BECOME ONE; VERSE 24

JESUS PROMISED US A HELPER(COMFORTER) AFTER HE LEFT

JOHN 14:15-18

NOW THIS SHOULD BLOW YOUR MIND

~ ~ D. MARTYN-LLOYD JONES

CONSIDER THIS, ADAM WAS ORIGINALLY PERFECT AND COMPLETE, YET THERE WAS A LACK, NO HELPMATE FOR HIM. SO GOD IN HIS WISDOM CREATED WOMAN OUT OF MAN, AND IN MARRIAGE THEY LOVE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER. THE GREAT MYSTERY IN VERSE 32 OF EPHESIANS 5 IS THIS, JESUS CHRIST WAS PERFECT AND COMPLETE, YET THERE WAS A LACK – A KOINENIA. AGAIN IN GOD’S WISDOM, JESUS CHRIST NEEDED A BRIDE, THAT IS THE CHURCH, WHICH IN TURN ARE BELIEVERS IN HIM. WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THIS GREAT MYSTERY, SCRIPTURE BECOMES ALIVE AS ITS PRINCIPLES JUMP OUT AT US. IN ROMANS 8:17, WE ARE NOW JOINT HEIRS WHICH MEANS POSSESSORS OR JOINT HEIRS WITH JESUS CHRIST. JUST LIKE WE ARE IN THE HUMAN MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP. WOW, WHAT A CONCEPT! REMEMBER, JESUS CHRIST IS REFERRED TO AS THE SECOND

ADAM, I COR. 15:45-47

“‘THE FIRST MAN’, ADAM IS OF THE EARTH. WAS MADE OF THE DUST. GEN. 2:7. EARTHY = PARTAKING OF THE EARTH; HE WAS A MASS OF ANIMATED CLAY AND COULD BE APPROPRIATELY CALLED ‘DUST’. GEN. 3:9 OF COURSE HE MUST PARTAKE OF A NATURE THAT WAS LOW, MEAN, MORTAL, CORRUPTIBLE.

‘THE SECOND MAN”, CHRIST. VERSE 45. HE IS CALLED THE SECOND MAN, AS BEING THE SECOND WHO SUSTAINED A RELATION TO MEN THAT WAS MATERIALLY TO AFFECT THEIR CONDUCT AND DESTINY; THE SECOND AND THE LAST (V. 45)

WHO SHOULD SUSTAIN A PECULIAR HEADSHIP TO THE RACE. “THE LORD FROM HEAVEN, GEN. 2:8, THE “LORD OF GLORY”. THIS EXPRESSION REFERS TO THE FACT THAT THE LORD JESUS HAD A HEAVENLY ORIGIN, IN CONTRADISTINCTION FROM ADAM, WHO WAS FORMED FROM THE EARTH. THE LATIN RENDERS THIS, “THE SECOND MAN FROM HEAVEN IS HEAVENLY,” AND THIS IDEA SEEMS TO ACCORD WITH THE MEANING IN THE FORMER MEMBER OF THE VERSE. THE SENSE IS, EVIDENTLY, THAT AS THE FIRST MAN HAD AN EARTHLY ORIGIN, AND WAS THEREFORE EARTHY, SO THE SECOND MAN BEING FROM HEAVEN, AS HIS PROPER HOME, WOULD HAVE A BOYD ADAPTED TO THAT ABODE; UNLIKE THAT WHICH WASEARTHY AND WHICH WOULD BE FITTED TO HIS EXALTED NATURE AND TO THE WORLD WHERE HE WOULD DWELL. AND WHILE, THEREFORE, THE PHRASE “FROM HEAVEN” REFERS TO HIS HEAVENLY ORIGIN, THE ESSENTIAL IDEA IS, THAT HE WOULD HAVE A BODY THAT WAS ADAPTED TO SUCH AN

ORIGIN AND SUCH A WORLD – A BODY UNLIKE THAT WHICH WAS EARTHY. THAT IS, CHRIST HAD A GLORIFIED BODY, TO WHICH THE BODIES OF THE SAINTS MUST YET BE MADE LIKE.”

~ ~ BARNES

THE PURIFICATION OF THE BRIDE

D. MARTYN-LLOYD JONES

IN OUR CONSIDERATION OF THE STATEMENT WHICH THE APOSTLE MAKES CONCERNING THE DUTY OF HUSBANDS TOWARDS THEIR WIVES WE ARE GIVING ATTENTION TO THE TEACHING CONCERNING OUR LORD IN HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHURCH. WE HAVE SEEN HIS CONCERN FOR HER, HIS

ATTITUDE WITH RESPECT TO HER; AND WE ARE EMPHASIZINGHOW THIS ATTITUDE AND CONCERN HAVE EXPRESSED THEMSELVES IN ACTION, IN PRACTICE. WE HAVE SEEN WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE FOR THE CHURCH – “HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT”. WE HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED WHAT HE IS STILL DOING FOR THE CHURCH. HE HAS DONE THAT FIRST THING ONCE AND FOR EVER – HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT. BUT HE DOES NOT LEAVE IT AT THAT; HE GOES ON DOING SOMETHING TO THE CHURCH AND FOR THE CHURCH.

WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING ALSO AT THE WORD ‘SANCTIFY’ AND ITS MEANING. THE LORD HAS SET THE CHURCH APART FOR HIMSELF; WE ARE HIS ‘PECULIAR PEOPLE’, A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN PECULIAR, SPECIAL POSSESSION, HIS BRIDE. HE HAS SET HER ASIDE AND APART IN ORDER THAT HE MAY DO CERTAIN THINGS FOR HER. THE APOSTLE’S FUNDAMENTAL PROPOSITION, SO WE HAVE SEEN, IS THAT WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE DUTIES OF

HUSBANDS AND WIVES UNLESS WE UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRIST AND THE CHURCH; WE HAVE THEREFORE STARTED WITH THE TRUTH, AS THE APOSTLE DOES. THE HUSBAND IS TO LOVE HIS WIFE, ‘EVEN AS CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH’. WE HAVE REMINDED OURSELVES OF THE CONTENT OF THE WORD ‘LOVE’. IT IS THE HIGHEST WORD THAT THE BIBLE KNOWS. IT IS THE SAME SORT OF LOVE WHEREWITH CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH; INDEED, WHEREWITH GOD HAS LOVED THE WORLD. THEREFORE WE ARE CONCENTRATING UPON THIS LOVE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST FOR THE CHURCH.

WE HAVE ONLY LOOKED AT IT IN GENERAL SO FAR. WE HAVE LOOKED AT HIS WHOLE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE CHURCH. HIS CONCERN ABOUT HER, HIS PRIDE IN HER, THE WAY IN WHICH HE SHIELDS HER AND GUARDS HER AND PROTECTS HER. THAT IS BROUGHT OUT HERE. THE APOSTLE BRINGS ALL THAT OUT HERE AND HE DOES SO IN THIS MOST AMAZING MANNER. “HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, EVEN AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH”. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT HE LOVED THE CHURCH? HERE IS THE ANSWER: “AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT”. THAT IS LOVE – “HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT”. BUT HE DOES NOT STOP AT THAT. “HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, EVEN AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT; THAT (IN ORDER THAT ) HE MIGHT SANCTIFY AND CLEANSE IT WITH THE WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD, THAT (IN ORDER THAT) HE MIGHT PRESENT IT TO HIMSELF A GLORIOUS CHURCH, NOT HAVING SPOT OR WRINKLE OR ANY SUCH THING; BUT THAT IT SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH”. “NOW”, SAYS THE APOSTLE, “YOU WHO ARE IN THIS MARRIED RELATIONSHIP FIND THINGS IN EACH OTHER THAT YOU DO NOT LIKE AND DO NOT APPROVE OF – DEFICIENCIES, FAULTS, FAILURES, SINS – AND YOU ARE CRITICAL, AND STAND ON YOUR DIGNITY AND CONDEMN AND QUARREL AND SEPARATE.

WHY? SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU FAIL TO REMEMBER THE WAY IN WHICH YOU YOURSELVES HAVE BEEN SAVED AND HAVE BECOME CHRISTIANS AND MEMBER OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.” HE REMINDS THEM THAT IF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD REACTED TO THEM AS THEY REACT TO ONE ANOTHER THERE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN A CHURCH. “LOVE NEVER FAILETH”, LOVE GOES ON LOVING IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING. THAT IS THE LOVE WHEREWITH CHRIST HAS LOVED THE CHURCH.”

DO WE NEED THIS MESSAGE TODAY?

GOOD MORNING

BEAUTIFUL BRIDE OF CHRIST

THIS IS WHY WE ARE CALLED:

1. A PECULIAR PEOPLE (SPECIAL) TITUS 2:14

2. THE BRIDE OF CHRIST EPH. 5:22-33

3. A HOLY NATION I PETER 2:9

4. TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT II COR. 6:19,20

5. SAINTS I COR. 1:2

6. PRESERVED BLAMELESS AT HIS COMING I THESS.5:23

7. ROYAL PRIESTHOOD I PETER 2:9

8. LIVING STONES I PETER 2:9

9. A SPIRITUAL HOUSE I PETER 2:5

10. HOLY PRIESTHOOD I PETER 2:5

11. PEOPLE OF GOD I PETER 2:9

JESUS CHRIST IS THE CORNERSTONE I PETER 2:6,7

THE ULTIMATE MARRIAGE CELEBRATION

REVELATION 19:1-10

“ALLELUIA” IS A UNIVERSAL WORD OF PRAISE. IT WAS THE BASIS FOR HANDEL WHEN HE WROTE “THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS”. HE WROTE: “ I THINK I DID SEE ALL OF HEAVEN BEFORE ME AND THE GREAT GOD HIMSELF”.

19:1-8 A ‘VAST CROWD IN HEAVEN” INITIATES THE CHORUS OF PRAISE TO GOD FOR HIS VICTORY (1-3). THE THE 24 ELDERS JOIN THE CHORUS (VS. 4). FINALLY, THE GREAT CHOIR OF HEAVEN ONCE AGAIN PRAISES GOD – THE WEDDING BANQUET OF THE LAMB HAS COME (6-8) 19:1-10 PRAISE IS THE HEARTFELT RESPONSE TO GOD BY THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. THE MORE YOU GET TO KNOW HIM AND REALIZE WHAT HE HAS DONE, THE MORE YOU WILL RESPOND WITH PRAISE. PRAISE IS AT THE HEART OF TRUE WORSHIP. LET YOUR PRAISE OF GOD FLOW OUT OF YOUR REALIZATION OF WHO HE IS AND HOW MUCH HE LOVES YOU.

19:7 THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF HUMAN HISTORY – THE JUDGMENT OF THE WICKED AND THE MARRIAGE FEAST OF THE LAMB AND HIS BRIDE, THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH CONSISTS OF ALL FAITHFUL BELIEVERS FROM ALL TIME. THE BRIDE’S  PURITY STANDS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE FILTH OF THE NOTORIOUS PROSTITUTE IN CHAPTER 17.

19:7-9 HERE THE CHURCH IS PICTURED AS BOTH THE BRIDE (V.7,8) AND THE GUESTS INVITED TO THE WEDDING FEAST (V. 9). AS THOSE GIVEN TO CHRIST, WE ARE THE BRIDE; AS THOSE CALLED TO BE PART OF GOD’S KINGDOM, WE ARE THE INVITED

GUESTS.

19:9,10 JESUS IS THE CENTRAL FOCUS OF GOD’S REVELATION AND HIS REDEMPTIVE PLAN (AS ANNOUNCED BY THE PROPHETS). AS YOU READ THE BOOK OF REVELATION, DON’T GET BOGGED DOWN IN ALL THE DETAILS OF THE AWESOME VISIONS; REMEMBER THAT THE OVERARCHING THEME IN ALL THE VISIONS IS THE ULTIMATE VICTORY OF JESUS CHRIST OVER EVIL.

JOHN HAGEE “THREE STAGES OF MARRIAGE…

1) LUST

2)RUST

3) DUST”

REMEMBER, THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO GIVES YOU THE POWER TO GET WEALTH THAT HE MAY ESTABLISH HIS COVENANT DEUT. 8:17-20

BLESSING COMES FROM OBEDIENCE PROV. 10:22 “THE LORD GIVETH AND THE LORD TAKETH AWAY”

HOSEA 2:8,9

ISRAEL CROSSES THE JORDAN WITH THE ARK OF THE COVENANT JOSHUA 3:14-17 REPENTANCE ~~ OBEDIENCE ~~ FAITH

3:2-4 THE ARK OF GOD (ALSO CALLED THE ARK OF THE COVENANT) WAS ISRAEL’S MOST SACRED TREASURE. IT WAS SYMBOL OF GOD’S PRESENCE AND POWER. THE ARK WAS A GOLDEN RECTANGULAR BOX WITH TWO CHERUBIM FACING EACH OTHER ON THE LID. INSIDE THE ARK WERE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS MOSES RECEIVED FROM GOD, A JAR OF MANNA (THE BREAD GOD MIRACULOUSLY SENT FROM HEAVEN) AND AARON’S

STAFF (THE SYMBOL OF THE HIGH PRIEST’S AUTHORITY). ACCORDING TO GOD’S LAW, ONLY THE LEVITES, WHO WERE DESCENDENTS OF AARON, COULD CARRY THE ARK.THE ARK WAS CONSTRUCTED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE TABERNACLE (EX. 37:1-9) AND PLACED IN THE SANCTUARY’S MOST SACRED ROOM. IS THE LORD OUR MOST TREASURED OR SACRED POSSESSION?

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE FINAL MENTION OF THE ARK IS FOUND IN JEREMIAH 3:16. THERE THE LORD TOLD ISRAEL THAT THE TIME WAS COMING WHEN THEY WOULD NO MORE REMEMBER THE ARK OR TALK ABOUT THE ARK OF THE LORD NOR WOULD IT EVEN COME INTO THEIR MIND. THIS IS A

REMARKABLE PROPHECY WHEN THE ARK WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT ARTICLE OF FURNITURE IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF NATION, FOR TABERNACLE OF MOSES, TABERNACLE OF DAVID AND TEMPLE OF SOLOMON. AT THAT TIME, THEY WOULD SEEK THE LORD AND HIS THRONE AT JERUSALEM. THAT IS, THE ETERNAL THRONE AND THE ETERNAL JERUSALEM, NOT THE EARTHLY THING WHICH WOULD PASS AWAY. THE FINAL MENTION OF THE ARK IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS FOUND IN REV. 11:19. THERE JOHN SEES THE HEAVENLY TEMPLE OPENED AND THE ARK OF GOD SENDING FORTH FLASHINGS OF DIVINE ACTIVITY INTO THE EARTH. THIS IS THE ETERNAL ARK OR THRONE OF GOD. THE ARK ON EARTH WAS BUT THE PASSING SHADOW OF THE ETERNAL. THIS IS THE ARK OR THRONE OF GOD THAT BELIEVERS WILL GATHER AROUND IN THE AGES TO COME, FOR ALL ETERNITY TO WORSHIP GOD

THE FATHER AND THE REDEEMING LAMB, HIS SON.

CONTEXT: A CALL TO REPENTANCE JEREMIAH 3:16-18

IN THE DAYS OF DAVID AND SOLOMON’S REIGN OVER A UNITED ISRAEL, THE PEOPLE HAD A BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE WHERE THEY WORSHIPED GOD. THE TEMPLE HOUSED THE ARK OF THE COVENANT, THE SYMBOL OF GOD’S PRESENCE WITH THE PEOPLE. THE ARK HELD THE TABLETS OF THE TEN

COMMANDMENTS (EX. 25:10-22) THOSE DAYS WITH THE ARK WON’T BE MISSED IN THE FUTURE KINGDOM, BECAUSE GOD’S PRESENCE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE THERE PERSONALLY AMONG HIS PEOPLE.

THE CONTENTS OF THE ARK –

I KINGS 8:9; II CHRONICLES 5:10

WHEN THE ARK WAS PLACED IN THE TEMPLE, THE ONLY CONTENTS IN THE ARK WERE THE TWO TABLES OF THE LAW OF GOD. THE GOLDEN POT OF MANNA WAS REMOVED. THE BUDDING ROD OF AARON WAS GONE. THE LAW OF GOD ONLY REMAINED. PERHAPS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE MAY BE SEEN IN THE FOLLOWING THOUGHTS. THE MANNA WAS ALSO A WILDERNESS FOOD. WHEN ISRAEL ENTERED CANAAN LAND THEY PARTOOK OF THE FRUIT OF THE LAND (JOSHUA 5:12).

IT SEEMS ALSO TO HAVE PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. THERE THE OVERCOMER IS GIVEN THE

PROMISE OF EATING THE HIDDEN MANNA (REV. 2:17). THE HIDDEN MANNA SPEAKS OF ETERNAL LIFE. IT CORRESPONDS WITH THE TREE OF ETERNAL LIFE WHICH WILL BE RESTORED TO THOSE WHO ARE REDEEMED (REV. 22:1-4).

THE BUDDING ROD OF AARON ALSO WAS THE RESULT OF THE MURMURINGS OF ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. GOD CONFIRMED AARON’S PRIESTHOOD BY THE SIGN OF THE BUDDING ROD. AARON WAS THE HIGH PRIEST OF THE WILDERNESS DAYS. SINCE ISRAEL ENTERED CANAAN,

ELEAZER WAS A THE HIGH PRIEST OF THIS FIRST PERIOD. IN NEW COVENANT TIMES, CHRIST IS OUR ETERNAL AND GREAT HIGH PRIEST, HAVING NO SUCCESSOR TO HIS MINISTRY. HE LIVES IN THE POWER OF AN ENDLESS LIFE AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEK. SO THERE IS NOT NEED OF THE BUDDING ROD FOR ALL WHO ENTER THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD.

CHRIST’S PRIESTHOOD IS FOR EVER SETTLED BY THE FACT OF HIS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION TO HEAVEN. THE LAW REMAINS. GOD’S LAW IS ETERNAL, HOLY, JUST AND GOOD. THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT. IT IS THE ETERNAL LAW OF LOVE AND LOVING OBEDIENCE. ANGELIC BEINGS OR

REDEEMED MANKIND WILL LIVE ETERNALLY ACCORDING TO GOD’S HOLY LAW. ALL WILL KEEP THE LAW OF LOVE; LOVE TOGOD AND LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER. ALL OTHER LAWS ARE FULFILLED IN THE LAW OF LOVE. SELF-WILL IS LAWLESSNESS. IN THAT DAY ALL WILL KNOW THE LAW OF THE LORD AND KEEP IN THE HEART, PERFECTLY, EVEN AS CHRIST DID. (HEB. 8:10-12; PSALM 40:8; HEBREWS 10:7; DEUT. 10:5; 31:26)

ITS CONTENTS

THERE WERE FOUR ARTICLES RELATIVE TO THE ARK, THREE OF WHICH WERE PLACED INSIDE, AND ONE IN THE SIDE OF THE ARK ALTHOUGH NOT SPECIFICALLY STATED HOW IT WAS PLACED. THESE ARTICLES WERE:

• THE TABLES OF THE LAW – EX. 25:16,17; DEUT. 10:5; 31:26. SUCH WAS SYMBOLIC OF THE FATHER’S LAW, THE SOURCE OF ALL ORDER, AUTHORITY AND GOVERNMENT. BY THESE LAWS THE NATION WAS GOVERNED AND PROTECTED MORALLY, SOCIALLY AND SPIRITUALLY, AS LONG AS THEY KEPT THEM. IT ALSO POINTS TO THE FACT THAT THE FATHER’S LAW WAS IN THE HEART OF CHRIST WHO IS THE ONLY MAN WHO KEPT THESE LAWS PERFECTLY (PSALM 40:8; HEBREWS 10:7). THE FATHER IS THE LAW-GIVER.
• THE GOLDEN POT OF MANNA – EXODUS 16; HEBREWS 9:4; JOHN 6; REVELATION 2:17. THE MANNA WAS SYMBOLIC OF THE BLESSED SON OF GOD, THE HEAVENLY BREAD OF GOD WITHOUT WHICH ALL MEN WILL DIE.
• THE ROD OF AARON THAT BUDDED – NUMBERS 17:10; HEBREWS 9:4 THIS SPEAKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO IS THE LIFE-GIVING ONE, SEALING THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST BY RESURRECTION LIFE AND POWER. EVEN AS THE BUDDING ROD CONFIRMED AARON’S ANOINTED AND APPOINTED PRIESTHOOD BY THE MANIFESTATION OF LIFE, SO DOES THE RESURRECTION FOR CHRIST JESUS.
• THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT – DEUT. 31:26; I KINGS 22 THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT IN THE SIDE OF THE ARK, THOUGH HOW IS NOT SPECIFICALLY STATED. HOWEVER, IT SPEAKS OF THE BIBLE, THE BOOK OF GOD’S COVENANTAL DEALINGS ARE WRITTEN IN HIS COVENANT

        BOOK.

THE HOLY PLACE - I KINGS 6:17,20

THE MEASUREMENTS OF THE HOLY PLACE WERE 40 CUBITS LONG, 20 CUBITS BROAD, AND 30 CUBITS HIGH. THESE WERE THE MEASUREMENTS OVER ALL. IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS AN “UPPER CHAMBER” OVER THE HOLY PLACE AS THERE WAS OVER THE MOST HOLY PLACE.

SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY STATE WHETHER THIS WAS SO OR NOT. THE INCLUSIVE AREA WOULD THEREFORE EQUAL 40 X 20 X 30 = 24,000 CUBICAL CONTENT. THE NUMBER 12 OR 24 IS THEREFORE PROMINENT IN ITS TRIPLICATE OF THOUSANDS. THE NUMBER 24 IS ALSO SYMBOLIC OF GOD’S ORDER AND GOVERNMENT. IT IS ESPECIALLY SEEN IN THE PRIESTLY COURSES ESTABLISHED BY DAVID FOR THE TEMPLE ORDER. A STUDY OF I CHRONICLES 23 – 28 REVEALS THIS.

THE NUMBER 24 IS THE NUMBER OF PRIESTLY ADMINISTRATIONS. IN THE “DAILY ADMINISTRATIONS” THERE WERE 24 PRIESTS ON DUTY 24 HOURS OF DAY, REPRESENTING THE 24,000 PRIESTLY COURSES, WHO REPRESENTED THE THOUSANDS OF ISRAEL BEFORE THE LORD IN HIS TEMPLE. IT IS THE ULTIMATE NUMBER IN THE CITY OF GOD, THE NEW JERUSALEM (REV. 21-22).

THEREFORE THE HOLY PLACE OF THE TEMPLE IS STAMPED WITH THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NUMBER 24 IN ITS MULTIPLES.

THE HOLIEST OF ALL – I KINGS 6:16,20; II CHRON. 3:8

THE MEASUREMENT OF THE HOLIEST OF ALL, OR THE HOLY ORACLE, THE VERY THRONE ROOM OF THE GLORY OF GOD HIMSELF, ALSO ADD TO THIS TRUTH AND POINT ULTIMATELY TO THE CITY OF GOD, WHERE THE THRONE OF GOD AND THE LAMB IS FOUND. THE MEASUREMENTS OF THE HOLIEST OF ALL WERE:

LENGTH = 20 CUBITS

BREADTH = 20 CUBITS

HEIGHT = 20 CUBITS

IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAS A FOURSQUARE, OR A PERFECT CUBE. THIS IS EXACTLY AS THE MOST HOLY PLACE O THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES, WHICH WAS FOURSQUARE ALSO. THERE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT STOOD ON THE “EARTH FLOOR”. ALL PERTAINED PROPHETICALLY TO THE REDEMPTIVE PLAN OF GOD RELATIVE TO THIS EARTH. THE GLORY OF GOD WILL COVER THE EARTH. HOWEVER, ALL THAT PERTAINS TO THE TEMPLE HAS TO DO WITH THE “GOLD FLOOR” AND POINTS ULTIMATELY TO THE CITY OF GOD WITH ITS STREETS OF GOLD, THE CITY FOURSQUARE.

THE DIVINE PURPOSE FOR THE TEMPLE THE DIVINE PURPOSE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF THE TEMPLE IS VERY SPECIFIC. GOD WANTED TO HAVE A PLACE IN WHICH TO RECORD HIS NAME, A PLACE IN WHICH HE COULD DWELL AMONG HIS PEOPLE IN HIS GLORY AND PRESENCE. “THE NAME” IN SCRIPTURE ALWAYS SPEAKS OF “THE NATURE” OF GOD, THE CHARACTER OF GOD, WHO HE IS IN HIS OWN

ESSENTIAL BEING. GOD HAS ALWAYS WANTED A PLACE – INDEED A PERSON – IN WHICH HE COULD SET HIS NAME AND ALL THAT IS REPRESENTED IN THAT EXPRESSION.

LET US NOTE THE PROGRESSION, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO GOD’S DWELLING PLACES WITH ISRAEL, OF THE NAME OF THE LORD!

THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON

I KINGS 5 – 9 AND II CHRON. 1 – 7 DEAL WITH THE GREAT PORTION OF DETAILS OF THIS TEMPLE OF THE LORD, WHICH PATTERN HAD BEEN GIVEN TO KING DAVID. ABOUT 400 YEARS LATER, THIS TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED BY KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR, KING OF BABYLON BECAUSE OF THE ABOMINATIONS AND IDOLATRIES ISRAEL BROUGHT INTO IT (EZEKIEL 8 – 10; JEREMIAH 7:1-14; II KINGS 25:8-17). THE BURDEN OF THIS TEXT DEALS WITH THIS TEMPLE. THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST WITH ITS MEMBERS BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND CORPORATELY IS ALSO SPOKEN OF AS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THIS IS THE NEW COVENANT TEMPLE IN THE EARTH SINCE CHRIST’S ASCENSION AND THE DAY OF PENTECOST WITH ITS ATTENDANT OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT. GOD LIVES IN THE BELIEVER, IN THE CHURCH, BY THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT (EPH. 2:19-22); I COR. 3:16,17; 6:16-20; I COR. 6:16-18)

THE COMING MESSENGER AND THE COMING MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT MALACHI 3:12 3:1 THERE ARE TWO MESSENGERS IN THIS VERSE. THE FIRST IS USUALLY UNDERSTOOD TO BE JOHN THE BAPTIST (MATTHEW 11:10; LUKE 7:27). THE SECOND MESSENGER IS JESUS, THE MESSIAH, FOR WHOM BOTH MALACHI AND JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARED THE WAY.

HOW WILL HE COME? MALACHI 3:3 3:3

IN THE PROCESS OF REFINING METALS, THE RAW METAL IS HEATED WITH FIRE UNTIL IT MELTS. THE IMPURITIES SEPARATE FROM IT AND RISE OT THE SURFACE. THEY ARE THEN SKIMMED OFF, LEAVING THE PURE METAL. WITHOUT THIS HEATING AND MELTING, THERE COULD BE NO PURIFYING. AS THE IMPURITIES ARE SKIMMED OFF THE TOP, THE REFLECTION OF THE METALLURGIST APPEARS IN THE SMOOTH, PURE SURFACE. AS WE ARE PURIFIED BY GOD, HIS REFLECTION IN OUR LIVES WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE CLEAR TO THOSE AROUND US. GOD SAYS THAT LEADERS (HERE THE LEVITES) SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY OPEN TO HIS PURIFICATION PROCESS IN THEIR LIVES.

THREE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE VERSES IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE LUKE 23:44-46 THIS EVENT CHANGED THE COURSE OF

HISTORY

23:44 DARKNESS COVERED THE ENTIRE LAND FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. ALL NATURE SEEMED TO MOURN OVER THE STARK TRAGEDY OF THE DEATH OF GOD’S SON. NATURE WAS CHANGED BY ALMIGHTY GOD. GEN. 8:22 23:45 THIS SIGNIFICANT EVENT SYMBOLIZED CHRIST’S WORK ON THE CROSS. THE TEMPLE HAD THREE PARTS: THE COURTS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE; THE HOLY PLACE, WHERE ONLY PRIESTS COULD ENTER; AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES, WHERE THE HIGH PRIEST ALONE COULD ENTER ONCE A YEAR. THE ARK OF THE COVENANT, AND GOD’S PRESENCE WITH IT, RESTED. THE CURTAIN THAT SPLIT WAS THE ONE THAT CLOSED OFF THE HOLY OF HOLIES FROM VIEW. AT CHRIST’S DEATH, THE BARRIER BETWEEN GOD AND MAN WAS TORN APART. NOW ALL PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO APPROACH GOD DIRECTLY THROUGH CHRIST (HEBREWS 9:1-14; 10:19-22)

WE NOTE SOME OF THE IMPORTANT LESSONS TO BE LEARNT FROM A STUDY OF THE VEIL IN SCRIPTURE:

• THE VEIL WAS A DIVIDER, A SEPARATOR FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD. THIS IS THE MESSAGE IT SPELT OUT TO MAN. THUS FAR AND NO FURTHER. THE WORD VEIL ACTUALLY MEANS “THAT WHICH HIDES” OR “A SEPARATION, A CURTAIN”. SO SIN BROUGHT SEPARATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. THERE IS A VEIL BETWEEN GOD AND MAN THAT HAS TO BE BROKEN DOWN, THAT HAS TO BE RENT. IT IS SIN WHICH DWELLS IN MAN’S FLESH, IN WHICH IS NO GOOD THING.

• THE VEIL HID GOD FROM MAN’S VIEW. GOD’S GLORY COULD NOT BE SEEN BECAUSE OF THE VEIL. THERE COULD BE NO FACE TO FACE COMMUNION WITH THAT VEIL THERE. EVEN AS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL COULD NOT HAVE FACE TO FACE COMMUNION WITH MOSES BECAUSE OF THE VEIL THAT HID HIS FACE OF GLORY, SO MAN COULD NOT HAVE FACE TO FACE COMMUNION WITHGOD, OR BEHOLD HIS GLORY.
• THE VEIL WAS “RENT IN THE MIDST” WHEN CHRIST DIED ON CALVARY. IT WAS RENT IN TWO, TORN APART BY THE SUPERNATURAL POWER OF GOD, THUS DECLARING THAT ACCESS INTO HIS PRESENCE WAS AVAILABLE THROUGH CHRIST. (LUKE 23:45)
• THE VEIL WAS “RENT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM” WHEN CHRIST DIED (MATT. 27:51). IT WAS AN ACT OF GOD, NOT OF MAN. IT WAS RENT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, NOT BOTTOM TO TOP. GOD’S GRACE COMES TO MAN. HE TAKES THE INITIATIVE. GRACE IS GOD COMING TO MAN, NOT MAN COMING TO GOD.
• THE VEIL WAS RENT IN CONNECTION WITH CHRIST’S DEATH, WITH THE RENDING OF THE “VEIL OF HIS FLESH” (HEB. 9:8; 10;19,20). CHRIST WAS GOD’S TEMPLE IN FLESH, AND WHEN THE VEIL OF HIS FLESH WAS RENT IN CRUCIFIXION, SO THE VEIL OF THE MATERIAL TEMPLE WAS RENT. CHRIST CRUCIFIED IS THE RENT VEIL MAKING ACCESS TO GOD FOR ALL WHO COME TO GOD BY AND THROUGH HIM.
• THE RENT VEIL SIGNIFIED THE TRUTH THAT “THE WAY” WAS NOW OPEN. IT SIGNIFIED THE FULFILLMENT AND ABOLISHMENT OF THE OLD COVENANT, THE MOSAIC COVENANT WITH ALL ITS ECONOMY AND CEREMONIALS PERTAINING TO ANIMAL SACRIFICES AND RITUALISM. SO MANY PRECIOUS TRUTHS ARE HIDDEN IN THE TRUTH OF THE VEIL. NOW ALL BELIEVERS HAVE ACCESS TO THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD “WITHIN THE VEIL”. THERE IS NOTHING BETWEEN GOD’S VIEWPOINT.

THE IN-WROUGHT VEIL SPOKE OF THE BEAUTY AND PERFECTIONS OF CHRIST’S LIFE. AS LONG AS HE LIVES AN THE VEIL OF HIS FLESH STOOD, THERE WAS NO ACCESS TO GOD. HIS PERFECT, SINLESS LIFE CONDEMNED US THE RENT VEIL SPOKE OF HIS VICARIOUS DEATH, MAKING ACCESS AVAILABLE TO GOD THE FATHER. IT SPOKE OF HIs BROKEN BODY AND SHED BLOOD. THE VEIL MUST BE RENT. CHRIST MUST DIE. HE IS THE WAY TO THE FATHER. IN THE RENT VEIL WE HAVE THE CLOSING OFF OF THE OLD COVENANT AND THE OPENING OF THE NEW COVENANT. THE “MIDDLE

WALL’ OF PARTITION HAS BEEN BROKEN DOWN NEVER TO BE RE-INSTITUTED AGAIN. ALL THAT WE LOST IN ADAM IS RESTORED IN CHRIST. MAN LOST THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE IN ADAM. CHRIST RESTORED AND BECAME THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE (JOHN 14:6).

HE ALSO, IN ANOTHER ASPECT, RELATIVE TO THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY HAS GONE “WITHIN THE VEIL” AND MINISTERS THERE AS OUR HIGH PRIEST (HEB. 6:20; ACTS 1:8-11; I JOHN 2:1). NO WONDER A GREAT COMPANY OF AARONIC AND LEVITICAL PRIESTS ACCEPTED “THE FAITH” WHEN THEY SAW THE TRUTH OF THE “RENT VEIL” (ACTS 6:7). ONE DAY, HEAVEN’S VEIL WILL BE RENT AND JESUS WILL COME FROM “WITHIN THE VEIL” , BUT THIS TIME IN FLAMING FIRE AND JUDGMENT ON ALL WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN HIM. READ I PETER 3:22; HEBREWS 5:1-5; MARK 16:19; HEBREWS 10:19- 22; REV. 19:11-16. THOUGH WE HERE ON EARTH CANNOT SEE HIM, YET WE KNOW HE MINISTERS IN HEAVEN’S SANCTUARY IN BEHALF OF HIS PEOPLE AS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

MOST OF THE MAJOR AND MINOR PROPHETS REFER TO THE COVENANT, INCLUDING ISAIAH, JEREMIAH, EZEKIEL, AMOS, HOSEA, MALACHI.

ZECHARIAH 9:1-17 THE LAST SIX CHAPTERS OF THE BOOK ARE TWO MESSAGES DELIVERED LATE IN ZECHARIAH’S LIFE WHICH POINT TO THE MESSIAH AND HIS SECOND COMING. SOME OF THESE PROPHECIES WERE FULFILLED BEFORE THE MESSIAH CAME, PERHAPS BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT; OTHERS WERE FULFILLED DURING THE MESSIAH’S TIME ON EARTH; AND OTHERS WILL BE FULFILLED WHEN HE RETURNS. THOSE WHO OPPRESSED JERUSALEM – SYRIA, PHILISTIA, PHOENICIA – WOULD BE CRUSHED. THE PROMISED KING WOULD COME – FIRST AS A SERVANT ON A DONKEY’S COLT, THEN AS A POWERFUL RULER AND JUDGE.8:11 COVENANTS IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES WERE SEALED OR CONFIRMED WITH BLOOD, MUCH AS WE WOULD SIGN OUR NAME TO A CONTRACT. THE OLD COVENANT WAS SEALED BY THE BLOOD OF SACRIFICES, POINTING TO THE BLOOD CHRIST

WOULD SHED AT CALVARY, HIS “SIGNATURE” WHICH CONFIRMED GOD’S NEW COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE. BECAUSE GOD HAD MADE A COVENANT WITH THESE PEOPLE, HE DELIVERED THEM FROM THE “WATERLESS PIT”, THE CISTERN-LIKE PRISON OF EXILE. ZECHARIAH 11 – THE OLD COVENANT WAS NOT WORKING ANY LONGER BECAUSE OF MAN’S DISOBEDIENCE AND THEREFORE GOD WAS PREPARING THE WORLD FOR THE NEW COVENANT. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD CHANGED HIS MIND. IT JUST SHOWS HIS LOVE AND MERCY.

NEW TESTAMENT COVENANT

FIRST TIME THE WORD ‘COVENANT’ USED WAS IN LUKE 1:72-73. THIS WAS GOD’S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM TO BLESS ALL NATIONS THROUGH HIM, GEN. 12:1-3. IT WOULD BE FULFILLED THROUGH THE MESSIAH GOD DOES NOT FORGET HIS COVENANT LEV. 26:42 THE WORD ‘COVENANT’ IS NOT USED AGAIN UNTIL AFTER CHRIST HAS ASCENDED TO HEAVEN; ACTS 3:25,25

GOD PROMISED ABRAHAM THAT HE WOULD BLESS THE WORLD THROUGH HIS DESCENDANTS, THE JEWISH RACE (GEN. 12:3), FROM WHICH THE MESSIAH WOULD COME. GOD INTENDED THE JEWISH NATION TO BE A SEPARATE AND HOLY NATION THAT WOULD TEACH THE WORLD ABOUT GOD, INTRODUCE THE MESSIAH, AND THEN CARRY ON HIS WORK IN THE WORLD. AFTER THE DAYS OF SOLOMON, THE NATION GAVE UP ITS MISSION TO TELL THE WORLD ABOUT GOD, AND NOW IN APOSTOLIC TIMES, IT ALSO REJECTED THE MESSIAH. ACTS 7:8 CIRCUMCISION WAS A SIGN OF THE PROMISE MADE BETWEEN GOD, ABRAHAM AND THE ENTIRE NATION OF ISRAEL (GEN. 17:9-13). STEPHEN’S SPEECH WAS A SUMMARY OF ISRAEL’S HISTORY, THUS A SUMMARY OF HOW THIS COVENANT FARED OVER TIME. STEPHEN POINTED OUT THAT GOD ALWAYS KEPT HIS SIDE OF THE PROMISE, BUT ISRAEL FAILED AGAIN AND AGAIN TO UPHOLD ITS END. ALTHOUGH THE NEWS IN STEPHEN’S DAY STILL ADHERED TO THE CEREMONY OF CIRCUMCISION, THEY NEGLECTED TO OBEY. THE PEOPLE’S HEARTS WERE FAR FROM GOD, AND SO THEY HAD GONE BACK ON THEIR SIDE OF THE PROMISE.

ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED; ROMANS 11:26-29

GOD’S CALLING AND GIFTS ARE IRREVOCABLE

THE CHANGELESS PROMISE OF THE COVENANT;

GAL. 3:15-18

GOD KEPT HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM (GEN. 17:7,8) – HE HAS NOT REVOKED IT, THOUGH THOUSANDS OF YEARS HAVE PASSED. HE SAVED ABRAHAM THROUGH HIS FAITH AND HE HAS BLESSED THE WORLD THROUGH ABRAHAM BY SENDING THE MESSIAH AS ONE OF HIS DESCENDANTS. CIRCUMSTANCES MAY CHANGE, BUT GOD REMAINS CONSTANT AND DOES NOT BREAK HIS PROMISES. HE HAS PROMISED TO FORGIVE OUR

SINS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, AND WE CAN BE SURE HE WILL DO SO. ISRAEL’S REJECTION OF JESUS CHRIST; ROMANS 9:1-6 GOD’S PROMISES WERE MADE TO ABRAHAM. COVENANT PEOPLE, THE TRUE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM, ARE NOT JUST HIS BIOLOGICAL DESCENDANTS. THEY ARE ALL THOSE WHO TRUST IN GOD AND IN WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS DONE FOR THEM (GAL. 3:7)

THE TWO COVENANTS; GAL. 4:21 – 31

PEOPLE ARE SAVED BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST, NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DO. PAUL CONTRASTS THOSE WHO ARE ENSLAVED TO THE LAW (REPRESENTED BY HAGAR, THE SLAVE WOMAN) WITH THOSE WHO ARE FREE FROM THE LAW (REPRESENTED BY SARAH, THE FREE WOMAN). HAGAR’S ABUSE OF SARAH (GEN. 16:4) WAS LIKE THE PERSECUTION GENTILE CHRISTIANS WERE GETTING FROM THE JUDAIZERS, WHO INSISTED ON KEEPING THE LAW IN ORDER TO BE SAVED. EVENTUALLY SARAH TRIUMPHED BECAUSE HER SON WAS PROMISED BY GOD, JUST AS THOSE WHO WORSHIP CHRIST IN FAITH WILL ALSO TRIUMPH.

BROUGHT NEAR BY HIS BLOOD; EPH. 2:11-13

JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE COULD BE GUILTY OF SPIRITUAL PRIDE – JEWS FOR THINKING THEIR CEREMONIES ELEVATED THEM ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE. GENTILES FOR FORGETTING THE HOPELESSNESS OF THEIR CONDITION APART FROM CHRIST. SPIRITUAL PRIDE BLINDS US TO OUR OWN FAULTS AND MAGNIFIES THE FAULTS OF OTHERS. BE CAREFUL NOT TO BECOME PROUD OF YOUR SALVATION. INSTEAD, HUMBLY THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING IN THEIR FAITH.

THE NEW COVENANT – HEBREWS 8:6-13 8:7-12

THIS PASSAGE QUOTES JEREMIAH 31:31-34 AND COMPARES THE NEW AGREEMENT WITH THE OLD. THE OLD AGREEMENT WAS THE COVENANT O FLAW BETWEEN GOD AND ISRAEL. THE NEW AND BETTER WAY IS THE COVENANT OFGRACE – CHRIST’S OFFER TO FORGIVE OUR SINS AND BRING US

TO GOD THROUGH HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH. THIS AGREEMENT IS NEW IN EXTENT – IT GOES BEYOND ISRAEL AND JUDAH TO ALL THE GENTILE NATIONS. IT IS NEW IN APPLICATION, SINCE IT IS WRITTEN IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS. IT OFFERS A NEW WAY TO FORGIVENESS, NOT THROUGH ANIMAL SACRIFICE BUT THROUGH FAITH. HAVE YOU ENTERED INTO THIS NEW AGREEMENT AND BEGUN WALKING IN THE BETTER WAY?

8:10,11 UNDER GOD’S NEW AGREEMENT, GOD’S LAW IS INSIDE US. THE HOLY SPIRIT REMINDS US OF CHRIST’S WORDS, QUICKENS OUR CONSCIENCES, INFLUENCES OUR MOTIVES AND DESIRES, AND MAKES US WANT TO OBEY. THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY  HEBREWS 9:1-4 THE “SACRED TEXT” REFERS TO THE TABERNACLE THAT GOD INSTRUCTED MOSES TO SET UP; EX. 36 – 40 CHRIST’S DEATH PERFECTS THE SANCTIFIED HEB. 10:11-18 10:11,12 IT WAS CUSTOMARY FOR THE PRIESTS TO STAND WHILE OFFERING SACRIFICES. CHRIST’S ACT OF SITTING DOWN AT GOD’S RIGHT HAND SYMBOLIZES THE END OF THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM.

10:12 THE JEWISH READERS OF THIS BOOK WERE IN DANGER OF RETURNING TO THE OLD JEWISH SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD BE SAYING THAT CHRIST’S SACRIFICE WASN’T ENOUGH TO FORGIVE THEIR SINS. BUT ADDING ANYTHING TO HIS SACRIFICE OR TAKING ANYTHING FROM IT DENIES ITS VALIDITY. ANY SYSTEM TO WIN GOD’S APPROVAL THROUGH GOOD WORKS IS ESSENTIALLY REJECTING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST’S DEATH AND SPURNING THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK. BEWARE OF ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU THAT CHRIST’S SACRIFICE WAS INCOMPLETE OR THAT SOMETHING ELSE IS NEEDED TO MAKE YOU ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, BECAUSE THIS CAN LEAD YOU AWAY FROM RIGHT FAITH AND RIGHT LIVING. 10:14 WE HAVE BEEN MADE PERFECT (COMPLETE IN CHRIST) BUT WE ARE BEING MADE HOLY. THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION, CHRIST ONCE FOR ALL MADE HIS BELIEVERS PERFECT IN GOD’S SIGHT. AT THE SAME TIME, HE IS MAKING THEM HOLY IN THEIR DAILY PILGRIMAGE HERE. WE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED, ASHAMED, OR SHOCKED THAT WE STILL NEED PERFECTION. GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH US. WE CAN ENCOURAGE THIS GROWTH PROCESS BY OBEYING CHRIST, BY APPROPRIATING THE VALUES OF SCRIPTURE IN ALL AREAS OF OUR LIVES AND BY ACCEPTING THE FORGIVENESS CHRIST PROVIDES.

10:17 THE WRITER CONCLUDES HIS ARGUMENT WITH THIS POWERFUL STATEMENT THAT GOD WILL NEVER REMEMBER OUR SINS. IF, IN CHRIST, FORGIVENESS IS COMPLETE, THERE IS NO NEED TO CONTINUE THE FORMER SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM. AS BELIEVERS, WE CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT OUR SINS – PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE – HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT

HEBREWS 12:24

WHAT IS A MEDIATOR? “MESITES”, A GO-BETWEEN(FROM MESOS, MIDDLE, TO GO) IS USED IN TWO WAYS IN THE N.T.,

A) ONE WHO MEDIATES BETWEEN TWO PARTIES WITH A VIEW TO PRODUCING PEACE, AS IN I TIM. 2:5, THOUGH MORE THAN MEDIATORSHIP IS IN VIEW, FOR THE SALVATION OF MEN NECESSITATED THAT THE MEDIATOR SHOULD HIMSELF POSSESS THE NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES OF HIM TOWARDS WHOM HE ACTS, AND SHOULD LIKEWISE PARTICIPATE IN THE NATURE OF THOSE FOR WHOM HE ACTS (SIN APART); ONLY BY BEING POSSESSED BOTH OF DEITY AND HUMANITY COULD HE COMPREHEND THE CLAIMS OF THE ONE AND THE NEEDS OF THE OTHER; FURTHER, THE CLAIMS AND THE NEEDS COULD BE MET ONLY BY ONE WHO, HIMSELF BEING PROVED SINLESS, WOULD OFFER HIMSELF AN EXPIATORY SACRIFICE ON BEHALF OF MEN;

B) ONE WHO ACTS AS A GUARANTEE SO AS TO SECURE SOMETHING WHICH OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE OBTAINED. THUS IN HEB. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24 CHRIST IS THE SURETY OF “THE BETTER COVENANT”, “THE NEW COVENANT”, GUARANTEEING ITS TERMS FOR HIS PEOPLE. IN GAL. 3:19 MOSES IS SPOKEN OF AS A MEDIATOR AND THE STATEMENT IS MADE THAT “A MEDIATOR IS NOT A MEDIATOR OF ONE” (V. 20) THAT IS, OF ONE PARTY. HERE THE CONTRAST IS BETWEEN THE PROMISE GIVEN TO ABRAHAM AND THE GIVING OF THE LAW. THE LAW WAS A COVENANT ENACTED BETWEEN GOD AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE, REQUIRING FULFILLMENT BY BOTH PARTIES. BUT WITH THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM, ALL THE OBLIGATIONS WERE ASSUMED BY GOD, WHICH IS IMPLIED IN THE STATEMENT, “BUT GOD IS ONE” JOB. 9:33

WHY IS ABEL MENTIONED?

ABEL WAS THE FIRST HUMAN WHOSE BLOOD WAS SPILLED

GEN. 4:10,11

BENEDICTION: FINAL EXHORTATION HEB. 13:20-25 13:18,19 THE WRITER RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR PRAYER.

CHRISTIAN LEADERS ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO CRITICISM FROM OTHERS, PRIDE IF THEY SUCCEED, DEPRESSION IF THEY FAIL AND SATAN’S CONSTANT EFFORT TO NULLIFY THEIR WORK FOR GOD. THEY DESPERATELY NEED OUR PRAYERS! FOR WHOM SHOULD YOU REGULARLY PRAY?

13:20,21 THESE VERSE INCLUDE TWO SIGNIFICANT RESULTS OF CHRIST’S ACTION IN OUR LIVES. THE WRITER PRAYED THAT GOD WOULD 1) WORK IN THE CHRISTIANS TO PRODUCE THE KIND OF PERSONS THAT WOULD PLEASE HIM, AND 2) EQUIP THE CHRISTIANS TO DO THE KIND OF WORK THAT WOULD PLEASE HIM. LET GOD CHANGE YOU, THEN USE YOU. 13:23 WE HAVE NO RECORD OF TIMOTHY’S IMPRISONMENT BUT WE LEARN HERE THAT HE HAD BEEN RELEASED. FOR MORE ABOUT TIMOTHY, SEE HIS ‘PROFILE’ IN I TIMOTHY.

13:24, 25 HEBREWS IS A CALL TO CHRISTIAN MATURITY. IT AS ADDRESSED TO FIRST-CENTURY JEWISH CHRISTIANS BUT IT APPLIES TO CHRISTIANS OF ANY AGE OR BACKGROUND. CHRISTIAN MATURITY MEANS MAKING CHRIST THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF OUR FAITH. TO MATURE, WE MUST CENTER OUR LIVES ON HIM NOT DEPENDING ON RELIGIOUS RITUAL NOT FALLING BACK INTO SIN, NOT TRUSTING OURSELVES, AND NOT LETTING ANYTHING COME BETWEEN US AND CHRIST. ALL THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD COVENANT OF OUR PRECIOUS SAVIOUR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST

THE WORD ‘BLOOD’ MENTIONED 130 OR MORE TIMES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND ABOUT 100 TIMES IN THE NEW O.T. HEBREW, WORD ‘BLOOD’; SYMBOLIZES ‘LIFE’

PRIMARY TEACHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IS ITS ROLE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN. THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL PLACED BLOOD ON THE DOOR POSTS. HEBREWS 9:16-22 SAYS IT ALL; IPETER 1:2

WE ARE MADE HOLY BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. IN THE PAST WE HEARD DEAR OLD SAINTS PRAYING ‘THE BLOOD OF CHRIST’ OVER PEOPLE – CERTAINLY WORTH DISCUSSION AND STUDY THE BASIS OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND EACH OTHER IS BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST; I JOHN 1:5-10

COMMUNION WITH THE BODY – I COR. 10:14-18

SOME INTERESTING WORDS THAT ALL HAVE THE SAME GREEK MEANING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “KOINENIA” OR “SHARING IN COMMON”

1. FELLOWSHIP

2. COMMUNION

3. PARTAKE

4. COMMUNITY

5. DISTRIBUTION

6. PARTNER

7. COMPANION

ALL HAPPENS WITHIN THE CHURCH BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.

WE ARE ALL ONE AND YET THERE IS DIVERSITY AND WE ARE HIS BODY (CHURCH). I COR. 12:12-31

AMEN AND AMEN… ALL BECAUSE OF HIS COVENANT.

THE ESSENCE OF THE NEW COVENANT IS GRACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT GREEK, ‘CHARIS’ = THE DIVINE INFLUENCE UPON THE HEART AND ITS REFLECTION IN LIFE…BENEFIT, FAVOUR, GIFT, JOY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT = FAVOR, PLEASANT FIRST TIME USED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT – GENESIS 6:8, “NOAH FOUND GRACE…” DEF. FOUND TO ATTAIN, TO FIND OR ACQUIRE, TO TAKE HOLD OF. MOSES FOUND GRACE. EX. 33:12 THE WORD ‘GRACE’ IS USED 37 TIMES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

MOST OF THE TIME IT IS USED FOR MAN FINDING GRACE OR FAVOUR WITH MAN:

• STORY OF ESAU AND JACOB GEN. 33:8,10,15
• STORY OF JOSEPH GEN. 47:25-29
• STORY OF RUTH AND BOAZ RUTH 2:2, 10
• STORY OF DAVID AND JONATHAN I SAM. 20:3 OTHER THAN WITH NOAH, THE ONLY PLACES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WHERE GOD IS INVOLVED WITH GRACE IS IN:
• PSALM 84:11
• PROVERBS 3:34 “TO THE HUMBLE”
• JEREMIAH 31:2 ISRAEL – WILDERNESS
• ZECHARIAH 12:10 – IN A PROPHETIC SENSE N THE NEW TESTAMENT, GRACE IS MENTIONED 130 TIMES. FIRST TIME IN LUKE 2:39-40 REFERRING TO CHRIST AS A CHILD. “GRACE” IS USED 3 TIMES IN JOHN … CHAP. 1,14,16,17. REFERRING TO THE WORD BECOMING FLESH. “GRACE” IN CHRIST JESUS IS MENTIONED 126 TIMES IN CHURCH

AGE:

• FIRST TIME MENTIONED AFTER CHRIST’S ASCENSION, ACTS 4:33
• CONTEXT OF THE EARLY CHURCH
• POWER ‘DUNAMIS’ AND GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM
• THE REMAINING 126 TIMES ARE ALWAYS MENTIONED IN THE CONTEXT OF A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF A LOVING COVENANT GOD.

“TO BE IN FAVOUR WITH IS TO FIND GRACE WITH, EG. ACTS 2:47; HENCE IT APPEARS IN THIS SENSE AT THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF SEVERAL EPISTLES, WHERE THE WRITER DESIRES GRACE FROM GOD FOR THE READERS, ROM. 1:7; I COR. 1:3; IN THIS RESPECT IT IS CONNECTED WITH THE IMPERATIVE MOOD OF THE WORD ‘CHAIRO’ TO REJOICE, A MODE OF GREETING AMONG GREEKS, EG. ACTS 15:23; JAS. 1:1; II JOHN 10, 11,

‘GREETING’ = “GOD SPEED”.

THE FACT THAT GRACE IS RECEIVED BOTH FROM GOD THE FATHER, II COR. 1:12, AND FROM CHRIST, GAL. 1:6; ROM. 5:15 (WHERE BOTH ARE MENTIONED), IS A TESTIMONY TO THE DEITY OF CHRIST. SEE ALSO II THESS. 1:12 WHERE THE PHRASE “ACCORDING TO THE GRACE OF OUR GOD AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST” IS TO BE TAKEN WITH EACH OF THE PRECEDING CLAUSES, “IN YOU” “AND YET IN HIM”. ~ ~ VINE

THERE ARE ONLY FOUR BOOKS IN THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT THAT DO NOT REFER TO THE GRACE OF GOD: MATTHEW, MARK, I JOHN AND III JOHN GRACE, LIKE PEACE AND FAITH ARE A GIFT FROM GOD AND CANNOT BE EARNED OR PURCHASED.

I COR. 1:3,4; ROMANS 12:3; I TIM. 1:2

JESUS SAID, “MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU” JOHN 14:27 IN JAMES 4:6, “BUT HE GIVETH MORE GRACE” (GREEK = A GREATER GRACE), THE STATEMENT IS TO BE TAKEN IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRECEDING VERSE, WHICH CONTAINS TWO REMONSTRATING, RHETORICAL QUESTIONS:

"THINK YE THAT THE SCRIPTURE SPEAKETH IN VAIN?” AND “DOTH THE SPIRIT (THE HOLY SPIRIT) WHICH HE MADE TO DWELL IN US LONG UNTO ENVYING?”

THE IMPLIED ANSWER TO EACH IS ‘IT CANNOT BE SO”. ACCORDINGLY, IF THOSE WHO ARE ACTING SO FLAGRANTLY, AS IF IT WER SO, WILL LISTEN TO THE SCRIPTURE INSTEAD OF LETTING IT SPEAK IN VAIN, AND WILL ACT SO THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT MAY HAVE HIS WAY WITHIN, GOD WILL GIVE EVEN ‘A GREATER GRACE’.”

~ ~ VINE

I COR. 12:9 “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU”; POWER ‘DUNAMIS’ OF CHRIST MAY REST ON US. IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE WORD ‘GRACE’ ONLY APPEARS IN REVELATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK. REV. 1:4 AND THEN AGAIN IN THE VERY LAST VERSE, REV. 22:25.

QUESTION: COULD THIS BE AN INDICATION THAT THE CHURCH

DOES NOT GO THROUGH THE TRIBULATION?

THE GRACE OF GOD IS PAID FOR BY JESUS CHRIST AND IS A:

1. GIFT ROMANS 12:3

2. IS SUFFICIENT TO MEET ALL OUR NEEDS

3. GIVES US THE ABILITY TO HELP MEET THE NEEDS OF OTHERS ACTS 4:33

4. IT IS THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WE ARE SAVED ACTS 15:11

5. WE HAVE RECEIVED GRACE FOR OBEDIENCE OT THE FAITH ROMANS 1:5

6. WE ARE JUSTIFIED FREELY AND WITHOUT ANY COST BY HIS GRACE ROMANS 3:24

7. DEATH IN ADAM; LIFE IN CHRIST – ‘GRACE’ MENTIONED FOUR TIMES IN ROMANS 5:15-21

8. GRACE IS GRACE ROM. 11:5,6 ISRAEL’S REJECTION NOT TOTAL

9. BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE ARE WHO WE ARE I COR. 15:10

10. GRACE CAUSES US TO BE THANKFUL II COR. 4:15

11. GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND, IN THE CONTEXT OF FINANCIAL GIVING II COR. 9:8,14

12. RIGHTEOUSNESS COMES THROUGH CHRIST, NOT THE LAW GAL. 2:21

13. PAUL OPENS EPHESIANS WITH ANOTHER STATEMENT COMBINING GRACE AND PEACE EPHESIANS 1:2,6,7

14. EVERY BELIEVER HAS RECEIVED SPIRITUAL GIFTS THROUGH GOD’S GRACE EPH. 4:7, 29

15. WE ARE ALL PARTAKERS (KOINENIA) OF GOD’S GRACE PHIL. 1:7

16. WE ARE TO SING AND HAVE OUR SPEECH IN THE GRACE OF OUR LORD COL. 3:16,17; 4:6

17. THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE GLORIFIED IN US ACCORDING TO GRACE.

18. GRACE, MERCY, PEACE – AGAIN GIFTS FROM CHRIST I TIM. 1:2; II JOHN 3; TITUS 1:4; PHIL. 3

19. GRACE, FAITH, LOVE ARE FROM JESUS CHRIST I TIM. 1:14

20. WE ARE TOLD TO COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE HEB. 4:16

21. HE GIVES MORE GRACE TO THE HUMBLE JAMES 4:16; I PETER 5:5

22. A WORD TO HUSBANDS… MEN, THIS IS A HUGE VERSE OF INSTRUCTION I PETER 3:7

23. GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED TO YOU IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND JESUS OUR LORD II PETER 1:2

CONCLUSION:

WHY IS GOD A COVENANT GOD?

1. GOD IN HIS WISDOM CREATED US WITH THE POWER OF CHOICE. GENESIS 3

THE GARDEN OF EDEN WAS HEAVEN ON EARTH. WE WERE SINLESS AND THERE WAS ABUNDANCE.

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE TEMPTED BY SATAN, WHO HIMSELF WAS EXPELLED FROM HEAVEN FOR THE SAME REASON HE TEMPTED EVE…. HE WANTED TO BE LIKE GOD. EZK. 28:11-19; ISA. 14:12-15

3. GOD IS A GOD OF EMOTIONS. GOD SAW THE SIN OF MAN AND DID NOT WANT HIS SPIRIT TO ABIDE WITH MA FOREVER GEN. 6:3

GOD WAS SORRY THAT HE HAD CREATED MAN AND WANTED TO DESTROY HIS CREATION. GEN. 6:5-7 BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE REPENTANCE, OBEDIENCE AND FAITH OF ONE MAN, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE…NOAH. GEN 6 – 8

GOD KNEW THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A COVENANT WITH MAN NEVER TO DESTROY THE WHOLE EARTH AGAIN WITH A FLOOD GEN. 6:18

IT IS A GOOD THING HE DID BECAUSE HIS ANGER AGAINST SIN CAUSED HIM TO DESTROY SODOM AND GOMORRAH. GEN. 19

REASON FOR DEUT. 8:18-20

THE LORD KNEW THAT MONEY WOULD PROBABLY BE THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE IN OUR LIVES. THE WORD ‘CONTENTMENT’ IS USED SEVEN TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WITH SIX TIMES IN REFERENCE TO MONEY. DIVORCE IS IN THE 50-60% RANGE TODAY AND ACCORDING TO BARNA, THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR DIVORCE IS AROUND 70% BEING MONEY AND FOR THOSE WHO REMAIN MARRIED, MONEY IS BY FAR THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE.

 EXCERPT FROM LEE GRADY, EDITOR OF CHARISMA MAGAZINE

“GOD IS SHAKING US”

“THE NOTION THAT GOD BLESSES US SO WE CAN BE ABLESSING IS BIBLICAL, BUT WHAT IS NEEDED IS A SHIFT TO A MORE SELFLESS MOVEMENT WHERE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT GOD WANTS TO BLESS US SO THAT WE CAN FEED THE POOR, CARE FOR THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS AND PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND TRANSFORM SOCIETY!”

PROV. 19:17 JAMES 1:26,27

THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL

I TIM. 6:10

THE FIRST ORIGINAL SIN MUST HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE QUEST FOR RICHES. “THE LOVE OF MONEY IS SIMPLY THE LUST FOR MATERIAL

POSSESSIONS, WHICH MONEY IS USED TO OBTAIN. IT LIVES AND BREEDS IN THE BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, CHURCHES AND PERSONAL ARENA AND HAS BEEN THE ROOT SOURCE OF EVIL FROM THE FIRST TIME THAT UNRIGHTEOUSNESS WAS FOUND AMONG THE HEAVENLY HOST.” NORM FRANZ

THE ACT OF PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION PROV. 16:18-20

SEVEN SINS ARE AN ABOMINATION TO GOD – PRIDE IS LISTED

FIRST PROV. 6:16-19

SIN WAS FIRST COMMITTED BY LUCIFER ISAIAH 14:12-21

LUCIFER’S ORIGINAL SIN… “THE PROPHET EZEKIEL EXPLAINS HOW LUCIFER’S ABUNDANCE OF TRADE CAUSED INIQUITY TO BE FOUND IN HIM, WHICH LED HIM TO COMMIT THE FIRST SIN” NORM FRANZ

YOU {LUCIFER} WERE IN EDEN EZ. 28:11-19

EZEKIEL GOES ON TO POINT OUT HOW LUCIFER’S LUST FORFINANCIAL ABUNDANCE COMBINED WITH HIS PHYSICAL BEAUTY PRODUCED A VANITY THAT CORRUPTED HIS GOD-GIVEN WISDOM.

“ABUNDANCE OF YOUR TRADING” V. 16; 18

TRADING = MERCHANDISE AND BUSINESS

TYRE WAS A PORT CITY NORTH OF CARMEL AND WAS A LEADING CENTER OF COMMERCE…

KING OF TYRE, V. 11; 12

EZEKIEL SPEAKS WITH COURAGE

A RICHES TO RAGS STORY (ISAIAH 14:3-23)

PROVERBS 16:18 REMINDS US THAT PRIDE COMES BEFORE A FALL AND THAT A HAUGHTY SPIRIT CAUSES ONE TO STUMBLE. WE SEE THE TRUTH IN ACTION IN ISAIAH 14. WHILE WE SEE THE IMMEDIATE FULFILLMENT OF THIS PASSAGE IN THE KING OF BABYLON, MANY SCHOLARS BELIEVETHE TEXT SPEAKS OF SATAN. NOTE THE ARROGANT WORDS IN VS. 12 – 17. WHAT A SOBERING PICTURE OF A LEADER WHO GOES ASTRAY! BOTH THE OPPRESSIVE KING AND SATAN HAD ONE COMMON CHARACTERISTIC: A LUST FOR PRIDE AND POWER. CONSIDER THE DEVIL’S FALL FROM HIS ORIGINAL PLACE IN HEAVEN, AS DESCRIBED IN ISAIAH 14, EZEKIEL 28 AND REVELATION 12 AND 20.

1. THE ONE CAST DOWN (TO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT)

(IS. 14:15; REV. 12:10; 20:3)

2. FULL OF WISDOM (EZEK. 28:12)

3. PERFECT IN BEAUTY (EZEK. 28:12)

4. SONG LEADER AND MUSICIAN OF HEAVEN

(EZEK. 28:13)

5. THE ANOINTED CHERUB (EZEK. 28:14)

6. ONE WHO COVERED THE THRONE (EZEK. 28:14,16)

7. GREAT DRAGON (REV. 12:9)

8. THE SERPENT (REV. 12:9; 20:2)

9. THE DEVIL; THE SPIRIT OF DECEPTION (REV. 12:9; 20:10)

10. ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN (REV. 20:10)

AGAIN, POWER OF CHOICE… SATAN TEMPTED ADAM AND EVE

– THE RESULT BEING THE FALL OF MAN

JUDE 9 – PERHAPS MICHAEL, THE ARCHANGEL (CHIEF) KNEW OF THE POWER OF SATAN; ARCHANGEL IS ONLY A NEW TESTAMENT WORD

I THESS. 4:16 CONTEXT IS THE LORD’S RETURN

EZEKIEL 28:14 – SATAN IS MENTIONED AS THE ANOINTED CHERUB; ANOINTED MEANING ‘UNCERTAIN EXPANSION’ THE TERM ‘ANOINTING OIL’ COMES FORM THIS HEBREW ROOT

WHAT THE BIBLE HAS TO SAY ABOUT MONEY

OR

GOD’S FINANCIAL PLAN

FACTS:

1. JESUS APPEARED 132 TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, 122 OF THOSE WERE IN THE MARKETPLACE

2. 16 OF 38 PARABLES THAT JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT DEAL WITH MONEY MANAGEMENT.

3. MORE IS SAID IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ABOUT MONEY THAN HEAVEN AND HELL COMBINED.

4. FIVE TIMES MORE IS SAID ABOUT MONEY THAN PRAYER AND FAITH COMBINED. (MONEY IS MENTIONED IN APPROXIMATELY 2000 VERSES; PRAYER AND FAITH FOUND IN ABOUT 500 VERSES)

5. JESUS CHRIST EQUATED THE ABILITY TO MANAGE FINANCIAL RESOURCES WITH THE ABILITY TO HANDLE SPIRITUAL RESOURCES (LUKE 16:10-13)

MONEY HAS THE POWER TO TAKE THE PLACE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES

MASTERING GOD’S MONEY:

KEY POINT: EITHER YOU MASTER MONEY OR MONEY WILL MASTER YOU

KEY POINT: MONEY IS NOT EVIL, BUT THE LOVE OF IT IS.

I TIM. 6:6-10; PROV. 10:22

BLESSINGS ON OBEDIENCE

DEUT. 28:1-14

THE KEY OT GOD’S BLESSING IS OBEDIENCE. WE ARE TO BE THE HEAD, NOT THE TAIL; V. 11-14

THE WAY TO PLEASE GOD IS THROUGH FAITH; HEB. 11:6

DO NOT PRAY FOR FAITH… ACT UPON WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU. ROM. 12:3

MEASURE = METRON = METRIC… A MEASURE OR PORTION

THINK ABOUT THIS….

GOD WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS, ROM. 2:4-6

THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES, WE DETECT A PATTERN WHENEVER NATIONS TURN AWAY FROM GOD. HE SENT THEM WARNING THROUGH PROPHETS. IF THE PEOPLE DID NOT RESPOND, GOD OFTEN SENT VIOLENT STORMS, DRASTIC WEALTH CHANGES, PLAGUES, ETC. IF THAT DID NOT WORK, ONE FINAL MESSAGE HE INUNDATED THEM WITH WAS PROSPERITY. IT WAS HIS LAST MERCY CALL. EXAMPLES: NOAH AND LOT LUKE 17:26-30 EZEKIEL 16:44-59 DESCRIBES WESTERN DEMOCRACIES TODAY JOSIAH WAS ONLY 18 YEARS OF AGE WHEN HE REALIZED THAT HIS NATION HAD GRIEVED GOD BY THEIR IDOLATRY II KINGS 22:11-17

KING JOSIAH TORE DOWN IDOLS AND PAGAN TEMPLES, DROVEOUT WITCHES, ENDED CHILD SACRIFICE, WIPED OUR HOMOSEXUALITY AND PROMISCUOUS SEX AND CALLED THE ENTIRE NATION BACK TO GOD. II KINGS 23 MAN’S REPENTANT HEART CAN CHANGE THE MIND OF GOD.

THINK ABOUT THIS… THE WORD ‘REPENTED’ (HEBREW DEF. ‘SORRY, REGRET, BE COMFORTED, TO PITY’) USED OF GOD

MORE THAN OF MAN IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. A CHANGE IN MAN’S CONDUCT COULD BRING ABOUT A CHANGE IN GOD’S JUDGMENT. GOD IS FREE OF SIN BUT HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER 1. GEN. 6:6,7 – REPENTED (SORRY) MERCY... 120 YEARS TO

REPENT; NOAH FOUND GRACE

2. EX. 32:13-16 GOD REMEMBERING ABRAHAM AS MOSES WAS GIVEN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS DURING A TIME OF REBELLION BY GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE

3. I SAM. 15:35 THE LORD REPENTED THAT HE HAD MADESAUL KING OVER ISRAEL

4. JOHN 3:10 GOD REPENTED OF HIS DECISION TO DESTROY NINEVEH GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND HE ALONE MAKES THE DECISION PROV. 22:27-28

QUESTION: CAN THE REPENTANCE OF HIS PEOPLE CHANGE THE TIME OF HIS RETURN?

ANSWER: I DO NOT KNOW, BUT I DO KNOW THIS THAT “HE ISNOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE”. II PETER 3:9

MAY WE BECOME AND LIVE AS GOD’S COVENANT PEOPLE.

HOW?

REPENTANCE ~~ OBEDIENCE~~ FAITH

GOD’S WORD IS GOD’S COVENANT. ALL OF US, JEWS AND CHRISTIANS ALIKE, DEPEND ON GOD’S PATIENCE AS WE STRIVE TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE COVENANT AND TO SEE THE WHOLE WORLD ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.