What is a Covenant
We find all throughout the scripture that God has always provided a way for mankind to be in relationship with him after the fall of man in the garden. He wants us to know him in a personal way just as he walked with Adam in the cool of the day. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that HE GAVE his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Ephesians 2:4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 60 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7) That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grave in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8) For by grace are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Why would God be so gracious to us? 1 John 4:8 tells us it is because "God is love." Now we have the ultimate blood sacrifice in the New Testament Covenant through Jesus Christ. Jesus lived as an example to us in that he said in John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Before he gave his own life and before he began his earthly ministry there was a man one crying in the wilderness making way for the him, John the Baptist, who cried out upon Jesus approaching him to be baptized said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Who was this man? 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. No one has looked upon God until he became flesh and dwelt among us as the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth, John 1:14.
There are several biblical covenants found throughout scripture that each lead us to the ultimate new covenant promises fulfilled through Jesus Christ (The Messiah).
1. The first covenant we find is in the beginning of Genesis with Adam & Eve in Genesis 1:27-28; 2:15-17. God created Adam in His Image and instructed him to keep the garden, to be fruitful and multiply, and to not eat from one tree, the tree of knowledge of good & evil, but even when they disobeyed God, He made a blood sacrifice of a lamb to clothe them as their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked and attempted to clothe themselves. If they had obeyed the word of the Lord they would have enjoyed the blessings of God in the Garden of Eden. The lesson we should learn from them is to live God's way and not desire knowledge of good and evil. He did not tell Adam & Eve not to eat of the tree of life, but after their sin was kicked out of their land so they wouldn't eat from the tree of life. Thankfully this was just the beginning of the story and not the ending of doom and rejection. Throughout scriptures God would use covenants to bind this broken relationship with mankind.
2. Cain & Abel Genesis 4:2-7 With each covenant one thing is common a blood sacrifice is made. Cain and Abel brought their own sacrifice unto the Lord. One was pleasing unto the Lord as it was properly done, but the other was from pride and the earthy man that was not pleasing unto the Lord. I do have study on Cain & Abel called, " Flesh vs. Spirit Part II Lesson: Instead of getting upset when we don't get something right in the sight of God we need to learn how to do it God's way properly.
3. Noah & The Great Flood in Genesis 6:5-8; 13-18 is a promise to preserve man and God's creation despite the evil of men during that time. From the time that Cain killed his brother Abel evil became more rapid and sin enveloped the whole world which is the cause of God purged the wickedness upon the earth with a great flood. God desires a relationship with us and always provides a way to protect those who hunger and thirst after him. God found Noah to be a righteous man and made a way to save Noah and his family along with the animals.
4. Abraham's Covenant found in Genesis 12:1-5. God purged this world with a flood due to man's wickedness but Noah found redemption in the sight of God. However, evil continued to reign over the heart of earthy men through Genesis 9-11 to the point that man tried to build a tower to the heavens so that they would be able to withstand a flood if God sent down rain again. Due to the evilness in the heart of these men God scattered them to different nations and different tongues. During this time God enters into a covenant with Abraham. He instructed Abram to leave his homeland and to follow the lead of God where ever he takes him and in doing so God promises Abraham a huge family that inherits a promised land in Canaan. Genesis 15 God speaks to Abram's fears and doubts with a promise. 1) The word of the Lord comes to Abram in a vision. 2) (vs 2-3) Abram honestly expresses his doubts. 3) (4-5) God speaks to Abram's doubts with a promise. 4) (6) Without faith it is impossible to please God, but you want to move God show your faith in Him. Abram's response of faith to God's promise. Now we get to the covenant between God and Abram in verse 9-11 but we read in verse 12 that a deep sleep fell upon Abram. In verse 17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces 18) In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto they seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates. This representing that the Lord himself passed through the animal parts by Himself, God alone signed this divine covenant. We can learn to be willing to walk in the path that God has set out for us and trust in him as God has prepared real promises for us beyond our wildest dreams.
5. Moses & the Law in Exodus 19:3-8; 20:1-7. It is from Abrahams grandson named Jacob that God renames Israel. This is the name of God's chosen people who are set apart from the men of this evil world. However, they would turn their eyes away from God but God had an everlasting covenant with Abraham that he would remember and would make provision to help get them back on that right path. Moses should have been drowned as a baby in the Nile River, but God's hand was upon him as he would later need a leader for his chosen people who found themselves in slavery in the land of Egypt. Moses grew up in the Pharaoh's house but later became a shepherd until the time God called him to led his chosen people out of bondage and to make them a nation set apart and to lead them into the promise land. This was a conditional covenant of grace that Israel was to obey all the laws given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. God had specific ways that Moses taught for how they were to approach God in worship. We learn from Moses and the Tabernacle on how we are suppose to come to God. There is a price to pay for our sins through the law and to come to God we cannot do it our own way but God's way.
Up to this point we see how by one mans disobedience, sin entered into the world and mankind continued their earthy ways that allowed evil to continue to spread which is the reasoning behind the Law that was given to Moses by God to help lead his people in the correct path. Romans 5:20 states, "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. We are now to the New Covenant that all these other covenants led up to that started over 2,000 years ago with the ultimate blood sacrifice.
6. The New Testament Covenant was set forth from the foundation of the world 1 Peter 1:19-20. Jesus came into the world to reconcile the relationship between God and man. He did not come to do away with the law but to fulfill the law of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:7). Everything Jesus came to this earth to do was prophesied throughout the Old Testament with over 300 plus prophecies through God's prophets like Daniel, Isaiah, Joel and Jeremiah and many others which is amazing as they were from different regions and different time periods. We can trust the Word of God as in 2 Timothy 3:15 states And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in the Christ Jesus. 16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: The New Testament is made up of 27 books. The first four are known as the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The first 3 are the called the synoptics as they are very similar in their accounts of Jesus's life, death/burial, and resurrection. John deals primarily on the deity of Jesus. Jesus came to reconcile God and man back to the pre-sin state. Nicodemus had questions and came to Jesus by night in John chapter 3. Jesus let him know that we must be born again to see or enter into the kingdom of God. Here he is giving Nicodemus the plan of salvation that is to come. His kingdom is not of this world it is a spiritual world and we must be born of the water and of the Spirit. However, this new covenant did not start here as it wasn't until after Jesus ascension into heaven in the book of Acts. He told his disciples in the gospel that he must go so that he could send the comforter back where he said and I will come to you and be in you. This is the birth of the new church and the action of the Apostles to carry on the ministry of Jesus. I have a study on the "Birth of the Church Age." This is where we will find the plan of salvation takes place that Jesus told his disciples and Nicodemus. After the first five books the remaining 22 books are written for the new believers who have given their life to Christ. 13 being written by the Apostle Paul the last person appointed by Jesus to be fishers of men. His focus was to the Gentiles who was also receiving the new birth experience of the Holy Ghost and Fire that was being poured out in Acts 2.
When all is said and done in our lives God has done everything possible to have a relationship with you. He paid the ultimate sacrifice and became the Lamb that was Slain for our sins. He was a perfect and willing sacrifice and laid down his life so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. He also has called us to continue his work in spreading the gospel which means "good news" to others.
Thanks for reading. God Bless!
The next study is: The Beginning: The Age of Innocence The Beginning: The Age of Innocence (sylviasjournalandthouhts.blogspot.com)
Comments
Post a Comment