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BACKGROUND
DEFINITION OF TERMS (For Serious Students)
COVENANT
LAW
LAW
I. In the Old Testament
II. In the New Testament
GRACE
GRACE, MEANS OF
KINGDOM OF GOD
KINGDOM OF GOD, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
I. In John the Baptist
II. In the teaching of Jesus
III. Kingdom and church
IV. In the rest of the New Testament
V. In theological thought
The
full background to this teaching is available online at this link
<b>DEFINITION OF TERMS</b> (For Serious Students)
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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| COVENENTAL PROMISES:
FORETELLING THE FUTURE |
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___________THE THREE KINGDOM AGES__________
THEME______PATRIARCHS__PROPHETS___PEOPLE___
_______________Creation_____c.1500BC______c.5BC___
_______________c.1800BC_____c.432BC___Jesus Return
SOCIETY_______Nomadic_____Agrarian___Developmental
REACHING_______Family_______Nation________World
SALVATION___Righteousness____Law_________Grace
PRIESTHOOD__Melchizedek_____Aaron________Jesus
SUCCESS BY_Reproduction____Prosperity____Sacrifice
SACRIFICE______Isaac________Animals________Jesus
PROMISE__Edenic Cvt.__Abrahamic Cvt._New Covenant
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| WHAT IS A COVENANT? |
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 A covenant is a binding agreement given by God to man. When broken by man, God, in His grace, has chosen to replace them with others reflecting the new situation. All the covenants point towards the eventual coming of Jesus as the final perfect sacrifice on our behalf.
The nearest comparison we have in the world is a contract. A contract is similar in form, but different in terms of negotiation. The parties involved agree upon a contract, while God stipulates the terms of a covenant.
However, both are made up of 3 parts:
1. THE PROMISE of the covenant is equivalent to the stated PURPOSE of a contract.
2. THE SACRIFICE of the covenant relates to the CONSIDERATION/COST of a contract.
3. THE SEAL of the covenant is similar to the SIGNATURE on a contract. While both parties sign a contract, signaling negotiation and agreement, a covenant is nonnegotiable, therefore requiring only God's seal. Obviously God doesn't take out a pen and write His signature on a parchment! However, there is always a physical sign that He provides as the seal, to remind His people of the covenantal guarantees He has given.
When we are buying or selling a house, we make a contract agreeing to buy/sell the property (purpose) for a specific price (consideration). Then both parties sign the document (signature) to make it legally binding.
If it were a 'house sale covenant', God would offer a specific 'God House' to us, He would set the price and apply His signature to confirm the covenant. God makes the price affordable to all, so cost is not a barrier. However we don't have to take Him up on the 'deal'. We have the choice, called free will, not too. But in spite of many trying, we cannot renegotiate the deal! A covenant is final and nonnegotiable until God chooses to change the terms by replacing it with another.
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| SEVEN MAJOR COVENANTS |
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 There are seven major covenants in the Bible, each of which points towards the future. In summary these are.
1ST KINGDOM AGE
1. EDENIC: (Genesis 1-2) dealing with man before sin. (fruit eating)
2. ADAMIC: (Genesis 3) man after sin. (plant eating)
3. NOAHIC: (Genesis 9) new race through Noah. (meat eating)
4. ABRAHAMIC: (Genesis 17) c.2000BC, birth of a holy nation.
2ND KINGDOM AGE
5. MOSAIC: (Exodus 3) c.1500BC, giving of the Law.
6. DAVIDIC: (2 Samuel 7) c.1000BC, eternal throne and dominion
7. NEW: PROPHETIC: (Jeremiah 31:31-4) c.600BC, Jesus to come.
3RD KINGDOM AGE
7. NEW: FULFILLED: (Various New Testament) in Jesus.
It is not the purpose of this study to look at the Covenants in detail, but merely to outline them so we can obtain a better understanding of the 3 primary kingdom age promises of God. The specific promises upon which the next kingdom age would be built.
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| PROMISE FOR THE 1ST KINGDOM AGE |
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 Obviously, limited by time as we are, it is not possible to begin before the beginning - or is it? Another study here! So the promise for the first kingdom age is found in the very first, Edenic Covenant.
The promise was one of perfect creation and life, in which humans were to become like God through obedience and testing.
God created us in His image.
Genesis 1:26-7
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 We all know how Adam and Eve failed the test.
Genesis 3:6
And so God made a new (Adamic) covenant, for sinful people could no longer meet the conditions of the first, Edenic one.
The principle though, of the people of the first kingdom age being proven through trial and testing, still applied. Let's have a look at a few.
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NOAH
Noah lived during a time when the behavior of the people had declined to such an extent that God decided to do something about it.
Genesis 6:5-7
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 But Noah had proved himself to be the exception to the rule.
Genesis 6:8-9
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ABRAHAM AND ISAAC
God tested Abraham, and by implication Isaac, for there was no way physically, his father could have forced him to become the sacrifice.
Genesis 22:1-2
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JACOB
As the accurate meaning of his name 'supplanter' suggests, he displayed characteristics of deception and cunning, particularly in his dealings with Esau. However, the lengths he went to claim the godly inheritance at his brother's expense, indicates he did have a heart for God.
This was proven some time later when his commitment was tested in a wrestling match! Not the sort of testing we would normally expect! A little like WWF? Maybe not!
Genesis 32:24-7
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 And his display of tenacity was rewarded, as he had proved himself before God.
Genesis 32:28
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 JOSEPH
Joseph experienced a greatest reward during his lifetime than Abraham, in finally becoming the 'Prime Minister' of Egypt. Abraham's reward was longer term. So Joseph faced great testing.
After having been sold by his brothers, things looked up and he became pivotal in running his master, Potiphar's house. The time for his test had come!
Genesis 39:11-12
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Taking the revenge of a woman spurned, Joseph ended up in prison.
Genesis 39:20a
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The Lord looked after him there, as a reward for his righteousness.
Genesis 39:20b-23
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But he had ongoing trials as well. At one time it looked like he might get out after interpreting some other's dreams. But it was not to be.
Genesis 40:23
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 A further 2 years of waiting passed before Joseph was asked to interpret the Pharaoh's dream. This time he had his key to freedom.
Genesis 41:39-41
Yes, the godliness of the Patriarchs was surely proven through severe trials and testings!
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| PROMISE FOR THE 2ND KINGDOM AGE |
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The promises for each of the 2nd and 3rd kingdom ages are given in the final covenant initiated during the previous age. For God plans everything in advance. Nothing is by chance in God. So the Edenic, Adamic and Noahic Covenants were all fulfilled during patriarchal times, while the promise for the second age was given in the final patriarchal, Abrahamic Covenant.
Genesis 17:1-8
This covenant has lots of implications, but we will keep it simple here, considering only those relating to these times. Let's have a look at the 3 parts of the Abrahamic Covenant.
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 THE PROMISE
1. The physical land of Canaan.
Known as the Promised Land (from this covenant's promise) this was the region that became Israel under the leadership of Joshua, King David and the others.
Genesis 17:8
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 2. Father of the Jewish Nation.
For a wandering nomad this was quite a promise! He was used to living in a small family group that split up once it got too big for the land to support their livestock. A nation would have been a strange concept to him.
Genesis 17:4
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 THE SACRIFICE
We need to move on to the journey with Isaac to see the sacrifice for this covenant.
Genesis 22:9-13
Isaac, the seed of the nation, was to be sacrificed! Without Isaac, Abraham's line could not have continued. God's promise could not have been fulfilled. Yet they both remained obedient to God.
The ram substituted for Isaac represented the land of Israel itself. For once the nation was established, twice-daily offerings of sheep were required as the basis of the Tabernacle, then Temple, worship system.
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 THE SEAL
The sign or seal of this covenant was the painful surgery of circumcision. A very intimate reminder of God's Covenant with Abraham.
Genesis 17:9-14
Here in the Abrahamic Covenant, over 500 years before the nation of Israel existed, we have the principles of the 2nd kingdom age clearly laid out.
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| PROMISE FOR THE 3rd KINGDOM AGE |
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 Likewise, the covenant upon which the third kingdom age was to be based was prophesied through Jeremiah, 600 years before the age began.
As in the previous age, the Mosaic and Davidic Covenants applied during the nation period. But the final New Covenant, as did the earlier Abrahamic one, relates to the age to come.
Jeremiah 31:31-4
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 What an amazing 3-part PROMISE!
1. I will put the laws in their minds (Our mind)
2. and write it on their hearts (Our emotions)
3. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Our will)
So the foundation was set for the coming of Jesus. A time when we could again individually can have a personal relationship with God the Father, lost when Adam and Eve went their own way and ate the forbidden fruit. It is now available through the SACRIFICE of Jesus on the cross.
Hebrews 9:13-14
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 How do we know it for sure? Through the SEAL of the Holy Spirit, promised by the Father, through Jesus.
John 14:26
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A promise given again after the resurrection.
Acts 1:4-5
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 One first fulfilled on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:1-4
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It was a deposit, guaranteeing our ultimate inheritance of eternal life with God.
Ephesians 1:13-14
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| SUMMARY |
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We can now see how these three covenants effectively bridged, or linked, the ages, as per the diagram below.
___PATRIARCHS_____!_____PROPHETS_____!_____PEOPLE
__________________!___________________!______________
Edenic________Abrahamic________New (Prophesied)
__________________!___________________!______________
__Adamic, Noahic___!__Mosaic,___Davidic__!_New (Fulfilled)
What a marvelous God we have!
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| <i>NEXT WEEK</i> A REVELATION OF....... 3 KINGDOM AGES
CENTRAL KINGDOM CHARACTERS |
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 Each of the three kingdoms was centred round one individual who symbolised the particular kingdom.
Let's see who these key figures were and how they represented God in their age.
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 The pattern of the Covenants gives me great confidence in God. For it confirms to me both His existence and His godly plan for His creation, you and me.
Of course, we live in the days of the New Covenant, the principles of which were revealed 600 years before Jesus came. And yet, some will still say that Jesus was just a good man! Little do they know and even less do they understand!
ANCIENT SLING
In ancient times the "sling and stone" was sort of like a loaded weapon, and quite a valuable weapon if one had the skill to use it. The sling itself was usually made of wool, twined together, though some cultures used leather. In the middle there was a thick pouch (like a plaited thong) for holding and slinging the stone. The stones could be kept in a small pouch for rapid fire slinging. The user would place the stone in the pouch, hold both ends, waive it around the head, and fling it by letting go of one of the ropes. In the Bible "slingers" were part of the Israelite army like the archers.
Source: http://www.bible-history.com
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
205. Foolishness is of the flesh, wisdom of the mind, but godliness comes from a heart right with God.
David Tait
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Laughing at Ourselves: http://www.wwj.org.nz/laugh.php
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They passed the test!