Session
3: Section 1
A
review of the first two sessions
- We
looked at the importance of studying the Bible.
- We
saw that questions about Bible teaching are answered
by looking in the Bible.
- Listening
for “Bible echoes” is a very good way of
reading the Bible effectively.
- We
saw that Genesis is the foundation of the rest of
the Bible. We saw that it contains the start of God’s
plan, which can include us.
- We
also saw that the Old Testament is the foundation
of the New Testament.
Can
we also remind you that, if you have any problems, we
can arrange e-mail
discussion? Bible study is much more rewarding if
we can discuss it with other people.
God’s
covenants
The
contents page of the Bible shows how the Bible is divided
up into two parts - the Old and New Testaments.
The
word “testament” means a covenant, an agreement,
a promise, or a contract between two parties.
The
teaching of the Bible is based upon covenants or agreements.
These contain promises that God made with men and women
in times past.
These
agreements or covenants between God and mankind form
the basis of God’s plan and tell us what God intends
to do. Many of us enter into agreements or contracts
of various kinds, for example contracts of employment
and loan agreements. These contracts always spell out
the following:
- What
is being agreed to
- The
benefits both parties can expect
- The
responsibilities of both sides
- The
consequences of breaking the agreement.
God’s
agreements are the same. He has spelled out clearly what
is involved, the responsibilities of both Himself and
us. Sometimes these agreements have conditions attached,
at other times they do not.
One
of the earliest covenants was made following the great
flood which destroyed all land- based life except that
in the ark with Noah.
We
notice that this is an unconditional agreement - more
of a promise. God is assuring us that He will never
again destroy all land - based life with a flood.
The
next covenant marks the start of God’s plan to remedy
the effects of our rebellion against Him
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Read
Genesis 15 v 18 to 21
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Again
notice that it is unconditional. God is going to give
a specific land to Abraham’s descendants (or “seed”
in the Authorised Version).
This
agreement is then expanded:
This
is the agreement setting out the special relationship
between God and the Jews which continues throughout
the rest of the Bible. God renewed this agreement with
the new nation of Israel when they came out of Egypt.
Notice
that this covenant is conditional on the people obeying
God’s commands. This covenant was based on the forgiveness
of sins through the Law of Moses and the sacrifice of
animals.
There
was one special day of sacrifice called “the day
of atonement” when the whole nation of Israel had
its sins forgiven. This was the day when sin was “atoned”
or “covered”. This principle of forgiveness
through the sacrifice of animals is clearly spelled
out in the regulations given for that special day.
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Read
Leviticus 16 v 27 to 30
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When
an animal was sacrificed the person who offered the
sacrifice was in effect saying that God was right to
condemn rebellion against Him, and that the animal represented
what should happen to the person offering the sacrifice.
These animals were important and valuable to the people,
so making such a sacrifice was not a mere formality.
This
first phase of God’s covenant is sometimes referred
to as the Old Covenant or Testament. This is why the
first two thirds of the Bible is called the “Old
Testament”.
The
second phase, sometimes called the “New Testament”,
has to do with the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Just
before he died, Jesus made it clear that he was establishing
a new covenant:
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Read
Matthew 26 v 26 to 28
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Note
again that blood is shed to establish the covenant,
and that the covenant is concerned with forgiveness
of our sin or rebellion.
The
apostle Peter shows clearly in one of his speeches that
the work of Jesus is closely connected with the covenants
made to the nation of Israel.
We
can see some of the aspects of an agreement here:
God’s
responsibilities: blessing and forgiveness to those
who “repent” and are “converted”
(v 26)
Our
responsibilities: “repentance” and “conversion”
(v 19). We will look at the meaning of these words later
on in the course.
Summary
- God
has made clear agreements with men and women.
- The
terms and conditions are clearly laid out in the Bible.
- The
Bible has an “Old” and “New” Testament.
Both of these testaments or covenants are concerned
with the forgiveness of our rebellion against God.
- The
Old Testament concerned the forgiveness offered to
the nation of Israel through the sacrifice of animals.
- The
New Testament concerns the forgiveness offered to
all people through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Optional
Assignment 3
God’s
covenants in relation to Israel and us
It
is interesting and informative to follow through the
Bible the covenants and promises that God has made.
| Promise
to Abraham: |
Genesis
12 v 1 to 3 and 13 v 14 to 17 |
| to
Isaac: |
Genesis
26 v 2 to 4 |
| to
Jacob: |
Genesis
28 v 13 to 15 |
| to
Abraham’s decendants (the Jews) |
Genesis
17 v 7 to 9 |
| to
David (Israel’s second King) |
2
Samuel v 12 to 16 |
| New
Testament References |
Luke
1 v 31 and 32 |
| Luke
13 v 28 |
| Acts
2 v 29 to 32 and 38 to 42 |
| Acts
3 v 19 to 26 |
| Galatians
3 v 26 to 29 |
Look
at all of these references and the surrounding verses
and write down what they tell us about God’s covenants
in relation to both Israel and us.
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