Covenants . . . a Beginning

Reading: Genesis 1-2

It’s really important to start at the beginning, because the whole Bible from beginning to end is not just a collection of stories or works or letters. It is one big story unfolding in which our Creator is using this inspired Word that has transcended centuries to tell us about Himself, about His relationship to us, and not only what to do about that now, but to give us a glimpse of what it will be like to get back to the beginning—back to the way he originally designed it to be.

One of the pleasures of reading Genesis again and again and examining some of the commentaries to prepare for this study of covenants has been to explore the differences between Genesis 1 and 2. Chapter 1 gives us an overview of creation, the big picture of God speaking the earth and all that is in it into being. The overview is given in a sort of poetic form, a form easy to remember and to repeat to generations, as the end of each day is recorded the same way: first the Creator declaring evening and morning, declaring this a day, then after seeing His creation to be good, declaring it another day.

It is very interesting that the first thing God did was shed light on everything. The Bible speaks often of God’s light and the separating of light from the darkness. The culmination was the advent of Jesus, the Light of the World, who gives us light that we can shine before men. What in the world could we do without light? We couldn’t see, there would be no power, no energy, and nothing would be revealed. Of course, everything would have to begin with light.

In Genesis 2:2 I find the word “generations” interesting. It could mean “this is the birth of the heavens and the earth” or “this is the course of history of the heavens and the earth.” The HCSB uses the words “records of the creation of the heavens and the earth concerning their creation at the time.” However it is stated, it sounds like it took some work.

Now, because the word “covenant” is not mentioned in Genesis until the time of Noah, does that mean that there was no covenant with creation? Let’s look at some other texts:

Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day

   And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—

   the LORD of hosts is his name:

 "If this fixed order departs

   from before me, declares the LORD,

then shall the offspring of Israel cease

   from being a nation before me forever." [Jeremiah 31:35-36]

"Thus says the LORD: If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night will not come at their appointed time, then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests my ministers.” [Jeremiah 33:20-21]

Thus says the LORD: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them." [Jeremiah 33:25-26]

O. Palmer Robertson points out in The Christ of the Covenants that the similarity in these two passages deems it appropriate to assume that “covenant” in Jeremiah 33 and “fixed order” in Jeremiah 31 mean the same thing. And the Jeremiah 33 passage is linking two covenants.

To be continued…

A Word About the Word

Before I dive into this study, Exploring Covenants, I feel that there is something I should make clear. Some of you may think this is totally unnecessary, but that is because you know me well. However, when you start a blog or you post statuses on Facebook and encourage myriads of people you don’t know very well to take a look at your innermost heart, you better make it clear where you’re coming from. I thought I should do that from the very beginning.

Already I have been overwhelmed as I am reading and studying and attempting to begin at the beginning of this study. I am overwhelmed with the wealth of material that has been written by some very smart people. I’m overwhelmed that I am starting out on another phase of my life while still in the midst of this fairly new one that I love so much and I have no idea how I will handle it all. Most of all I am overwhelmed with the love of our Father in heaven—how He could love us so much that from the very foundation of the world He would create us specifically with the ability to laugh and cry, love and hate, think and reason. Then He would arrange it so that we could be saved from His holy wrath…because He knew we would not be able to help using those gifts He gave us to try to be like Him.

What I need to make clear is how I will approach this study. I will always approach God’s Word as though it is inspired and infallible. I will not use commentaries or study helps from scholars who believe otherwise. To do so I believe wastes time and takes me down rabbit trails that are of little use to those who want to know about God. Of what use is a study that just creates more questions? We will always be seeking to know our Father better. If I were to hinder anyone’s progress in that, I believe I would be held accountable to Him.

I will also try very hard not to try to read things into Scripture that are not there. I think that could be a real danger in a study such as this, if we are not careful to study diligently, look carefully at history, culture, people, and situations. That being said, as we study covenants we must remember that Christ is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises. As excited as I am about studying covenants, I know that I am not a seminary graduate or a pastor, and I will be leaning heavily on my pastor and pastor friends for guidance as I proceed.

Please be patient with me for the next week or so as I prepare. I am still planning for us to meet and discuss as a group on October 9. Please be in prayer for me. Thanks!

New Study - Exploring Covenants

I have been fascinated with covenants for a while now. I want to more firmly wrap my mind around several things, and I invite you to join me while I do this.

I hope to:

• Seek to know my Father and Creator better by seeing Him as a covenant designer, developer and keeper who teaches His children to follow His ways by learning this pattern. 
• Learn biblical history from a covenant keeping perspective, bearing in mind that the Father’s ultimate covenant promises are still to come in the fullness of Christ’s glory.
• Bring in current cultural application to our lives as we see how the brokenness of our world is impacted by the lack of focus on our Father’s redeeming covenantal plan. 

I am excited about our study. I hope you will consider discussing your findings with me either by email or by blog.

Reading: Genesis 1-2

Week 8 - Partners in Giving and Receiving

Philippians 4:10-23
2 Corinthians 9
1 Kings 17

What is our greatest need? Christ, of course! When do we want Him the most? When things are rosy and comfortable? Or do we long for Him and cry out for Him and learn to lean on Him when our lives are a struggle and things just aren’t going so well for us? Why should we think hardship means that God is against us? The Cross of Christ tells us a much different story. It is in our comfort we tend to forget our Father who actually bestows gifts of grace. In either plenty or want, we must remember we need His help to survive spiritually.

What of Paul’s words in v. 19 that our God will supply every need according to His riches in glory? Oh, how these words have been misrepresented over the years that if we give our money, He will repay us with more money, or “you can never out give God.” How many times have I heard that? Don’t get me wrong, I have been the recipient of untold miraculous monetary surprises at the eleventh hour, and know first hand about God’s timing and his supply of every physical need. But to think that God would repay us for giving! Scandalous!

Who confronted Me, that I should repay him? Everything under heaven belongs to Me. [Job 41:11]*

For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been His counselor?
Or who has ever first given to Him,
and has to be repaid? [Romans 11:34-35]*

“According to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” absolutely has to mean more than monetary or physical needs. Every spiritual gift in Christ Jesus, including the ability to be sustained in plenty (as in those generous souls in Philippi able to give) and in want (as in Paul who spent quite a bit of time in prison) must be the focus of the passage rather than the physical needs. Paul clearly states that he didn’t need their gift, although he was brimming over with emotion from receiving it. Why? There were probably several reasons.

Paul mentioned that the gift was a long time coming (“now you have renewed [or revived] your care for me”) v.10. Only one commentator that I read, John Gill, indicated that the Philippian church may have neglected Paul and that he was giving them an “out” by saying that they had “no opportunity” to send a gift. All the other commentators take Paul at face value that they really didn’t have the opportunity to send anything. I’ll leave that up to your individual study. I certainly found it an interesting idea, considering the state of our contemporary economy today and the fact that so many of us as individuals, and our churches, have to make tough decisions about giving to our missionaries.

Here’s what I think—I think they had been saving up all along to give to Paul and really lacked the opportunity. This is why I think so. I think Paul was overcome by emotion and overwhelmed by the amount of the gift and the fact that they sent one of their most valued leaders at a time when there was conflict in the church. All of this was an act of pure faith on their part, that God would supply what they needed. In turn, Paul is encouraging them that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by what they have done, and he can hardly express his emotion, “but I seek the fruit that is increasing to your account. But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied.” Paul received a huge blessing, the knowledge of the fact that the saints in Philippi were growing in the fruit of the Spirit of God, even in his absence.

I cannot end this lesson without making a comparison of the 1 Kings 17 passage with Luke 7:11-16. In both passages we read of a widow with nothing left in life but her only son, dead. In both instances the God of compassion, once through the prophet Elijah and once through His only begotten Son, raised the son of a devoted widow to life, supplying all her need. I’m not sure in just reading these passages we understand the life of a woman in biblical times without a man’s protection, but it was grim. Not only was she dependent on other family for the rest of her life (if she had any) but she had no name of her own, and the family line would be extinguished from that point if there were no other heirs. She would have nothing else to do if there were no children to raise. We don’t know just how much our God rescued these women from by raising their sons, but I can imagine that they would have wanted to enter the grave with them rather than live the life they were left with without them.

Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness, as you are enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. Through the proof of this service, they will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with others. And in their prayers for you they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God on you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift. [2 Corinthians 9:10-15]*

*HCSB