MW

Unit 3: The Foundation for Jesus, God's Covenants, and the Lineage of Jesus

Introduction to Covenants

  • A covenant is a promise between two or more parties to perform certain actions. The word "testament" is synonymous with "covenant."

  • The Bible is comprised of two major parts: the Old Covenant (Old Testament) and the New Covenant (New Testament).

  • The Old Testament provides a history of the covenant, revealing God's character, plans, and purposes for mankind progressively.

  • God is a covenant-keeping God, and Christians are called to be covenant-keeping people, honoring their word and keeping promises even without formal contracts.

  • Every promise a Christian makes should be considered a covenant.

  • James 5:12 states: "Let your yes be a yes and your no be a no so that you may not fall under condemnation."

God's Covenants with the Nation of Israel

  • The Bible speaks of 7 different covenants, 4 of which God made specifically with the nation of Israel.

  • These 4 covenants are: Abrahamic, Palestinian, Mosaic, and Davidic.

  • The Abrahamic and Palestinian covenants are closely linked and often considered together.

1. Abrahamic Covenant

  • This covenant is unconditional.

  • It is based on God's promises in Genesis 12:2-3, which state: "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

  • Upon Abraham's arrival in the land of Canaan, God further promised that his offspring would inherit this land, as recorded in Genesis 12:7: "To your offspring I will give this land."

2. Palestinian Covenant (Land Covenant)

  • This covenant is also unconditional and eternal, as it amplifies the land aspect of the Abrahamic covenant.

  • It is based on Deuteronomy 30:1-12.

  • The Palestinian covenant details that if the people of Israel disobeyed God, they would be scattered around the world. However, God promised to eventually restore the nation.

  • Upon their restoration, the nation would perfectly obey God, who would then cause them to prosper.

  • This covenant reaffirms the Abrahamic covenant, ensuring that the seed of Abraham will someday possess the promised land forever.

  • Both the Abrahamic covenant (focusing on the establishment of the Israelite people and a line of blessing) and the Palestinian covenant (focusing on the land aspect and the relationship between obedience and blessing) are crucial for understanding the biblical narrative and God's plan of redemption, which ultimately culminates in Jesus Christ.

3. Mosaic Covenant (Sinai Covenant / Old Covenant)

  • This covenant is conditional, meaning God's blessings or curses depended on Israel's obedience or disobedience.

  • It is also known as the Sinai covenant because God established it with Israel on Mount Sinai through Moses, their chosen leader at the time.

  • The Mosaic covenant is often referred to as the old covenant and was later replaced by the new covenant established in Christ.

  • It includes the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and the rest of the Law, which comprised over 600 commands.

  • God chose to bless the world through the nation of Israel, providing both His written word (the Law) and the living word (Jesus Christ).

4. Davidic Covenant

  • This covenant is unconditional.

  • God made this covenant with King David, promising him and Israel that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would descend from David's lineage (from the tribe of Judah) and establish an eternal kingdom.

  • The fulfillment of these promises relies solely on God's faithfulness and is not contingent on David's or Israel's obedience.

  • In 2 Samuel 7:12-13, God promises David that Jesus will come from his royal line.

  • 2 Samuel 7:16 further states: "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever."

  • Initially, this promise seemed to refer to David's son Solomon, who would build the temple. However, it evolved into a promise of an everlasting kingdom, referring to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is also called the "son of David" in Matthew 21:9.

  • Matthew 21:9 describes the Palm Sunday event: "And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

  • The promise of David's house, kingdom, and throne enduring forever signifies that the Messiah would come from David's lineage and establish an eternal kingdom from which He would reign.

  • The Davidic covenant can be summarized by four key words emphasizing its eternal and unconditional nature:

    • House: Promising a dynasty and the lineage of David.

    • Kingdom: Referring to a people governed by a king.

    • Throne: Emphasizing the authority of the king's rule.

    • Forever: Underlining the eternal and unconditional nature of this promise to David and Israel.

God's Covenants with All Mankind

  • God made 3 covenants with all of mankind: the Adamic, Noahic, and New covenants.

1. Adamic Covenant

  • This covenant comprises two parts:

    • Edenic Covenant (Genesis 2): Outlined humankind's responsibility towards creation and God's command concerning the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

    • Adamic Covenant (Genesis 3): Included the curses pronounced against humanity due to Adam and Eve's sin, as well as God's provision for that sin.

2. Noahic Covenant

  • Established after the great flood, this is an unconditional covenant.

  • In Genesis 9:8-11, God promised humanity that He would never again destroy all life on Earth with a flood.

  • The rainbow serves as the visible sign of this covenant.

3. New Covenant

  • This covenant was predicted while the old (Mosaic) covenant was still in effect.

  • In the New Covenant, God promises both Jews and Gentiles the forgiveness of sins and a universal knowledge of the Lord.

  • Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses and establish this new covenant between God and His people.

  • Under the New Covenant, both Jews and Gentiles can be free from the penalty of the Law.

  • Salvation is offered as a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ.

  • The old covenant required strict obedience to the Mosaic law and daily animal sacrifices for atonement.

  • Jesus fulfilled the Law through His own sacrificial death, bringing an end to the need for animal sacrifices.

  • Matthew 5:17 states: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

  • John 3:16 famously declares: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

  • Through the life-giving Holy Spirit, who indwells all believers, we share in the inheritance of Christ and enjoy a permanent, unbroken relationship with God.