Pastor-teacher Don Hargrove

Faith Bible Church

Wed., Sept 23, 2009

Salvation ( Jn 3:18; 16:7-12); the spiritual life (Gal 5:16), spiritual maturity (Eph 4:11-13)

GOD’S COVENANTS – Part 7: Abraham and the Abrahamic Covenant

(Messiah & A.C. #253)

A. The first six direct Old Testament prophecies of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, cf. Luke 24:25-27.

#1, Gen 3:15: After Adam rebels and breaks the Edenic Covenant, God responds in grace by promising a Redeemer, cf. Hos 6:7.

#2, Gen 22:18: Gal 3:16: After the corruption of the entire human race, God responds in grace and calls out Abraham in grace.

#3, Gen 49:10: After the evil of Judah, God responds in grace and notes that the Messiah, Shiloh, will come from the tribe of Judah.

#4, Numbers 23-24, 24:16-17: After the failure of Israel to move into the promised land, God responds in grace and notes that the Messiah will come, bring peace (Shiloh) to and be King in the midst of a future blessed Israel.

#5, Dt 18:15-19, After Operation Golden Calf, God responds in grace by promising that the Messiah will come to intercede.

#6, 2 Sam 7:8-19; 1 Chron 17:11-14; Luke 1:26-33. After the Jews had failed horribly, God responded in grace with a promise to David.

B. The importance of understanding covenants and dispensations.

1. Covenants (בְּרִית, διαθήκη).

2. Dispensations (οἰκονομία).

3. It is critical for the CA believer to orient to the uniqueness of dispensation of the church age – its point, purpose, tests, and goals, Rom 16:25-26; Eph 3:1-5; 8-10; Col 1:25-29; Gal 5:16; Col 3:1-3; Acts 1:8; Philip 2; 1 Cor 15:50-58; 1 Cor 3:16; Mt 16:18; Jn 1:17.

C. Overview of the Eight Covenants of Scripture.

#1: The Edenic/Creation Covenant (Gen 1:28-30; 2:15-23; Hos 6:7).

#2: Adamic Covenant (Gen 3:14-19).

#3: Noahic Covenant (Gen 8:20-9:17).

#4: Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:7-18; 17:1-21; 26:4-5; 35:9-11; Ex 6:1-8).

#5: Mosaic Covenant: conditional covenant of moral law a new nation – for believer and unbeliever, Ex 20-40; Dt 28:49-50, 53, 63-66; Lev 26. 9 Reasons the ML is no longer valid:

1. The Law was rendered inoperative with the death of JC, Rm 7:1-6.

2. Christ is the end of the Law, 10:4; Gal 2:16; 3:19; Heb 7:19

3. The Mosaic Law was never meant to be permanent, Gal 3:19.

4. The Mosaic Law requires the Levitical Priesthood, but Christ brought in a new order of priesthood according to the Order of Melchizedek, Heb 7:11-18.

5. The Mosaic Law was the middle wall of partition that was broken down with the death of Jesus Christ, Eph 2:14-15.

6. The Mosaic Law was designed merely to be a tutor or pedagogue over a minor to bring him to mature faith in the Messiah, Gal 3:23-25. Having become believers, we are no longer under this tutor, the Law of Moses.

7. The Mosaic Law brought a ministration of death and condemnation and has been done away with, 2 Cor 3:2-11.

8. The Mosaic Law with all of its 613 commands stands or falls together; it is a unit that cannot be divided, Js 2:10; Gal 5:3.

9. We are now under the Law of Christ, Gal 6:2; Rom 8:2; 1 Cor 9:21.

#6: Real Estate (AKA Palestinian) Covenant, Dt 29-30.

#7: Davidic Covenant, 2 Sam 7:8-17; Psa 89; 1 Chron. 17:10-14; Jer 23:5;

33:20;

#8: New Covenant to Israel, Jer 31:31-34; Eze 16; 36:24-28; 37:21-28; Rom 11:26-27.

D. The 7 major dispensations fall within three broad categories.

1. Theocentric

#1 - The Age of the Gentiles – Adam to Abraham.

#2 - The Age of the Jews – Abraham to Jesus Christ.

2. Christocentric.

#3 - Age of the Hypostatic Union – Jesus Christ to Pentecost

#4 - Church Age – Pentecost to Rapture.

c. Eschatological.

#5 - The Tribulation – 7 yrs., from signing of treaty to Second Advent.

#6 - The Millennium – 1,000 yrs. of Christ’s Kingdom on earth.

#7 - Eternal State.