Covenant Lesson 4

Passing between the Pieces Genesis 15 God told Abram to cut the animals in half and lay them opposite each other God walked between the pieces of flesh and cut covenant with Abram Circumcision: Genesis 17:9-14 Sign of the Abrahamic Covenant Outward expression of that covenant Outward part of a man’s flesh closest to where his descendants come from. No circumcision: cut off, broken God’s Covenant

Exodus 4:24-26 Moses had not circumcised his son and God was about to kill him Zipporah “cut covenant” and saved his life God is very serious about His Covenant I Samuel 20 Jonathan called on the Lord as his witness of the covenant between him and David Failure to keep the covenant required the death of the one who broke it.

God’s Covenant with Israel Ex. 24:1-11 Moses received the Covenant He made sacrifices and divided the blood Half on the altar and half on the people Heb. 9:18-20 He sprinkled the people and the scroll People said, “All that the Lord has said we will do” This was a conditional covenant based on Israel’s obedience Deut. 30:15-20 First generation of Israel out of Egypt broke Covenant: all died in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb Second generation entered into Covenant of the Law

Jeremiah Jeremiah 22:1-9 King of Judah given rules to follow for blessing Jeremiah 34:8-22 King Zedekiah and the people pledged to be obedient to Covenant: freed slaves Then they broke it and took their slaves back God gave them to their enemies God’s promises regarding breaking His covenants are as binding as His promises for keeping covenant

Is God as serious Now? Matt. 26:26-28 Jesus’ body was the sacrifice and His blood, the New Covenant Parallel: broken bread and the animals’ bodies I Cor. 11:18-34 The Lord’s Supper is to remember His death until He returns I Cor. 11:30 Some of you are sick, weak and some have fallen asleep. This is death of the believer This is NOT the same as condemnation for the unbeliever (Rom. 8:1)

Faith/Belief Belief and faith are the same word in the Greek Pistis meaning a firm conviction that results in a personal surrender and a conduct inspired by that surrender (Vines) Believe is the verb form of faith This involves more than what a person thinks: it involves that person’s behavior

New Testament Acts 6:7 Priests became obedient to the faith If one has faith, then obedience is a by-product Romans 2:8 and 2 Thess. 1:8 God’s wrath and indignation await those who don’t repent and obey the truth Hebrews 3:18-19 Unbelief is disobedience

Application Take your covenant seriously Put your covenant relationship with Christ above everything else Obedience to God is evidence of your salvation