Coffee House Chapel #5

Let us keep our eyes on Jesus - alone!

Thank you Blackbird

 

August 8

Romans 11:27, “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

There are several covenants that are specifically named as covenants in the Bible, and others that are assumed to be covenants because of the interaction between God and man, but not specifically named as such. Over the next several devotionals we’ll look at the specifics of some of those covenants. (Note: Several is my third choice of words, I started out with two, changed it to three, settled in on several!)

1. God’s covenant with Adam. Scripture does not use the word covenant in the account of God’s promises and warnings given to Adam. However, it is assumed by most Bible scholars that God established something like a covenant with Adam.

Genesis 1:28-30, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.” From this passage we gather that Adam and his posterity were to enjoy the blessings of God perpetually if Adam stood the test.

Genesis 2:16-17, “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” This Scripture gives us the prohibition that God placed upon Adam. If Adam should fail this test, he would bring judgment and death upon the whole race. Paul explains the workings of this covenant in Romans 5:12-19, though the word covenant does not occur in this text either.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

In this text, Paul establishes that Adam was the “federal head” of the human race. Adam’s action in sin produced a human race that are born sinners. Before we chastise Adam in absentia, let us consider the truth that had we been in Adam’s place, we would have done the same thing he did. (Speaking for myself - I would have not waited as long as Adam waited [however long that was], before I sinned.) Also consider that Adam had a long human life (930 years) to think about the consequences of his sin, and I suspect to some extent, he continues to think of the consequences of his sin to this day.

Paul also reiterates the truth of the free gift of the gospel through Jesus Christ in the “Federal Head” text. Whereas Adam was the head of all who have sinned - which is every human being that has two human parents (more specifically - a human father), and his sin is passed on to each of us, Christ is become the head of all who have a Heavenly Father - through grace, by faith in His finished work at Calvary. [Note - I am aware that our first parents - who had no human parents - were both sinners - however they were not created in sin! All other human offspring, with the exception of Jesus Christ, are born sinners!] This covenant is often referred to as “The Covenant of Works.”

Thank you Father, thank you Jesus, for providing redemption for sin and its resulting condemnation that Adam introduced into the human race, the same sin and resulting condemnation that I am guilty of, and would have committed, had it been me in the garden, instead of Adam.

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

If it's not in the Book - we don't need to know it!

Thanks Blackbird!

 

August 10

Romans 11:27, “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

2. God’s covenant with Noah.

Genesis 6:18, “But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.”

Genesis 9:9-17, “And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.”

I believe the Bible when it tells us that the entire world was covered with water. What a time of devastation. It appears that God even suffered devastation (extreme distress), as he destroyed all of the human race, save eight souls that entered the ark. I cannot imagine that large vessel being built without causing at least the curiosity of bystanders asking question. I also cannot imagine how depressing the hundred plus years of construction must have been. 2 Peter 2:5 tells us that Noah was “a preacher of righteousness,” but it does not appear that he ever gained one convert from his preaching. One of the positive results of the flood was the formation of most of our fossil fuels. But the loss of life because of sin still seems frightening.

Genesis 6:5-6 tell us, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” What could possibly have inspired such wickedness? Certainly our old adversary the Devil and his minions had a large part in promoting such wickedness. Has it occurred to you that today’s young people experiment with drugs, sex, fast cars, etc. because they believe they are invincible - and nothing bad will happen to them! Perhaps the citizens of the earth in that day - folks who often lived in excess of 900 years - thought that the consequences of their sin was so far off in the future, that it did not concern them. We shudder to think of what kind of mischief a six year old can come up with, if left in the company of a few of their friends. What could the citizens of earth in Noah’s day come up with - when they had hundreds of years to think and plot about their sin!

God’s covenant with Noah simply promised that God would never again destroy the world with a universal flood of water. The next destruction of the earth will be by fire, 2 Peter 3:7. God continues to confirm this covenant with us, each time we see the rain bow in the sky.

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

Some meditate on nothing - and get their minds filled with devils - we should meditate on Jesus and His Word - and get our minds filled with blessing.

Thank you Blackbird!

 

August 12

Romans 11:27, “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

3. God’s covenant with Abraham. The covenants with Adam and Noah were directed to the entire human race. Sin plagues the entire human race because Adam violated God’s Law. Now before someone objects and says that the law didn’t come into being until Moses, let me quote Ezekiel’s clear restatement of God’s first law, “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4, 20) God has promised that He shall never again destroy the entire world with water, as He did in Noah’s day.

The covenant with Abraham concerns the nation of Israel, and involves the following promises:

* Abraham would be the father of a great nation - Genesis 12:1-3, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

* God would give this people an extensive land of their own - Genesis 13:14-17, “ And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.”

* That land would be theirs forever - Genesis 17:8, “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

* The Redeemer would come through this line of descent - Genesis 17:7, “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” Paul gives us an inspired commentary on this verse in Galatians 3:16, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

* God would bless all the peoples of the world through this Redeemer - again Paul gives us an inspired explanation of what God promised Abraham, Galatians 3:8, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

* This covenant was repeated with Abraham’s two immediate descendants: his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob.
Isaac - Genesis 26:2-4, “And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”

Jacob - Genesis 28:12-14, “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

One of the several things God cannot do - is to renege on His promises.

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

Thank you Blackbird!

 

August 14

Romans 11:27, “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

4. God’s covenant with the Jews through Moses.

Exodus 19:5-6, “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”

Exodus 24:7-8, “And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.”

Exodus 34:28, “And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.”

Deuteronomy 28:1-30:20 - I encourage you to read this passage, I’ll quote just a few of these verses, “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.” (Vers 1-2); “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.” (Ver15)

This covenant, like the one the God made with Adam, established blessings that were contingent upon obedience, and judgment for disobedience. This covenant is sometimes called the Deuteronomic Covenant, because of it’s extensive treatment in Deuteronomy.

5. God’s covenant with David.

1 Samuel 7:4-16, “And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord ... But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” (Vers 4-5, 15-16)

1 Chronicles 17:3-14, “And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord ... I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.” (Vers 3-4, 13-14)

God clearly told David that He would establish his throne forever. When Messiah returns in His glory - He will sit on David’s throne and rule from Jerusalem for one thousand years.

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

August 16

Romans 11:27, “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

Today we look at the final two covenants of our study.

6. The New Covenant. Jeremiah is the first prophet to use the words “new covenant.” It was obvious to him that Israel had not kept the covenant she had made with God at Mount Sinai. God promised Israel that He would establish a new covenant with her, and that she would have a changed heart, and would obey the Lord her God.

Jeremiah 31:31-34, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Jeremiah 32:40-41, “Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. For thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.”

7. The Covenant of Grace. The term is not found in the Bible, in fact, there is only one verse where the words “covenant” and “grace” are found together (Hebrews 10:29). This covenant is a theological term, as is the “covenant of works” which described the assumed covenant established between God and Adam. “Covenant of Grace refers to an agreement between God the Father and God the Son according to which the Father would give a numerous posterity to Jesus contingent upon the accomplishment of His atoning sacrifice on the cross.” (Boice)

Boice gives us a sense of the importance of covenants by reminding us that:

1. Our Bibles are divided into two covenants: the Old Covenant (or Testament) and the New Covenant (or Testament).

2. Each time we observe the Lord’s Supper, we remember Jesus words, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20).

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

August 18

Romans 11:27, “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

Our text specifically says that this covenant is God’s, and He made it with Israel. It is an unconditional covenant.

Many of the covenants we’ve looked at in the past week were conditional - conditional because the human side of the arrangement was required to do something in order for God to keep His part of the bargain. Such a covenant is found in Deuteronomy 28. The promises of blessing were contingent upon Israel’s obedience. Notice verses 1-6, “ And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” If Israel were to be disobedient, then God would judge them. Verses 15-19, “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.”

In Genesis 15, God established an unconditional covenant with Abraham. God told Abraham to prepare for a covenant ceremony. Abraham took several animals, a heifer, a goat, a ram, a dove, and a pigeon. The large animals were cut in half and all were laid in order. The practice of the day was for each party of the covenant to stand in the midst of the divided animals and make their vows to each other. The inference was that the individual who broke the covenant would become as the dead animals.

The interesting part of this covenant is that God put Abraham into a deep sleep. Then God, symbolized by a “a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp .... passed between those pieces.” (Ver 17). God made this covenant with Himself, and this covenant was this unconditional promise to Abraham, “Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.” (Ver 18)

“This was not a case of covenant making between equals in which, for example, God would promise to do something and Abraham, for his part, also would promise to do something. In this covenant, God made all the promises, and Abraham was not required to do anything.” (Boice) God made this covenant with Abraham, and reaffirmed is with Isaac and Jacob. In fact, God categorically stated in Genesis 21:12, “in Isaac shall thy seed be called.”

This same God, Who unilaterally made this unconditional covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their offspring, has again promised unilaterally and unconditionally that “... all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26-27) This promise was made to Israel - not the church, and God will fulfill this unconditional covenant with Israel. May I add that if God does not keep this promise to Israel - then He is not God at all - but an impostor!

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd