COVENANT 2

Imagine living in a village as a fisherman and trusting the sea as your friend and provider. One beautiful day without warning it destroys your home and boat and drowns your family with one horrifying wave. Suddenly life no longer offers any hope or meaning. Welcome to the world many find themselves along the coasts of the three nations hardest hit by the recent tsunami—Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India. Tomorrow we will travel to an Indian coastal town and give money and medical supplies to a church ministering directly to people whose lives are ruined. Yet the greatest thing we have to give is not money or rebuilding broken infrastructures rather it is the message of hope about the God we worship. Our God is a covenant maker and a promise keeper.

Our God tells us what He is going to do. You can study the passages listed below to see fascinating accounts of God’s promises throughout history to people.

Major Covenants in the Old Testament

Promise Made to:	Bible Passage	Sign of the Covenant
Noah	Gen. 9:8-17	Rainbow
Abraham	Gen.12:2,3;15:13-16	Abraham’s descendents inherit Canaan
	Gen. 17:1-22	Circumcision of males
Israel	Exo.3:17,20; Deu.29:2-6	Israel’s deliverance from Egypt
	Exo. 19:5; Deu.5:2-22; 26:16-19	Ten Commandments
	Exo.32:13,14; Num. 14:13-24	Moses’ reminds God of His promise
	Deu.11:12, 22-25; 12:10	God’s care and protection
	Deu.15:6	Israel’s ability to rule and prosper
	Deu.28	Blessing of Israel tied to obedience
	Isa.7:14, 9:1,2,6,7; 11; 42:1-4; 53 Micah 5:2; Hos.11:1; Zech.9:9 Jer. 31:31-34	Messiah foretold and new covenant
Phinehas	Num. 25:10-13	Lasting priesthood
David	2 Sa.7:5-16; Psa.133:11,12	Great name and eternal throne
Solomon	2 Ch.7:14-22	Throne established if obedient

Major Covenants in the New Testament

Promise Made to:	Bible Passage	Sign of the Covenant
Mankind	John 3:16-18,36; 4:14; 6:35-58; 8:12; 14:1-3; Acts 2:21; Rom.6:23; 8:1,11; 10:9,10,13;11:29; 2 Co.4:14; Eph.1:7; Heb.9:15, 13:20	Salvation in Christ and eternal life
	Mat.25:31-46; Rom.2:16; 2 Co.5:10	Final judgment
	Mat.24:27; 26:64; Acts 1:11 1 Th.4:16-18; Rev.1:7	Second coming
Believers	14:26; 15:26; 16:13; Rom.8:26; Eph.1:13,14	Holy Spirit given
	Mat.5-7; 16:27	Reward for conduct
	John 14:13,14; 16:24; 1John 5:14	Answered prayer
	2 Th.3:3; 1 Pe.5:10; 2 Pe.1:3	Protection and provision

Our God fulfills His Word. The following passages bear truth to this fact: Deuteronomy 7:8,9; Jos.23:14; Psa.111:5; 119:140; Psa.145:13; Acts 13:32,33; Heb.6:17,18; 10:23; 2 Pe.3:9.

Our God’s promise to Abraham is directly linked to us! A reading of Galatians 3:14-25 makes this point clear. Galatians 3:14 reads, “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Our responsibility and joy is to share with people the reality that by making Abraham’s God their God, they make his blessing their blessing. Something to think about . . . in reveration.

Inspiration

The patience of hope does not turn men and women into monks and nuns, it gives men and women the right use of this world from another world’s standpoint.—Oswald Chambers in Christian Discipline