2 major covenants in the Bible. One is identified as the law of Moses and the other is the covenant of grace and truth Jesus Christ has revealed. Knowing the covenants teach us practical applications discussed in the next six weeks.
In lesson 8 we have turned the corner from spirit, soul, and body to some practical application when we begin to consider the law the cross and the covenant of grace.
SLI D E 2
Exodus 19:5 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." 7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8 Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD . 9 And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever." So Moses told the words of the people to the LORD .
God’s desire has always been to speak to His people; fellowship with His people has always been the desire of His heart. His desire was for all of Israel to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. We will see, they rejected God’s desire for them.
Exodus 20:18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die."
Israel rejected the perfect will of God for their lives. They asked that Moses be the mediator between them and God. Israel never became the kingdom of priests; in this the Father’s desire will still be worked out in the end.
Exodus 31:18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
The end result of not wanting to hear the voice of God was the tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
THE LAW; GOD WAS UNAPPROACHABLE
Exodus 19:16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. 20 Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai , on the top of the mountain. And the LOR D called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD , and many of them perish. 22 "Also let the priests who come near the LOR D consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them.“ 23 But Moses said to the LOR D , "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.'“
Before we judge the children of Israel to harshly put yourself in their shoes. Earth quake under their feet, before them a mountain shaking and quaking bellows of smoke and columns of fire, thunder and lightning, and the sound of a very loud trumpet blast.
THE CROSS
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
The cross of Christ brought a new Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:17 is a key to understanding scriptures properly! In the old testament the Law of Moses as revealed as the covenant the children of Israel should live by. In the new covenant Jesus brought the grace and truth that brings reconciliation between God and man.
MT ZION REPRESENTS GRACE; GO D IS APPROACHABLE
Psalm 132:13 For the LORD has chosen Zion ; He has desired it for His dwelling place: 14 "This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 15 I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
Many read over this Psalm without considering its prophetic nature. The LORD has chosen Zion for His dwelling place. It is God’s resting place forever! God has set an atmosphere on Mt Zion that He intends for His children to live in; it is abundant life!
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Jesus is in the bosom of the Father! It is from this place of intimacy that He shares and declares the Father to us! The covenant of grace draws you into intimacy with God!
THE LAW
Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
Every person is kept under guard by the law. Kept for the faith that would afterward be revealed. The law is holy and awesome as long as we use it lawfully. It’s intended purpose is to make sin exceedingly sinful and awaken man to his need to be set free from sin. The law is to bring the knowledge of sin: it can’t bring life.
Galatians 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
The law teaches us our need for Christ, that we might be justified by faith! After faith is come we are no longer under the tutelage of the law. We are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus and there is no other way to become a son!
THE CROSS; MAN’S ONLY HOPE TO REUNITE WITH GOD
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The cross sets us free from the law; it is indeed the power of God unto salvation.
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
The only boast the believer can have is in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus brings us into relationship with the holy God. It not our works but the work of the cross.
Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
We have peace through the blood of His cross. If our own good works could accomplish reconciliation there would have been no need for Jesus perfect work. Reconciliation is in Jesus Christ alone. On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand!
Colossians 2:14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
The law was against us revealing our sin, guilt condemnation, and shame! However Jesus has taken the law, which was contrary to us, and has nailed it to the cross.
THE COVENANT OF GRACE
Matthew 26:28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Jesus identified His own blood as the blood of the new covenant. The purpose of the blood was for the remission of sins! The law could not remit sin; only Jesus can!
Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
In grace God does a work in the believer! Christ in you the hope of glory!
2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Mt Zion The Place of Grace! The blood of Jesus has made a way for an everlasting covenant. Provision for all we need for victory is exclusively found here! Paul identified himself as a minister of the new covenant. If we apply the law to the believer we will bring the unintended consequences of death. If we minister from the new covenant there is life in Christ Jesus. For the Spirit brings life the letter of the law kills!
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