God is a God of law and order. In order to lay claim to the great blessings He has given to us, we need to understand what is the legal basis for our claims.
Key Points
- The promises of God are based on something solid, upon which we can stand.
- Our needs don’t move God – faith based on knowledge is what moves Him.
- If God cares about our lives and what is happening on earth, why doesn’t He provide for the needs?
- He already did – His provision for the whole earth was established through Abram.
- God established a covenant with Abram.
- A covenant is much stronger than a contract – if broken, the party that breaks the covenant forfeits his life.
- What does a covenant imply?
- Terms of the covenant first need to be established.
- A blood sacrifice was made.
- There were exchanges
- First cloaks, to signify each party’s strength and what they bring to the relationship.
- Next weapons, to signify that the two parties had joined forces completely.
- Covenant meal
- Bread and wine, to symbolize flesh and blood.
- It was Abram’s faith that, not works, that brought him into right-standing with God.
- His circumcision was a seal or a symbol, proving the relationship with God.
- The covenant is established with us as well, through faith in Jesus our Lord.
- Jesus is the Seed of Abraham – if we belong to Him, then we are also his seed and heirs according to the promise.
- Because of the covenant with God, Abram was able to bring Isaac to the mountain.
- God had told him that his descendants would come through Isaac.
- Abram knew then that God would raise Isaac from the dead, if necessary.
- Jesus redeemed us from the curses of disobedience by becoming a curse for us.
- The covenant we have with the Lord does not depend on us keeping it.
- It was established between the Father & the Son – it depends upon them keeping it.
- Our religious works don’t keep the covenant.
- This isn’t license to sin
- Continuing in it will cause us to back away from our relationship with God.
- It won’t cause Him to break the covenant with us, but we won’t be in a position to use it.
Key Verses: Hebrews 11:6; 17-20, Genesis 15, Romans 4, Galatians 3:13, 16, 29, Deuteronomy 28, Ephesians 6:10-17
