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Thursday, 10 July 2025 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. Matthew 11:22 “Moreover, I say to you, it will be sufferable – Tyre and Sidon – in Judgment Day than you” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus rebuked the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, noting that if the miracles done in them had been done in the wicked cities of Tyre and Sidon, they would have reconsidered their ways. He continues this thought, beginning with, “Moreover.” It is a new adverb, plén. It is derived from pleión, greater than, more excellent, etc. There is a sense of addition to something, furthering, or going beyond. One can see the etymological root of the modern word plenty, signifying a fullness. The word moreover gives the sense in this verse. He has noted that Tyre and Sidon would have reconsidered their ways. Now, He adds to that with “Moreover.” The added words are not happy ones for His audience as He proclaims, “I say to you, it will be sufferable Tyre and Sidon – in Judgment Day than you.” Tyre and Sidon were judged by God and destroyed. Chorazin and Bethsaida could expect nothing less. But more, when the day of judgment that lies ahead comes, it will be more sufferable for those wicked cities than for the inhabitants of Israel. It is axiomatic to say that with more revealed light comes greater responsibility and greater consequences for disobedience. These words should have terrified the people, bringing them to a state of reconsideration and turning to Him. Two thousand years later, the ruins of those cities stand as a witness that they were destroyed. When the day of judgment comes, those who did not accept Jesus as their Messiah will regret their rejection of Him. Life application: In Jewish society, there is the sense that they are God's people, His chosen and elect, and that this means they are in a good position with Him. Is it true that they are God's people? The answer depends on the context of the words. They are Israel, chosen of God for His purposes. This is based on the covenant they made with Him at Sinai. However, they are not God's people, saved and going to heaven, through the New Covenant in Jesus' blood. Jesus' words here should tell any reasonable reader of the Bible that the rejection of Jesus means condemnation. The false teaching in the church that Israel is currently God's people, as if they are in a right standing with Him, must be rejected. Paul's carefully chosen words concerning Israel in Romans 9-11 show that this is not the case. He cites Scripture showing that the church is “My people,” and that Israel has a remnant that is spared at this time. Jesus calls them a “synagogue of Satan” in Revelation 2:9 & 3:9. When you hear a Jew say, “We are the chosen people,” a common claim, the obvious question should be, “Chosen for what?” It is not for licentiousness, arrogance, and idolatry. They were chosen to reveal the righteous judgment of God. In failing to adhere to the Mosaic Covenant and in failing to enter the New Covenant, they have been under the punishments of the law noted in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. This is what the law does, it brings judgment. People who are in churches, supposedly returning to the “Hebrew Roots” of the faith, are only bringing condemnation upon themselves. We don't need more law. We need Jesus, the Fulfiller of the law, to save us from God's righteous judgment. Thank God that He sent Jesus, born of a woman (the condemned line of humanity), born under the law (the standard set for the righteous judgment of God), to free us from condemnation and its associated punishments. Let us receive what He has done, be freed from “self” in our attempt to be right with God, and continue to trust Jesus until the Day He comes for His people. In the meantime, we should pray for Israel to have their eyes opened to the terrible plight it remains in. Without Jesus, their judgment will be greater than that of Tyre and Sidon on judgment day. They have God's word, Tyre and Sidon didn't. His word speaks of Jesus. In rejecting Jesus, they, by default, call judgment down upon themselves. Lord God, the people of Israel are Your people, chosen for a particular purpose. However, they are not right with You because they have rejected Jesus. Being chosen at this time means being chosen for judgment and condemnation as a demonstration of Your righteousness. May they come quickly to Jesus and find Your righteousness in Him for salvation. Amen.
New Covenant G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 9 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! Let's read together Jeremiah 31v31-34 "The day is coming," says the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife," says the Lord. "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the Lord. "I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbours, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already," says the Lord. "And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins." Ezekiel 36:24-38 For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. "And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God. I will cleanse you of your filthy behaviour. I will give you good crops of grain, and I will send no more famines on the land. I will give you great harvests from your fruit trees and fields, and never again will the surrounding nations be able to scoff at your land for its famines. Then you will remember your past sins and despise yourselves for all the detestable things you did. But remember, says the Sovereign Lord, I am not doing this because you deserve it. O my people of Israel, you should be utterly ashamed of all you have done! "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I cleanse you from your sins, I will repopulate your cities, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The fields that used to lie empty and desolate in plain view of everyone will again be farmed. And when I bring you back, people will say, ‘This former wasteland is now like the Garden of Eden! The abandoned and ruined cities now have strong walls and are filled with people! 'Then the surrounding nations that survive will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted the wasteland. For I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I say. "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am ready to hear Israel's prayers and to increase their numbers like a flock. They will be as numerous as the sacred flocks that fill Jerusalem's streets at the time of her festivals. The ruined cities will be crowded with people once more, and everyone will know that I am the Lord. " The Context This covenant, which is called the "New Covenant", is the eighth covenant between God and humanity, and the fourth theocratic covenant. Israel as a nation had split into two parts - Israel and Judah. The Israel to whom God had covenanted with Abraham, Moses and David was no longer a united country. After frequent rebellions, Israel was no more as a kingdom and its tribes and people deported as slaves to the surrounding nations. But true to His word to David, about having a kingdom that would be an everlasting kingdom, there was still the tiny kingdom of Judah. Jeremiah was an out spoken prophet in Judah from the period 627-580 BC. It was a time of great wickedness including human sacrifice, witchcraft and of worship to other Gods. The kingdom of Judah as a whole, as well as the now dispersed kingdom of Israel, had forgotten the Law under the Covenant with Moses. The Law had been forgotten but when the book of the Law was rediscovered and reforms started to be put in place under the leadership of King Josiah. You can read about that in 2 Chronicles 34. How Can It Be? Its against this backdrop that what is called the New Covenant is decreed. Remember the question I left you with in when we discussed the Davidic Covenant. I asked how can a people like Israel, who in their relationship with God, were often disobedient, unfaithful and seeking other ‘gods', be the basis for a kingdom which will last forever as promised in the Davidic Covenant? It is through this New Covenant that it is possible! This New Covenant as we shall see is that it is only through God's own work it is possible and not by the efforts of humanity. A Reminder The Lord reminds the people of their past: that it was because of His guiding hand they were a nation at all. He was reminding them that He was a living God who desired an intimate and dynamic relationship with His people - unlike the dead gods of iron, gold, silver and wood of the surrounding nations! It was all God's doing that they came out from Egyptian slavery under the leadership of Moses! He reminds them that they had made covenant with HIM and that His love towards them was an intimate love! Yet they abandoned this living God in favour of idolatry, disobedience and rebellion. New Covenant Features Four features of this New Covenant are: Regeneration - God will write His law on the hearts of people (Jeremiah 31v33)! This indicates that rather than obeying God through coercion, that His followers will choose to follow God and be renewed! Restoration - God will be their God, and they will be God's people. (Jeremiah 31v33) The people of Israel and Judah had wandered away. They had forgotten they were to be a special treasure to God and a shining light of God's glory to the nations of the world. They were in exile and dispersed but one day God will gather them back and restore them into relationship. Indwelt - Until now God the Holy Spirit had only been on one person at any one time, such as He was with King David. But now another new thing: God will live inside people and they will be led by Him (Jeremiah 31v 34)! WOW! Is this a sign from the Davidic Covenant that God will be a Father to those who follow Him? Forgiveness - Sins will be forgiven and removed eternally (Jeremiah 31v34)! Under the Mosaic Covenant, there was what was called the atoning sacrifice, performed so as to ask God's forgiveness for the sins of people. But not all sins, for this sacrifice only covered those sins committed by ignorance, coercion or unwillingness. It did not cover sins done deliberately. But now, when the New Covenant is ushered in, ALL sins will be forgiven! The covenant with Moses could only point the way forward to this time when it would occur! Grace Rules Supreme Regeneration, Restoration, Indwelling and Forgiveness give us our greatest glimpse yet of a God of grace! This New Covenant would be all God's doing and not on what any person could do! WOW! This New Covenant earmarks the way forward for Israel and Judah to be restored to the land as one united country. Ezekiel also speaks of this New Covenant in Ezekiel 36:24-38 but without mentioning it by that name. Ezekiel speaks as one carried off into exile as young man to Babylon. During which time Jerusalem and the Temple (remember that from the Davidic Covenant) were desecrated and destroyed. In his vision Ezekiel, as does Jeremiah, speaks of a God who will cleanse, restore and operate within the life of humanity! This New Covenant is contrasted with the Old Covenant or the Mosaic covenant (Jeremiah 31v32) because this New Covenant finalizes what the Mosaic Covenant could only point to: the follower of God living in a righteous life conforming to God's holy character. How is the New Covenant ushered in? That's where we start to look next. Thank you! Tap or click here to save this as a MP3 audio file
Mosaic Covenant G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 6 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! Lets read together Exodus 19v1-13: Exactly two months after the Israelites left Egypt, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai. After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and set up camp there at the base of Mount Sinai. Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.' This is the message you must give to the people of Israel." So Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the Lord had commanded him. And all the people responded together, "We will do everything the Lord has commanded." So Moses brought the people's answer back to the Lord. Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you." Moses told the Lord what the people had said. Then the Lord told Moses, "Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch. Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death. No hand may touch the person or animal that crosses the boundary; instead, stone them or shoot them with arrows. They must be put to death.' However, when the ram's horn sounds a long blast, then the people may go up on the mountain. Israel as a nation The people of the nation of Israel were living as those promised by God in the covenant to Abraham "I will make you into a great nation" (Genesis 12v1). They have been on a long journey and has we have read, left Egypt under the leadership of Moses. Mosaic Covenant Details! This is the fifth covenant between God and humanity and also the second theocratic. The verses we read were only an introduction and the covenant goes on to the end of Exodus 24! The 10 Commandments are a very good summary and the book of Deuteronomy gives the greatest detail of it! This covenant commences with the stipulation in Exodus 19v5 "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me." . This covenant was to the nation of Israel in order that those who believed God's promise to Abraham could know how to live rightly before God! For Abraham was declared righteous by God, solely on the basis of his faith in God alone! Covenant Areas This Mosaic covenant covered three areas of life: The commandments were given so they would know how to correctly relate socially to God (Exodus 20v1-6) The judgments were given in order that they could relate socially to each other properly (Exodus 21v1 - 24v11) The decrees dictate their religious life so that God could be approached by humanity on His terms (Exodus 24v12 - 31v18). Of course included in here were the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20) which breaks down into two categories. Firstly identifying the God of Israel as their God, what He has done for them in bringing them out of Egypt and that they were to worship Him alone! These are the Israelites duty to their God! Then, secondly, how they were to live rightly before Him - speaking of how they were to behave to themselves and others! This Mosaic covenant however, was never meant as a replacement for the Abrahamic Covenant! By no means no! It was rather to be seen as an addition to it! It was looking forward to that day when it would be fulfilled when the long promised saviour and messiah would come. All the Covenants point towards this momentous event. A Special Nation Under the terms of this covenant Israel would be a special nation if they were obedient to Him and served Him faithfully. The Mosaic Covenant was never a means towards salvation. This covenant speaks of the living God who wants to live with His people! This was a God not made of stone or wood but the great God who desired intimacy with His people and wanted to live amongst them. But of course it had to be on His terms alone or He would not be able to live amongst them. The great and majestic God showing mercy and grace to His people Israel, who were to be a shining light to all nations of the glory of God, until the long promised saviour or messiah came from them. So, we have been through the Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic and now the Mosaic Covenant - the story continues tomorrow! Where do you think we are going next? Thank you! Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
The concept of Covenants are very important in the Bible. They are central to the Bible's unfolding storyline, and they are central for a proper understanding of the relationship that exists between God and Man. Yet, in much of the church today, covenants are not often discussed and even less often understood. In this episode, James Kaczor gives a brief overview of Covenant Theology. He touches on the Tri-covenantal Framework often espoused by Reformed Theologians (Summary Below)Covenant of Redemption: This is the eternal agreement between the three Persons of the Trinity to redeem humanity. Covenant of Works: This is the agreement God made with Adam, as the Head of the Human Race, that promised eternal life for perfect obedience and death for disobedience. All humans who are not "in Christ" are "in Adam" and still subject to the consequences of this covenant. Covenant of Grace: This is the agreement between God the Father and Jesus Christ, along with all those who are "in Christ," whereby God offers eternal life and salvation to fallen sinners through faith in Jesus Christ. In this Covenant, God also gives to his people the gift of his Holy Spirit that makes them willing and able to believe. It is through the grace of this Covenant that all people, since the fall of Adam, must be saved.In addition to this, James spends time unpacking the successive and related Covenants that advance the storyline of the Bible and the redemptive plan of God for the world. Mainly in this order: Abrahamic Covenant -> Mosaic Covenant -> Davidic Covenant -> New CovenantThis message was first preached by James Kaczor on 6/26/2025 at River City's Thursday Morning Bible Study.
Developing A Strategy to Cope How can we, as 21st century Christians, keep from falling away. I would call it the COPE strategy: Consider, Persevere and Encourage. Keep Considering! (Hebrews 3:1-6) The first thing we do is to consider Jesus or as the NIV here puts it "fix our thoughts". Now remember, that these are Hebrew believers. I guess we would call them Messianic Jews today. They believed that Jesus was their Messiah, Saviour and Lord. They were obviously coming under pressure from their Jewish friends and leaders to deny this Jesus and return to the fold. They would have been told how great Moses was. In the previous chapter we read how Jesus is greater than the angels, because He is God, but was made a little lower than the angels when he became a man. Moses was cool In this chapter, we read a comparison between Jesus and Moses. Moses to the Jews was like a super-hero. Moses was revered because it was to him that God revealed His will. Moses was the key figure in the establishment of Israel as a nation - God's chosen people! Moses suffered persecution and rejection from the rest of the family of Israel. He had great zeal for God and was willing to sacrifice everything for God. He had fellowship with God. Yet all this is merely a shadow and a prophetic sign of what was to come in Jesus. Moses, we read in Numbers 12:7, was faithful to God's house, God's people. The house of God is the people of God. It was this Moses who was held in such high regard by the Jews, that some might well have been tempted to renounce Jesus and go back to the old ways. God's Messiah would need to be greater than Moses, and Jesus is and was this Messiah. Later on in the book of Hebrews, we discover that Jesus is greater than Aaron through whom the law was ministered; but here we see that Jesus is greater than Moses, the lawgiver, the servant of the house of God. Moses and Aaron represented God's house in Israel; Moses was the Apostle or Prophet and Aaron was the High Priest. Jesus, an Apostle and Prophet as well as being the High Priest, joined the two together. By Apostle, I mean as a Messenger - that's what an apostle is - a messenger or representative. As the Apostle of our faith, Jesus was faithful. Jesus was God's representative for us, making God known to us. Jesus was totally faithful, means to be both trusting and to be capable of being trusted. Moses was the one to whom the Law was given - the Mosaic covenant under which the Jewish people lived. This covenant with Moses commenced with the stipulation "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me." (Exodus 19v5). This covenant was to Israel in order that those who believed God's promise to Abraham, could know how to live rightly in accordance with how God wanted them to live. This covenant with Moses covered the three areas of life: The commandments were given so they would know how to relate socially to God (Exodus 20v1-6) The judgments were given in order that they could relate socially to each other (Exodus 21v1 - 24v11) The decrees dictated their religious life so that God could be approached by humanity on His terms (Exodus 24v12 - 31v18). This covenant that God made with Moses and the ancient nation of Israel was never meant to be as a means for providing salvation. It was given so that they could realize the helplessness and futility of their own efforts and their need of God's help. It was to serve only as a protective fence until the promised Messiah came; the long waited for Saviour of all humanity, so that the whole world, Jew and Gentile, could be made right with God through faith and faith alone. In Comes Jesus And that is where Jesus comes in. As their Messiah and Saviour, Jesus ushered in the New Covenant, which was promised by God through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. What are the features of this New Covenant or promise? Four features of this covenant are: Regeneration -God will write His law on the hearts of people. Restoration - God will be their God, and they will be His people. Promised Holy Spirit - God will indwell people and they will be led by Him Justification - Sins will be forgiven and removed eternally This new covenant is sealed only through the perfect sacrifice of the God-Man Jesus on the cross. His blood ensures the truth of this New Covenant. His death pays the penalty for the sins of all people who say yes to God and are ready to run the race and travel the course. This New Covenant finalizes what the Mosaic Covenant could only point to: the follower of God living in a relationship with God conforming to God's holy character. That is one very specific way of Jesus being superior to Moses! The original readers of this letter being God-fearing Jews would be aware of all this. They would also be aware that it is sin, which separates humans from God and as a consequence leads to both a spiritual and physical death (Romans 3v23, Romans 6v23, Isaiah 59v2). In the Old Testament, sins were dealt with by blood sacrifices of atonement as coverings for sin (Leviticus 17v11), for without the shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin (Hebrews 9v22). A blood sacrifice is God's way of dealing with sin. These blood sacrifices of the Old Testament signified several things: It provided a covering for sin. It showed the great cost of sin. It was an exchange or substitution. It was only always going to be a temporary measure, as it pointed forward to Jesus' death and it needed to be done over and over again. So how is Jesus better than Moses? The answer lies in the solution to sin. The ultimate solution to sin lies not in the continual animal sacrifice under the Covenant with Moses, because as the writer later in Hebrews 10v4 stipulates the blood of animals cannot take away sin but was only ever going to be a veneer or a covering. That was why it was necessary to repeat time and time again! It is only through the victorious death of Jesus, that sin is permanently taken away (Hebrews 9:v11-15, 26-28), because Jesus is the permanent sacrificial substitute! It is as if the writer is saying give up on Jesus, stop considering Him and you would still be in your sins - that's the way the original readers would have understood it! Right mouse click or tap here to save this as mp3 And as for us? As followers of Jesus Christ we are built together so that the Spirit of God may join us together in love. Both individually and as a group, we are the house of God. Jesus said, "We will come and make our home in you". We know Jesus has been faithful as a Son over God's people. We celebrate His faithfulness at Easter, when we acknowledge and rejoice at the sacrifice He made for us. We remember it in the act of Communion, which we will have later. Jesus suffered persecution and rejection from his peers. We know Jesus was godly and full of zeal for God, and was willing to sacrifice everything for God and his people. We are the house of God. And yet, do we not reject Jesus sometimes, or do we keep on considering? Do we give Him and trust in His faithfulness to complete the good work he has started in us? This NIV translation has "fix your thoughts". Here is how the New King James Version puts verse 1 "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus". I personally think that that is a better way of putting it. And not only because it has the word partakers in there! To "consider" has a much broader meaning than just "fixing your thoughts" as the NIV puts it. It means to seek, to fully understand or comprehend as well as fixing thoughtfully. To consider means to contemplate, to think about, to persevere with, to concentrate on and to fix eyes and thoughts upon. We have to allow Jesus Christ to permeate every aspect of our life, if we are to be partakers of Him. To consider not just how Jesus would do something, but how Jesus would think. What attitude would Jesus take? What would Jesus not do? Just as the Hebrews receiving this letter were told to do, in their race of the life following Jesus, we too are to hold fast to our courage, but only by considering Jesus and trusting in Him relying on the Holy Spirit to help us as we ask Him. This phrase "to consider" is perhaps the central theme of the book of Hebrews. We are to consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Jesus was faithful to the purpose of His Coming to be among people. His purpose in coming to earth, as a mere man, was to die for sins and be raised up on the third day so as to be victorious over death and sin. This Jesus perfected our human nature in His life of simplicity, suffering, devotion and obedience. He now lives at the right hand of the Father in heaven, to communicate to us His life and blessedness through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We must therefore consider Jesus in everything we do, every thought we think and in every attitude. This is the aim of the writer to persuade these Hebrew Christians that if they knew Jesus to be the faithful, compassionate Almighty apostle and priest in Heaven, then they would find everything in Him that they needed for life. Moses couldn't help them, but Jesus could! Moses had died, they could perhaps visit his tomb if they wanted to. But Jesus, well, Jesus' tomb was empty! Jesus is alive! The life of these Hebrew Christians would be united with their faith, and united with the life of Jesus whom their faith would glorify God. To these Hebrew Christians their salvation was based on Jesus, but to renounce Jesus and go back to following Moses was apostasy. Moses couldn't offer salvation because the Law was not meant as a means of salvation! But what about you? Are you trusting in this Jesus for salvation or are you even subconsciously relying on your own good works or something else? That was what these believing Hebrews were to do - consider how vastly superior Jesus is to Moses. We also are to consider how superior Jesus is to all other things that would try to entangle us and allure us away with false promises. Keep Persevering! (Hebrews 3:7-12, 15-19) And then after considering Jesus, these Hebrew Christians were to do something! They were to persevere in believing. The writer now warns these Hebrew believers against the sin of unbelief, which is the hardening of their hearts. The writer quoting from Psalm 95 reminds them of the way Israel rebelled against God in the desert. He warns them not to be like their forefathers, who did not trust fully in the Lord their God. From Psalm 95, he proceeds to remind them of their ancestors' deeds of unbelief. The privilege of the house of God is in hearing God's voice. By choosing not to listen to God's voice, peoples' hearts grew hard and cold. These words are of course written to believing Christian Hebrews, not unbelieving Jews, and are as appropriate for us today, as it was for them when they received it. As the people of God today, the Church, we need to be ready to listen to God's voice. As we see God working in us, our trust and belief in Him grows. If we do not believe in Him to help us, then of course our hearts will harden against him. As we grow and run the race, willingly sacrificing what needs to be sacrificed, we realize the glory and majesty of God, His holiness and perfection, His love and tenderness, and gladly listen to hear what He says to us, and willingly receive what He gives us. When you pray, do you have your Bible open? When you read your Bible, do you do so prayerfully and considerately? Bible reading and prayer go together! Unbelief stops a person from holding fellowship with God. Our God is alive, not a dead idol on the shelf or in the bank. This church of Hebrew believers, for all their Christian profession and religious exercises, were in danger of falling away from God, due to their not believing totally in Him. God would not abandon them, but they would abandon God! We need to take care, in case we also fall into unbelief. Unbelief and falling away act upon and react to each other. If we have any unbelief in our hearts tonight, then let us ask God to give us a heart that believes in Him so that we may not fall away from Him. And what is one of the main ways we can stop from falling away or letting others fall away into unbelief? Keep encouraging! Hebrews 3:12-14 So we keep on considering Jesus. We persevere in our believing in Him. Now thirdly, to show we are considering Jesus and are persevering in our believing Him, we are to encourage and be encouraged! In verse 12, we read, "See to it, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God". This means, that we are not only to take care of our own hearts, but as verse 13 goes on to say, we are to encourage and ensure no one is in danger of falling away. We who are believers, have to make sure that each one of us is staying on the path that leads to life, that is, the race towards Jesus. This group of Hebrew Christians were to help and encourage each other! And so are we! For us, maybe it is by phoning somebody you haven't seen in a while or to phone somebody you get a random thought about! If we see a brother or sister that we know is starting to fall out of the race, we need to do all we can to stop them falling away. We need to encourage them, to continue considering Jesus and believing in Him. We all know of people who are new believers, full of joy and zeal for God, that end up falling back into unbelief, unable to hold fast to the end. To some degree, it is because the Church body has failed to encourage them to continue on in the race. It is our duty, and our daily responsibility to encourage people on in the race or the journey. However, to encourage is not just these easy things. To encourage can also mean to rebuke, to correct in love. I look back at my tutor, during my first stint of Bible College back in the 1980s. His name was Ed. Ed the head we called him. We had weekly tutorials then. Every week he would get me to read a chapter of Knowing God by JI Packer and a chapter of Mere Christianity by CS Lewis. Then during our tutorial I would have to try and explain what I learnt from both those chapters. It was a slog at times I tell you. But it gave me a good grounding for my Christian thinking and life of discipleship to Jesus. Or I think back to my dear friend Rose, a kind and dear elderly lady from the church I used to attend back in the 80s. She would have us young adults back to her house overlooking the ocean for coffee after church on a Sunday evening. She would always be showing love, caring and encouraging to all people - ready to lift them when they were down and eager to cheer from the sidelines. She was also a tough cookie at times and if we got out of line, she would say so in no uncertain terms! When we see somebody sinning or contemplating Therefore in considering Jesus, believe in Him and encourage others to do the same. That is the purpose of encouragement mentioned here. Let all of us give ourselves to the service of Jesus to watch over other people: let all the fresh grace and deeper knowledge of Jesus we see, be for the service of those around us. Where will you and I be spiritually next year, in 10 years' time, in 25 years' time? Will you be able to honestly say to yourself at that time, I have grown spiritually and haven't fallen away? If you would call yourself a Christian, and you are unsure where you are, then do this. Look back and remember what Jesus has done for you. Consider Him as you look back to your first profession of faith in Him. Consider that just as He died, you died in the waters of baptism. Consider that just as He rose to physical life, you rose from the waters of baptism and will also rise again when you physically die. Consider that just as Jesus will be glorified, so too will you be glorified before the Father - if you hold out until the end. Be assured of who you are - you are a child of the living God - hold out to the end. He has a firm grip on you, so maintain your grip on Him! Remember who you are! The way to cope with the rigours of 21st century life as a Christian believer, is to keep considering, keep persevering and keep encouraging. Right mouse click or tap here to save this as mp3
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The focus is on the Book of Exodus and the Mosaic Covenant, which outlines the importance of obedien...
For the past several days, we've been looking at the kingdom that our Lord will establish one day. Today, in our study of Isaiah 55, we'll see that as amazing at it is, our Lord offers the nations a place in this kingdom. So, Isaiah 55 is a key chapter because is shows us that God's plan, all along, was for both Jews and Gentiles to be one people under God. DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. Verse 1 opens with an invitation. What is the invitation and who is it given to? Why is this important for the overall theme and perspective of the Book of Isaiah? 2. Verses 1 & 2 also talk about the payment required to embrace this offer. What is the payment required? What New Testament term speaks of this kind of payment? 3. What is the “everlasting covenant” spoken of in verse 3? Considering your answer to question 1, from verse 1, who is this covenant being made with? 4. The term “Everlasting Covenant” was also used in Isaiah 61, Jeremiah 32, Ezekiel 16 & 37 and then in Hebrews 13:20. What covenant is this referring to? 5. The podcast pointed out that the Everlasting Covenant was specifically made with individuals. Although the Old Covenant (the Mosaic Covenant) was also individual in nature, it was ultimately made with the nation of Israel. How is the New Covenant different? Why is this difference important to understanding what it means for us to personally and individually enter into covenant with the Lord? 6. Take a moment to read over verse 6 and rewrite this in your own words, making a special point to apply this principle to your own life. 7. Verse 7 gives a clear picture of repentance. Does this describe your walk with the Lord? What wicked ways have you forsaken? What unrighteous thoughts have you turned from? What is the promise of verse 7 to those to repent like this? 8. What is the point behind verses 8 & 9? Why is it important for us to know these truths if we're going to walk faithfully according to our covenant with the Lord? 9. What impact does God's Word have, in verse 11? Why is this important for us to know when we're teaching God's Word to others? 10. Verse 12 pictures the kind of joy that will accompany those who enter into covenant with the Lord and follow Him. Why does following God have this result in our lives? Have there been times when you have not felt like this? In light of Christ's exhortations for us to pick up our cross and follow Him, how would you counsel someone who is following God but suffering pain as a result? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.
Monday, 9 June 2025 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:33 “And if, whoever, he should deny Me before men, I will deny – I also – him before My Father, the ‘in heavens'” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus noted that whoever will assent in Him before men, He will assent that person before His Father in heaven. Now, taking the opposite angle, He says, “And if, whoever, he should deny Me before men.” Jesus introduces the word arneomai, to contradict. As such, it signifies to disavow, reject, refuse, etc. As an example, it says this in Acts 3 – “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied [arneomai] in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied [arneomai] the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” Acts 13-15 Jesus is saying to the apostles that when they go forth spreading their message, those they encounter will have to decide. If they assent in Him, He will speak likewise before the Father. However, those who deny Him, “I will deny – I also – him before My Father, the ‘in heavens.'” The words bear a strong emphasis, just as in the previous verse. Jesus adamantly avows that those who deny Him, He too will deny. As with the previous verse, the words here speak of free will. There is nothing forced, and God leaves the decision up to the contemplation of the individual. Jesus is speaking to those of Israel whom the apostles will encounter. The apostles are not directed to go to anyone outside of the cities of Israel, and Jesus' ministry is – by His own words – directed to the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Matthew 10:6 & Matthew 15:24). Further, Jesus' words precede the completion of His ministry and fulfillment of the law. He is speaking about matters in that context. Life application: How many times have you heard someone cite the words of Matthew 10:33 to indicate that a person can lose his salvation? As noted, the context is not speaking of those in the church. It is speaking of those of Israel, even before the completion of Jesus' ministry. Further, notice the use of the same word, translated as denied, in Acts 3 cited above. Who was Peter speaking to in those verses? He was speaking to the people of Israel who had denied their Messiah. Peter was appealing to them to change their minds and believe. Therefore, there is a chance for someone who had denied Jesus to “undeny” Him and believe. Paul uses the same word in 2 Timothy 2 – “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny [arneomai] Him, He also will deny [arneomai] us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:11-13 But though often interpreted as such, those verses do not speak of a loss of salvation. Refer to the Superior Word commentary to understand what Paul is saying. Since the completion of Christ's ministry, He has fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant and established the New Covenant. Gentiles are accepted into this New Covenant through faith, just as Jews are. Believing the gospel leads to salvation. Salvation is guaranteed by the sealing of the Holy Spirit – “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14 Jesus didn't speak of these things because His work was not yet complete. The message of salvation by faith through grace as a guarantee through the sealing of the Holy Spirit only came about after His atoning death for the sins of the world. When someone believes, he has no longer denied Jesus. He moves from death to life, eternal life. Be sure to read the commentary on 2 Timothy 2:12, 13 to understand what Paul is referring to. And the next time you hear someone cite Matthew 10:33 as proof that one can lose his salvation, be sure to correct his thinking. Lord God, despite not knowing everything about what You have done for us, we know that You have saved us, fully and forever, through belief in Your gospel. We know that nothing can ever separate us from Your love because of Jesus. We are saved – forever and ever. Amen.
Pastor Rob talks about what all the Biblical covenants have in common in Christ.
THE COVENANTS The Mosaic Covenant Exodus 19:1-6 May 25, 2025
What's the Deeper Purpose of the Sabbath? What does true rest mean in the Bible? In this teaching, we explore the biblical understanding of rest as a spiritual principle rooted deeply in God's covenant relationship with humanity. The five major biblical covenants: • Noahic Covenant • Abrahamic Covenant • Mosaic Covenant • Davidic Covenant • New Covenant Each covenant in Scripture shows God's pattern of rest, with the Sabbath as the sign of the Mosaic Covenant, calling people to trust in divine provision over their own efforts. Jesus, as Lord of the Sabbath, fulfilled its meaning through seven healings, showing the Sabbath is about restoration, not rules. The word Shabbat means "to cease"—an invitation to stop striving and find true rest in God. This video unpacks how God leads His people from works-based striving into spiritual rest, rooted in trust and dependence on His provision.
In this episode of the Biblical Anarchy Podcast, host Jacob Winograd takes on a unique challenge—answering AI-generated objections to biblical anarchy and Christian libertarianism in rapid-fire succession. Covering topics such as Romans 13, Old Testament kings, just war theory, and national defense, Jacob critically examines common objections to the idea that Christians can embrace a society free from coercive government. Through theological reasoning and historical examples, he argues that biblical anarchy aligns with Christian principles of justice, proportionality, and voluntary cooperation.Jacob also explores how central planning and state intervention often exacerbate sin and injustice rather than curbing them. He discusses how biblical teachings, particularly the Mosaic Covenant, demonstrate the failures of earthly governance and foreshadow the necessity of Christ's ultimate reign. While responding to objections on foreign policy, economics, and cultural issues, Jacob underscores how the principles of voluntaryism, self-defense, and covenant theology provide a consistent framework for Christian libertarians seeking to honor Christ as King in all areas of life.Full Episode Show Notes at BiblicalAnarchyPodcast.comThe Biblical Anarchy Podcast is part of the Christians For Liberty Network, a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute.Audio Production by Podsworth Media.
Life in the Kingdom - part 11 Looking at the Adamic, Edemic, Noahic and Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenant
Life in the Kingdom - part 11 Looking at the Adamic, Edemic, Noahic and Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenant
Exodus 19: Historical Context and Key Points Historical Context Exodus 19 is a pivotal chapter in the Old Testament that describes the Israelites' arrival at Mount Sinai, where God establishes His covenant with them. This event is considered foundational in Jewish and Christian traditions because it sets the stage for the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. •Time and Place: The events occur in the third month after the Israelites' exodus from Egypt (around 1446–1250 BCE, depending on the dating method). They camp at the base of Mount Sinai, also called Mount Horeb, a sacred location where Moses first encountered God in the burning bush (Exodus 3). •Historical Background: The Israelites had been delivered from Egyptian slavery through miraculous events, including the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. Now, they were transitioning from being a wandering people to becoming a nation under divine law. •Covenantal Significance: The chapter marks the beginning of the Mosaic Covenant, in which God calls Israel His “treasured possession” and establishes them as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6). This covenant was conditional upon their obedience to God's commands. Key Points in Exodus 19 1. Israel's Arrival at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1-2) •Three months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites camp at Mount Sinai. •This location would be their dwelling place for nearly a year while receiving God's laws and instructions. 2. God's Covenant Proposal (Exodus 19:3-6) •Moses ascends the mountain, and God speaks to him. •God reminds Israel of how He delivered them from Egypt, describing it as carrying them “on eagles' wings.” •He offers them a covenant: If they obey Him, they will be His special people, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. 3. Israel's Acceptance of the Covenant (Exodus 19:7-8) •Moses relays God's message to the elders of Israel. •The people unanimously agree, saying, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” 4. God's Instructions for Consecration (Exodus 19:9-15) •God plans to appear in a dense cloud so the people can hear when He speaks to Moses, strengthening Moses' leadership. •The Israelites must prepare for three days by washing their clothes and abstaining from sexual relations. •Boundaries are set around the mountain; anyone who touches it will die. 5. The Theophany at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-25) •On the third day, Mount Sinai is covered in thunder, lightning, thick smoke, fire, and the sound of a loud trumpet. •The people tremble in fear as God's presence descends on the mountain. •Moses leads them forward but warns them not to approach the mountain. •God calls Moses up and then sends him back down to warn the people again, emphasizing the holiness of His presence. Theological and Practical Implications 1.God's Holiness – The chapter highlights God's holiness, requiring the Israelites to consecrate themselves before approaching Him. 2.God's Sovereignty – God reminds Israel of His power in delivering them and asserts His authority over them. 3.The Role of Mediators – Moses acts as an intermediary between God and the people, foreshadowing Christ's role as the ultimate mediator. 4.The Importance of Obedience – Israel's future blessings depend on their faithfulness to the covenant. 5.Preparation for Divine Encounter – The Israelites' need for purification symbolizes the necessity of spiritual readiness when approaching God. Conclusion Exodus 19 serves as a bridge between Israel's deliverance from Egypt and the giving of the Law. It sets the stage for the Ten Commandments and establishes Israel's identity as God's chosen people. This chapter also demonstrates that encountering God requires preparation, reverence, and obedience, themes that continue throughout Scripture.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.
Lots of people want God's blessings, and for good reason. Yet in today's study of Deuteronomy 27 & 28, we'll see that God gave specific promises for blessings and curses to His covenantal people. Yet later on, well-intentioned people took those promises to the Jews and appropriated them for themselves only to find that God was not pleased with their self-motivated false worship. Join us for an important study in God's Word! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. Deuteronomy 28 is a summary of God's blessings that He will give to His people when they are in covenant with Him. According to verse 2, what was their role in this covenant? What kinds of blessings would God bestow on them in verses 1 to 13? 2. How does verse 47 characterize the proper heart attitude that was needed for their covenant with God? 3. Were these promises for all people, or specifically for those who entered into the Mosaic Covenant with the Lord? How does the fact that this is God's Covenant with the Jews help us understand why we might still have trials and difficulties in our lives today? 4. Looking over verses 16-68, what kinds of things would happen to the people if they did not follow God's Covenant? If you were making this covenant with the Lord back then, do you think this long list would have helped motivate you to keep your end of the agreement? 5. Deuteronomy 27 gives specific instructions about how these blessings and curses were to be communicated to the people once they entered the Promised Land. What were they to do in Deuteronomy 27:5? What were they to do with the tribes in 27:12 and 27:13? Which tribe went on which mountain? 6. These instructions were later fulfilled in Joshua 8. How did their obedience, in Joshua 8, reflect their heart towards this covenant? 7. The podcast mentioned that many centuries later, the Samaritans appropriated God's promises to the Jews for His blessing on His covenantal people; and the Samaritans applied those promises to themselves. According to the podcast, what were they doing? Was it right to appropriate God's promises to someone else, and make it their own? 8. The podcast mentioned that the Samaritans sought to be particularly exuberant in their worship. Why do you think they were so ecstatic in their worship? Was this the kind of worship the Lord sought? 9. This whole issue came up when Jesus was talking with the Samaritan woman in John 4. While it is not specifically mentioned, it's the basis of their whole conversation about true worship. What did Jesus teach the woman in John 4:22-23? How would this have been at odds with what the Samaritans had been doing? 10. As we wrap up our study of Deuteronomy 27 & 28, what principles do we see from these passages about trusting and obeying the Lord? 11. If we're ever seeing something in our life that seems to reflect the warnings of Deuteronomy 28:16-68, how might these verses help us prayerfully determine if we're living out of sorts with God? 12. Finally, is there any area of your life where you're not worshipping the Lord in your spirit according to His truth? What are some ways for how you can bring that into submission to the Lord? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.
Understanding the Book of Isaiah: A Deep Dive into Historical Context and Prophetic MessagesIntroduction: The Book of Isaiah stands as one of the most profound and influential texts in the Old Testament. Often referred to as the "fifth gospel," Isaiah's writings offer a rich tapestry of prophecy, history, and theological insight. In a recent Bible study session, we explored the first chapter of Isaiah, delving into the historical context, the prophet's life, and the overarching themes of his message. This blog post aims to summarize the key points discussed, providing a comprehensive understanding of Isaiah's significance.The Prophet Isaiah: Background and Historical ContextIsaiah, the son of Amoz, is the author of the book that bears his name. His life and ministry are primarily documented in the books of Kings and Chronicles, with additional, albeit sometimes questionable, details provided by Jewish tradition. Isaiah is believed to be of noble birth, possibly related to King Amaziah and King Uzziah. Isaiah's ministry occurred during a tumultuous period marked by political strife involving Israel, Syria, Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon. His role extended beyond spiritual guidance; he also advised kings on political and military matters. This dual role underscores the importance of understanding the historical context to fully grasp the depth of Isaiah's prophecies.The Structure and Themes of Isaiah1. Prayer and Person: The initial focus on prayer and the person of Isaiah sets the stage for understanding his prophetic mission. Isaiah's relationship with God and his role as a covenant prosecutor for the Mosaic covenant are central to his message.2. Place: Isaiah's writings were primarily directed at the people of Judah and Jerusalem. His prophecies addressed both immediate and future events, validating his credibility as a prophet and encouraging trust and obedience to God.3. Prophecies and Fulfillment: Isaiah's prophecies, both short and long-term, serve to validate his role as a prophet. The fulfillment of these prophecies reinforces the trustworthiness of God's word and the importance of obedience.The Mosaic Covenant and Its ImplicationsA significant portion of the discussion centered on the Mosaic covenant, a conditional covenant with blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Isaiah's role involved reminding the people of their covenant violations and calling them to repentance. This covenant is seen as an expansion of the covenant of works between Adam and God, encompassing moral law, case law, and ceremonial law.Isaiah's prophecies often condemned Israel and other nations based on the moral law outlined in the Mosaic covenant. This universal application of God's law underscores the belief in God's sovereignty over all nations and the moral obligation of all people to obey Him.Timeline and Historical AccuracyUnderstanding the timeline of Isaiah's ministry is crucial for contextualizing his prophecies. Isaiah's ministry began around 740 B.C., during the reign of King Uzziah, and continued through the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. The Everlasting Dominion of ChristOne of the most profound aspects of Isaiah's message is the prophecy of Christ's everlasting dominion. Isaiah 9 speaks of the increase of His government and peace, which will have no end. This theme resonates throughout the Bible study, emphasizing the sovereignty of God and the fulfillment of His promises.ConclusionThe Book of Isaiah offers a rich and complex narrative that intertwines historical context, prophetic messages, and theological insights. By understanding the background, structure, and themes of Isaiah's writings, we gain a deeper appreciation for his role as one of the greatest Old Testament prophets. As we continue to study Isaiah, let us remember the importance of obedience to God's word and the assurance of His everlasting dominion.
When the people of Israel came to the edge of the Promised Land, God instructed Moses to re-state the Law and the terms of the Mosaic Covenant before the people entered into the land. As Moses is nearing the end of his instruction, he tells the people that God will bless them if they are careful to obey all that God had commanded but also warns them what will happen if they choose to ignore God's commandments and turn away from Him. In today's study, we'll examine whether God responds to our obedience and disobedience the same way in light of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus.
Is Sunday now the Christian Sabbath? Or was the Sabbath only the sign of the Mosaic Covenant with Israel? You can watch this message here.
Leviticus 9~10 Obedient Service - Part 4 So what's all this got to do with us today in the 21st century? Over and over again in the Old Testament, we see that the nation of Israel were to be a people of service separated out for God! Under the terms of the covenant God made with them through Moses, that was the core of God's agreement with them. It commenced with the stipulation "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me (Exodus 19v5)". This covenant was with the nation of Israel in order that those who believed God's earlier promise to Abraham could know how to live a life worthy of being God's people: to live a life relating socially to God and to other people. It was also to show how humanity could approach God on God's terms alone and not on their own conditions! God was and is a perfect and holy God! His people, Israel, were to be a holy and separated people of service and to reflect God's glory and greatness to the other nations! This covenant was only in place until the Messiah came and made the perfect sacrifice. All the Old Testament Covenants pointed towards the time when the Saviour Messiah would come - God would come Himself to save His people! The Mosaic Covenant was never meant as a means towards salvation. It was given that they could realize the helplessness of their own efforts to save themselves and their need of God's help. One day, there would be a New Covenant between God and humanity and this Mosaic covenant would be fulfilled! New Covenant? So what is this New Covenant? Four primary features are: God will write His law on the hearts of people. God will be their God, and they will be His people. God will indwell people and they will be led by Him All sins will be forgiven and removed eternally This new covenant was and is sealed only through the perfect sacrifice of the God-Man Jesus on the cross. His blood ensures the truth of this New Covenant. His death pays the penalty for the sins of all people who choose to say yes to God and follow Him. This New Covenant finalizes what the Mosaic Covenant could only point to: the follower of God engaged in a dynamic relationship of Joy with a God who loves them. No longer would human priests need to mediate between God and humans, because Jesus Christ, the full visible manifestation of God, would fulfil that role as mediator and all people would have access to God through Him! Amazing stuff! You and I have instant access to Almighty God. We can approach God's throne of grace with confidence and assurance because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. God no longer dwells in a Tent of Meeting, the Tabernacle or the Temple made of stone - He now lives in each believer - immediate access guaranteed! Amazing and yet how often we don't avail ourselves. But it is more than that, because as royal priests of this New Covenant, for that is what we are, we too are called into a joyful life of obedient service of God! Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this as a MP3 file
In this lecture, Don Carson discusses God's role as both Creator and Legislator, challenging listeners to consider the Bible's laws and their relevance in today's society amidst objections to Christian morality. He explores the importance of boundaries in truth and freedom, drawing connections between God's laws, the Mosaic Covenant, and the story of the Israelites. Carson concludes by pointing to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice that fulfills the law and reconciles humanity to God.He teaches the following:All communities have boundaries, and no community can be completely inclusiveTruth is inevitable and cannot be escaped, even in a post-modern contextWhy freedom must have discipline, and how this truth is biblically basedThe historical significance of each commandment in Exodus 20, and their relevance for Christians todayHow the Ten Commandments are related to God's self-disclosure in a redemptive actHow the sacrificial system fits into the broader storyline of God's relationship with his people
8. Messiah's Promise Isaiah 54:1-17 God fulfills every promise He has made! You may recall back on Day 4 in Isaiah 52, Isaiah started talking about a great homecoming for all those who believed. Then on our Day 5, Isaiah gave a picture regarding the sacrificial suffering of the Messiah Servant. Now in Isaiah 54, we see the reason for the suffering. We see that because of this coming Messah's suffering and subsequent exultation and vindication, that God will make a New Covenant with all the peoples of the world! God has always kept the promises He made with people! Promises to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David were also kept by God! God is ever faithful and always true to His word! And here God reminds them through Isaiah of three promises or covenants He has made: Abraham, Moses and Noah. Past - Covenant with Abraham! Here in Isaiah 54:1-3 God reminds the people through Isaiah, that God has always kept His promises to His people! If they looked back at the covenant promises made to Abraham, they would see this (Genesis 12:1-3)! When they go into exile, keep hold of the promises of God and be obedient to Him! God is always faithful and wants their total obedience to Him! How are these verses of Isaiah 54:1-3, are meant to be a reminder of the covenant with Abraham? The mention of the barren woman (1), tent (2) and descendants (3) would all bring to mind God's promises to Abraham... The barren woman, would be a reminder that Abraham and Sarah were aged and childless. The tent would act as a reminder that Abraham was a tent-dweller in an alien land. The descendants would remember that they themselves are descendants from Abraham! And God has promised in 54:3 that they will return to the land of Abraham and populate there once more. The Abrahamic covenant is a link to all of God's activities and programs until the end of time, when Jesus returns to gather His people to Himself. That is how important it was, particularly to Israel! The covenant had aspects for Abraham personally, as well as aspects that applied to all nations. Past - Covenant with Moses Now in Isiaah 54:4-8, God moves to the covenant He made with Moses (Exodus 19v5-8). When as a young nation, Israel was in exile and slavery in Egypt - it was an embarrassment to her. Now as a nation she was like an aged widow, she was due to be in exile again, but in Babylon this time. But just as God made the covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai after escaping from Egypt, so too would God restore her to Himself once again and be her husband and Redeemer. The covenant with Moses begins with a stipulation "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me." (Exodus 19v5). This covenant was to Israel in order that those who believed God's promise to Abraham would know how to live righteously and obediently. Past - Covenant with Noah! Next God talks about his promise to Noah (Genesis 9v1-19)! Now instead of just a covenant with Israel, this is a covenant with the whole world! After the flood, Noah and his descendants spread throughout the world, bringing new life and God's blessing to all parts. The flood is symbolic of the coming period that Israel will spend in exile, and all of the people of Israel are likened to the family of Noah and their descendants. God will protect them in exile, just as He did Noah and his family through the flood. God has always kept his promises to Israel! But Israel has not always been faithful! Future - Promised New City Now the Lord talks about the future - the now but not yet. A great city is built to house all those who are God's people as a reward for their obedient faithfulness despite trials, sufferings and persecution! Here Isaiah links also to the coming Messiah! Remember the Messiah was also a Disciple taught by God (Isaiah 50:4), then so were they (54:13)! Just has He had suffered (Isaiah 53:4), so have they (Isaiah 54:11)! Just as He was justified (Isaiah 50:8), so would they be (Isaiah 54:17). Those who serve God Almighty with faithful obedience will share in the sufferings of the Messiah King but also participate in His glory, because they are His children. Because of the Messiah Servant's sacrificial suffering they will be able to live in the city of God forever! God is going to make a new Covenant with people - and He can be trusted to keep His promises! How is Jesus this Messiah? Both the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel talk about the promise of this New Covenant that God will have with all of humanity. What is this New Covenant that God is making? Four features of this covenant are: Regeneration -God will write His law on the hearts of people. (Jeremiah 31v33) Restoration - God will be their God, and they will be God's people. (Jeremiah 31v33) Promised Holy Spirit - God will indwell people and they will be led by Him (Jeremiah 31v 34) Justification - Sins will be forgiven and removed eternally (Jeremiah 31v34) What does all this have to do with Jesus? This New Covenant is sealed only through the perfect sacrifice of the God-Man Jesus on the cross as spoken of in Isaiah 53:1-12. His blood ensures the truth of this New Covenant. His death pays the penalty for the sins of all people who say yes to God and His New Covenant. This New Covenant is contrasted with the Old Covenant or the Mosaic covenant (Jeremiah 31v32; Hebrews 8v6-13) because this New Covenant finalizes what the Mosaic Covenant could only point to: the follower of God living in a righteous life conforming to God's holy character. In this way, Jesus is also the redeemer of the Church and the redeemer mentioned in Isaiah 54:5 & Isaiah 54:7! He is the redeemer spoken about by Job (Job 19:25)! Relationship! Jesus Christ is the head of the church! The church is married to Jesus Christ and is frequently described as a bride! Just as the people of Israel were in Isaiah 54! How are the church linked to Jesus Christ? The Church is the Body of Christ - it is a living organism and not merely an organization (Ephesians 1v22, 23; 4v15-16). We are all baptized into one body (1 Corinthians 12v13) and this body is made up of many parts or believers. Each believer has a vitally necessary and important function (Ephesians 4v15; 1 Corinthians 12v13). The Church is the Bride of Christ - which suggests the purity, holiness and faithfulness of God's people. Furthermore it suggests the great love that Jesus Christ has for His Church, the Bride (Ephesians 5v25-32; 2 Corinthians 11v2; Rev 19v7.22v17) The Church is the Temple of Christ - Christ is building a spiritual temple with Himself as the Cornerstone or foundation. As Christian Disciples we are living stones and God dwells within the temple, filling it with all His fullness (Ephesians 2v22; 1 Peter 2v5) God keeps His promises - Jesus is proof of that! Right mouse click to save this Podcast as a MP3.
Send us a textHappy birthday! This is a common greeting in America. Birthdays are usually significant in the western world but hardly mentioned in many eastern cultures. The question some ask is, "Why celebrate birthdays?" The Bible never mentions birthday celebrations although there were a number of days marked for celebration in the Mosaic Covenant. In the ancient Christian churches days of martyrdom were kept. The oldest days of celebration concerning Jesus were termed "Epiphany," which celebrated the recognition of Jesus as King by men from the east (Matthew 2) and the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John in which the Father announced him as his beloved Son (Matthew. 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, John 1). His baptism commenced his ministry as Messiah.We do not know the day of the year that Jesus was birthed by Mary. However, we do know the significance of his arrival. The designation of such an event is properly termed the "Festival of the Incarnation." The Word became flesh and lived among us! In Jesus of Nazareth we have the Lord of Glory as a human!Why do we celebrate birthdays? We are really celebrating a person's life, their uniqueness, our relationship. A good scripture to read on one's birthday is Psalm 90:12, "Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts."As a Christian, celebrating one's birthday should involve the blessing of the Lord and so my prayer for you is in the words of Ephesians 1:17, "I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him." Bible Insights with Wayne ConradContact: 8441 Hunnicut Rd Dallas, Texas 75228email: Att. Bible Insights Wayne Conradgsccdallas@gmail.com (Good Shepherd Church) Donation https://gsccdallas.orghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJTZX6qasIrPmC1wQpben9ghttps://www.facebook.com/waconrad or gscchttps://www.sermonaudio.com/gsccSpirit, Truth and Grace MinistriesPhone # 214-324-9915 leave message with number for call backPsalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Happy birthday! This is a common greeting in America. Birthdays are usually significant in the western world but hardly mentioned in many eastern cultures. The question some ask is, "Why celebrate birthdays?" The Bible never mentions birthday celebrations although there were a number of days marked for celebration in the Mosaic Covenant. In the ancient Christian churches days of martyrdom were kept. The oldest days of celebration concerning Jesus were termed "Epiphany," which celebrated the recognition of Jesus as King by men from the east (Matthew 2) and the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John in which the Father announced him as his beloved Son (Matthew. 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, John 1). His baptism commenced his ministry as Messiah.We do not know the day of the year that Jesus was birthed by Mary. However, we do know the significance of his arrival. The designation of such an event is properly termed the "Festival of the Incarnation." The Word became flesh and lived among us! In Jesus of Nazareth we have the Lord of Glory as a human!Why do we celebrate birthdays? We are really celebrating a person's life, their uniqueness, our relationship. A good scripture to read on one's birthday is Psalm 90:12, "Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts."As a Christian, celebrating one's birthday should involve the blessing of the Lord and so my prayer for you is in the words of Ephesians 1:17, "I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him."
Sunday, 24 November 2024 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19 “Whoever if therefore, he shall loosen one of these commandments – the least – and he shall teach the men thus, least he will be called in the kingdom of the heavens. And whoever, if he shall keep and he shall teach, this great he will be called in the kingdom of the heavens” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or stroke will not pass from the law until all should be fulfilled. With that remembered, He continues, saying, “Whoever if therefore, he shall loosen one of these commandments – the least.” The word luó, to loosen, is introduced here. When one loosens something, a bond is broken. One can loosen a donkey, and the donkey is no longer bound to the post it was tied to. To loosen the temple would be to destroy it because its structure – foundation, pillars, etc., is no longer firm. To loosen the Sabbath is to violate or break it because it is a precept commanded by the law. The same is true here. Jesus is saying of the Law and Prophets (verse 17), “Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments.” From there, He continues with, “and he shall teach the men thus.” Not only is the person breaking (loosening) the least of the commandments but he is then teaching that it is ok to do so. Of such a person, “least he will be called in the kingdom of the heavens.” Such a person, who is so presumptuous as to willfully violate a law set forth by the Lord, and who also then teaches others that it is ok to do so, will not find favor in the eyes of God who gave the law in the first place. It is unconscionable to even consider that a man could override the word of God given to the people of Israel for the guidance of their lives in His presence. Of this precept, Charles Ellicott says, “The words seem at first to imply that even the ceremonial law was to be binding in its full extent upon Christ's disciples. The usage of the time, however, confined the word to the moral laws of God.” What is right or wrong with the words of Ellicott? Consider that as the words of Jesus continue. Next, He says, “And whoever, if he shall keep and he shall teach.” Jesus is precisely saying to His disciples that there is another category of person, completely distinct and separate from the one He just mentioned. There is the meticulous keeper of every precept of the Law and Prophets. He understands it is God's word for the people of Israel, it is binding in its every precept, and he faithfully attempts to live out the commandments as they are set forth – without adding to or detracting from what is prescribed. Paul was such a person. In Philippians 3, he gave his points of boasting from a worldly perspective. To sum up his long list of achievements, accomplishments, and accolades, he says in verse 3:6, “concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” In other words, Paul was just the person Jesus is describing here. He was a meticulous law keeper whose righteousness before the law could not be questioned. Of such a person, from the perspective of the dispensation of the law, Jesus says, “this great he will be called in the kingdom of the heavens.” Paul, at any time under the Law of Moses, would have been the epitome of one who would be exalted in the kingdom of the heavens set forth by God. At the base of Mount Sinai, he would have stood against those who fashioned the golden calf. During the time of the Judges, he would have come against the idolatry of Micah and the tribe of Dan, standing against them and calling them out for their willful violation of the law. At the time of David, he would have counseled the king concerning his adulterous affair, telling him that what he had done was abominable in the sight of God. This was the type of person Paul was. He faithfully and meticulously upheld t he standards of the Law and Prophets set forth by God for the conduct of Israel. And yet, after listing this most valuable asset of his under the time of the law, he next said – “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:7-11 Had Paul gone off his rocker? Was he suddenly in violation of what Jesus said in Matthew 5? Was he set to be the least in the kingdom of God? No! What is wrong with Ellicott's words? What now makes what Paul says acceptable? The answer is JESUS. Who was Jesus speaking to? Israel. What was the state of Israel at the time He spoke those words? Bound to the Law of Moses under the Mosaic (Old) Covenant. What is the difference in Paul's words of Philippians 3? Jesus had fulfilled the Law of Moses, died in fulfillment of it, and established a New Covenant in His blood. Is the law still binding on Israel, then? Yes and No. Yes, if one has not come to Jesus. He is still bound to the Mosaic Covenant and must fulfill it perfectly. As it is impossible for someone to do so, he stands condemned before God. However, the answer is No for one who has come to Jesus. He has been imputed Christ's righteousness, meaning Jesus has fulfilled the law on his behalf. He has kept every precept according to God's standard, not on his own, but through Jesus' fulfilling each on his behalf. He has entered into the New Covenant of grace. The law is done away with for him. Are Gentiles bound to the law of Moses? No. The law was only given to Israel. No other nation or people group was given the law. Jesus was speaking to Israel about matters pertaining to Israel alone. Life application: The problem with Ellicott's words is that there is NO DISTINCTION between the moral law and the ceremonial law. It is a false teaching. Jesus' words bear no such tone. The least part of the Mosaic Law was to be fulfilled, even in ceremonial matters. As James says – “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10 The Law of Moses is a codified whole. No person had the right to dismiss even the least portion of it. The entirety was binding upon the people. And in Jesus' fulfillment of it, the entirety of it is taken away for the one who trusts in His finished work – “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments [the Law of Moses] contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Ephesians 2:14-16 “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements [the Law of Moses] that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:13-15 “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment [the Law of Moses] because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:18, 19 “In that He says, ‘A new covenant,' He has made the first [the Law of Moses] obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” Hebrews 8:13 “He takes away the first [the Law of Moses] that He may establish the second [the New Covenant].” Hebrews 10:9 The law is done. No person will find righteousness through the law. Only through faith in Christ's fulfillment of it can man be saved. This is the message of the Bible. Jesus! It is all about what God has done in and through JESUS. Lord God, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God restores the Mosaic Covenant after the Golden Calf because of who he is, and there is also a slightly humorous mistranslation. Read Exodus 34 and thanks for listening.
Why did God give so many commands to Israel? How do these laws relate to His gracious salvation through Jesus Christ? Today, Sinclair Ferguson considers the purpose of the Mosaic Covenant in redemptive history. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/gods-law-and-grace/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
0:58 Abrahamic Covenant 15:47 Mosaic Covenant
Why are there so many laws in Scripture? Why is it so hard to be obedient to God? Rabbi Schneider shares that while the Mosaic Covenant is conditional, it was designed to be a temporary until Jesus could fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant. The New Covenant has the same three elements as the original Abrahamic Covenant and is fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus came to free us from the law. Dig deep and learn in this episode of Discovering the Jewish Jesus. Visit our website at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com
What are the Abrahamic Covenant, Mosaic Covenant, and the New Covenant and what do they mean to you? Rabbi Schneider shares how these three primary covenants in Scripture form the basis of God's relationship with us. Starting with the Abrahamic Covenant which is based on your Faith, God's Promise, and Unconditional. Learn more in today's episode of Discovering the Jewish Jesus. Visit our website at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com
In this episode of the Biblical Anarchy Podcast, host Jacob Winograd delves into the foreshadowings of Christ within the Mosaic Covenant and how the monarchy of Israel points to a need for a greater kingdom than that of David or any earthly ruler. Jacob revisits Old Testament passages, including those in the Torah, Psalms, and prophetic books, to demonstrate the continuity of God's covenantal promises. He emphasizes how Jesus fulfills these promises in ways that go beyond physical land or earthly power, arguing for a spiritual kingdom that transcends the literalist interpretations often applied to such scriptures.Jacob discusses topics such as the eternal nature of Christ's kingdom, the internal transformation promised in the New Covenant, and how Christ's reign subverts traditional expectations of earthly rule. He explores interpretations from early church fathers like Augustine and modern theologians, connecting Old Testament prophecies to the New Testament reality of Christ's kingship. As the episode progresses, Jacob addresses contemporary misunderstandings of eschatology and the dangers of using scripture to justify modern political ambitions or conflicts.Full Episode Shownotes: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-77-the-mosaic-covenant-meaning-how-jesus-is-greater-than-moses-and-david/The Biblical Anarchy Podcast is part of the Christians For Liberty Network, a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute. Check out Jacob's other podcast at: daniel318.comAudio Production by Podsworth Media.
Friday, 27 September 2024 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 “From then, Jesus, He began to proclaim and to say, ‘Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens'” (CG). The previous verse completed the citation from Isaiah concerning the coming Messiah who would appear in the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. With that citation complete, it next says, “From then, Jesus, He began to proclaim and to say.” The baptism of Jesus has been noted, His temptation in the desert area was explained, and then the imprisonment of John was noted, which was immediately followed by the note that Jesus departed to the Galilee, thus fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy. Matthew's account of the ministry in the area of Galilee now officially begins with this verse. The narrative clearly and unambiguously shows that Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah's messianic prophecy, just as was the prophecy concerning John from Isaiah that he would be the forerunner of the Messiah. The logical step-by-step nature of how Matthew is presenting the unfolding of Israel's history in relation to the coming of the Messiah is carefully laid out for us to see. With Jesus as the Messiah on full display, His message is next given in the words, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens.” It is a letter-for-letter repeat of John's message in Matthew 3:2 – 3:1, 2 – And in those days, comes John the Baptist, proclaiming in the desolate of Judea, 2 and saying, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens.” 4:17 – From then, Jesus, He began to proclaim and to say, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens.” Jesus is, at this time, noted as being like a herald. He is proclaiming a message of reconsideration to the people of Israel. As they were the Lord's people, this must mean reconsidering their relationship with Him. This is unlike the later reconsideration when the gospel is preached to the Gentiles. The Gentiles did not have a relationship with the Lord as noted, for example, in Ephesians 2:12 where Paul notes that they stand “without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” As such, the reconsideration of the Gentiles which Paul mentions in (for example) Acts 17:30, concerns their idea about who God is, not so much their relationship with Him. Once they are presented with the gospel, they reconsider who God is and what He is like, turning to Him through faith in the Messiah. Jesus, at this time, is proclaiming reconsideration to Israel who is still under the law. He is telling them that the kingdom of the heavens is at hand. John's proclamation was to prepare Israel for the coming of the Messiah who would establish this kingdom. Jesus' proclamation is that He is the One who would establish it. Life application: There is a false teaching concerning the establishment of Christ's coming that says Jesus came to renew the Mosaic Covenant. Thus, rather than translating verses like Jeremiah 31:31 and Hebrews 8:8, 13 as “new,” these false teachers say “renewed.” This is what is taught, for example, in the Hebrew Roots movement. The word, in both Hebrew and Greek, means “new.” The word “renewed” is not a possible translation, nor can it even be inferred. There is a complete divide between the Law of Moses and the Covenant of Grace which comes through Jesus' finished work. This is because Jesus' finished work... well, it finished something. What did it finish? It finished the task He was assigned, which was to be born under the law, live out the law without sinning, and then end the law because the law stands against us. It is not our friend but our enemy in the sense that it only condemns us. Without Jesus, the law can never bring about salvation. That is why Paul wrote this – “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Ephesians 2:14-16 Jesus “abolished” the “law of commandments and ordinances.” It is speaking of the Law of Moses. It stood opposed to those who were under it. For those who believe in the completed work of the Messiah, salvation is realized. For those who claim that Jesus came to “renew” the Law of Moses, they have believed a false gospel and there will be no salvation. Man simply cannot give up on himself. It is the sin of pride that says, “I am my own Savior.” Jesus may be a part of the process, but this type of thinking ultimately comes back to self. Give up on self! If you are a part of this heretical sect, come to Jesus today. Be saved through His full, final, finished, and forever work. Come to the cross and lay yourself and your burdens down. Glorious God, forgive us for always trying to make everything about ourselves. Even in salvation, we greedily claim a portion of the process, as if we have somehow merited grace. But grace cannot be earned. Help us to get this right. May we forever hail Jesus who alone has done it all. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.
There's a strange contradiction in God's promises to the Jewish people. In Genesis 12, God makes a covenant with Abraham to give him the land of Israel. In Genesis 17:7, God told Abraham that His covenant with him and his descendants would be an everlasting covenant. But then in Leviticus 26, God warns that if the Jewish people break His commandments, He will kick them out of their land. And then we know from our studies in the book of Ezekiel that that's exactly what happened. In fact, in Ezekiel 16, God even tells us that the covenant was broken. This was in the 500s BC. But God had said He was making an everlasting covenant around 2000 BC. So since when does “everlasting” have an expiration date after 1500 years? How can God say that a covenant can ever be broken if God had already promised it was everlasting?And does this mean that the Jewish people actually have no right to the claim of the land of Israel today?Now, I actually believe there are NO contradictions in God's Word, and that when we think we've found one, we actually just need to rightly divide the Word of Truth to figure out how it all fits together. And that's what we'll do today as we finish up Ezekiel 36 on the Cross References podcast.0:00 - Introduction5:30 - v28-30, The Return10:35 - v31-32 True Repentance18:00 - v33-38, The Regrowth of Israel23:25 - Two Covenants (with Craig from Awaiting Christ)31:50 - Closing ThoughtsIf you want to get in touch with me, send an email to crossreferencespodcast@gmail.com
Support the show!! - https://www.patreon.com/chasedavisGo to ionlayer.com and use code FPT to get $100 off your first kit. Go right now to hillsdale.edu/proof to enrollJacob Glass on X - @JGlassMinBen Castle on X - @CalRumRedivivusSummaryThe conversation is a debate on whether keeping the fourth commandment in the New Covenant requires only a spiritual resting in Christ and his finished work or if it also requires a physical resting in worship. Jacob argues that the Sabbath was a sign of the Mosaic Covenant and that Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant, establishing a new covenant with a new covenant sign, the Lord's Supper. He believes that Christians partake in the Sabbath by spiritually resting in Christ, not by observing a physical day of rest. Ben argues that the Sabbath command is rooted in natural law and corresponds to man's nature as a physical and spiritual being. He believes that keeping the Sabbath in the New Covenant requires both a spiritual and physical resting unto worship. He also argues that the Sabbath command has a positive moral aspect and that the change of the day from the seventh to the first is rooted in Hebrews 4. The distinction between the ceremonial and moral aspects of the Sabbath command is a point of contention between them. The conversation explores the different perspectives on the observance of the Sabbath and the Lord's Day. Ben Castle argues that the Sabbath commandment is moral and should be observed on the first day of the week, while Jacob Glass believes that the Sabbath is a sign of the old covenant and is not binding on Christians. They discuss the moral nature of the Sabbath, the transfer from the seventh day to the first day, and the distinction between the Sabbath and the Lord's Day. They also address the issue of tradition and the importance of gathering with the church on the Lord's Day.Support the showSign up for the Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/chasedavisFollow Full Proof Theology on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fullprooftheology/Follow Full Proof Theology on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fullprooftheology/
Welcome to our second week of core group curriculum! This week we are diving into the Mosaic Covenant.
I. The blessings and beneficiaries of the new covenant mediator, v15. II. The death of the new covenant mediator, vv16-17. III. The blood of the new covenant mediator, vv18-22.
Throughout the storyline of scripture we see a variety of different types of covenants, where some covenants are between human beings, others are between God and human beings. These covenants of God serve as the backbone of the bibles we read. In this series, we will explore these covenants and in doing so, see with greater depth the story we find ourselves in and the never-ending faithfulness of our God. In this week's message, Lead Pastor Grant Bruscoe continues our series by looking at the Mosaic Covenant, made between God and Moses in the Old Testament. We'd love to connect with you! Fill out our online connect card here: https://summitspokane.churchcenter.com Visit https://summitchurchnw.com/kids-online for our Sunday Kids experience! For more resources and info on upcoming events visit our website, https://summitchurchnw.com.
Sermon By: Pastor Roman Folia (The Covenants Part 15)
For the past several days, we've been looking at the kingdom that our Lord will establish one day. Today, in our study of Isaiah 55, we'll see that as amazing at it is, our Lord offers the nations a place in this kingdom. So, Isaiah 55 is a key chapter because is shows us that God's plan, all along, was for both Jews and Gentiles to be one people under God. 1. Verse 1 opens with an invitation. What is the invitation and who is it given to? Why is this important for the overall theme and perspective of the Book of Isaiah? 2. Verses 1 & 2 also talk about the payment required to embrace this offer. What is the payment required? What New Testament term speaks of this kind of payment? 3. What is the “everlasting covenant” spoken of in verse 3? Considering your answer to question 1, from verse 1, who is this covenant being made with? 4. The term “Everlasting Covenant” was also used in Isaiah 61, Jeremiah 32, Ezekiel 16 & 37 and then in Hebrews 13:20. What covenant is this referring to? 5. The podcast pointed out that the Everlasting Covenant was specifically made with individuals. Although the Old Covenant (the Mosaic Covenant) was also individual in nature, it was ultimately made with the nation of Israel. How is the New Covenant different? Why is this difference important to understanding what it means for us to personally and individually enter into covenant with the Lord? 6. Take a moment to read over verse 6 and rewrite this in your own words, making a special point to apply this principle to your own life. 7. Verse 7 gives a clear picture of repentance. Does this describe your walk with the Lord? What wicked ways have you forsaken? What unrighteous thoughts have you turned from? What is the promise of verse 7 to those to repent like this? 8. What is the point behind verses 8 & 9? Why is it important for us to know these truths if we're going to walk faithfully according to our covenant with the Lord? 9. What impact does God's Word have, in verse 11? Why is this important for us to know when we're teaching God's Word to others? 10. Verse 12 pictures the kind of joy that will accompany those who enter into covenant with the Lord and follow Him. Why does following God have this result in our lives? Have there been times when you have not felt like this? In light of Christ's exhortations for us to pick up our cross and follow Him, how would you counsel someone who is following God but suffering pain as a result? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.
A new MP3 sermon from Heritage Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Christ Paid It All: Christ and the Mosaic Covenant Subtitle: Exodus 2024 Speaker: Joe Morecraft III Broadcaster: Heritage Presbyterian Church Event: Sunday Service Date: 6/16/2024 Bible: Exodus 24 Length: 59 min.
Send us a Text Message.Not only is Jesus a greater high priest, but He also is the mediator of a new and better covenant than the Mosaic Covenant.Support the Show.Stay engaged with new and up-to-date content, including newsletters, articles, podcasts, etc. Download the Teach Me the Bible App from any app store or Apple TV/Roku device.
EXODUS Lesson 31 – Chapters 33 and 34 Let's be very clear where Israel stands with God at this moment in Exodus: the Mosaic Covenant has been broken and is not in operation and therefore Israel's relationship with God is broken; all the result of idol worship of the Golden Calf. The result of Israel […] The post Lesson 31 – Exodus 33 & 34 appeared first on Torah Class.
Lesson 40 – Deuteronomy 29 DEUTERONOMY Lesson 40 – Chapter 29 Last week we finished up examining the long list of threats in Deuteronomy 28 that God made on Israel should they violate the terms of the Mosaic Covenant. These threats are called curses and some are of the most extreme nature. In fact chapter […] The post Lesson 40 – Deuteronomy 29 appeared first on Torah Class.
The Ten Minute Bible Hour Podcast - The Ten Minute Bible Hour
Thanks to everyone who supports TMBH at patreon.com/thetmbhpodcast You're the reason we can all do this together! Discuss the episode here Music by Jeff Foote