Virtual Church Consulting

We’re continuing our “Kingdom Rebellion” series. This week, we will conclude the series by looking at the events surrounding the “Tower of Babel” and also taking a quick look at covenants as we prepare for the next series, “Kingdom Covenant.”

Genesis 11:1-4 (NIV)
1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

The people were pretty excited about their brick technology. Let us make a name for ourselves and build a tower with its tops in the heavens. This is a fascinating turn on the cosmic rebellion we saw in Genesis 6 when the sons of God invade the earthly realm and produce the Nephilim with beautiful human women. This time, the sons of Adam are invading the heavens.

Genesis 11:5-9 (NIV)
5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. 6 The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 8 So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel–because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Something fascinating is happening, and we will dig deeper into it at Keys Vineyard Church this weekend. We will also be taking a quick look at covenants.

A covenant represents a bond between two entities that commit to each other through binding promises and collaborative efforts toward a shared objective. It is often marked by vows, symbols, and rituals. Unlike contracts, covenants are based on a personal and relational foundation.

Noahic Covenant: Genesis 9:12-17

God forms an unconditional bond with Noah and all living beings, vowing not to flood the earth again despite human corruption. Instead, God commits to preserving the world as part of his broader plan to save humanity and creation, as foretold in Genesis 3:15. This plan includes human participation in populating and stewarding the earth, with the rainbow serving as a lasting symbol of this promise.

Abrahamic Covenant: Genesis 12:1-3

God established a covenant with Abraham, promising him numerous descendants, land in Canaan, and that through his lineage, all nations on earth will be blessed.

Mosaic Covenant: Exodus 31:12-18

Following the Exodus at Mount Sinai, God reiterates the promises made to Abraham. In acting on behalf of Israel, Moses engages with God to understand the covenant, which includes making Israel a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to disseminate God’s glory globally. Adherence to God’s laws promises blessings, while disobedience brings curses, with observance of the Sabbath as a critical aspect of their dedication to Yahweh.

Davidic Covenant: 2 Samuel 7

Entering Canaan leads the people to demand a king, straying from their covenantal path. After Saul’s failure, God chooses David and promises that his lineage will produce a kingdom that will last forever, symbolizing hope for a future where God’s presence is fully amongst his people.

New Covenant: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Matthew 26:26-29

Israel’s failure to adhere to God’s commands leads to exile, but the prophets foretell a new covenant. This covenant promises the fulfillment of God’s promises, a redefined relationship with his people, forgiveness of sins, and the rise of a faithful king from David’s line to repair the breaches of the past.

This narrative of covenants showcases a divine strategy, from preserving the world through Noah, initiating redemption with Abraham, forming a nation through Moses, and promising a lasting kingdom through David to the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. Each covenant is a step towards the more apparent revelation of God’s salvation plan, culminating in Jesus as the key to redemption.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

We’re continuing our “Kingdom Rebellion” series. Previously, we discussed Genesis chapters 7 to 9, focusing on the flood narrative and identifying Jesus as our means of salvation, akin to Noah’s ark. This session will explore the events following the flood, emphasizing biblical patterns.

Genesis 8:15–19 (NIV)
15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.” 18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another.

Just as Adam and Eve were tasked in Genesis 1 to populate the earth, Noah and his family received a similar mandate post-flood.

Genesis 9:1 (NIV)
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.

Unfortunately, a bad situation is repeating itself: once again, nakedness and shame are in a garden.

Genesis 9:18–25 (NIV)
18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth. 20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”

This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we’ll delve into this garden episode, highlighting the significance of recognizing patterns throughout the Bible and encouraging everyone to engage with scripture regularly.

Psalm 19:7–14 (NIV)
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. 11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

God has given us His word, enabling us to comprehend everything He desires us to know about Himself and His redemptive work in Jesus. As we said last week, there is no other vessel for salvation. It is by placing our faith in His Son, who at the cross and in the resurrection has defeated the power of sin and the power of death so that in Him we might be reconciled to God.

We urge everyone to reverence God by immersing themselves in the Bible, understanding its messages, and living by its guidance, motivated by love for God and one another. Dedicate yourself to reading, studying, memorizing, and reflecting on the Bible. The scripture is the tool through which God influences us, guiding our desires and actions towards living by doing the next right thing.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

In our “Kingdom Rebellion” series, we previously explored Genesis Chapter 6, discussing the Nephilim, elohim, and overcoming life’s giants. This week, we’ll delve into the flood narrative, a pivotal event symbolizing a cosmic reset through water.

Genesis 6:8–12 (NIV)
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.

The flood in Genesis 6 is a critical moment in His Story. This event occurs in a world overrun by violence and corruption, prompting a divine intervention to cleanse the earth with a flood. This act of cleansing signifies a return to the way things were in Genesis 1:1-2 to rectify the moral degradation of society.

In this account, water is more than a destructive force; it symbolizes a deep cleansing, washing away corruption and setting the stage for a fresh beginning. The flood’s aftermath sees the establishment of a covenant between God and Noah, marking a new phase in the relationship between God and His human family.

Genesis 7:1–5 (NIV)
1The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. 2Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, 3and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. 4Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.” 5And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.

Within this narrative, the Ark represents a floating Eden, a sanctuary preserving life amidst chaos. It’s a microcosm of divine creation, ensuring the continuity of life post-flood. This vessel secures survival and embodies a sacred space of refuge and divine presence, like the Garden of Eden. The gathering of animals into the Ark reiterates the theme of preservation and the promise of a renewed creation.

This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we’ll dig deeper into the flood story and draw parallels between the Ark and the cross, so be sure to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.