We are in a series called “Sword Sharpening” and looking at how to make the most out of your time with the Bible. This week we are continuing our look at the storyline of the Bible, which we call His Story, and we will look at the third section, Genesis Chapters 12-50, and call it the Kingdom Covenant. Right after the Tower of Babel events in Genesis Chapter 11, we are introduced to Abraham.
Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV)
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
This is God’s second covenant after the events of the Fall. The first covenant was with Noah after the Flood. Both covenants were designed to preserve God’s desire for a human family. God never gives up on humanity, and He reveals His rescue plan will come through one family, the people of Abraham, who later become the nation of Israel. In Genesis Chapters 12 -50, we are introduced to the following three generations of Abraham’s family, represented by Isaac and Jacob, and Joseph. Eventually, as His Story develops through the rest of the Old Testament, we will ultimately meet Jesus, who is born through Abraham’s lineage at the beginning of the New Testament. Jesus is the one promised, the one all of this points to.
Galatians 3:26-29 (NRSV)
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
We will learn that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph lived by faith. They believed in and held on to this covenant God made with Abraham, even though they didn’t see it come to fulfillment in their lifetimes.
Hebrews 11:8-10 (NIV)
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Hebrews 11:13 (NIV)
13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.
Abraham died without ever receiving the promise that God gave him. Isaac died without ever receiving the promise that God gave him, Jacob, and Joseph. They all died before the promised Messiah came, before the promised kingdom came, before all the promises that were given initially in the Abrahamic covenant.
The writer of Hebrews is illustrating the most critical message that the world will ever hear by looking at the life and death of these patriarchs. It is important to note that they were far from perfect. They made a lot of mistakes and a lot of bad choices in their lives. Even with their often messy lives, they died in faith. They died confident that the promise would be fulfilled even though they had not yet received it. They believed at the very end of their life that God, who had not yet fulfilled His promise, would fulfill it even after they were gone. That is why the writer of Hebrews makes examples of them. Their lives demonstrate that salvation is by faith alone, by grace through faith, not by works. It’s always been that way.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
We will be looking at this and a lot more this weekend at Keys Vineyard Church so make plans to join us in-person or watch online.
Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.
