OT 12-14-09

OT Notes 12-14-09
Ben Collins
OT Laws and how to handle them

Sometimes we get fuzzy on what is Moral and what is Civil. The lines are fuzzy at times. We have the three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial.
Example of Civil Law: Ex. 20:2 (is there anything moral about it? Is this a helpful category?) Kills an ox... return this and that. Has nothing to do with morality? No, there are presuppositions. These are illustrative examples of what love looked like for them. Even though i don’t have an ox or a sheep, there are things that i can learn from here. This can become a devotional law for me. This is how we can understand both positive and negative perspectives of Paul.

Ceremonial Laws: Lev. 20:22... all things clean and unlclean
Do all these things so that the land will not VOMIT you out. Shall not do what other nations... being separate from the nations. Separate clean and unclean... so that you might be mine.”” don’t eat pork... owe nothing to anyone, for the one who loves has fulfilled the law... any other commandment is summed up in this word, you shall love your neighbor as yourself... soo how does not eating pork come into loving your neighbor. Love your neighbor by meeting their need of being with God. If it isn’t ethics it’s going to be outward deeds... being separate involves mission. Drawing attention to God, the tabernacle, most loving act is showing God to people, and so by following these laws we are able to love our neighbor.
Uses of OT law::: 3 traditional views... 1) general clarity of what is good. 2) crushes us to point us to Christ 3) pedagogical: teaching/instructive (Luther only used the first two, not this third part) CALVIN made this pedagogical point... Calvin’s commentary on Deut. 230 sermons in 2 years. The Laws, all of them, can be used devotionally.

National history of death... not a rosy picture at all. Reading through Kings... sighhed... read more about the people that turned on God and got killed. The weightiness of sin hit her, and then it really hit Dr. D. For centuries the Godly remnant has been instructed their children in these stories, and now we see the fruit of the Old Cov being death. The Old Cov. is one of death and when you deny Christ’s power and place in redemptive history then you are going back to death. Going back to death, a covenant of death.

Romans 3: none righteous no not one... who are the righteous in the text that he is talking about? Paul how can you say that there are none righteous??? The psalms give clarity for what that righteousness is... it was a person that saw their sin and relied on God fully for righteousness.

Can we really love the Lord? yes, but we can’t do it fully and perfectly. Not going to be perfect until glory! Understand enablement in the now but not yet. While we have a new nature and the spirit of God is in us, we aren’t fully there. Some say that “God never demanded perfection...” uhhh no! Jesus is the only answer to our eternal justification.


OT Law’s Relevance to Christians: DeRo’s View
Terminology
Meaning: the meaning of a text that pattern of meaning the author willed ot convey by the words (shareable symbols) he used”
Implication: Implications are those meanings in a text of which the author was unaware but nevertheless legitimately fall within the pattern of meaning he willed”
Eph. 5:18; 1 Tim 2:9-10
Haggard lookin guy with the glass of alcohol a day.
some say, Paul didn’t say Jack Daniel’s or BL... so let’s drink it up! Paul would say “YOU DIDN”T HEAR ME!” In the context of evil days people are prone to go to the bottle. Whenever we are dealing with specific applications, we need to not only look at smaller things like Jack Daniel’s and such but also beyond to the greater implication beyond what was normally being said.
1 Tim 2:9-10 braided hair, gold, pearls and costly attire... Pearls during the great expansion, time of Master and Commander... western expanders that come in, island has pearls everywhere, kids play with pearls like marbles. Copper button, social classes determined by copper button. Paul wouldn’t say, i never mentioned copper buttons, so you’re ok. No! There is a big meaning behind this.
When we look at OT laws as well, we need to try to see the big waffle.
Key Propositions: pg 33 chart.
The NT calls for followers to fulfill the original intention of the OT law in all its forms
Love is the original intention of the Law
Jesus Matt 22:37-39
Paul Gal 5:14
there is a love principle that is operative here and i might need to hear it.
Love is what comes through!
The whole law - criminal, case, family, cultic, compassionate, has direct relevance to the NT believer in the way it serves as an expression of love in action.
A process for applying OT Law:
HANDOUT!!!
A process for Applying OT Law:
Determin the type, funciton and objectiv/purpose of the OT law (including implications)
Type: criminal, case, family, cultic, compassionate?
Function: primary secondary, supportive?
Purpose: who? what? Where? When? Why? How? How often? To what extent?
ALSO SEE HANDOUT
State the principle behind the law, noting how love is being manifest.
Preserve the principle, but change the context.
Deut 22: 1-3 ““You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall restore it to him. And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother’s, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it.”
(Deuteronomy 22:1–3 ESV)
Type: compassionate
Function: secondary b/c it isn’t a general principle.
Purpose: to build a service-focused community that respects others and their belongings. (rom 13:10 Deut 5:21)
Principle: (don’t ignore it! Seek out there needs!) Loving your brother means you will treat with care and return if possible any of his lost possessions. Love is to impact our dealing with others and helping them find lost things. New Covenant doesn’t disregard any of this. Even though this may have lead to death, it still holds the principle up, loving each other. Love is empowered by Spirit of Christ in us. Marriage and all of that is in the context of being filled with the Spirit.
Deut 22:4... skippin over it.
Deut 22:5... ““A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.”
geber, not used that often, related to warrior gebor... how is this an abomination
(Deuteronomy 22:5 ESV)
Type: the word “abominable” isn’t a throw away word. Blurring gender issues, cultic area of symbolism... criminal against Yahweh, family law.
Function: secondary
Purpose: maintain gender roles, what would make this abominable???, if it is something in the dress that changes specific dress.
Principle: what is at stake is these are the things that can be controlled... control mannerisms and pitches that people talk in. Loving others (and God) means we will clearly display our gender through our dress (and action) New Context???
Deut 22:6-7 ““If you come across a bird’s nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. You shall let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long.”
(Deuteronomy 22:6–7 ESV)
It says enjoy your omelet! save the mother so that there are omelets for others to come. Sustain creation so that others can have it. Serving doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it, but our responsibility is bigger than me! This text is hugely important!
If you eat the mother, then there won’t be chickens for the next generations, so that it may go well with you and also live long. Hezekiah’s problems. You are looking out for yourself here as well.
New Context: fishing, hunting, limits... all of that

OT 12-7-09 Deut

OT Deuteronomy
Dr. Derouchie
12-7-2009

Israel on Mission to the Nations
Israel’s missions reiterated (Ex. 19: 4-6)
The basis for Israel’s mission 19:4
The means for Israel’s mission 19:5
The context for Israel’s mission 19:5
the nature of Israel’s mission 19:6
Kingdom of priests (Ex. 24: 3-8) and a holy nation (see 1 Pet 2:9 and rev 1:6; 5:10)
Israel’s Mission in the World
Exodus 20: looking at the 10 Commandments
The means of Sanctification
God is the ultimate cause of our sanctification
Lev. 22:31-33 ““So you shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the LORD. And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD.””
(Leviticus 22:31–33 ESV)
Rom 6:17-18 “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”
(Romans 6:17–18 ESV)
Looking at the ways that the 10 commandments are numbered.
who were they focused to and why?
Adult men
covet your neighbor’s wife.
right before, Moses commands people to not go near a woman.
honor your father and your mother:: isn’t gender specific.
Male-heads of households: all the people are there hearing these 10 words
Sabbath::: has male, servants... and such, points to head of household?
what is it calling of these men?
to lead a community for God?
High standard
Affects a lot of people
Well-fare of others
Characteristics of 10 Words
Deliberately grouped with respect ot loving God and loving neighbor.
Reflects the patricentric nature of Israelite society (not “father focused” but “father emanating”) NOt addressed to priests or rulers but to everyman, specifically adult males who are heads of hte households with wives, children, household servants, and property (gen 1-2; prov)
you have all the rights, not me.
I act in my world with accordance with serving for the benefit of your neighbor.
Father in center, then household, then society...
Text filled with leadership as serving!!!
Emphasizes that biblical leadership is all about serving, honoring and looking out for others; confronts (present or potential) pride, self-exalting power, and abuses toward God, wives, other household members, and property. In Deut., a leader
Loves those in need, fighting for justice... 10:18-19
Includes every household member and visitor 14:26; 16:11, 14
ensure the levite, sojourner, fatherless, and widows are beneficiaries of the tithe 14:27-29; 26:12-13
must be mindful to leave the leftovers of harvest for those in need 24:19-22
is cursed if he “perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow” 27:19
are these only for men? no b/c they are repeated for others as well.
Focus on what others deserve from us, not on what we deserve from tehm (a Bill of Other People’s Rights)
Divine rights (Love God)
YHWH’s right to the israelites’ exclusive allegiance
YHWH’s right to proper representation
YHWH’s right to be viewed as the sustainer adn controller of all (ex. 20:8-11)
Human Rights (Love Neighbor)
an israelite household member’s right to humane treatment from the head
An israelite parent’s rights of respect
an israelite neighbor’s right to life
an israelite neighbor’s right to sexual purity
an israelite neighbor’s right ot enjoy his property
an israelite neighbor’s right to hones and truthful testimony in court
right to his own wife
right to his own household
at the very least gets our eyes off of ourselves and onto others. Loving God is different than loving our neighbor. He showed how love of neighbor is grounded in mercy, and we don’t show mercy to God in any way.
The Supreme Command (Deut 6:4-9)
Deut 6:4-5 “hear o Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one! and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strenght” Matt 22: 37
Israel, a Sinful, Idolatrous, Hard-Hearted People
Israel’s stubborn Nature:
they were hard
what God did to Pharaoh
Israel’s make-up “stiff necked and stubborn”
Why God will not but must go with Israel
God’s Charge
Israel’s dilemma and future hope
why israel got kicked out of their land, 2 kings 17, emptiness became emptiness
Israel’s faith and faithlessness
Israel’s faith at the Exodus (ex 14:31; ps 106; abe in gen 15:6, rom. 4:3, 22; james 2:23)
had a faith that didn’t endure
not one that was heart transforming
only sees the signs
john uses this language right out of exodus
Israel’s lack of faith in the wilderness Num 14:11
Israel’s lack of faith in the land, following the pattern of their fahters 2 Kings 17:14
NT reflection on Israel’s failuresRom 9:32; heb 4:2; Jude 5
Heb 4:2 “For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.” (Hebrews 4:2 ESV)
wilderness generation is “them” few who listened, but majority heard but didn’t hear.
Paul says, did not pursue it by faith.
Israel’s rebelliosness
Sustained rebellion form the time they left Egypt to the banks of the jOrdan river
Initial refusal to enter into the conquest of the land
sustained disobedience by attempt to fight without God’s help
Rebellion even on the day of Moses
Israel’s memory problem
The call to remember YAHWEH
Fearing and serving him and making promises in his name
recalling his redemption and revelations and provision
staying humble
remaining faithful through obedience to Yahweh above all other allegiances
To forget is to follow the wicked patter of hte nations taht Israel was dispossessing and to receive the same fate
Numbers in Numbers
HANDOUTS!!! CENSUS LISTS FROM NUMBERS
alef;;; meaning thousand can also mean company or group
observations of the numbers
how do these census lists become sermons
simeon is going to dwindle: see that here, simeon is sooo small, and all of a sudden it leaves Israel’s history
parallel with simeon and levi, slaughtered
Judah’s huge and just gets huger
Ephraim gets smaller: striking
almost a full replacement of the generation: sooo close: key word “almost” through blessing God promised, “be fruitful and multiply” Ex. chapter 1:7, all over the place, testament of God’s promise and providence. Now we see Israel on the other side of sin, they have not totally expanded, the number is lower. That tell Dr. D that Israel has been under a curse. This is not good for a nation who’s purpose is to fill the earth.
What does this tell the audience of young men of 20yrs of age, you watched your family waste away, all of them. The area of wilderness wandering wasn’t that big. wandering, waiting and following at that time. Moving around and following God. need to learn to wait and follow. Israel had 38yrs to do so. 38yrs for all those people to die off.
Significance
the numbers point to Israel being a walking mortuary
15,088 funerals of men/year
1,257 funerals of men/month
41+ funerals of men per day
Now double that for women.
Burying people all over the place, and they are just wandering and moving to the next spot. This is happening b/c of disobedience, they disobeyed and failed to believe.
The census lists are included to show that israel ended up with less than how many they started with.
So then what was God’s plan in all of this?
God’s plan:
In God’s purposes, climaxing in Jesus, he did not enable the majority of Israel to obey Deut 29:4
Israel’s doom was sure Deut 30:1; 31:16, 20 Dan 9:4-15
“when” not “they might” the judgments are sure and will come upon the people
The people will turn, despise God, and break the covenant.
Moses says God isn’t going to teach you
the law itself is telling us that the people of Israel will have faith.
Moses failed to hold God as holy. Disobeyed him.
After the curse, God would do a new internal work, enabling his redeemed people to love as they were called. Deut 30:6,8
Staff striking rock (Christ) God says he will rest on the rock, Moses strikes rock, and God takes punishment people should have received. Rock brought life-giving water. Moses then told to speak to the rock, and yet he strikes it again, no God only goes to the cross once, and Moses was dishonoring God in the presence of the people. Ex. 17.
Point is that Moses affirmed that the law was not of faith, that Israel wasn’t going to make it through the law, God’s plan is to give them a good plan and not enable you to keep it.
The context for Paul’s negative statements about the law
the law is not of faith
is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient 1 tim 1:9
was temporary, added to increase the trespass Rom 5:20 adn be/c of transgressions until the offspring (JC) should come to whom the promise was made. Gal 3:19
But it does not call into question Paul’s positive view of the law.
God’s instruction through Moses is holy righteous and good Rom 7:12
The law is the embodiment of knowledge and truth ROm 2:20
the essence of the law is love rom 13:8 which we ar still called to fulfill dependently trusting in the power of the Spirit of Christ in us Rom 8:4
HANDOUT on Paul’s view of the law.
all the commands are able to be used for correction, rebuking, training in righteousness.... the question is how??? the principle-making model. Look at how it was operating then and apply to today.
We are now, having been grafted into the vine, are now being called to keep the law like they attempted,
pursue holiness b/c it is written, be holy as I am holy: peter grounding Christian ethic in OT gospel
we will go through every command and ask : How is this a command to love my neighbor. This is what Paul says, so this is the principle we will look to see all these commands in.

11-16-09

Monday, November 16, 2009
Dr. D
Temple Compound and Beyond

Temple Compound
The book of Exodus devotes 13 chapters to this structure!
How do i get devotional material out of this?
If we know how to read it.
Sacred space discussions always tell us something about God
two spheres, centrality of altar and ark of covenant
east entrance with elaborate system of gates.
This God is willing to have a relationship with his people even with his incredibly holy and protected presence.
Blood soaks up the sin, it contains the sin, blood is like a sponge. It is still sinful blood cuz it was a substitute, the sins were transferred over to it.
Altar of incense, protective cloud for the glory cloud.
Reality of Detail, and try to say that each detail tells us not to deal with our God lightly, enter into worship cautiously, what is God’s name? his character? He is the most supreme and must be recognized as such.
The point is not in the details, but in the overall message.
Every single dimension is designed to say your God is holy, take him seriously.
ALSO, genealogies, God wants us to know his working in us, and to point us to his faithfulness.
Old and New Covenants
Eph 1: every spiritual blessing through Christ
Matt 6: 33. Does this mean Christians shall never die of hunger?
Content with little content with much, and elsewhere Paul says he has hungered.
There is something concrete, over-anticipated promises (health and wealth), God hasn’t promised to remove the storm, but we can have such peace!
That is part of the blessing won for us in Christ.
Family w/o a job: at one level, don’t want to think God has won for a job for me... yes he has, but not necessarily right now, but he has granted the peace to get through that with the strength he provides.
Not supposed to say, we are in a cursed age, Christ has conquered it all in the future... i wanna suffer like Jesus, you have a needle so i can poke myself? That is incorrect
supposed to say “don’t like the curse” deteriorating body isn’t “fun” and he had friends that were sick and he couldn’t change those realities.
Yet, he was able to experience Joy in his life, a compelling commitment to keep going.
Can we go beyond the individual? Yes, community is here at BCS, we help each other in our walks of faith. Heb.12:14 encourage one to not sin.
Identity in Christ that talks about us being together, Church, Holy Nation, Body of Christ, Bride of Christ, Sheep of the same flock, people belonging to God.
Kingdom happening with hospitality. Love is here now in part, it is coming wholly. We need to be careful though, because there can be eschatological realities within a group of interaction, but also within the individual who is all alone who is struck by the Lord’s Word.
Phil text, God meets us in both situations of starving and of plenty.
Poverty and Pride: spend so much $ to spend Dr. D, and building a school that makes kings. These could foster pride, but God will keep us mindful of the poor, especially in our abundance.
Heart of Leviticus:
Yahweh, the One who provides a penal Substitute
Atonement Defined:
The process by which God purifies and re-consecrates his contaminated and desecrated Tabernacle and people by turning his wrath away from the sinner onto a substitute, thus restoring the relationship and right order.
Atonement is the saving act of God which according to Scripture makes possible, and in a sense constitutes, his redeeming and restoring work. It is the means by which his righteousness is re-established in a cosmic order marred temporally by rebellion against its Creator and King” Yarbrough “atonement” NDBT, 388.
Priests were called to distinguish between holy and common, the clean and the unclean.
ON A DIAGRAM
lamb without blemish for the sacrifices: suggests that the lamb is valuable... but... that is for a peace offering, saying here i am, this is me, i’m giving it to you. Peace offerings were potlucks in presence of God. No blemish, it is in right order with creation, but it is dying?!?! SOOO it isn’t being killed for its own defilement, but for ours, so we receive the righteousness of the lamb.
1 Cor 6:9-11“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
(1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV)
Paul is saying they were cleansed from their former way.
We are called to be a holy people, but the declaration here is to live out your declared identity.
The israelites identity is expressed in how they live out their obedience to the covenant.
Means of Atonement
The Shedding of blood (life for life)
Lev 17:11“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”
(Leviticus 17:11 ESV)
Heb 9:22 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
(Hebrews 9:22 ESV)
OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES HANDOUT
Whenever we sin against someone else, we are sinning against God’s creation, and we are sinning against God. Before a woman is a man’s wife, she is God’s girl, so no right is given for the man. Desecration: treating what is holy as if it was common, that is a no no.
Contamination: holy thing that is touched by something that isn’t holy and is thus made unholy.
The Types of Sins athat can be atoned for?
Grasping the nature of the “high-handed” sins
Central Text: Nm 15:30-31 ““If one person sins unintentionally, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who makes a mistake, when he sins unintentionally, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the people of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them.”“But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.”” (Numbers 15:30–31 ESV)
Right after this, there is a high-handed sin of a man gathering sticks on the sabbath.
Two Other Occurrences:
Exod 14:8 “went out BOLDLY”
Num 33:3 “On the next day the Israelites started out BOLDLY”
Tentative conclusion: High handed sins are those done boldly and brazenly. To these there is no means for atonement, and they must be cut off from the community.
ESV contrasts high handed and unintentional sins: why did ESV translate it as unintentional.
Grasping the nature of “unintentional sins” Lit sins of error
Frequent Qualifiers Suggesting “Unintentional”
Lev 4:22-23““When a leader sins, doing unintentionally any one of all the things that by the commandments of the LORD his God ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without blemish,”
(Leviticus 4:22–23 ESV)
Lev 4:27-28 ““If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the LORD’s commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed.”
(Leviticus 4:27–28 ESV)
Lev 5:17-18 ““If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the LORD’s commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed.”
(Leviticus 4:27–28 ESV)
Sins of Error/Thoughtlessness Though not necessarily Unintentional
1 Sam 26:21 “Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.””
(1 Samuel 26:21 ESV)
Eccl 5:5-7 “It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.”
(Ecclesiastes 5:5–7 ESV)
He didn’t pause, then it just clicked, it was a thoughtless act. It is an issue that demands, ultimately, the cross. Fear God and keep your word.
I’m going to pray for you... are you committing to praying for them daily, how intentional are you when you are saying there? Connection between swearing oaths and being a people of God. Watch your words, and be mindful to keep them.
Texts where sacrifice is allowed for intentional, though thoughtless sins. ESV says there can be a sacrifice only for unintentional sins.
Lev. 6:1-5 “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “If anyone sins and commits a breach of faith against the LORD by deceiving his neighbor in a matter of deposit or security, or through robbery, or if he has oppressed his neighbor or has found something lost and lied about it, swearing falsely—in any of all the things that people do and sin thereby— if he has sinned and has realized his guilt and will restore what he took by robbery or what he got by oppression or the deposit that was committed to him or the lost thing that he found or anything about which he has sworn falsely, he shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom it belongs on the day he realizes his guilt.”(Leviticus 6:1–5 ESV)
Now it seems that there are 3 categories, not only 2.
These are intentional, and he gets a guilt offering.
We have to ask ourselves... sins in error, and it is made known to him... if unintentional means he didn’t know about it, why do we sometimes find the “found out about it” phrase and sometimes not??? So thus it is the qualifier that makes one a “SIN OF ERROR” and the other a “HIGH HANDED SIN” Sooooo the word in and of itself doesn’t mean unintentional.
Sins can only be atoned when followed by
Realization of Guilt: Purification offering: lev. 4:13, 22, 27, 5:2, 3, 4, 5; Reparation Offering: lev 5:7, 6:4, 5; Num 5:6
Ps 51:16-17 “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
(Psalms 51:16–17 ESV)
Pagan View: God-----Sacrifice----- Person All Good
Proper View: God-----Different heart------sacrifice
What we offer him, he determines whether or not he will accept it by what is on the inside.
The mercy won at the cross is what enables the grace at the beginning here. My response to God is one of brokenness or i will not receive forgiveness. I will not enjoy rest.
Prov 21:3, 27
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”(1 John 1:9 ESV)
Conclusions
Sacrificial atonement is barred to the wanton sinner, to the one who acts flauntingly who reviles the Lord but not to the deliberate sinner who... is seized by remorse. “ milgrom, lev. 1-16, 369-70
Heb 10:26-27 “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.”
(Hebrews 10:26–27 ESV)
The Need and Expectation for more than OT Sacrifices
The Tabernacel and its pageantry were pictures/shadows of a greater reality
exod 25:8-9, 40
Zech 3:8-9
Pictures and patterns that point to reality in Christ.

Growing in Holiness
The Call and Need for Sanctification:
Leve 11:44 “For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.”
(Leviticus 11:44 ESV)
Lev 20:26 “You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.”
(Leviticus 20:26 ESV)
1 Pet 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””
(1 Peter 1:14–16 ESV)
Roman 6:17-18 “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”
(Romans 6:17–18 ESV)
The nature of Sanctification:
Def: ever increasing holy state and not just holy status.
Holiness in Lev. 19:
Called to be Holy, picture in Lev. 19 of what that looks like, no real specific order, eating, buying, selling it impacts every aspect of life.
The Means of Sanctification
God is the primary enabler of human holiness:
Lev 22;31-33 ““So you shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the LORD. And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD.””
(Leviticus 22:31–33 ESV)
Human holiness is a proper and natural response to God’s holiness manifest through:
Atonement Lev 9:24 and 10:3
God needs to be sanctified? No, just seen, reveled and displayed as HOLY. God is being shown as something that is unlike anything else. This is an expression of sanctification.
The disclosure of himself and his will Exod. 20:20 “Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.””
(Exodus 20:20 ESV)
The Means for Sanctification
Human Holiness is motivated through God’s disciplining hand:
Curses are blessings in disguise for those who learn from them: Lev 26: 18, 21, 23, 27
What can motivate my holiness? Experiencing the curses is one of them. They are instructive and nurturing. This is the context of discipline.

Divine Discipline nurtures holiness: Heb 12:9-11 “Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
(Hebrews 12:9–11 ESV)
Human holiness is motivated through God’s promises of blessing and curse.
faith in God’s promises creates hope, and what we hope for tomorrow changes who we are today:
blessings: lev 26: 1-13, deu 18:1-14, 30:3-10
Curses/warnings: lev 26:14-39; Deut 28:15-68; 29:19-21
2 Pet 1:4 “by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”
(2 Peter 1:4 ESV)

11-30-09

Monday, November 30, 2009
Dr. D The Law


Atonement Cont.
The tabernacle and its pageantry were pictures/shadows of a greater reality
Zech 3:8-9 “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.”
(Zechariah 3:8–9 ESV)
This is a shift from the picture to the real.
Heb 8:4-5 “a copy and shadow of the heavenly things”
Heb 9:24
There was always a need for more
Heb 10:1 “For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.”
(Hebrews 10:1 ESV)
a remnant was being preserved, but the blood of bulls and goats didn’t take away wrath of God. how did this work?
Zech 3:1, 8-9 ““Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him... “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.”
(Zechariah 3:8–9 ESV)
The writer of the Hebrews has the whole OT as his Bible, and has much of the NT and is reading redemptive historical event through these lenses.
Visions of Zechariah: setup like a ziggurat 8 overall.
God Global Peace for 1/8
Obstacles conquered External/Internal 2,3/6,7
Visions at the Top 4: menorah like an almond branch: Restoration including forgiveness and kingship. These make up the means for having God and Global peace.
haggai and zechariah Now Joshua and Zerubbabel provide images of hope to this returning group: for high priest and for the kingly line to be preserved. Return 536 BCE
450-430 a second return Ezra + Nehemiah
Priests eat defiled meat, they are carrying the sins of the people all year, then day of atonement when the priests don’t eat, and God consumes the whole offering and his wrath is satisfied for the whole year.
Satan recognizes that the sacrifices don’t take away iniquity, and accuses God of being unjust. So God responds that he will remove the iniquity of the land in a single day.
Rom 3:23-26“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
(Romans 3:23–26 ESV)
Propitiation: wrath bearer
Expiation: guilt remover.
Jesus the substitute, both of these are accomplished, this is what happens on the day of atonement.
1st goat: hands never laid on it, just slaughtered. this goat is a pure goat, it isn’t defiled, its blood soaks up all of the defilement of the tabernacle and community through the entire year. All that defilement then the hands are put on...
2nd goat: symbolically sin is placed on this goat, and it is sent into the wilderness, “outside the gate” is where Christ was sacrificed.
All this was to show God’s righteousness: to prove the justice of God. That he had passed over sins, and show that it was ok to forgive abraham, david and so on and so forth. This is what Zech. is anticipating! Satan is left speechless. Israel in the OT were scratching their heads like Satan was scratching his head.
Is 53: 4-5, 8, 10-12 “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” “By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?” “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”
this is the climax of the real in the OT. Real mercy came and comes today.
Jesus, the Real Means for Atonement
Jesus the Tabernacling presence of God
John 1:1, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 2:19-21 “destroy this temple and in three days i will raise it up...”
Jesus as the sacrifice: the substitute
John 2:29
Romans 3:24-26
1 John 4:10
Jesu as the priest and sacrifice
Heb 9:9-14 “(which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
(Hebrews 9:9–14 ESV)
In the OT, the Trajectory is set for One to come. He becomes the wrath appeaser.
Israel on Mission to the Nations
Israel’s Mission Reiterated (exod 19:4-6)
The basis for Israel’s mission (19:4)
Cov. w/ Israel
YWHW
Israel
Ex. 19: 2 “the mountain” we can call this “the mountain” b/c of Ex. 3:12--- come and worship God at the mountain. Now worship is going to happen, and what does worship look like according to God?
Ex. 19 “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.””
(Exodus 19:4–6 ESV)
Dispensationalism grew out of a false assumption that the Bible teaches two types of salvation. old and new ways.
Basis for Israel’s mission: gracious redemption
The Means for Israel’s Mission: 19:5
means are to obey God: listen, keep commandments... it has to happen... “IF THIS HAPPENS...” then you will be. They are not a kingdom of priests unless they are acting like a kingdom of priests.
Grammatical Magic:
first three elements are all the IF, but then at vs. 6 there is a big signal that is a pronoun that is actually unnecessary: this is a distinction and we are to live as unique as a treasured possession --- live like that. when this is happening then missions begins to happen.
The Context for Israel’s mission 19:5
i’ve redeemed you, so if you do this, b/c all this is mine, then you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
SIDE NOTE FOR GRAMMAR
deut 26:17-19
you have today confirmed the declaration of YHWH:
YWHW’s intention:
to be God to you
YHWH’s Expectations:
walk in his ways
keep statues
obey his voice
Yahweh has today confirmed your declaration:
Israel’s Intention:
To be a treasured possession for YHWH
To deep all his commands
Israel’s Expectation
To set Israel above the nations
to be holy to YHWH
The context is the whole earth, what is it about to be a holy nation? It is to draw all people of the world to the Lord. to be a witness to them all.
wash clothes, come up to edge of mountain, don’t have sexual intercourse.
Worship is about to happen: God shows up and fear strikes them, what does worship have to do with these three elements above?
every-day vs. holy and set-apart
three days no sexual intimacy: pause on the picture to anticipate the reality: marriage to the people? When God was in the camp, couldn’t engage in sexual relationships.
Does outward dress have anything to do with worship today: not a sin issue, but to have focus helped by your dress. We want un-distracting excellence.
Right at the heart of worship is receiving, the 10 words. We come ready to meet him with a right heart.
Israel, a Holy People
The Nature of Sanctification?
God says he is the one that sanctifies Israel, God calls Israel in exodus to a mission that will be fulfilled if they do those 3 things in Ex. 19.
Call/need for sanctification
An encounter with God > fear > holiness
Ex. 20:20 “God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you , hat you may not sin” Gen 22:1, 12.
Fear of fleeing, running from God... no not that kind of fear, and yet i don’t dread condemnation b/c i fear God, there is no fear of God before their eyes Romans 3. God creates holiness by revealing his Word in such a way that it creates fear. This is one of my prayers, gain a grand view of God, trembling at the reality of his bigness, and the reality of a need for mercy, the fear i have in his presence will drive me to holiness.
The Deuteronomic Pattern: Read > Hear > Fear > Do > Live (Deut. 4:10; 5:23-29; 6:1-2; 10:12-13; 17:19-20...)
Deut 31: 11-13 “when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.””
(Deuteronomy 31:11–13 ESV)
Read > Hear > Fear > Do > Live
This what life is in the context of God. the obedience grows out of an internal reality first, fear brings about the obedience. You only fear in the context of the Word and that is what motivates you into holy living. Trusting his promises that he is indeed worth following and that he is believable.
this sets the stage for wrestling with what the difference is between old and new covenant.
The Old Cov. started with the Word and then responding with fear, soooo then what is the difference? How can Paul say that law was not of faith??? what is the Christian going to do with the OT law.
READ DEUTERONOMY PAPER

11-9-09

Monday, November 9, 2009

Exodus

Dr. D

1. God’s Jealous Name in Exodus
1. HYH “to be”
1. 3:14- HYH = I am
2. 3:15 YHWH = “He causes to be”
3. Pronunciation of YHWH
4. The Meaning of “Yahweh”
1. Nowhere else int he Bible is the verb “to be” used with the causative stem
2. God alone causes all things to be that are
3. Yahweh is God’s memorial name, never to be forgotten.
4. He is the causer, there is more to him than what we know, but we can know truly this God.
5. Never becoming like he is in every way, but eternally pursuing being like him and we will never reach being like him. More and more of our likeness to him will be developing.
2. Two Foundational Texts
3. “You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.” (Exodus 34:13–16 ESV)
1. Connect jealousy factor and the name of God.
2. God’s passion to make known his name in exodus
1. Moses’ struglle with speech Exodus 4:11
1. “Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” (Exodus 4:11 ESV)
1. We don’t get a name for pharaoh, this is part of the theology of exodus. To show that it is the name of God that matters and no one else.
2. The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart Ex. 4:21
1. “And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.” (Exodus 4:21 ESV)
3. Before the Plagues Exodus 7;3-5
1. “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.”” (Exodus 7:3–5 ESV)
1. There were battles of the gods in Egypt.
2. Spiritual warfare is real, let’s go to deut 13:1-4
1. They have some power, they have signs
2. if a prophet should come in and do massive signs of wonders, God is in charge of it and he is testing you.
3. YHWH is testing you to see what you will do.
4. This is a literary foil, God will come in and trump these magicians in order to show his ultimate authority.
4. Before the 7th plague Ex. 9:15-16
5. “For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” Exodus 9:15–16 ESV)
6. Before 8th plauge Exod. 10:2
7. Before the 10th plague Exodus 11:9
8. COncerning the crossing of the sea Ex. 14:17-18
3. Israel and other’ response;
1. Before the Reed Sea: Exod. 14:13-14
2. After Egypt’s Destruction Ex. 15:3, 11, 18
3. Jethro’s response: gentile: Exod 18:10-11
4. The significance of God’s Disclosure
1. God alone is the causer of all
2. The God who causes all things to be is working for Israel
1. Opening Mouths Ex 4
2. Destroying enemies Ex 7-14
3. Providing food and water ex 16-18
4. Revealing his will Ex 19-24
5. Forgiving his people
5. Exodus 33:18-19; 34:6-7
1. “Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” (Exodus 33:18–19 ESV)
2. “The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands,forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”” (Exodus 34:6–7 ESV)
1. We need this God just as they needed this GOd.
6. The significance of God’s disclosure
1. God alone is the causer of all
2. The God who causes all things to be is workin for Israel
3. Because God is good, he is jealous: ex 34:14
4. “(for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),” (Exodus 34:14 ESV)
5. Because God is loving, he is jealous
1. Deut 4:32-35 ““For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.” (Deuteronomy 4:32–35 ESV)
2. Ps. 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalms 16:11 ESV)
1. in difficulty, we try to trust the promises of God.
1. God’s passion for his own glory is his greatest love for us, and he holds tomorrow in his hands so don’t worry
2. There must be something to God leading you through this dessert so that you become more and more dependent on Jesus which is the most glorious and satisfying thing of all. For eternity you will look back and bring great glory to Jesus. Doesn’t take us out of the world so we can bring God the glory
3. 2 cor. pressed to the point where i thought that i was going to die, so that i wouldn’t trust in myself, but rather in God.
1. God was clearing me of my self-reliance through forcing me sooo sooo low, to be ultimately dependent.
2. the jealousy of God is all about his love for his people.
3. One Evangelical Response: Lessen the theological dilemma (walter kaiser jr.)
1. There are 10 places where it is said “God” hardened pharaoh’s heart (4:21, 7:3, 9:12, 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8, 17)
2. There are also 10 passages where it states either that pharaohs heart was hard (7:13, 14, 22; 8:19; 9:7, 35; 13:15) or that he hardened his heart (8:15, 32; 9:34).
3. God and pharaoh are both active agents.
4. He concludes: “thus the hardening is as much pharaoh’s own act as it is the work of God. Even more significant is the fact that Pharaoh aloe is the agent of the hardening in the first sign and tin the first five plagues. Not until the sixth plague.. is it stated that God actually moves in and hardens Pharaoh’s heart (9:12)”
1. At any point are we able to choose A or B b/c our hearts are bound by our greatest motivation, the state of our heart.
2. Is this the right conclusion?
1. HANDOUT 1/2 Sheet: Exodus 7:13 ““Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.” (Exodus 7:13 ESV)
3. Evaluation of Kaiser’s view:
1. True: egypt’s hostility against israel early in the oook ex 1 demands God’s punisment Gen 12:3
2. True: not until the 6th plague do we get an explicit statement that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart
3. However the narrator suggests immediat response to God’s earlier promises
1. Exod 4:21. >5:2, 7:2-5 “as Yahweh had said”
2. Comparable fulfillments statements: exod 7:22, 8:15, 19; 9:12, 35
3. God’s active hardening: 10:20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8, 17.
4. The hardening purposeful: 9:16, 11:9; 14:4, 17-18
4. Kaiser makes no comment on this phrase in his commentary!!!
4. Romans 9: b/c of election? how is that just of God, so he answers, no injustice with God, “ex 33” depends not on human will or exertion.
1. Ex 9:16 that I might show my power in you
2. name might be proclaimed in all the earth
3. mercy on whom he wills, hardens whom he wills.
4. How can God hold me or pharaoh responsible for the hardening? That is what Paul is responding to. You will say to me then, who can resist his will?
1. Responds, who are you oh man to answer back to God?
2. God has the right, won’t arrive there unless we’re tracking like we are tracking. Don’t ever consider God as one who doesn’t cause everything.
3. rather the question is: how can i have responsibility and he be the causer of all? This is the question, NOT, is he the causer of all. God I NEED YOU TO WORK IN MY HEART, I can’t move forward otherwise. We must consider his jealousy every day.
4. when God holds back his positive influence, sin will necessarily and naturally come to pass. Sin is not the positive result of anything God does, but rather when God withholds his influence. Curses and death are products of God’s withholding of his influence. Adam would not have been sustained unless God was sustaining him positively.
7. Sacred Space and the Gradations
1. HANDOUT!!!
2. Righteousness: He seemed to sweep sin under the rug.
1. Coming of Christ showed God as the justifier! His justice was in question, and it was fulfilled through Christ! None of us could stand in for each other. This passing over, was the sins of the remnant, Daniel and Ezekiel and so on.
8. Yahweh, the ONe who Provides a Penal Substitute
1. Atonement Defined
1. The process by which God purifies and re-consecrates his contaminated and desecrated Tabernacle and people by turning his wrath away from the sinner onto a substitute, thus restoring the relationship and right order.
2. Atonement is the saving act of God which according to Scripture makes possible, and in a sense constitutes, his redeeming and resotring work. It is the means by which his righteousness is re-established in a cosmic order marred temporally by rebellion against its Creator and King” (Yarbrough, “atonement” NDBT, 388)
1. Atonement is not just people and God but also human/God relationship in context, so land is included.
2. TWO MORE HANDOUTS
3. Two sides of Atonement
1. One view:::
2. Purification “was away and ransom”: shift in condition from unclean to clean
1. Does away with guilt of sin (expiation)
2. Satisfies an angry deity by giving payment for sin (propitiation)
3. Consecration: shift in status from common to holy - we owe everything to God; tribute

Monday, October 26, 2009

Finishing up Abraham and then to Exodus.

Dr. DeRouchie

1. Did Abraham merit/earn blessings from God or were the blessings a gift?
1. Gen 12:1-3 “Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

(Genesis 12:1–3 ESV)

1. The only way the curse would be reversed would be that Israel would be a blessing to the earth, to image God.
2. How are we to understand contingency in the midst of divine commitment and human responsibility.
3. Election is our only unconditional grace that we receive, but justification is something that comes through faith, which gives all the glory to God.
4. we fight for satisfaction in God, with all that we are, but we do so in a way that never replaces grace.
5. Explicit Texts For a Royal Male Blessing that would come from Abraham
1. Gen 22:17b-18
2. Gen 24:60
1. Gen 17:1-2 “When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless (human obedience), (SO) that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”” (divine promise)

(Genesis 17:1–2 ESV)

1. Gen 18:19 “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice (human obedience), so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”” (divine promise)

(Genesis 18:19 ESV)

1. Gen 22:1, 16-18 “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.””

(Genesis 22:1 ESV)

“and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son (human obedience), your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring (sg) shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”” (divine promise)

(Genesis 22:16–18 ESV)

1. Male Singular offspring
2. Also seen in Gen 24:60“And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!””

(Genesis 24:60 ESV)

1. Isaiah 52:7 Paul quotes this and says “how lovely are the feet of those who bring good news” but it really says that it is the feet of him. Yet Paul sees the church and applies to the church this mission.
2. Acts 3:25 “You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’”

(Acts 3:25 ESV)

1. Gal 3:13-16 and 29 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

To give a human example, brothers:even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.”

(Galatians 3:13–16 ESV)

“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

(Galatians 3:29 ESV)

1. Gen 26:2-4 “And the LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.””

(Genesis 26:2–5 ESV)

1. Obedience is why they survived, can’t be uncomfortable with that. We must know how to deal with it rightly.
1. Conditional Grace and the Place of Faith
1. Gen 12:1-3 “Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

(Genesis 12:1–3 ESV)

1. Conditions do not necessarily nullify grace
1. If you are on the plane, you will go to Chicago.
1. still praise the Lord for all sorts of things. Meeting a condition doesn’t mean that you did everything.
2. Uncle Jay says... If you graduate, I will pay off your loans.
1. has Rob done anything to merit the promise that I just promised him.
2. He didn’t say, because you’re my nephew or anything. The promise itself is driven without merit.
3. Is the payment or the car any less a gift? No not at all! Uncle Jay it was your promise that kept me going... desirability is necessary, but there is also a grace element. Does the condition take away graciousness??? There is no direct correspondence to the gift and getting done with school, he isn’t obligated.
2. Conditional Grace is still free and unmerited:
1. Because the necessary condition: faith that overflows in obedience - places all focus on God and not us; it “calls attention to God’s free bounty and our helpless need” Piper, Future Grace 235
1. For promises to motivate they must be desirable
2. Must also trust the source, must have confidence in the maker.
3. Final element is... promises that are desirable can motivate as long as you believe the promise maker, and that is why sin is so compelling because we believe it. Promises of God ultimately pay off.
2. Because the necessary condition is God-sparked: the obedience of faith is created by GOd’s believability and the desirability of the promises.
1. The blessings of God are not as much reward to be gained but are present enjoyments that will only increase in our enjoyment.
3. Also these conditions from God are always impossible, not like finishing BCS.
1. His encounter with God, enabled Moses to do these things, b/c Moses saw God as ultimately desirable.
4. Yahweh was not obligated to make promises; they came as a gift. And even if a gift has conditions for its reception, it doesn’t change the fact that it is a gift.
5. Faith, Hope and Love are human responses to God’s covenant initiating and sustaining Grace.
1. Promises of God
1. Faith: Object (Abraham believed Yahweh, believed the words of God) Faith is future focused.
2. Hope: Promises CREATE hope.
3. Love: Motivate. Essence of what we are to do.
2. 2 Pet 1:4-7, 10 “by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.”
3. “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”
6. Promise of judgement moves us away, it motivates us. Curses motivate us towards God. “You will be cut off if...” put hope in this.
7. Heb 11:8 “By faith Abraham obeyed...”
1. The Suzerain’s Commitment and the Vassals’ obligation in the RoyalGrant
1. Grant of Royal succession and Land Grant: Treaty betweeen Hattusilis III of Hatti and Ulmi-teshshup of Tarhuntassa:
1. Point: perpetual promise, but is conditional on behavior of family member.
2. Land Grant: House they will not take away or give it to someone else.
2. Royal Dynasty: David in 2 Sam 7:8-16“He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.Your throne shall be established forever.”

(2 Samuel 7:13–16 ESV)

1. Perpetual nature, but still conditions.
1. Biblical commentary on Davidic Covenant
1. I will establish the throne: Within the Bible itself, David is given a dynastic grant that will prevail forever. The condition is still there, and the kings fail again and again.
2. 2 Sam : assumes need for loyalty of each family member.
3. Gen 15 Conclusions:
1. Yahweh is committing himself to Abraham to be faithful to his divine word. God will do it. He will make it happen! In this sense, it is an unconditional, perpetual promise!
2. Implicit: Abraham enjoys the fulfillment of the promise, they must remain loyal --- the point of Gen 17. Loyalty = obedience flowing out of faith.
1. The nature of Abram’s Faith and righteousness (gen 15:1-6)
1. Question: Who/what was Abram believing and what was he believing for?
1. Believed Yahweh and he was believing that Yahweh would grant him an heir.
1. We should read this in light of Gen 3:15, the seed of the woman.
2. Paul looks at this text and says Abram has the essence of Christianity, namely Faith.
2. Two elements of justifying “faith”
1. Trusting GOd to accomplish in and through us what we cannot accomplish on our own (Gen 18:13-14, cf Rom 4:3-5)
2. Faith has something to do with accomplishing things that are IMPOSSIBLE for us.
3. Abram: I can’t do it. The first time the verb to believe shows up here for the first time. Why didn’t the narrator use it in Gen 12? By chance or intentional? The essence of faith wasn’t just trusting, but now it is shown explicitly that Abram’s faith was in the offspring promise. Our faith and Abram’s faith is and was in Christ.
4. Trusting God to bring the promised offspring through whom all evil will be demolished, the curse of sin reversed, and lasting life with God restored through the world. (cf. Gen 12:1 with 3:15, 22:17-18)
3. Question: How do we understand the counting as righteousness in Gen 15:6?
1. M. Seifrid “God’s re-establishing ‘right order’ in the fallen world
2. W. Vangemeren “Righteousness is the order that charactierizes God’s rule over creation through his acts and bring harmony, peace and joy. Justice as it relates to God is the aspect of righteousness that pertains to his wise and fair judgments.”
1. Order characterizes God’s rule, it is the sabbath day. All things are at peace.
3. J. Piper “the righteousness of GOd consists most basically in God’s unswerving commitment to preserve the honor of his name and display his glory... the basic implication as i see it is that man’s righteousness will be seen now as radically God-centered... The righteousness of man in relation to God is to love the honor of God’s name, to esteem above al things God’s glory, and finally, to do only those things which accord with this love and esteem. Thus human actions may be described as righteous not because they conform to an ideal ethical norm, but rather because they are fitting expressions of man’s complete allegiance to maintain the honor of God’s name and display his glory.” Justification of God 119
4. Psalms 25
1. The covenant keeper is humble, recognizing their sin, recognizing God as the One who will forget their sin and save them ultimately.
2. Abraham is righteous because he sees his depravity, that he can’t be self reliant!
2. Summary of Abraham’s Faith and Faithfulness: IN THE HANDOUTS