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

Ending first section/ into next Gen 5-11

Monday, October 12, 2009 OT Law and Former Prophets

1. The Curse of the Kingdom Family
1. The Curse Against the Woman/wife 3:16
1. Pain in childbirth
2. Desire will be for your husband, but he will rule over you” see Gen 4:7; cf. Song 7:11
1. NASB translate “yet” meaning there is still a sexual desire for her husband even with the possibility of the pain of childbirth.
2. Song 7:11 - I am my beloved’s and his desire is for me... that desire is clearly sexual. The NASB calls this phrase to mind for Gen 3:16. Gen 4:7 also shows this usage and this is in cain and abel episode.
3. Curses: for those who have eyes to see, are blessings in disguise. Decay and disruption from Gen 2. Luke 18: tower falls. Curses are signposts. Curse experiences can be seen with the Gospel.
4. Both confront responsibility as “helper”
2. The Curse Against the Man/Husband 3:17-19
1. The Reason for judgment emphasized 3:17- failure in responsibility as protector - leader and lover.
2. Toil/burden in work/life
3. Deterioration of the body
4. Deterioration of creation Rom 8:18-25
1. All Target responsibility as steward and leader.
2. 2 lines, 70 Families, Universal Judgment
1. Gen 3:14-15 anticipate two lines of descent from the Garden
1. Rebellious: offspring of the serpent = Cain > Flood > Tower of Babylon
2. Loyal: Offspring of the woman = Adam > Seth > Enoch > Noah (Gen 5) // Shem > Abram (gen 11).
1. Jesus uses this children/seed of satan language, brood of vipers.
2. Two Types of Genealogies
1. Segmented: offspring of serpent, spreads wide.
2. Linear: just goes from one man to the next, no sons named!!!
1. How long were the pagans living? Don’t know, and God is purposing to preserving the seed that will bring him glory, yet before he ever mentions the woman and the man in the curses, hope is already promised. Vs. 15. Many prophets who live out their own message in their own lives. Could they be living extremely long lives b/c of their allegiance to God??? Show that God is desiring to preserve his glory.
3. Gen 4:16 “at that time people begain to call upon the name of Yahweh” Joel 2:32, Zeph 3:9, Ps 116:7
3. The Stucture of Genesis... want to study now what we learned about the land and his covenantal relationship with man.
1. HANDOUT: THE GARDEN OF EDEN AS A SANCTUARY AND THE TABERNACLE AS A NEW GARDEN OF EDEN.
4. Mankind & animals come from and return to the ground (Gen 2:7, 19; 3:19)
5. Creation Care and Supply
1. Creation is overseen by mankind as divine representative (gen 1:28)
2. Creation is served and guarded by mankind (gen 2:15) so that through it God may provide for humanity (Gen 1:30; 2:9)
1. Garden seems to be like a temple. As the family grows so does the temple.
6. Paradise lost and the Cursed Cosmos.
1. God curses the ground, rending toilsome work for man
2. God expels humanity from paradise, and restricting them to life in a a world of spiritual death, this will lead to physical death.
3. The ground becomes an agent of divine punishment, unrighteous actions increases mankind’s alienation from it.
1. Spirit is present within us, and makes up it’s own temple in a person’s being.
7. I.D. Divine Presence and Rule - Spirit/Word/Son
1. God’s Spirit is active in creation (Gen 1:2, 8:1)
2. God creates by his Word (Gen 1:3; John 1:1; 2 Cor 4:6; Col 1:15-18)
3. The man is God’s royal “son” (Gen 5:1-2) who will oversee the kingdom building (Gen 2:15)
4. The First Gospel (Protoevangelion) (Gen 3:15) : A future male offspring (son) of the woman will put an end to all evil, injuring the head of hte serpent, while sustaining some injury to himself (Gen 22:17-18; Rom 16:20; Heb 2:14; Rev 20:1-3,10)

The Line of Promise & the Need for Universal Blessing (Gen 5:1-11:9)

1. Yahweh, the Covenant Lord
1. Yahweh, the Worlds’ Judge
1. God alone confronts & condemns those guilty of kingdom-treason:
1. At the time of Noah before the flood (Gen 6:12-13)
2. In the proud age of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-6)
2. God brings global judgment, yet preserves his righteous (7:23)
2. Yahweh, the Covenant Renewer
1. God “remembers” Noah & his world (Gen 8:1)
2. Terminology of Covenant Making
1. “to cut a covenant” (karath berith) = common Hebrew expression for making or initiating a covenant relationship (gen 15:18; ex 24:8; deut 5:2-3) (but ex 34:19; deut 29:1 for confirming or “establishing” an existing covenant relationship)
2. “to confirm a covenant” (heqim berith) = always used in contexts of establishing in the present a previously ratified covenant (gen 17:7, 9, 21; Exod 6:4; Lev 26:9; Deut 8:18; Ezek 16:60, 62)
3. Covenant renewal with Noah Gen 9:9-11 “I confirm my Covenant with you...”
1. Covenant relationship extends to “every living creature”
2. Covenant is used with Hebrew phrase for establishing a previous covenant.
4. Signs: Reminders, Symbol, Witness. These are the different aspects of the roles of the covenants.
1. Bow: facing away from humanity.
2. Circumcision: offspring is so important for this covenant, cut-off from the people of Israel.
1. Symbolism: heart circumcision comes from this.
2. Circumcision in the Hebrew Bible and the Targums: Theology Rhetoric and the Handling of Metaphor --- other circumcision did circumcise but not the whole way, Israelites did though. Joshua, Gilgal, cast off the reproach of Egypt (their circumcision), ears need to be circumcised, lips of Moses are circumcised: all questions of God are gone and has full trust, hearts are circumcised.
3. Sabbath: cyclical reminder of their purpose in this world, reconstituting day 7. Only through faith in God.
3. Humanity, Remnant and Rebel
1. Remnant:
1. God preserves them, Gen 9:26-27. --- this anticipates Sodom and Gomorrah. Sets Shem apart for God.
2. Rebels:
1. Gen 6:5 Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.
2. Judgement on all by death: Gen 7:23 destruction on whole world.
3. Sustained evil in the preserved humanity
4. A small view of God and self-exalting pride and the dispersion of languages.
4. LIST IS IN THE NOTEBOOK!!! De-Creation (Flood) & Recreation Comparisons.

More Gooodness

Monday, October 5, 2009

The Beginning- Covenant Life, Death and Renewal Gen 2:4-4:26

Dr. D

1. Focus on Genesis 1
1. Gen 1:26-28 “have dominion (ladies are part of the ruling over creation, there is an equality here in ability to image God, rule on behalf of God, and ability to relate to God) be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion” (this is a team thing :-) and this is a family thing)
2. Yahweh, the Lord of Creation
1. The Creator-King Over All
1. everything starts from him, he alone creates and is the ultimate overseer of the cosmos and the Garden
2. God is passionate for his image to be displayed gen 1:26-28
3. God alone will enable the fulfillment of his commission through blessing Gen 1:28
4. God alone sits enthroned in sovereign rest Gen 2:1-3
5. God alone creates a kingdom family and enables birth (Gen 2:7, 22 with Matt 19:6; Gen 4:1) Marriage is the DEED of God.
3. Yahweh, the Covenant Maker and Renewer
1. The Language of covenant is absent in Gen 1-3 but the features of covenant are present.
1. Relationship between God and a people int he context of the cosmos
2. Obligation with promise of life and call to loyalty.
1. Trusting in God’s way, that it was best.
2. Some think of Adam having a probation with the tree what is that all about. Discussion is forthcoming.
4. Yahweh, the Standard for and Judge of Good and Evil
1. God alone gives guidelines for sustained life and determines good and evil - no dualism possible
2. God alone confronts and condemns those guilty of kingdom - treason:
1. After the fall of the serpent and humanity
2. After Cain’s murder of Abel.
2. Humanity, Creation Stewards
1. The Kingdom Family: Ideal (Gen 2)
1. Introduction:
1. Marriage is the Deed of God. Matt 19:6
2. Marriage is about the Display of God: Couples image God in a unique way
1. Eph 5:21-23 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”
3. Ultimate Rel: Christ(head) + Church = One Body
4. Model Rel: Husband(head) + Wife = One Flesh
2. Marriage as the display of God’s tenacious covenant love with his people
1. Adam’s role (2:15) “to work it and keep it”
1. this is not someone who is underneath creation, but one who is over it. Rulership looks like serving.
2. Watch over is the same verb as keep.
2. Num 3:4, 7-8 “But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai... They (the levites) shall watch over his (aaron’s) duty and over the duty of the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to serve the work of the tabernacle. They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and watch over the people to serve the work of the tabernacle.”
3. Gen 3:23-24 “therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”
1. Adam is to keep evil out, serving and guarding.
2. Evil was anticipated in his guardian role.
3. Gender roles are derivatives of the marriage distinctions.
4. Marriage is being shown as the central piece of Covenant relationships
3. Interpretation of Adam’s role in Gen 2:15
1. Cultivate = stewardship - unburdened “work” (3:17-19)
2. Keep = Guard - oversight/ spiritual leadership (3:24)
4. Adam’s need/ wife’s role (2:18): a helper corresponding to the husband.
1. God’s word: helper.
2. Ps 115:9-11
3. Ps 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my Help come from? My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.”
4. Not derogatory at all.
5. Very little call is made for men to do what they were called to do, not to worry about how to interact with women.
5. Adam’s role clarified (2:23): Love his wife as his own body (Eph 5:28)
1. Bone of my Bone and flesh of my flesh... who is he talking to?
1. Love wife like you love your own body.
2. this is LOVE! You are as important as me.
3. when the girl that God has given them hurts them, we want to cut them off, but we must not. We must nurture and forgive.
4. Paul was doing good exegesis here.
5. Very little focus on the woman, it is the man that leaves and cleaves. Moses is saying this is very important to keep this formation. Leaving and cleaving language is everywhere in covenant making language.
6. Care for wife FIRST, principally to your wife.
7. All this is in context of imaging: to display God.
1. To display relationship God has with his people.
6. Husband: to steward and guard/love
7. Wife: to Help
8. Adam is called to PROVIDE and PROTECT
1. This isn’t domineering, this is care and nurture.
2. They are a team, and he is the initiating servant leader.
9. Protect Provide
10. Physical Spiritual === primary responsibility to do all 4. Taking initiative with devotions, walk with the Lord, determine what to be involved with.
1. Mrs. D’s wife writes books for devotions and all that. She wrote it and Dr. D taught it. She has no theological training, Dr. D is now refining it.
2. Satan comes to the Garden and goes to Eve
1. Where is the protector? Should be right there, he is right there.
2. God comes to Adam not Eve
3. Satan knows that God’s kingdom will be subverted by corrupting roles.
4. Narrative is structured exactly opposite of the satan, woman, man...
5. Paul is showing that when creation order isn’t kept things go bad.
1. Gen 3:8 “The wind of the day” This is Theophany, God showing up, not cool of the day.
6. The woman whom you gave me” is this “bone of my bone?” now he is being aggressive when he was patience. That is cursed reality, not Genesis 2 ideal.
7. Paul: headship and submission::: this is the Gen. 2 role.
3. Curse on the Kingdom Family
1. The curse against the woman/wife
1. Pain in childbirth
2. desire will be for your husband, but he will rule over you
1. Both confront responsibility as helper
2. The curse against the man/husband
1. The reason for judgment emphasized failure in responsibility as protector-leader and lover
2. toil/burden in work/life
3. deterioration of the body
4. deterioration of creation
1. All target responsibility as steward and leader.
3. The big deal here isn’t ability
1. the issue is the picture of corporate worship which displays God’s glory by showing the relationship of Christ and his church.

9-28-09 Lecture

OT Law and Former Prophets

New Beginnings

Monday, September 28, 2009

1. God’s Attributes.
1. Powerful Creator
2. Eternal
3. Ordered 6 + 1--- how we got our week.
1. Moses, up there and tabernacle orders given to him in 7 speeches, on the 6th day two people are appointed to build it, and on the 7th day sabbath rest is commanded.
2. World.
1. Ordered
2. Good
3. Humans
1. Image of GOD
1. God doesn’t let the focus come upon us, it shoots back to God! See image handouts.
2. Not here for me, but here for Him!
3. movement from good to very good
4. Takes counsel with himself
5. gives the dominion to man
6. we are high point of creation, but to be leaders, we are called to serve, to care for the rest of creation. We do this so that humanity can be sustained so that God’s glory can continue to be imaged and displayed.
7. the definite article is only given to the 6th day, it is climatical! all others are “a second day” etc.
8. Until a new participant is brought into the pic, there isn’t a need to reintroduce the subject. And God... why is it repeating this subject over and over? He is everywhere!!! This is intentional! The presence of this world is structured to bring us to worship, not just to remind us of Him, but to bring us to him. It is all about God! Worship all of it! When you don’t worship God’s way it brings death, this is a sermon!
9. This is how the world should be and will return to be.
4. Structure of Creation Week
1. Form: uninhabitable > habitable
2. Content: Uninhabited > Inhabited
3. See handouts from last week: Narrative Elements in Genesis
1. Form: 1 Light Content: 4. Luminaries
2. Heavens (sky)/ Water below (seas) 5. Birds / Sea Creatures
3. Dry land (Earth); Vegetation 6. Animals and Humanity
4. 7th day is Sovereign Rest
5. Who is God: Creator of the universe, and we are made in his image, brings himself the ultimate glory through “imagers” and Christ being the ultimate image.
6. Where are we? We are in the creation that points us back to God in all things. Is. 6: he saw and he heard, and he went to repentance and was changed. God’s glory is everywhere. Keep looking, but don’t see... ps. 115:8 can’t see, hear or smell: be like them. But for us, we will work for it, we are moving towards missions, towards sovereign rest. Missions exist cuz worship doesn’t.
7. Everything is from Him, easy one. Everything is through him and to him, Rom 11: 36. Col 1: 15-16... Paul what you takin? All was created through him and for him. Col 2: principalities and powers were conquered by Christ on the Cross.
1. eph, very similar powers. Omnicausality--- created by Jesus and for Jesus.
2. Through him: pushing present creation, how is that through him??? Heb. has power to tell us what kind of speech is coming, more than “and he said” you can say more. Gen 1:28 God blessed them with his speech of “be fruitful...”
3. blessings are directed to the person, prayers aren’t directed. Who is second person when we are talking? Blessings are directed to a person with God as third person.
4. Gen 1:28 is a commission, imperatives are here. This is the first one, be fruitful, so that God might be more glorified in the rest of the earth!
5. Those in Exodus, how can we do this imaging? Can’t do it unless God is behind it. If a fall happens, that means God did not do what it would take to make his image bearing happen. The audience hearing this, is dependence or go your own way.
8. Worldviews: Broad and General.
9. Monism:
1. Pantheism: creature Creator distinction
2. Naturalism: God exists
10. Dualism: No opposition to God. Man wants to be arbiter of what is right and what is wrong. Unless there is an ultimate standard, then you can’t decide. There is a tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, assumes exterior framework. God is the One who calls things good.
11. Theism
1. Deism:
2. Polytheism/Henotheism
3. Monotheism
1. Judaism
2. Islam
3. Christianity
4. Handouts here.
12. The Focus: God as the source and goal of all things:
1. Human life is carried out in God’s world, and every experience withing this world is to direct us back to him as the great provider and sustainer of life.
13. The Significance of mankind as “image” bearers:
1. Humans are reflectors or magnifiers of God’s supremacy in all areas and situations of life, whether in human makeup, character, duty, or relationships.
14. The Covenant Triangle: Deity (Yahweh)/ Land (Canaan)/ People (Israel).
1. “Spiritual Body” not floaty, but uber material.
2. Spirit-Word-Son is in the center.
3. Covenant with Creation:
1. consider Spirit: creation, Word: instruction, Adam: called a son.
15. LOOK AT SLIDES!
16. Map: North and South were forced to go through Israel. God put them there, “through you the world will be blessed” that’s how He set it up!
1. But this didn’t come to pass. It wasn’t accompanied by a divine inward work, only external.
2. Jesus fulfilled both missions of Israel and Adam.
1. He perfectly imaged God, and all those who partake with Him get involved in this imaging plan.
17. See notes on Dates and such.
1. These genealogies have dates and ages, and are unlike all other genealogies, makes you think of author’s intent of portraying real time.

Review Lecture 10-5-09

Monday, October 5, 2009

Revisiting the Covenant Lecture

Dr. D

1. Why do we call it the Old Testament
1. Introduction: Scripture as canonical revelation
1. revelation? God’s disclosure of himself & his will in a way we can understand.
1. Though all the world has encountered the glory of God, this doesn’t mean that all can be saved, for only through Christ can it be saved. Rom 1 and Rom 10:faith comes by hearing.
2. 1 Cor 14:37
3. 2 Tim 3:16-17
4. 2 Pet 2:20-21
2. Since it is “from God” this makes it Canonical. God determines the canon, not the church. The church only recognizes the canon.
1. This is a debated matter, but at the core this is a recognition not a determination.
3. Canon: standard of measurement/authority - 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are revelation from God and thus authoritative.
2. Scripture as covenantal canonical revelation.
1. In what way did God choose to reveal himself???
1. International covenant administration: the Bible is created in the context of covenant.
1. Kings used covenant language all the time, and when the kings spoke these words their words became binding, they became canonical.
2. The Pentateuch is produced and done when the people are gearing up to go into the Land, Josh-Kings intends us to read the history of the covenant in light of the Pentateuch. It acts as the foundation.
3. What does the Bible itself testify was the first authoritative/canonical text written down?
1. Post-Sinai pentateuch creation.
2. the 10 words- the first authoritative/covenantal text mentioned in the Bible (Exod. 20:1-17)
3. “When I went up the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.” (Deuteronomy 9:9 ESV “And at the end of forty days and forty nights the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant.” (Deuteronomy 9:11 ESV) “So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.”

(Deuteronomy 9:15 ESV)

1. The 10 Words of the “covenant” are placed in the “ark of the Covenant (ex 25:16); added instruction is specified as “covenantal” (34:27-28) and some is termed the “book of the Covenant” (24:27; cf 20:22-23:33)
1. all things grow up in the context of this covenant.
2. Sometime afterward the narrative portions and other legislation of Genesis-Numbers were added (Ex 17:14; Num 21:14; 33:2) along with Deuteronomy (Deut 28:58; 29:20, 21, 27; 30:10; 31:9, 19, 22, 24; Josh 1:8)
3. All the Bible grows out of Israel’s covenant with God and must be read in this light.
1. Covenants/Treaties in the ancient world
1. Background: made between two parties, big king is expanding his land, says to little king, surrender or die. Big king says i will provide and protect if you are loyal to me. A curse is the lack or removal of these two pieces. Enters the enemy who spreads lies, life with me will be more desirable. Will little king remain loyal to big king? Faith is what precedes all the obedience, there is no reason to stay in relationship with big king unless i believe that he is what he says he is and that life is most desirable with him. Believe that King exists and is a rewarder.
1. Alexander the Great sent a “preacher” kerus who would tell the little kings of the terms, of the Good News.
2. Covenant Defined: An elected relationship of obligation established under divine sanction.
3. Relationship: Big King: Father, Little King: Son, Other Kings: Brothers and relationship between them are loving. No higher allegiance in ancient world than children to parents. These kings are borrowing this form, and saying this is a relationship, this is a loyalty and a good level of intimacy.
4. Elected: Not biological relationship with the great King, then there is election, there is a choice.
5. Obligation: obligated to be loyal to the promises given in the covenant.
6. Divine Sanction: what the result will be depending on the keeping of the obligations. Divine Witness:: Suzerain:: Vassal. In other ANE the “gods” were the witnesses, not so for us. God:: Yahweh:: Israel.
2. The Bible a Covenantal Canon
1. Yahweh is the ultimate Great King
1. Secular use of the title 2 kgs 18:19 Then Rabshakeh said to them , ‘ say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, ‘what is this confidence that you have?’”
2. Ps. 48:2 “great King” Ps. 95:3: For the LORD is a great God and a great King above all gods.”
2. As the Great King, Yahweh gives a covenant document to his covenant partner and commissions prophets as covenant enforcers. Mal. 3:1 “the messenger of the covenant (namely Christ) in whom you delight, behold, he is coming.”
1. This is why we have so so so much language like this about the Kingdom in the Bible.
3. God Rules his Kingdom through Messiah Jesus
1. Jesus is the king of the Jews and proclaims the good news of the kingdom and so on.
4. Jesus’ final words instilled hope for the consummation of God’s Kingdom (Acts 1:3) and the NT is kingdom preaching centered on Christ. Acts 28:30-31
3. One flesh: verbal oath right there before God and the symbolic oath that occurs there with entering into sexual relationships is what consummates the marriage covenant. Mal.
1. Dispensationalism:
1. Law-Gospel ways to be saved. two ways.
2. Israel-Church. That there were an example given here.
3. now there are progressive dispensationalists who say that there is only one way, but they still maintain that Israel and Church are separate.
4. Covenant theologians would say that the Church/Israel would be made up remnant and rebel and that today there are both remnant and rebel.
1. Cov. say church is made of both jew and gentile alike. That God is fulfilling the promises made now to both.
2. Christ isn’t the perfect pharisee, not the super-hero, but the ultimate-depender and surrender. He is the ultimate imager of God and Glory giver. Obedience of Faith, if he was all about works then he wouldn’t be our perfect example.