Tag Archives: covenant

LUKE’S GOSPEL…THE COVENANT – 4b

Bible Study, ,

Jesus’ life, from birth to mature adulthood, was one of steady growth in body, mind, and spirit. Since there is no record of any breach in His upbringing or behaviour, we can safely conclude that Jesus, under the watchful eye of Joseph and Mary, safely navigated these crucial years without faltering. Had He once failed, Luke would have been under obligation to report it. Jesus Himself later testified to His own perfect obedience to Father…

“The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

and His sinless life…

“Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭46‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Peter testified of his Lord, after observing the way Jesus handled the greatest test of His sinlessness, the terrible injustice of His crucifixion…

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now, let’s go back to Jesus and the Mosaic Covenant. Why was it imperative that He live in perfect obedience to the covenant? The Law of Moses was the constitution that guided Israel’s government. God’s laws were an expression of His nature and His requirements for those who lived under His rule. The kings were to rule by the laws of His covenant. Despite the fact that Israel failed and rejected God’s covenant, Jesus, as a Jew, was still obliged to keep it as their human and divine king and the representative of humanity. 

Jesus came not only to fulfil the law so that it would eventually become obsolete, but also to demonstrate to His people how to obey the law, not only in letter but also in spirit. 

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In His conflict with the Pharisees, Jesus accused them of being so preoccupied with the letter of the law that they ignored its true meaning…

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus showed by His words and behaviour, that the whole law is summed up in one commandment…

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus’ selfless love, culminating in His death, is the perfect fulfilment of the Mosaic Covenant with all its rules and rituals. 

The other, equally important reason for Jesus to obey the law was that its picture of Him, as the tabernacle/temple worship with its priesthood and sacrifices revealed, had to be carried out to perfection. Everything about the redemption from sin that Jesus came to provide is presented to His people in the rules and rituals of worship and the sacrificial system. 

The writer to the Hebrews, in chapters 7 to 10, culminating in the declaration and invitation…

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭19‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…shows how Jesus, through His life and death, according to prophecy, perfectly fulfilled every type and shadow of Himself in the Old Testament. So, the writer could conclude…

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship…First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬, ‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The outcome of Jesus’ obedience to the Mosaic Law is the new dispensation of grace, allowing sinners to approach a holy God boldly and freely because the law has been satisfied and the sinner forgiven, cleansed, and justified. The way is open for us to come to the Father as dearly loved children. 

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭19‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

On this tiny, newborn baby boy, the son of Mary and the Son of God, rested the destiny of all mankind. His life and death, accomplished under the law of Moses, were to provide salvation from sin for all who believe in His name. 

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭25‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

To be continued…

THINGS THAT DAVID SAID – 7

Devotion, ,

GOD’S “LOVERS”

Psalms 25:14 NKJV
[14] “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.”

Psalms 25:14 NLT
[14] “The Lord is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant.”

Psalms 25:14 NLT
[14] “The Lord is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant.”

Two Hebrew words in this statement…”sod”, meaning “secret” or “intimate”, and “yada” meaning “to know” as in “sexual intimacy”, are the words that imply the intimacy of a husband and wife in a marriage relationship.

It’s no wonder translators differ in the way they render this verse. Could they be afraid to be as a bold and explicit as David was when he made this riveting statement? So, they tamed it down somewhat, reducing the thought of marriage intimacy between God and His most adoring worshippers, to “friendship”!

The intimacy between two people in a marriage implies both trust and transparency… a willingness to bare one another’s hearts as well as bodies, and a joining together of two souls to become one.

Have you ever wondered why God wants intimacy with His people? Like the intimacy between two people in marriage that produces new life, God has “seed” He desires to plant in the hearts of those who share intimacy with Him. God’s seed is His Word. He shares the secrets of His Word with those who fear Him to produce new life.

Amos 3:7 NIV
[7] “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.”

God delights to draw us into His plans so that we can incubate the seed in our spirits through faith, and add our “amen” to what He has spoken.

Did David deliberately choose these words to describe his own relationship with Yahweh? His words are an expression of a union with God that few knew in the dispensation of the Old Covenant. Yet, there were those who came close to the kind of intimacy God yearned to have with His people.

The secrets God shared with David are scattered throughout his psalms. These are prophetic messages about the Messiah that flesh out the word picture of Jesus so accurately fulfilled in His first coming.

First, the operative condition for an experience of closeness with God is “The fear of the Lord”. David used this phrase in many of his songs, calling God’s people to express their fear of the Lord by living lives that honoured Him.

Psalms 34:11-14 NLT
[11] “Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. [12] Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? [13] Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! [14] Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”

Psalms 25:8-10, 12 NLT
[8] “The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. [9] He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. [10] The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.
[12] Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose.”

These were not only David’s words. Isaiah discovered and wrote the same truth…

Isaiah 33:5-6 NIV
[5] “The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. [6] He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

One great theme of the Bible is God’s marriage to His people, concluding, in Revelation 19, with the description of the bride and the wedding of the Lamb. Like Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, who was sent to find a bride for Isaac, so the Father sent His Son to earth to seek a bride. The Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent in His place, finds and prepares her for her marriage to the Lamb, the bride He bought with His own blood.

Revelation 19:7-8 NIV
[7] “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. [8] Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people).”

So, dear children of God, don’t be afraid to seek this intimacy with the Father, through Jesus the Son, that allows you access to the secrets of His covenant. Not everyone enjoys this privilege…only those who love Him enough to live within the boundaries of His covenant. These alone will enjoy the delights of His love… the rich bounty He provides for those who fear Him. They will receive the seed of the Word and share in the unfolding of God’s purposes.

Psalms 36:7-9 NIV
[7] “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. [8] They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. [9] For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”

THE GOSPEL IN HEBREWS – 12

Bible Study, ,

The next question in this presentation of Jesus as superior to Moses and the Old Covenant is about the terms of the covenant itself and what God required of His people in that covenant.

In what way is the new covenant superior to the old? Why was it necessary for God to introduce another covenant if the first one under Moses was sufficient to regulate the lives of His people? Why does God need to set up a covenant with His people?

What is a covenant?

Meta AI provides an excellent summary…

“In its most basic sense, a covenant is a formal agreement or promise between two or more parties. It’s a binding commitment that outlines the terms, conditions, and expectations of the relationship.

Biblical Context
In the biblical context, covenants play a central role in the relationship between God and His people. A covenant (Hebrew: ברית, brit) is a solemn agreement between God and humanity, where God promises to bless, protect, and guide His people in exchange for their loyalty, obedience, and worship.

Key Elements of a Covenant

  1. “Promises”: Covenants involve promises or commitments made by one or both parties.
  2. “Obligations”: Covenants outline the responsibilities and expectations of each party.
  3. “Consequences”: Covenants often specify the consequences of failing to uphold the agreement.
  4. “Ratification”: Covenants are typically ratified or confirmed through a formal ceremony or ritual.

Types of Covenants

  1. “Unilateral covenant”: A one-sided agreement where one party makes promises without requiring anything in return (e.g., God’s covenant with Abraham).
  2. “Bilateral covenant”: A two-sided agreement where both parties make promises and commitments (e.g., a marriage covenant).
  3. “Conditional covenant”: An agreement that depends on certain conditions being met (e.g., the Mosaic covenant).
  4. “Unconditional covenant”: An agreement that is not dependent on any conditions (e.g., God’s covenant with David)…

In summary, a covenant is a formal agreement that outlines the terms, conditions, and expectations of a relationship. It involves promises, obligations, consequences, and ratification, and can be applied in various contexts, from biblical to modern-day relationships.”

A covenant, then, legally binds God and people together in an agreement that sets BOUNDARIES, conditions, and obligations and offers promises and benefits.

There is one great difference between the Mosaic covenant and the new covenant in Christ. God cut the covenant with His people at Mt Sinai with conditions, which depended on the obedience of His people to keep it. The new covenant God promised in Jeremiah 31:31ff does not depend on people’s obedience but on Jesus because He IS the Covenant and believing people are IN Him by faith.

Now let’s follow our writer’s explanation.

Hebrews 8:3-5 NIV
[3] “Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. [4] If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. [5] They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

The Mosaic covenant had priests and sacrifices that functioned in an earthly sanctuary which was a copy of the heavenly, and depended on earthly priests to carry out their obligations faithfully.

We can already discern a weakness in this system. Its value and efficacy depended on fallible humans. The history of God’s people reveals the unfaithfulness of their priests and the failure of their worship system to satisfy God’s requirements. Their sinfulness had turned their sacrifices into an excuse for sinning.

Not only were the priests themselves unfaithful to God but they also encouraged the people to sin so that they could benefit from the sacrifices!

Hosea 4:1, 7-8 NIV
[1] “Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites, because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land…
[7] The more priests there were, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their glorious God for something disgraceful. [8] They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness.”

What a terrible indictment against God’s priests!

The New Covenant, by contrast, does not depend on fallible humans but on the perfect obedience of our representative, Jesus.

Hebrews 8:7-12 NIV
[7]” For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. [8] But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. [9] It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. [10] This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. [11] No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. [12] For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

A new covenant? Better promises? Compare the old with the new. One supreme difference… to work, the promises of the Mosaic covenant depended in the people’s obedience.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 NIV
[1] “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. [2] All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God…”

It didn’t happen!

The new Covenant’s promises depend entirely on God’s faithfulness…and Jesus, God’s Son, fulfilled and ratified all these promises.

2 Corinthians 1:18-22 NIV
[18] “But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” [19] For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” [20] For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. [21] Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, [22] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

Wow! What a difference!

Surely then, this new covenant with its better promises is as far superior to the old as the east is from the west.

Hebrews 8:6-7, 13 NIV
[6]”But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. [7] For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another…
[13] By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.”

Q. E. D!

“Quod erat demonstrandum,” often abbreviated as “Q.E.D.,” is a Latin phrase meaning “that which was to be demonstrated,” used to indicate the completion of a proof or argument.” ( Google)

Not only is the new covenant better than the old, based on better promises that Jesus Himself confirms, but it is so much better that there is no more need or use for the old.

The point of this demonstration is that those who want to return to the old system of worship are actually going back to something that no longer exists. The new covenant in Christ has wiped out, deleted in modern terms, the need for the old. So why go back to something that exists only in history? The idea is as foolish as wanting to go back from modern forms of transport to old-fashioned animal-drawn carts and chariots!

To be continued…

DIARY OF THE FATHER OF FAITH – 5

Bible Study, ,

And so, God moves on with His preparation of the man who would become the father of His chosen nation. Undaunted by Abraham’s failure, He begins the next phase of Abraham’s growth in faith and obedience. With the memory of the years of pain his unbelief had brought into his family, Abraham listens carefully to every detail of God’s instructions, determined, this time, to stick to the plan.

‭Genesis‬ ‭17:1‭-‬8‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. [2] I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” [3] At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, [4] “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! [5] What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. [6] I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them! [7] “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. [8] And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

“El Shaddai” is an unusual name for God. He uses this title to cement His promises and the covenant He cut with Abraham years before. We must remember that the sequence of chapters in the Bible disguises the interval of years between God’s revelations to Abraham. Many years had passed in which Abraham had opportunity to live out the life God had revealed to him.

Oh yes! El Shaddai! The two letters of el, of course in ancient Hebrew, an ox head and a shepherd’s staff, convey the idea of the mighty one who has authority. “Shaddai” ‭is made up of two pictures, two teeth and
the curtains in the tent that hang down from a rod to form the door of the tent. What did Abraham see in his mind’s eye?

Two things that dangle. What came to mind from that mental picture? The two teats of the goat’s udder. What did the goat’s udder do? It provided nourishment for its offspring! So, what did El Shaddai mean to Abraham? “I am the powerful one who has authority and I will nourish (take care of and provide for) you.” What a revelation and what a promise!

Two requirements… serve me faithfully and live a blameless life! How did Abraham interpret those instructions? God would flesh out His teachings centuries later to Ahraham’s descendants at Mount Sinai. For now, it was enough that he stick with God and not get involved with the wicked, idolatrous Canaanites. God’s moral requirements were already written on his conscience, as with all people.

The ratification of God’s covenant was to be a physical sign, written in the bodies of every male descendant of Abraham, circumcision.

‭Genesis‬ ‭17:9‭-‬13‬ ‭NLT‬
[9]”Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. [10] This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised. [11] You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you. [12] From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. [13] All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant.”

Despite Abraham’s attempt to rationalise the promise of a son through Sarah by offering Ismael instead, God was adamant. No, not Ishmael by Hagar. Sarah’s age and barren state was no obstacle to Him. Abraham had to ramp up his faith to believe in the birth of a baby through two barren old people!

‭Romans‬ ‭4:17‭-‬19‬ ‭NLT‬
[17] That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. [18] Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” [19] And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.”

Fortunately, God’s perspective is different from ours. We would have censured Abraham for doubting God’s promise, but not God. He saw the end and considered Abraham’s faith acceptable and secure.

‭Romans‬ ‭4:20‭-‬22‬ ‭NLT‬
[20]”Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. [21] He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. [22] And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.”

And so, Abraham takes, another leap of faith by circumcising every last male in his household.

‭Genesis‬ ‭17:26‭-‬27‬ ‭NLT‬
[26]”Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day, [27] along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him.”

No one escaped the knife that day!

To be continued….

GOD’S SECRET

Bible Study, ,

God has a secret. He wrote a whole book about His secret, revealing it bit by bit until He had told the whole story.

‭Psalms‬ ‭25:14‬ ‭NIV‬
[14] “The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”

In the Old Covenant, God told His secret, or part of it, to His friends, those who were serious about their relationship with Him.

Only a few under the Old Covenant faintly understood God’s secret.

People like Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and the other prophets, realised the importance of God’s covenant with His people. His secret was bound up in His covenant. They also discovered that God’s mercy was not because they offered animal blood to remove their sin. There had to be something more, but God would only reveal the full story in His time.

Peter‬ ‭1:10‭-‬11‬ ‭NLT‬
[10] “This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. [11] They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.”

Abraham learned to live by faith in God because he believed God’s promises of a nation, a land, and blessing for the whole world through him.

‭Genesis‬ ‭12:1‭-‬3‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. [2] I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. [3] I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:8‭-‬9‬ ‭NLT‬
[8] It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. [9] And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.”

‭Genesis‬ ‭15:6‬ ‭NLT‬
[6]”And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

‭Romans‬ ‭4:1‭-‬8‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] “Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? [2] If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. [3] For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” [4] When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. [5] But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. [6] David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it: [7] “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. [8] Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”
[13] Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.”

God’s secret was slowly coming clearer to the few who believed Him and obeyed His Word. They learned that it was not their obedience to God’s instructions (because they could never obey Him perfectly) or the animal sacrifices God prescribed for failure to obey His law (because animal blood could never atone for their sin), but faith in God’s mercy because He promised to forgive their sin through a new way yet to be revealed.

To Isaiah came the clearest revelation of the foundation of God’s forgiveness, some of the other writing prophets adding details to the story.

‭Isaiah‬ ‭53:3‭-‬6‬ ‭NLT‬
[3] “He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. [4] Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! [5] But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. [6] All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.”

Faith, not in animal blood but in the blood of an innocent person was the only way God could forgive sin. God promised that He would send His Servant to be that perfect sacrifice.

David also envisioned some of that person’s suffering as he described suffering of his own. Somehow, out of his own agony, he described the agony of the one who died in his own place.

‭Psalms‬ ‭22:1‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?..
[6] But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! [7] Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, [8] “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!”…
[12] My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in! [13] Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey. [14] My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. [15] My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. [16] My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. [17] I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. [18] They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.”

So, slowly, the secret is being unfolded, a secret which God clothed in a legally-binding covenant, based on His grace, which He would make known in all its glory in due time.

To be continued…

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