04 TBC - Abraham's Covenants

M & G
Online @
Property 2
Property 3
Speaker
Status	Started
Target Date	@Jan 28, 2021
Type
Venue	NLR
Working Title	Abraham's Covenants
days	-1

Introduction - a long one...

Step by step
...but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. (Rom. 4:12)
- The steps of faith — pre-covenant
  - Before he was justified by faith,
  - before he was in a covenant with God,
  - before he was circumcised
  - While he was still just Abram, had not become Abraham
  Abram was already 'walking by faith' !!
  The step that brought him to the place of 'justifying faith'. The step of faith that brought his out of Ur was probably 10 years earler.

Stephen's defence: Abram's first steps (context, context, context)
- Acts 7:2-5
  Acts 7:2 ¶ And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, Acts 7:3 and said to him, “Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ Acts 7:4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. Acts 7:5 And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. (Acts 7:2–5)
  - digging deeper
    Acts 7:2
    The God of glory appeared to ... Abraham (Abram, at this stage)
    in Mesopotamia (in Ur of the Chaldees)
    before he dwelt/settled in Haran
    dwelt: κατοικῆσαι katoikēsai κατοικέω (κατά, οἶκος) katoikeō (kata, oikos) Verb aor act infin to settle, dwell, inhabit [] G2730 lived
    Liddell & Scott - Intermediate
    κατ-οικίζω, f. Att. ιῶ:—to remove to a place, plant, settle or establish there as colonists, κ. τινὰ εἰς τόπον Hdt., Ar.; γυναῖκας ἐς φῶς ἡλίου κατ. Eur.:—also, κ. τινὰ ἐν τόπῳ to settle or plant one in, Soph.; ἐλπίδας ἔν τινι κ. to plant them in his mind, Aesch. 2. c. acc. loci, to colonise, people a place, Hdt., Aesch., etc.
    
    The Journey
    Ur is about 190 miles NW of Ur
    Shechem is about 600 miles S of Haran
    Acts 7:3 - Gen 12:1-3
    Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. Genesis 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen. 12:1–3)
    ...and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing: (Gen. 12:2 ASV)
    There are...
    commands,
    and promises,
    and a commission here
    BUT no mention of a covenant

Abram's First Covenant

Abram's First Covenant
a Covenant has at least two parties/partners
Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. (Genesis 14:13 NKJV)
- The Covenant Partners
  1. Mamre the Amorite, brother of
  1. Eshcol and brother of
  1. Aner
  1. Abram
  - A Covenant between a Hebrew (Shem-ite) and three Amorites (Ham-ites)
    Genesis 10:15 Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth; Genesis 10:16 the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; (Genesis 10:15–16 NKJV)
- The Terms of Abram's First Covenant
  - Baal-Berith
    GK H1253 | S H1170 בַּעַל בְּרִית baꜥal bᵉriyṯ n.pr. [1251 + 1382]. Baal-Berith, “Baal [lord] of the covenant”.
  - Tenancy Agreement
    Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre Gen 14:13
  - A Defence Treaty
    allies H1167 בַּעַל baꜥal allies H1285 בְּרִית berit
    S H1285 בְּרִית bᵉriyṯ 287x n.f. [root of: 451, 1253, 1357]. covenant, treaty, compact, agreement, an association between two parties with various responsibilities, benefits, and penalties; “to cut a covenant” is “make a covenant,” a figure of the act of ceremonially cutting an animal into two parts, with an implication of serious consequences for not fulfilling the covenant. → covenant; treaty.
    Desert Shield → Desert Storm (wikipedia)
    The Gulf War[b] (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991) was a war waged by coalition forces from 35 nations led by the United States against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait arising from oil pricing and production disputes. It was codenamed 1. Operation Desert Shield (2 August 1990 – 17 January 1991) for operations leading to the buildup of troops and defense of Saudi Arabia and 2. Operation Desert Storm (17 January 1991 – 28 February 1991) in its combat phase.

The Breaking of the Covenant?
Genesis 14:22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, Genesis 14:23 that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: Genesis 14:24 save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men that went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them taken their portion. (Gen. 14:22–24 ASV)
¶ “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Matt. 6:24 NKJV)
¶ After these things the word of Jehovah came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Gen. 15:1 ASV)
what things?
After the successful counter-attack of the 'alliance' Abram stands high in public acclaim. He has a successful defence alliance that has been tested and proved effective. He has combined wealth of the spoils of all nine city-states. He was wealthy at the beginning of the chapter now his wealth, power and influence make of the key figure in the region.
And he has a revelation through the meeting with Melchizedek the Priest King of Salem who receives his tribute and pronounces the blessing of the Most High God upon Abram.
Abram's reaction sets his face in a different direction...
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High. Gen. 14:18 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth: Gen. 14:19 and blessed be God Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him a tenth of all. Gen. 14:20 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. Gen. 14:21 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, Gen. 14:22 that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: Gen. 14:23 save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men that went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them taken their portion. Gen. 14:24 ¶ After these things the word of Jehovah came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Gen. 14:18–15:1 ASV)
After Abram had turned his back on wealth and security, and had 'lifted up his hand' in the swearing of an oath to - not just the Most High God but to - Jehovah, Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.. After Abram clear-cut choices and commitment, then, after these things... the word of Jehovah came to Abram...
and then onto to the next step of 'justifying faith' that becomes the defining nature of 'saving faith'...