9/12/76
A. Definition.
1. The Hebrew BERITH and the Greek DIATHEKE are both used for covenant. They refer to a disposition make by one party (God) in favor of another party (man). There is no concept here of will or testament. A covenant is what God has favorably given to us.
2. This is an unconditional or grace covenant. There are no strings attached. It is not based on human merit, but on the perfect essence of God. God gives on the basis of who and what He is, not who and what we are.
3. Abram as a mature believer still has great sins ahead in his life, so this covenant obviously doesn’t depend on his good behavior.
4. This covenant is the sovereign disposition of God, whereby God establishes an unconditional or declarative compact first with Abram and then with Israel. God obligates Himself under grace with the phrase, “I will.”
5. This covenant is a real estate blessing. It guarantees a certain portion of the land in the Middle East to Israel forever.
6. The fulfillment of this covenant will occur at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. It has never been fulfilled; it is future.
B. The covenant was first given when Abram separated from Lot. At the time of its reception, Abram was not as yet a Jew. It was given with the knowledge that he will be the father of the Jewish race. In an unconditional covenant, your failures cannot take the covenant from you; that’s grace, Gen 13:14-15. Gen 15:18 is a reiteration of this promise.
C. The covenant is confirmed to the seed of Abraham in the line of the Jewish race. The covenant was reconfirmed to Isaac in Gen 26:3-4. Note the plural of “land.” The covenant was reconfirmed to Jacob in 35:12.
D. Since Moses was the father of the Jewish nation, the covenant was reiterated to him, Ex 6:2-8. 1. The Jews will not see the fulfillment of this covenant until the Millennium. Today they must fight for any land on which they seek to live.
2. The boundaries of this land are described to Moses in Num 34:1-12. 3. The millennial fulfillment of this covenant is given to Moses prophetically in Deut 30:1-9.
E. The covenant was also reiterated to Joshua, Josh 1:2-4. Whatever the Jews fought for and gained was theirs. The land of the Hittites was the area of eastern Turkey.
F. The millennial fulfillment of the covenant is taught in Jer 32:27, 36-44; Ezek 11:16-21, 36:21-38.
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R. B. Thieme, Jr.
Bible Ministries 5139 West Alabama, Houston, Texas 77056 (713) 621-3740
© 1992, by R. B. Thieme, Jr. All rights reserved.
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