Jeremiah The Covenant

Lesson #11 for December 12, 2015

Scriptures: [Genesis 9:1-17; 12:1-3; Galatians 3:6-9,15-18; Exodus 24; Jeremiah 31:31-34; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26][i].

1.    As suggested by the title, this lesson is all about the agreements and covenants made between God and His people at various times in history. Christians often speak of covenants in terms of the old covenant and the new covenant. (Romans 9:4; Galatians 4:24)ii But, in fact, there is only one basic agreement between God and human beings: God’s agreement to rescue human beings from our sinful, erroneous ways and restore us into His kingdom by faith.

2.    What is faith? In order to understand the role of faith in our salvation, we must clearly understand what faith is. Here is the best definition of faith that I know. It was formulated by one of God’s best modern friends, Dr. A. Graham Maxwell in the following words:

Faith is just a word we use to describe a relationship with God as with a Person well-known. The better we know Him, the better the relationship may be.

Faith implies an attitude toward God of love, trust, and deepest admiration.

It means having enough confidence in God-based on the more-than-adequate evidence revealed-to be willing to believe what He says as soon as we are sure He is the One saying it, to accept what He offers as soon as we are sure He is the One offering it, and to do what He wishes as soon as we are sure He is the One wishing it, without reservation, for the rest of eternity. Anyone who has such faith would be perfectly safe to save. This is why faith is the only requirement for heaven.

Faith also means that, like Abraham (Genesis 18:22-33)iii and Moses, (Exodus 32:5-14; Numbers 14:11-25)iv we know God well enough to reverently ask Him, “Why?”-Stated many times by Dr. A. Graham Maxwell

3.    Almost every Christian knows that the greatest example of faith that the Scriptures talk about is Abraham. So, what can we learn about Abraham’s faith? Read [Genesis 15:6; Galatians 3:69; and James 2:18-24][v]. In other words, “faith works.” But, what about Rahab? One other point that we must make clear is that in Scripture, there is one Greek word, pistis, that is translated into four different words in English: faith, belief, trust, and confidence.

4.    Do you see a parallel between the Adamic covenant (Genesis 3:15vi), the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-3; Galatians 3:6-7)vii, the Sinai covenant (Exodus 19:8; 20:2; 24:3,7)viii, the Davidic covenant (Ezekiel 37:24-27ix), and the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34[x])?

5.    We need to be very clear on several points: 1) There is no way human beings can earn their own salvation. 2) God’s salvation is a gift, a gift which He gives freely to those who trust Him enough to let Him be the most important thing in their lives. 3) To those who understand clearly God’s instructions and their implications, it becomes a wonderful gift because they realize that God never asks them to do anything which is not for their own best good.

6.    What is the difference between the first covenant-sometimes called the old covenant as given at Sinai-and the new covenant as discussed in Jeremiah 31:31-34xi? The most obvious difference is this: In Exodus 19:8xii, the people of Israel promised to do everything which God told them to do even before they heard Him say what He wanted them to do! When Moses came down from the mountain and told them what God wanted them to do, the people said, “We will do everything that the Lord has said.” (Exodus 24:3, GNB) Then, after God appeared on the mount, Moses wrote God’s words on a scroll and read it to them; and for the third time, they said, “We will...do everything that he has commanded.” (Exodus 24:7, GNB) Thus, the first covenant was basically God setting out the conditions and the people promising that they would obey. Of course, we know how long that lasted!

7.    By contrast, the new covenant is God promising to do all the work. But, there are conditions. Through Bible study, prayer, and witnessing, we must focus on God over sufficient time and intensity that the truth becomes cemented into our lives.

8.    Think for a moment about the covenant given to Noah as recorded in Genesis 9:1-17xiii. Do you think the world in Noah’s day was more wicked than our world today? Why did God choose to send a flood at that point? The real reason why God chose that time was not because things were so incredibly evil-although they were-but rather because of the fact that only one family or possibly only one man was still in communication with Him! He could not risk losing complete contact with the human family.

God had given men His commandments as a rule of life, but His law was transgressed, and every conceivable sin was the result. The wickedness of men was open and daring, justice was trampled in the dust, and the cries of the oppressed reached unto heaven.—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p.91.2.

9.    Notice two important facts about the covenant given to Noah: 1) God did all the promising. 2) His promises were for the benefit of everyone living on earth including the animals. The rain which refreshes the earth and sometimes brings the beautiful rainbows, falls on the good and the bad like. (Matthew 5:45xiv) What do you think? Should God have imposed conditions on the family of Noah after the flood? It is clear from the events which followed the flood as recorded in Genesis 10 and 11 that not everyone who got on the boat was a saint! Should God have put more conditions on Noah and his family?

10.    Why weren’t there any rainbows before the flood? What causes the rainbow to form in the sky? When raindrops fall through the air, the trailing part of the drop forms a prism which causes the sunlight passing through it to scatter into the rainbow colors when multiple water drops act together. Thus, it was impossible to have a rainbow before there was rain.

11.    Read Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-5; 17:1-14xv. What was God promising Abraham? What did He ask Abraham to do in exchange? Abraham was required to leave his home in Ur/Haran and travel to Canaan. He was asked to circumcise not only himself but also all the males in his household. He was asked to faithfully await the arrival of the son given to Sarah. And later, he was asked to sacrifice that son on the altar on Mount Moriah. In exchange for the early promises, a son was to be given to Sarah through a miraculous birth. And through that son, Abraham was to become the father of many nations and the ancestor of the Messiah/Christ.

12.    Read Romans 4:1-3xvi and James 2:18-24xvii. Are these two passages in Scripture in conflict with each other? Do you agree with the following words from the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Monday, December 7?

Abraham was no more saved by works than the thief on the cross was; it’s always and only God’s saving grace that brings salvation. Abraham fulfilled his end of the covenant promise. His obedience revealed the faith that took hold of the promise of salvation. His works didn’t justify him; instead, the works showed that he was already justified. That’s the essence of the covenant and how it is expressed in the life of faith (see Rom. 4:1-3)xviii.

13.    Considering the definition of faith which we looked at earlier, is it clear in your mind why faith is the only requirement for salvation? It should be obvious that God has won the great controversy all by Himself. None of us had anything to do with that victory. But, He offers us the benefits of that victory if we will trust Him. God is able and willing to remake us-step by step-into His image. We cannot do that ourselves; we can only allow Him the opportunity to do it as we study our Bibles, pray, and practice witnessing or teaching others about Him. As we do that, we give Him the opportunity to work in our minds and hearts, thus, transforming us. The Holy Spirit has all the power needed to transform your life.

14.    Read Hebrews 4:2xix. What was the obvious problem with that covenant made at the foot of Mount Sinai? Did they receive it by faith? We are naturally sinful human beings. There is nothing we can do about that ourselves without the help of the Holy Spirit. Only by allowing God to come into our lives can we crowd out sin. Sin cannot be stamped out; it can only be crowded out. If I have enough faith, can I get by without grace? Grace makes faith possible!

15.    Have you ever had the experience of reading or hearing some important truth from Scripture and promising God that you would faithfully follow it? How successful were you in doing that?

16.    Read Jeremiah 31:31-34xx. How does this actually work in our experiences? What is God asking us to do? What is He promising to do for us? What does it mean when God says He will no longer remember our sins? Is it because some fancy book work has been done in heaven and God’s memory has been modified? Is there ever anything wrong with God’s memory? Or, is it that God chooses to ignore our past sins because He says, truthfully, that those sins no longer describe us? Can we actually be changed into His image? (GC 555) Forget about your past sins. Turn to God, and let Him guide you in the future.

17.    Think of the context in which Jeremiah 31 was spoken. Jerusalem was about to fall into the hands of the Babylonians and be completely demolished. In that situation, what was God trying to say to His few remaining faithful friends in Jerusalem? He was promising that if they would come back to Him-and He was thinking especially about those who would return to Jerusalem after the exile-He would be their God, and they would be His people. The same law which had been written on the tables of stone at Mount Sinai would then be written on their “hearts.”

The same law that was engraved upon the tables of stone is written by the Holy Spirit upon the tables of the heart. Instead of going about to establish our own righteousness, we accept the righteousness of Christ. His blood atones for our sins. His obedience is accepted for us. Then the heart renewed by the Holy Spirit will bring forth “the fruits of the Spirit.” Through the grace of Christ we shall live in obedience to the law of God written upon our hearts. Having the Spirit of Christ, we shall walk even as He walked.—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 372.2.

18.    The real key to the new covenant or testament or agreement that God was promising to His people once again was that they would come to know Him as fully as possible. To really know God is to love Him. That kind of a faith relationship transforms us. (John 15:15; 17:3)xxi

19.    Read Luke 22:20xxii and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26xxiii. In these two passages, Luke and Paul were talking about the life and death of Jesus and suggesting-as Jeremiah had done 600 years earlier-that a faith relationship with God is what is required for salvation. Jesus was a perfect representation of the Father. If the Father had come instead of the Son, nothing would be different. (TMK 338.4)

20.    Our salvation is linked to the death of Christ because without the answers He gave in the great controversy, no one could be saved. And His love expressed by His willingness to live and die for us moves us to want to be like Him. This is not a legal transaction that takes place somewhere in heaven; it is a real change that takes place in us.

21.    Christians have a ceremony given to them by Jesus Christ to remind them on a regular basis of this agreement between themselves and God. Jesus Himself at the last supper with His disciples linked this new ceremony with His second coming. (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:12-18)xxiv

22.    Stop and think about it for a moment. If Jesus does not intend to come back again to rescue His faithful and trusting people, there really was no reason for Him to come the first time.

23.    Why do you think Jesus promised that He would not eat the unleavened bread or drink the fresh grape juice until He comes to rescue His people from this earth at the second coming? Was God giving us just a hint of some of the things we will eat and drink in heaven? Or, is it all symbolic of His death?

24.    Today, Seventh-day Adventists still follow the instructions given by Jesus nearly 2000 years ago. Once every three months as a part of the Communion Service, we wash one another’s feet, partake of the unleavened bread and grape juice, and seek to understand more clearly God’s plan for our lives. What does the Communion Service mean to you?

25.    In our modern day of scientific exploration, there are many things that science can explain in great detail which were complete mysteries to our ancestors. For example, science can now explain why raindrops produce rainbows. But, there are many other things that science can never explain. Those include: 1) Why did Jesus have to die? 2) How does His death affect each one of us personally? 3) How can we know for sure that He is coming back?

26.    In light of this lesson, what is the relationship between faith and works? What would it actually mean to say that the law is engraved on our hearts (minds)? Science would tell us that a heart is just a specialized muscle that pumps blood. We know that God was talking about our minds.

27.    Read Galatians 3:15-18xxv. What point was Paul trying to make there? Clearly, he wanted to demonstrate that the promise made as a covenant with Abraham cannot be annulled or changed by the giving of a law to the children of Israel 430 years later.

28.    So, what was the purpose of the law? Read Galatians 3:19-25xxvi.

29.    We often hear people talking about justification by faith, sanctification by faith, righteousness by faith, even salvation by faith. What is the common factor in all of these expressions? Obviously, it is faith. If we maintain the right kind of relationship with God, He will take care of all the details necessary to save us. If we come to regard God as a Friend by developing that faith relationship with Him, He adopts us into His family; by faith we become children of Abraham. Justification, sanctification, righteousness, and salvation do not come any other way.

30.    We all know that because of our teachings about the Old Testament and law, Adventists have been accused of being legalists. What impact has the law had on your life on a day-by-day basis? As Seventh-day Adventists, we clearly keep the Sabbath; the keeping of the law links us to the three angels’ messages in the book of Revelation which John said will be the characteristics of the remnant people of God at the end of this world’s history.

31.    As sinful human beings, we have ignored God’s covenants, tried to change them, tried to circumvent them; and by every means possible, we have tried to bypass God’s simple instructions.

32.    Having studied all about covenants today, what is your understanding of Genesis 15:6 (GNB)? “Abram put his trust in the LORD, and because of this the LORD was pleased with him and accepted him.” In our day, could we have an Abraham-like faith by putting our trust in the Lord?

© 2015, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged.

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i-Genesis 9:9 God blessed Noah and his sons and said, “Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth. 2 All the animals, birds, and fish will live in fear of you. They are all placed under your power. 3 Now you can eat them, as well as green plants; I give them all to you for food. 4 The one thing you must not eat is meat with blood still in it; I forbid this because the life is in the blood. 5 If anyone takes human life, he will be punished. I will punish with death any animal that takes a human life. 6 Human beings were made like God, so whoever murders one of them will be killed by someone else.

7 “You must have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth.”

8 God said to Noah and his sons, 9 “I am now making my covenant with you and with your descendants, 10 and with all living beings—all birds and all animals—everything that came out of the boat with you. 11 With these words I make my covenant with you: I promise that never again will all living beings be destroyed by a flood; never again will a flood destroy the earth. 12 As a sign of this everlasting covenant which I am making with you and with all living beings, 13 I am putting my bow in the clouds. It will be the sign of my covenant with the world. 14 Whenever I cover the sky with clouds and the rainbow appears, 15 I will remember my promise to you and to all the animals that a flood will never again destroy all living beings. 16 When the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between me and all living beings on earth. 17 That is the sign of the promise which I am making to all living beings.”

12:12 The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. 2 I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,

But I will curse those who curse you.

And through you I will bless all the nations.”[a]

Galatians 3:6 Consider the experience of Abraham; as the scripture says, “He believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.” 7 You should realize, then, that the real descendants of Abraham are the people who have faith. 8 The scripture predicted that God would put the Gentiles right with himself through faith. And so the scripture announced the Good News to Abraham: “Through you God will bless all people.” 9 Abraham believed and was blessed; so all who believe are blessed as he was.

15 My friends, I am going to use an everyday example: when two people agree on a matter and sign an agreement, no one can break it or add anything to it. 16 Now, God made his promises to Abraham and to his descendant. The scripture does not use the plural “descendants,” meaning many people, but the singular “descendant,” meaning one person only, namely, Christ. 17 What I mean is that God made a covenant with Abraham and promised to keep it. The Law, which was given four hundred and thirty years later, cannot break that covenant and cancel God's promise. 18 For if God's gift depends on the Law, then it no longer depends on his promise. However, it was because of his promise that God gave that gift to Abraham.

Exodus 24:24 The LORD said to Moses, “Come up the mountain to me, you and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the leaders of Israel; and while you are still some distance away, bow down in worship. 2 You alone, and none of the others, are to come near me. The people are not even to come up the mountain.”

3 Moses went and told the people all the LORD's commands and all the ordinances, and all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has said.” 4 Moses wrote down all the LORD's commands. Early the next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young men, and they burned sacrifices to the LORD and sacrificed some cattle as fellowship offerings. 6 Moses took half of the blood of the animals and put it in bowls; and the other half he threw against the altar. 7 Then he took the book of the Covenant, in which the LORD's commands were written, and read it aloud to the people. They said, “We will obey the LORD and do everything that he has commanded.”

8 Then Moses took the blood in the bowls and threw it on the people. He said, “This is the blood that seals the covenant which the LORD made with you when he gave all these commands.”

9 Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the leaders of Israel went up the mountain 10 and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was what looked like a pavement of sapphire, as blue as the sky. 11 God did not harm these leading men of Israel; they saw God, and then they ate and drank together.

Moses on Mount Sinai

12 The LORD said to Moses, “Come up the mountain to me, and while you are here, I will give you two stone tablets which contain all the laws that I have written for the instruction of the people.” 13 Moses and his helper Joshua got ready, and Moses began[a] to go up the holy mountain. 14 Moses said to the leaders, “Wait here in the camp for us until we come back. Aaron and Hur are here with you; and so whoever has a dispute to settle can go to them.”

15 Moses went up Mount Sinai, and a cloud covered it. 16-17 The dazzling light of the LORD's presence came down on the mountain. To the Israelites the light looked like a fire burning on top of the mountain. The cloud covered the mountain for six days, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from the cloud. 18 Moses went on up the mountain into the cloud. There he stayed for forty days and nights.

Jeremiah 31:31 The LORD says, “The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. Although I was like a husband to them, they did not keep that covenant. 33 The new covenant that I will make with the people of Israel will be this: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 None of them will have to teach a neighbor to know the LORD, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs. I, the LORD, have spoken.”

1 Corinthians 11:23 For I received from the Lord the teaching that I passed on to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took a piece of bread, 24 gave thanks to God, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in memory of me.” 25 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup and said, “This cup is God's new covenant, sealed with my blood. Whenever you drink it, do so in memory of me.”

26 This means that every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

ii-Romans 9:4 They are God's people; he made them his children and revealed his glory to them; he made his covenants[a] with them and gave them the Law; they have the true worship; they have received God's promises;

Galatians 4:24 These things can be understood as a figure: the two women represent two covenants. The one whose children are born in slavery is Hagar, and she represents the covenant made at Mount Sinai.

iii-Genesis 18:22 Then the two men left and went on toward Sodom, but the LORD remained with Abraham. 23 Abraham approached the LORD and asked, “Are you really going to destroy the innocent with the guilty? 24 If there are fifty innocent people in the city, will you destroy the whole city? Won't you spare it in order to save the fifty? 25 Surely you won't kill the innocent with the guilty. That's impossible! You can't do that. If you did, the innocent would be punished along with the guilty. That is impossible. The judge of all the earth has to act justly.”

26 The LORD answered, “If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the whole city for their sake.”

27 Abraham spoke again: “Please forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord. I am only a man and have no right to say anything. 28 But perhaps there will be only forty-five innocent people instead of fifty. Will you destroy the whole city because there are five too few?”

The LORD answered, “I will not destroy the city if I find forty-five innocent people.”

29 Abraham spoke again: “Perhaps there will be only forty.”

He replied, “I will not destroy it if there are forty.”

30 Abraham said, “Please don't be angry, Lord, but I must speak again. What if there are only thirty?”

He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty.”

31 Abraham said, “Please forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord. Suppose that only twenty are found?”

He said, “I will not destroy the city if I find twenty.”

32 Abraham said, “Please don't be angry, Lord, and I will speak only once more. What if only ten are found?”

He said, “I will not destroy it if there are ten.” 33 After he had finished speaking with Abraham, the LORD went away, and Abraham returned home.

iv-Exodus 32:5 Then Aaron built an altar in front of the gold bull-calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to honor the LORD.” 6 Early the next morning they brought some animals to burn as sacrifices and others to eat as fellowship offerings. The people sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy of drinking and sex.

7 The LORD said to Moses, “Hurry and go back down, because your people, whom you led out of Egypt, have sinned and rejected me. 8 They have already left the way that I commanded them to follow; they have made a bull-calf out of melted gold and have worshiped it and offered sacrifices to it. They are saying that this is their god, who led them out of Egypt. 9 I know how stubborn these people are. 10 Now, don't try to stop me. I am angry with them, and I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you and your descendants into a great nation.”

11 But Moses pleaded with the LORD his God and said, “LORD, why should you be so angry with your people, whom you rescued from Egypt with great might and power? 12 Why should the Egyptians be able to say that you led your people out of Egypt, planning to kill them in the mountains and destroy them completely? Stop being angry; change your mind and do not bring this disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Remember the solemn promise you made to them to give them as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and to give their descendants all that land you promised would be their possession forever.” 14 So the LORD changed his mind and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

Numbers 14:11 The LORD said to Moses, “How much longer will these people reject me? How much longer will they refuse to trust in me, even though I have performed so many miracles among them? 12 I will send an epidemic and destroy them, but I will make you the father of a nation that is larger and more powerful than they are!”

13 But Moses said to the LORD, “You brought these people out of Egypt by your power. When the Egyptians hear what you have done to your people, 14 they will tell it to the people who live in this land. These people have already heard that you, LORD, are with us, that you appear in plain sight when your cloud stops over us, and that you go before us in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if you kill all your people, the nations who have heard of your fame will say 16 that you killed your people in the wilderness because you were not able to bring them into the land you promised to give them. 17 So now, LORD, I pray, show us your power and do what you promised when you said, 18 ‘I, the LORD, am not easily angered, and I show great love and faithfulness and forgive sin and rebellion. Yet I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents.’ 19 And now, LORD, according to the greatness of your unchanging love, forgive, I pray, the sin of these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.”

20 The LORD answered, “I will forgive them, as you have asked. 21 But I promise that as surely as I live and as surely as my presence fills the earth, 22 none of these people will live to enter that land. They have seen the dazzling light of my presence and the miracles that I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, but they have tried my patience over and over again and have refused to obey me. 23 They will never enter the land which I promised to their ancestors. None of those who have rejected me will ever enter it. 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different attitude and has remained loyal to me, I will bring him into the land which he explored, and his descendants will possess the land 25 in whose valleys the Amalekites and the Canaanites now live. Turn back tomorrow and go into the wilderness in the direction of the Gulf of Aqaba.”

v-Genesis 15:6 Abram put his trust in the LORD, and because of this the LORD was pleased with him and accepted him.

Galatians 3:6 Consider the experience of Abraham; as the scripture says, “He believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.” 7 You should realize, then, that the real descendants of Abraham are the people who have faith. 8 The scripture predicted that God would put the Gentiles right with himself through faith. And so the scripture announced the Good News to Abraham: “Through you God will bless all people.” 9 Abraham believed and was blessed; so all who believe are blessed as he was.

James 2:18 But someone will say, “One person has faith, another has actions.” My answer is, “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.” 19 Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe—and tremble with fear. 20 You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless?[a] 21 How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. 22 Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions. 23 And the scripture came true that said, “Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.” And so Abraham was called God's friend. 24 You see, then, that it is by our actions that we are put right with God, and not by our faith alone.

vi-Genesis 3:15 I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her offspring's[a] heel.”

vii-Genesis 12:12 The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. 2 I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,

But I will curse those who curse you.

And through you I will bless all the nations.”[a]

Galatians 3:6 Consider the experience of Abraham; as the scripture says, “He believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.” 7 You should realize, then, that the real descendants of Abraham are the people who have faith.

viii-Exodus 19:8 Then all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has said,” and Moses reported this to the LORD.

20:2 “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves.

24:3 Moses went and told the people all the LORD's commands and all the ordinances, and all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has said.” 7 Then he took the book of the Covenant, in which the LORD's commands were written, and read it aloud to the people. They said, “We will obey the LORD and do everything that he has commanded.”

ix-Ezekiel 37:24 A king like my servant David will be their king. They will all be united under one ruler and will obey my laws faithfully. 25 They will live on the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They will live there forever, and so will their children and all their descendants. A king like my servant David will rule them forever. 26 I will make a covenant with them that guarantees their security forever. I will establish them and increase their population, and will see to it that my Temple stands forever in their land. 27 I will live there with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.

x-Jeremiah 31:31 The LORD says, “The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. Although I was like a husband to them, they did not keep that covenant. 33 The new covenant that I will make with the people of Israel will be this: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 None of them will have to teach a neighbor to know the LORD, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs. I, the LORD, have spoken.”

xi-Jeremiah 31:31 The LORD says, “The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. Although I was like a husband to them, they did not keep that covenant. 33 The new covenant that I will make with the people of Israel will be this: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 None of them will have to teach a neighbor to know the LORD, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs. I, the LORD, have spoken.”

xii-Exodus 19:8 Then all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has said,” and Moses reported this to the LORD.

xiii-Genesis 9:9 God blessed Noah and his sons and said, “Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth. 2 All the animals, birds, and fish will live in fear of you. They are all placed under your power. 3 Now you can eat them, as well as green plants; I give them all to you for food. 4 The one thing you must not eat is meat with blood still in it; I forbid this because the life is in the blood. 5 If anyone takes human life, he will be punished. I will punish with death any animal that takes a human life. 6 Human beings were made like God, so whoever murders one of them will be killed by someone else.

7 “You must have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth.”

8 God said to Noah and his sons, 9 “I am now making my covenant with you and with your descendants, 10 and with all living beings—all birds and all animals—everything that came out of the boat with you. 11 With these words I make my covenant with you: I promise that never again will all living beings be destroyed by a flood; never again will a flood destroy the earth. 12 As a sign of this everlasting covenant which I am making with you and with all living beings, 13 I am putting my bow in the clouds. It will be the sign of my covenant with the world. 14 Whenever I cover the sky with clouds and the rainbow appears, 15 I will remember my promise to you and to all the animals that a flood will never again destroy all living beings. 16 When the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between me and all living beings on earth. 17 That is the sign of the promise which I am making to all living beings.”

xiv-Matthew 5:45 so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil.

xv-Genesis 12:12 The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. 2 I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,

But I will curse those who curse you.

And through you I will bless all the nations.”[a]

15:15 After this, Abram had a vision and heard the LORD say to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I will shield you from danger and give you a great reward.”

2 But Abram answered, “Sovereign LORD, what good will your reward do me, since I have no children? My only heir is Eliezer of Damascus.[a] 3 You have given me no children, and one of my slaves will inherit my property.”

4 Then he heard the LORD speaking to him again: “This slave Eliezer will not inherit your property; your own son will be your heir.” 5 The LORD took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and try to count the stars; you will have as many descendants as that.”

17:17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right. 2 I will make my covenant with you and give you many descendants.” 3 Abram bowed down with his face touching the ground, and God said, 4 “I make this covenant with you: I promise that you will be the ancestor of many nations. 5 Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham,[a] because I am making you the ancestor of many nations. 6 I will give you many descendants, and some of them will be kings. You will have so many descendants that they will become nations.

7 “I will keep my promise to you and to your descendants in future generations as an everlasting covenant. I will be your God and the God of your descendants. 8 I will give to you and to your descendants this land in which you are now a foreigner. The whole land of Canaan will belong to your descendants forever, and I will be their God.”

9 God said to Abraham, “You also must agree to keep the covenant with me, both you and your descendants in future generations. 10 You and your descendants must all agree to circumcise every male among you. 11-12 From now on you must circumcise every baby boy when he is eight days old, including slaves born in your homes and slaves bought from foreigners. This will show that there is a covenant between you and me. 13 Each one must be circumcised, and this will be a physical sign to show that my covenant with you is everlasting. 14 Any male who has not been circumcised will no longer be considered one of my people, because he has not kept the covenant with me.”

xvi-Romans 4:4 What shall we say, then, of Abraham, the father of our race? What was his experience? 2 If he was put right with God by the things he did, he would have something to boast about—but not in God's sight. 3 The scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.”

xvii-James 2:18 But someone will say, “One person has faith, another has actions.” My answer is, “Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.” 19 Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe—and tremble with fear. 20 You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless?[a] 21 How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. 22 Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions. 23 And the scripture came true that said, “Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.” And so Abraham was called God's friend. 24 You see, then, that it is by our actions that we are put right with God, and not by our faith alone.

xviii-Rom. 4:4 What shall we say, then, of Abraham, the father of our race? What was his experience? 2 If he was put right with God by the things he did, he would have something to boast about—but not in God's sight. 3 The scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous.”

xix-Hebrews 4:2 For we have heard the Good News, just as they did. They heard the message, but it did them no good, because when they heard it, they did not accept it with faith.

xx-Jeremiah 31:31 The LORD says, “The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. Although I was like a husband to them, they did not keep that covenant. 33 The new covenant that I will make with the people of Israel will be this: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 None of them will have to teach a neighbor to know the LORD, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs. I, the LORD, have spoken.”

xxi-John 15:15 I do not call you servants any longer, because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father.

17:3 And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent.

xxii-Luke 22:20 In the same way, he gave them the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is God's new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you.[a]

xxiii-1 Corinthians 11:23 For I received from the Lord the teaching that I passed on to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took a piece of bread, 24 gave thanks to God, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in memory of me.” 25 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup and said, “This cup is God's new covenant, sealed with my blood. Whenever you drink it, do so in memory of me.”

26 This means that every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

xxiv-1 Thessalonians 4:16 There will be the shout of command, the archangel's voice, the sound of God's trumpet, and the Lord himself will come down from heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first;

1 Corinthians 15:12 Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? 13 If that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. 15 More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death—but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ. 16 For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. 18 It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost.

xxv-Galatians 3:15 My friends, I am going to use an everyday example: when two people agree on a matter and sign an agreement, no one can break it or add anything to it. 16 Now, God made his promises to Abraham and to his descendant. The scripture does not use the plural “descendants,” meaning many people, but the singular “descendant,” meaning one person only, namely, Christ. 17 What I mean is that God made a covenant with Abraham and promised to keep it. The Law, which was given four hundred and thirty years later, cannot break that covenant and cancel God's promise. 18 For if God's gift depends on the Law, then it no longer depends on his promise. However, it was because of his promise that God gave that gift to Abraham.

xxvi-Galatians 3:19 What, then, was the purpose of the Law? It was added in order to show what wrongdoing is, and it was meant to last until the coming of Abraham's descendant, to whom the promise was made. The Law was handed down by angels, with a man acting as a go-between. 20 But a go-between is not needed when only one person is involved; and God is one.[a]

The Purpose of the Law

21 Does this mean that the Law is against God's promises? No, not at all! For if human beings had received a law that could bring life, then everyone could be put right with God by obeying it. 22 But the scripture says that the whole world is under the power of sin; and so the gift which is promised on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ is given to those who believe.

23 But before the time for faith came, the Law kept us all locked up as prisoners until this coming faith should be revealed. 24 And so the Law was in charge of us until Christ came, in order that we might then be put right with God through faith. 25 Now that the time for faith is here, the Law is no longer in charge of us.

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