Bible Covenants: How Does Jesus Connect them?

The Journey Through the Bible: From Chaos to Covenant

As we've been working our way through the Bible for the last 16-18 months, we're now reaching a pivotal point. We've been discussing the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although we will never stop speaking about Jesus—since the whole Bible is essentially about Him—we will eventually transition from the gospel narratives to the birth of the church and the writings of Paul and the disciples post Jesus's resurrection and ascension. Before we move in that direction, I believe it's necessary to pause and reflect on the meaning of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection. Especially how He connects to the Bible covenants.

Jesus is the central figure of the Bible. He connects ever page, theme, type, shadow and Bible covenant.

The Significance of Jesus's Life, Death, and Resurrection

To fully appreciate the teachings and writings of Paul, we must first immerse ourselves in the profound significance of the events culminating in Jesus's resurrection. These events are not isolated occurrences but are deeply interwoven with everything we've encountered in the Old Testament. The Bible, as a unified narrative, presents Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecies, promises, and divine plans laid out from Genesis onward. Before we climb further up the mountain towards a comprehensive understanding of the entire Bible, it's like we're setting up camp for a bit. Think of it like those climbers on Mount Everest who have base camps. We're at one of those camps beyond the base, taking a moment to review how far we've come through the scriptures and how Jesus's life, death, and resurrection fit into it all.

So, that should be an easy 15 minutes, right? Or maybe 30 if you count the next two weeks. We just have to talk about the entire scriptures from Genesis through the gospels and explain what Jesus means in all of that. No problem, right? Well, to begin this journey, we start with God's people right after the Exodus, when they were wandering in the wilderness.

The Wilderness and the Promise

God's visible proof, protection and guidance in the form of a pillar of cloud during the day.

Every day began for the nation of Israel with the pillar of cloud—the visible proof of God's presence—rising from its resting place above the tabernacle. This cloud guided them through the barren wilderness by day and turned into a pillar of fire by night, offering them security. The people organized their lives around the movement of this cloud, understanding it as their compass. Without it, they had no direction or hope of reaching the promised land.

Life in the wilderness wasn't easy. There was grumbling, a shortage of water and food, and complaints about everything. The structured life they left behind in Egypt, despite being one of slavery, was something familiar. But now, they faced the unknown, with their world unsettled.

It was during this chaotic time that God's people began writing the book of Genesis, starting with the formless void and chaos because they had experienced such chaos at the Red Sea. There, God breathed His power and split the sea, creating a way for His people to escape.

From Chaos to Order

From the dark chaos and formless void, God breathes His life into the mess to create order & purpose.

With this miracle fresh in their minds, they wrote about God's power to speak order into chaos. They spoke of God's creation, the order in the Garden of Eden, and the disorder that sin and death brought into the world. Adam and Eve's betrayal tore the fabric of creation, introducing sweat, pain, suffering, and death. This disordered existence echoed as Israel trudged through the wilderness, facing hardships that pointed back to humanity's first breach of trust in God.

But the story doesn't end there. God begins to weave order back into chaos through sacred pledges called covenants. These covenants carry creation's chaos towards order, becoming sworn promises bound in blood that transform strangers into family.

The Covenants: How Jesus Connects to Bible Covenants

First comes the Adamic covenant, creating a holy couple, Adam and Eve, with the promise that Eve's offspring (Jesus) would crush the serpent's head. The Noahic covenant follows, creating a holy family with the promise that sin will not destroy creation again. (Because of Jesus). Then the Abrahamic covenant forms a holy tribe, promising land, descendants, and blessings for all tribes. (Jesus is the ONE seed/descendant). The Mosaic covenant molds exiles into a priestly nation, offering divine guidance. (Jesus fulfills the law). Finally, the Davidic covenant establishes a kingdom, promising an everlasting throne for David's descendants. (Jesus is the everlasting King). The Bible covenants all come together in one person - Jesus Christ.

These Bible covenants, though tested by droughts, wars, and exile, hold firm like bedrock, offering God's people abundance, security, and divine favor. However, as time went on, the people's disobedience unleashed chaos, leading to exile from the promised land.

Prophetic Whispers of Hope

Prophets like Isaiah spoke of a suffering servant that would ultimately fulfill a Bible Covenant.

Despite the chaos, prophetic whispers insisted that God's faithfulness ran deeper than His people's failures. There was hope for a future where all creation could be holy. Prophets like Hosea, Amos, Zechariah, and others spoke of restoration and a new covenant, one written in living flesh.

Jeremiah and Ezekiel echoed these whispers, envisioning God's law written on hearts of flesh, cleansing and renewing His people. Isaiah spoke of a suffering servant whose wounds would heal all nations, making them one holy family.

The Fulfillment in Jesus

Centuries passed, and those whispers became shouts. In a small village, Mary heard from an angel that she would bear a child who would sit on David's throne forever. The covenants and God's promises took on flesh in Jesus Christ, the offspring of Eve, walking among humanity again to fulfill God's word and redeem our sins.

Jesus walks above the waters just like the spirit of God brooded over the chaotic waters of Genesis.

In Jesus, the divine narrative reaches its climax. His life becomes the embodiment of God's promises, His death the atonement for human transgressions, and His resurrection the victory over sin and death. In Jesus's teachings, we find the essence of the law and the prophets. His parables unfold the mysteries of God's kingdom, a kingdom where the last are first, the meek inherit the earth, and peace reigns eternal. His miracles testify to His authority over nature, illness, and even death, offering glimpses of the restored creation to come.

Jesus's death on the cross is the ultimate act of love and sacrifice, echoing the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, yet surpassing it. It is here that the covenants find their fulfillment as Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes away the sins of the world. Through His resurrection, He inaugurates a new creation, offering eternal life to all who believe.

The resurrected Jesus - The covenant fulfilling Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Glory be to the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ. More to come. Amen.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and communion with the Holy Spirit bless, preserve, and keep all of you now and forever. Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Amen.

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