How does God relate with us? Through covenants.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, I used to think the whole Bible applied to me. Now listen, I know the whole thing is the Word of God, but what if all these years I’ve read and applied it wrong? This is my 2nd time to read the entire Bible in a year, but the first time I read the whole thing, I thought every passage applied to me. I tried to apply the entire Bible to my life without consideration of who the passage was written to and in the context of history.

 

So as we read through the Bible this time, I’m looking for some things. I’m looking for how God relates with mankind throughout history. And how does he relate to us today?

 

We just started in Genesis, so there are a couple passages that stand out to me. First let’s talk about Adam and Eve, and the big picture of creation; the big purpose of God. Then let’s talk about Abraham and the first covenant revealed to us.

In the beginning, at creation, God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden.

Genesis 1:27-28

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

I believe this is the purpose of God for humans on the earth and it will never change:

* Humans were created for the image of God. The image is the essence of that which is represented. God is light and God is love. And it is interesting to me that Jesus said we are the light of the world and the only commandment he gave us under the new covenant is to love.

God’s first action words spoken to them were:

* Be fruitful – This is still a symbol of Christianity. That we would bear much fruit.

* Multiply (to become great and numerous)

* Replenish (fill and take care of the earth)

* Subdue (take authority of the earth)

* Have Dominion (rule the earth)

 

I find it interesting that after the fall, the great sin of Adam and Eve, God reveals himself progressively and through covenants.

 

The first covenant we see God make with a man on the earth is with Noah. It was a Royal Grant covenant. It was an unconditional divine promise never to destroy the entire earth again with a flood. The covenant sign was a rainbow in the sky.

 

The next covenant we see in Genesis is with Abram. Another Royal Grant covenant was established as a divine promise to bless Abram and give him land for his descendants.

 

The scripture I find the most fascinating is Genesis 15:6. Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

 

God has established a new covenant. And anyone who shall call upon the name of the Lord, believe in Jesus Christ, he declares righteous by faith.

 

So keep in mind as we read through the old testament, that not everything is written to us. We can glean from all scripture and learn from it, but we have to filter everything through the new covenant.