Glimpses 31 - Sharon

Glimpses of the Risen Christ
A Testimony from China.
An interview with Sharon about her meeting the risen Jesus Christ and glimpses of how He is relevant to her daily life.
How did you become a Christian?
What is your favourite piece of Christian worship?
Who in church history do you most admire?
When did God last answer one of your prayers?
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
If you have found this helpful to you, please do prayerfully consider making a donation to Partake Ministries. Thank you
Click on the appropriate link to subscribe to this website
Subscribe via iTunes

Glimpses 55

Testimony of healing and providence
Right mouse click to save/download this as a MP3 audio file
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0CIQ66wa8I]
A testimony of God's healing power in the life of a man called Chris! God's hand is clearly evident on this man's life.
Right mouse click to save/download this as a MP3 audio file
Click the image below to donate to Partake with PayPal
Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe to this website
Subscribe via iTunes

Glimpses 55

Glimpses 55 -
Life from the Faroe Islands
This is the story of Life, from the Faroe Islands sharing about her encounter with Jesus, how he saved her physically and spiritually and what she wants to do with the rest of her life after graduating from University - fighting injustice.
Right mouse click here to download as a MP4 audio file

If you would like to donate to Partakers,
please click the PayPal image below. Thank you!


Click on the appropriate link to subscribe to this website
Subscribe via iTunes

Thursday Ponderings

Thought for Thursday

A rich young ruler encounters Jesus!
Mark 10:17 -  As Jesus started on his way; a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honour your father and mother.'"
"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

Matthew describes him as a young man (Matthew 19:16-26). Luke describes him as a wealthy ruler (Luke 18:18-27). In Mark’s account, he is simply a man (Mark 10:17-22). Put altogether that makes him a rich young ruler. He runs up to Jesus and falls on his knees before him. He wants eternal life, wants it now and so asks Jesus about it. When he calls Jesus a good teacher, Jesus responds “No one is good—except God alone.”

What do you think you are asking?
Now Jesus could have been correcting the young man, but more likely Jesus was asking: “Do you know what you are saying and how close to the truth about me you are?” This young man had fully kept the commandments listed by Jesus (Mark 10:19). However when Jesus said to the young ruler that in order to follow Him, he would have to give up all his wealth in order to have treasure in heaven and eternal life, the man left disconsolate.

That was a step too far for this man. He wanted his riches and also eternal life but Jesus said he couldn’t have both. He remains the only man to have left Jesus’ presence sorrowful, and that due to putting his trust in his riches and wealth alone. Now riches are not necessarily wrong but they do make trusting fully in God very difficult (Mark 10:23). So what does trusting in Jesus look like?

An Outcast Woman encounters Jesus!

Now we look at somebody who was despised by the world and an outcast in her community! Reading from
John 4:3-10, 23-26
So he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
Then down to verse 23
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”

Now we come to see somebody who accepted Jesus for who he was. Jesus went via Samaria as it was the shortest route back to Galilee. It was hot. Jesus was thirsty and wanted a drink. His disciples had gone into town to get food. So he asks a Samaritan woman to fetch him some water from the well. That he asked a Samaritan would have been bad enough, but to also talk to a woman!
The woman
We don’t know the name of this woman. But by looking at this conversation between Jesus and her, we discover several things about her! That she was a Samaritan. There was equal animosity between Jews and Samaritans, hence the end of John 4v9: “(For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)” The Samaritans were a mixed race people of both Jewish and Assyrian descent from the time of the division of Israel into two parts and the annexation of the Northern kingdom by Assyria.
She was an outcast, which is why she was fetching water at the hottest part of the day! This was probably due to her sexual immorality having had 5 husbands and currently in a 6th relationship (John 4:18). We do know for sure that she was waiting for the Messiah (John 4:25) to come!

What does this encounter tell us about Jesus?
We see Jesus' genuine humanity. He was tired, drained, hot, thirsty and hungry – normal human feeling and reactions. We know Jesus contravened tradition in that he spoke to a woman who was a Samaritan and a sinner. Respectable Jewish men never did that sort of thing! Hence the disciples reaction in John 4:27! That in asking for water, he was capable of great humility by asking for a drink of water; for by so doing, he was putting himself in her debt.
Yet, he knew the woman’s life of sinfulness (John 4:17) and it tells us of his divinity, when he offered her the water of eternal life (John 4:14) would spiritually satisfy her (John 4:14)! He Loved the woman, and gave her the most revealing and explicit statement we have in the Gospels as to who he really was (John 4:26) when he said outright “I Am the Messiah!” Remember, he said that to an outcast and non-Jew! Amazing!
When the disciples returned, the woman left her water jar, (quite probably one of her only possessions) and went back to the town to tell other people about this Jesus (John 4:29-30). In the remainder of John 4, we read of the many people coming to faith because of the Samaritan woman’s testimony.
Jesus as the ‘I AM’, was ever-reaching out with an all-encompassing forgiveness and love to the poor or rich, learned or uneducated, male or female, wanted or unwanted, Jew, Gentile or Samaritan. Through his exclusive claims there is a great inclusiveness of all who are willing to submit only to Him, as both the rich young ruler and the Samaritan women found out – both with different outcomes – one left dejected and the other left celebrating! Thank you!
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file

Click on the appropriate link to subscribe to this website
Subscribe via iTunes

Glimpses 01

Introduction
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file

The Bible as you may or may not know is the story of God dealing with His creation. From the earth's beginnings there is a story portrayed in the Bible of the interaction between God and people.  The Bible is broken into two sections: the Old Testament which contains 39 books and the New Testament which contains 27 books.  The God of the Old Testament is the same God as that in the New Testament.
It may surprise some people, but Jesus never actually makes an appearance in the Old Testament! However, there is the concept of some sort of saviour or messianic figure throughout. As Christians, we believe that this Messiah or Saviour is Jesus Christ.
In this series, we will glimpse at the story of God's interaction with people from the beginnings to the end - the entire history of the world - beginning to end.  I think one of the best ways to summarise the Old Testament in 7 quick studies, is to look at the covenants or promises that God made with certain people through history. Then we will go to look at the four Gospels or writings about Jesus Christ before doing the majority of this series, looking at the man Jesus Christ. How and why He is the man of all history!
What were or are Covenants in a biblical sense? Covenants were common in all kinds of life, and not just between God and humanity.  For instance where a powerful nation had taken over a weaker nation, a covenant was in place to give benefits from the powerful nation to the weaker nation, such as protection as well as sanctions if the weaker nation rebelled.  There were covenants between equal partners in deals similar to contracts of law today.  The Covenants we shall look at from the Old Testament, regarding the relationship between God and humanity, had several things about them.
God always took the initiative - sometimes by surprise as in with Abraham or in Noah's case, through his obedience.
God has promised certain commitments and has given His solemn promise to fulfil His end of the bargain.
God waits for a response from humanity. God does not coerce or force but waits for humanity to take the responsibility of replying and acquiescing to God's covenantal promises.
Through all these Covenants we see a God who is willing to interact with His creation and bless it. When first century Christians such as Paul, Peter and John checked all the events surrounding the life of Jesus, they searched their Scriptures (our Old Testament).  It was as the Holy Spirit illuminated their minds, that they wrote down and passed on the whole gamut of Old Testament promise which was fulfilled in God's Messiah and the world's hope: Jesus Christ and Him alone.  That is why it is important for us as twenty-first century Christian Disciples to read our Old Testament as well as the New Testament.  For by reading the Old Testament, new light may be shed on our own understanding of the New Testament.
So starting tomorrow, we look at the Edenic Covenant from Genesis 2v15-17!
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Glimpses 02

Edenic Covenant
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file

G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 2 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption!

Genesis 1v27-31 So God created human beings in his own image.In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground." Then God said, "Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground-everything that has life." And that is what happened. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

Genesis 2v15-17. The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden- except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die."
Irenaeus, one of the Church Fathers, said this about humanity being made in the image of God:
"The image was the human's natural resemblance to God, the power of reason and will. The likeness was a divine gift added to basic human nature. This likeness consisted of the moral qualities of God, whereas the image involved the natural attributes of God."
Origen, another of the Church Fathers, goes further and commenting on Genesis 1v26-27, says
"In v26, while the word ‘image' is repeated in v27, the word ‘likeness' is not. This indicates that in his first creation man received the dignity of the image of God, but fulfilment of the likeness is reserved for the final consummation, that is, the he himself should obtain it by his own effort, through the imitation of God. The possibility of perfection given to him at the beginning by the dignity of the image, and then in the end, through the fulfilment of his works, should bring to perfect consummation the likeness of God."
God spoke with His creation and gave what is the first covenant between God and humanity.  Humanity is commanded in this Edenic Covenant to:
Populate the earth (Genesis 1v28)
Subjugate the earth (Genesis 1v28)
Exercise dominion over animals (Genesis 1v28)
Tend and enjoy the garden of Eden (Genesis 1v29; 2v15)
Refrain from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2v16-17).
So in essence, humanity, being the pinnacle of God's creation, was to populate the planet, enjoy all of creation and to exercise concern and care over it: the environment, animals, plants etc.  One thing they were not to do was to eat "the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
Yet some time after they did do just that! When they ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the Edenic Covenant was terminated, because they had broken their side of the Covenant. The consequence of this resulted in their spiritual and physical deaths.  This failure, required God to make a new covenant with Adam and we will look at that next time!
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
If you have found this resource helpful to you, please do prayerfully consider making a donation. Thank you
Click on the appropriate link to subscribe to this website
Subscribe via iTunes

Glimpses 03

Adamic Covenant
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file

G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 3 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption!
Reading from Genesis 3v14-21
Then the Lord God said to the serpent,
"Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."
Then he said to the woman, "I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you."
And to the man he said, "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return."
Then the man-Adam-named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live. And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.
Disaster and Curse!
After the blessing of the Edenic Covenant between God and humanity, disaster and curse strike! God walked with Adam and Eve and enjoyed fellowship together.  However as we read in Genesis 3v1-13, humanity broke their part of the covenant made with God!  What was once idyllic is now chaos! They failed to trust God at His word and actively disobeyed Him. Under the terms of the Edenic Covenant, they had to be punished. Where they once trusted God implicitly and explicitly, now was guilt to be found and this is evidenced in that they endeavoured to hide from God.
Irenaeus, writes: When Adam fell, he lost the likeness, but the image remained fully intact. Humanity as humanity was still complete, but the good and holy being was spoiled.
Augustine, another of the early Church Fathers developed this further: Human nature was certainly originally created blameless and without any fault; but the human nature by which each one of us is now born of Adam requires a physician, because it is not healthy. All the good things, which it has by its conception, life, senses, and mind, it has from God... But the weakness which darkens and disables these good natural qualities, as a result of which that nature needs enlightenment and healing, did not come from the blameless maker but from original sin, which was committed by free will. For this reason our guilty nature is liable to a just penalty.
Adamic Covenant
This second covenant between God and humanity, is also titled the covenant with all of mankind, as it lays down the terms and conditions which hold until sin's curse is lifted (Isaiah 11v6-10; Romans 8v18-23).  As elucidated by Irenaeus and Augustine, because of Adam's sin, we are all born under the curse of sin.
The terms and conditions of this covenant include:
The snake, or Satan, although enjoying limited & temporal success (Genesis 3v15), will ultimately be judged (Genesis 3v15).
The first hint or notion of a saviour or messiah is given in Genesis 3v15
Childbirth now involves pain and the woman is made subject to her husband (Genesis 3v16)
The ground is cursed and weeds will grow amongst the food (Genesis 3vv17 - 19)
Physical changes occur and now people sweat when they work (Genesis 3v19)
Because of their sin and disobedience, people die spiritually and inevitably physically.  (Genesis 3v19).
So the Edenic Covenant was broken by humanity, and God puts in place a new covenant!  But this Adamic covenant, with the hint of a promise attached that one day true fellowship between God and humanity will be restored in full and out of death, new life will come.
So the story continues! Tomorrow we look at another step in the story.
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
If you have found this resource helpful to you, please do prayerfully consider making a donation. Thank you
Click on the appropriate link to subscribe to this website
Subscribe via iTunes

Glimpses 04

Noahic Covenant
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file

G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 4 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption!
Reading from Genesis 9v1-17: Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth. All the animals of the earth, all the birds of the sky, all the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the fish in the sea will look on you with fear and terror. I have placed them in your power. I have given them to you for food, just as I have given you grain and vegetables. But you must never eat any meat that still has the lifeblood in it.
"And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person's life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die. If anyone takes a human life, that person's life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image. Now be fruitful and multiply, and repopulate the earth."
Then God told Noah and his sons, "I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, and with all the animals that were on the boat with you-the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals-every living creature on earth.  Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth."
Then God said, "I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth." Then God said to Noah, "Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth."
This, the Noahic Covenant, is the third covenant between God and man given after the flood had wiped out earth's population, apart from Noah and his family.  The increase of humanity's wickedness and disobedience against God, was so great that God repented of His decision to create humanity. Genesis 6v6 "So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart."  As a result of humanity's sin, the whole earth was to be destroyed! But, one man and his family was found to be in fellowship with God - Noah!  Because they are in fellowship with each other (Genesis 6v9), God gives Noah a plan of rescue!  After the rain and flood, God makes another covenant with humanity and also all note, all living creatures of the earth -  through Noah! Wow!
The terms of the Noahic covenant are
Populate the earth is reaffirmed (Genesis 9v1).
Subjection of the animals to humans is reaffirmed (Genesis 9v2).
Humans are allowed to eat animal flesh but are to refrain from drinking/eating the blood  (Genesis 9vv3, 4)
Human life's sanctity is established. (Genesis 9vv5, 6).
God promises to never to destroy the earth again by flood (Genesis 9v11).
The covenant is a binding Covenant for all time (9v12) and with all creatures on earth!
The rainbow is given as a symbol of this covenant and its existence (Genesis 9v12-17)
God will sustain all life on earth(Genesis 9v17)
Here again, God gives humanity the opportunity to live rightly with Him.  Whereas before, there was the hint of the sacrifice, about which Martin Luther, commenting on this story, wrote:
Here there is mentioned for the first time the burnt offering ... of Noah, which he made according to the example of his pious ancestors
So even before Noah, there must have been some type of sacrifice made to God although we don't know what kind they were! Sacrifices, in order to somehow appease God, who had received painful hurt inflicted by human disobedience. But this story, and the Covenant, while telling about God's rightful rule of Judge also shows his desire for intimacy with humanity. The Almighty God wants to have fellowship with humanity, but it has to be on God's terms. God has never broken His promise or covenant with humanity, but both times so far, humanity has contravened the covenant by actively disobeying God and therefore breaking the Covenant made - whether the Edenic or Adamic!  God in saving Noah, shows also hints of a God of grace! What God wants humanity to do, He will provide the means in which for them to do it!  He is concerned for every aspect of humanity's life, from birth to death and the food they eat. As a symbol of this covenant, there are to be rainbows!
This covenant as we have seen is a binding contract between humanity and God! But the story doesn't end there - it continues tomorrow with God revealing just a bit more of those things we have seen glimpses of: true fellowship between God and humanity being restored through grace and sacrifice.
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
If you have found this resource helpful to you, please do prayerfully consider making a donation. Thank you
Click on the appropriate link to subscribe to this website
Subscribe via iTunes

Glimpses 05

Abrahamic Covenant
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file

G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 5 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! Lets read together:
Genesis 12v1-9 The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you."
So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth-his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran-and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your descendants." And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him. After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord. Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev.

A Theocratic Covenant
Whilst the Edenic, Adamic and Noahic Covenants were universal covenants, this fourth Covenant is the first covenant which is theocratic, or relating to the rule of God. It is dependent on God alone! A God, who through grace in the "I will..." statements promises to bestow blessings!
This covenant with Abraham, or the Abrahamic Covenant, is also the basis for all theocratic covenants to come and provides blessings on three levels:
Personal level to Abraham: "I will make your name great; and you will be a blessing" (Genesis 12v2)
National level: "I will make you into a great nation" (Genesis 12v2)
Universal level:  "all peoples on the earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12v3)
Initially here in Genesis 12, this covenant can be seen in broad outline, but God later confirms it to Abraham in greater detail as we shall see. The Abrahamic covenant is a link to all of God's activities and programs until the end of time.
Personal Aspects
The personal aspects of the Covenant, particular to Abraham are:
Abraham will be a father of a great nation (Genesis 12v1)
Abraham will receive personal blessing (Genesis 12v2)
Abraham will receive personal honour and reputation (Genesis 12v2)
He, Abraham, will be a source of blessing to others. (Genesis 12v3)
Universal Aspects
The aspects of the Abrahamic Covenant, pertinent universally are:
God will bless those who bless Abraham and the nation of Israel which comes from him (Genesis 12v3)
curses on those who curse Abraham and Israel (Genesis 12v3)
blessings on all the earth through Abraham (Genesis 12v1-3)
This was the first time God made this promise to Abraham, but not the only time as Abraham received it another 5 times as God gives great detail to it (Genesis 13:14-18, Genesis 15:4-5, 13-18, Genesis 17:1-8, Genesis 18:17-19 and  Genesis 22:15-18.
All Change!
Abram, as Abraham was originally known, was weaned away from his native land by God, into a journey of the unknown! It was in this way that Abraham would develop his faith in God and use it like a muscle. In fact, when God reiterated the covenant in Genesis 17 to Abram, God changed his name from Abram meaning "glorious father", to Abraham, which means "father of many nations!" (Genesis 17v5)
Reminded and renewed!
So important was this covenant that God renewed it with:
Isaac, the "only begotten son" of Abraham twice: Genesis 26:4 and Genesis 26:23-24
Jacob twice as well Genesis 28:14-15 and Genesis 35:9-12
This covenant gives yet further glimpses of God's essential character of grace and mercy, as well as hinting at somebody who is to come as a messiah or saviour! Can you tell how and where these glimpses are? Tomorrow our story continues! Do you know where to next?
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Glimpses 06

Mosaic Covenant
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file

G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 6 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! Lets read together Exodus 19v1-13:
Exactly two months after the Israelites left Egypt, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai. After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and set up camp there at the base of Mount Sinai.
Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.' This is the message you must give to the people of Israel."
So Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the Lord had commanded him. And all the people responded together, "We will do everything the Lord has commanded." So Moses brought the people's answer back to the Lord.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you."
Moses told the Lord what the people had said. Then the Lord told Moses, "Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch. Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death. No hand may touch the person or animal that crosses the boundary; instead, stone them or shoot them with arrows. They must be put to death.' However, when the ram's horn sounds a long blast, then the people may go up on the mountain.
Israel as a nation
The people of the nation of Israel were living as those promised by God in the covenant to Abraham "I will make you into a great nation" (Genesis 12v1). They have been on a long journey and has we have read, left Egypt under the leadership of Moses.
Mosaic Covenant Details!
This is the fifth covenant between God and humanity and also the second theocratic. The verses we read were only an introduction and the covenant goes on to the end of Exodus 24!  The 10 Commandments are a very good summary and the book of Deuteronomy gives the greatest detail of it!
This covenant commences with the stipulation in Exodus 19v5 "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me." . This covenant was to the nation of Israel in order that those who believed God's promise to Abraham could know how to live rightly before God!  For Abraham was declared righteous by God, solely on the basis of his faith in God alone!
Covenant Areas
This Mosaic covenant covered  three areas of life:
The commandments were given so they would know how to correctly relate socially to God (Exodus 20v1-6)
The judgments were given in order that they could relate socially to each other properly (Exodus 21v1 - 24v11)
The decrees dictate their religious life so that God could be approached by humanity on His terms (Exodus 24v12 - 31v18).
Of course included in here were the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20) which breaks down into two categories. Firstly identifying the God of Israel as their God, what He has done for them in bringing them out of Egypt and that they were to worship Him alone! These are the Israelites duty to their God!  Then, secondly, how they were to live rightly before Him - speaking of how they were to behave to themselves and others!
This Mosaic covenant however, was never meant as a replacement for  the Abrahamic Covenant! By no means no! It was rather to be seen as an addition to it! It was looking forward to that day when it would be fulfilled when the long promised saviour and messiah would come. All the Covenants point towards this momentous event.
A Special Nation
Under the terms of this covenant Israel would be a special nation if they were obedient to Him and served Him faithfully. The Mosaic Covenant was never a means towards salvation. This covenant speaks of the living God who wants to live with His people! This was a God not made of stone or wood but the great God who desired intimacy with His people and wanted to live amongst them. But of course it had to be on His terms alone or He would not be able to live amongst them. The great and majestic God showing mercy and grace to His people Israel, who were to be a shining light to all nations of the glory of God, until the long promised saviour or messiah came from them.
So, we have been through the Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic and now the Mosaic Covenant - the story continues tomorrow! Where do you think we are going next? Thank you!
Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!