Genesis 19
God Who Keeps the Covenant
( Gen.17:1-18 )
The way to make a covenant in the ancient Near East was to cut an animal in half and spread it open, and the parties to the covenant passed between them.
So, in their language, the word to make a covenant was expressed as “cutting a covenant.” Here, the act of passing between the divided animals was an act of oath that if the covenant was violated, one would become like the divided animals.
In Genesis 15, Aburaham disbelieved even at the covenant signing ceremony. Doves were undivided, chased kites, and even dozed off at the site of the signing of the covenant.
Nevertheless, God became incarnated, crucified and died in our stead, so that we can only hold on to the covenant of Christ and be saved, fulfilling
the covenant of Christ.
1. God gives covenant and He keeps His covenant.
1) Matt.5:17-18
2) Isa.40:8
3) Jn.1:1-3, Heb.4:12, 13:8
4) Cain – Sacrifice without covenant
Abel- sacrifice with covenant
5) Faith without covenant is like faith of shaman.
6) Esau and Jacob
7) David and Saul
* Therefore he works everything to fulfill His covenant.
8) Gen.17:1-2
2. God performs His power to the people who grab hold this covenant.
1) Gen.17:3
2) To Joseph (Gen.37:1-11)
3) To David (Ps.78:70-72)
3. God gives blessing to people who has and enjoys this covenant and He performs power to people who enjoys blessings.(Gen.17:5)
1) Promise to Peter (Matt. 16:13-20)
2) 7kinds of promise
(1) Offspring
(2) Method
(3) Way
(4) Authority
(5) Guarantee
(6) Seal
(7) Way to enjoy
4. “I will be God of your descendants ”(Gen.17:7)
1) Faith is covenant.
2) Faith is action.
3) Faith is enjoyment and evidence.
Conclusion: The covenant is made and fulfilled by God.
We just believe, and that faith is also a gift from God.
Like Apostle Paul, we can only say this. “I have nothing to boast about except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14). Just as the basis of Abraham's faith was God's curse and oath that he saw, the only basis of our faith today is Christ hanging on the cross. By seeing the Lord hanging on the cross, we will stand with Abraham, who came to the place of faith and offered his only son as a burnt offering. Let us give all glory to the Holy Trinity, who made all of this possible through the boundless grace of His oath and fulfillment. amen!