Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth : Covenants Lesson #2
In this lesson we will continue to discuss the covenants in the word of God. In this lesson we will look at the Noahic Covenant and the Abrahamic Covenant.
The Third Covenant : (Genesis 8:20-22 & 9:1-16)
This covenant is found in the 3rd division and deals with Noah and what God does after the he gets off of the ark. Remember that the previous covenant (Adamic) is unconditional therefore those things are still in effect.
What is found in the Covenant :
1) God does not curse the ground anymore (Genesis 8:21)
- Since the Adamic covenant is still in effect the ground is still cursed. What God says here is that he will not curse the ground anymore for man’s sake.
2) God establishes the seasons (Genesis 8:22)
- In this verse we see the seasons established and the fact that they will remain.
3) Noah is told to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth (Genesis 9:1)
- Here Noah is given the same commission as Adam. Remember that Noah and his wife and his sons and their wives are the only living people on the planet when they get off the ark.
4) Animals will now fear man (Genesis 9:2)
- Notice that the animals are given into the hand of Noah and his sons. The reason that they will now fear man will be clear in the next statement concerning this covenant.
5) Man can now eat meat (Genesis 9:3-4)
- Remember that in the garden Adam and Eve were told that the herb bearing seed and the fruit tree yielding seed was to be meat for them.
- Now God allows man to start eating meat. This is why the animals will now fear man, they are now the prey.
- A very important note here is that they cannot eat the blood. This is continued under the law (Leviticus 17:10-16) and after the law also (Acts 15:29).
6) Capital Punishment is established (Genesis 9:5-6)
- Many like to argue and say that capital punishment is only found under the Old Testament law and that since we are no longer under the law that it should not be practiced today.
- The truth is that Paul speaks of it at least twice in the New Testament under church age doctrine which is after the law. In Acts 25:11 Paul says that if he has done anything worthy of death he refuses not to die. In Romans 13:1-7 he speaks of the executioner as the minister of God against those who do evil.
- Some maybe wondering what about what Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-39. Doctrinally this is the constitution of the millennial kingdom and these verses apply doctrinally in the millennium. Note how no one mentions verse 40 in that same passage very much!
7) The token of the covenant is the rainbow (Genesis 9:13-15)
This covenant would be and unconditional covenant because the things that are given here do not change and are not dependent upon what Noah and his sons do.
The Fourth Covenant : (Genesis 12:1-3 ; Genesis 15:4 ; Genesis 15:8)
This covenant is found under the fourth division and deals with the promises that God gives to Abraham and his seed.
What is found in the Covenant :
1) Abraham would become a great nation (Genesis 12:2)
- This is true because the Nation of Israel comes from Abraham.
2) Abraham would be blessed (Genesis 12:2)
- If you study the life of Abraham you will find that God blessed him greatly.
3) Abraham would be a great name (Genesis 12:2)
- This is true, just think of how many people have named their children Abraham.
4) Abraham would be a blessing (Genesis 12:2)
- Not only was Abraham blessed but he was also a blessing to others.
5) God said he would bless those that blessed Abraham and curse them that cursed him
(Genesis 12:3)
- This is a great statement because history proves that it is true. Any nation that has totally went against the Jews has been destroyed. For example Spain ceased to be a world power after going against the Jews in the Spanish Inquisition. Germany ceased to be a great military power after what they did to the Jews in World War 2.
- The other side of this is true to the people who help Israel will be blessed. This is probably one of the main reasons that the United States is still around is because we have not totally gone against Israel.
- If a nation would just believe the word of God and history they could save themselves a lot of hardship.
6) God said that in Abraham all families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3)
- One of the main ways that this is true is the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ comes through the lineage of Abraham. Today in the church age anyone can be saved by grace through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9), and that is truly a great blessing.
7) Abraham was promised a seed and his seed is promised the land (Genesis 15:4 ; 15:18-21)
- This is what all the fighting is about in the middle east, it is over that land that God promised to Abraham seed.
- The problem is that Abraham had more than one son but the word of God shows that the promise of the land went to Isaac and not Ishmael (Genesis 17:19 ; 22:16-18). But then Isaac has two sons also but the promise goes to Jacob and not to Esau (Genesis 27:29 ; 28:13 ; 35:12)
- Therefore the land rightly belongs to the descendent of Jacob of whom came the 12 tribes of Israel. And they will keep fighting over it until the Lord Jesus Christ returns at the 2nd Advent and sets up the millennial reign and gives Israel all that is promised to them.
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
Covenants Lesson #2 Handout
1) What is the name for the third covenant and where is it found in the Bible?
2) Is this covenant conditional or unconditional?
3) What are some of the conditions of this covenant?
4) What is the name of the fourth covenant and where is it found in the Bible?
5) Is this covenant conditional or unconditional?
6) What are the conditions of this covenant?