Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Controversy,” pages 607, 608 in The Desire of Ages; and “The Law and the Covenants,” pages 363-373, in Patriarchs and Prophets. How does Matthew 22:34-40 help us better understand 1. the place and meaning of God’s law within His covenant and 2. the concept that covenant is synonymous with relationship? “There must first be love in the heart before … Continue reading –>
Look up the following verses. What is the one point they have in common, and what does it teach about the nature of the covenant? Genesis 18:19 Genesis 26:4-5 Exodus 19:5 Leviticus 26:3 God openly acknowledges Abraham’s faithful obedience to “my commandments, my statutes, and my laws” (Genesis 26:5). It is implied that God expected such a … Continue reading –>
What truth about God does the presence of God’s law in the covenant relationship teach us about His essential nature? Malachi 3:6, James 1:17. God’s law is an oral or written expression of His will (compare Psalm 40:8). Because it is a transcript of His character, its presence in the covenant assures us of the permanence and dependability of God. Although we always … Continue reading –>
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 What are your first thoughts when you think of law? Police officers, traffic tickets, judges, and jail? Or do you think of restrictions, rules, authoritarian parents, and punishment? Or, perhaps, do you think of order, harmony, stability? Or maybe even … love? The Hebrew word torah, translated “law” in our Bibles, means “teaching” or … Continue reading –>
“And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone” (Deuteronomy 4:13). However much we have been stressing that the covenant is always a covenant of grace, that it is only the result of God’s bestowing unmerited favor upon those who … Continue reading –>
Deuteronomy 7:7 Jewish tradition has taught that God made the covenant with Israel only because other nations rejected it first. Though there is no biblical evidence for that position, it does, however, help bring home the point that for whatever reasons the Lord chose the Hebrew nation, it was not because they were deserving of … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: Exod. 19:6, Isa. 56:7, Heb. 2:9, Deut. 4:13, Deut. 10:13, Amos 3:3, Gen. 18:19. Memory Text: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9, NIV). One of the important phrases in … Continue reading –>
“Let’s Go to Church!” By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission Something curious happened once Dr. Hernando Díaz began working at the Seventh-day Adventist clinic on the campus of Colombia Adventist University in Medellin, Colombia. He couldn’t stop praising God. Hernando had long been a Christian, but he had never loved God so much. When no one … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Exodus,” pages 281-290; “From the Red Sea to Sinai,” pages 291-302; “The Law Given to Israel,” pages 303-314, in Patriarchs and Prophets. “The spirit of bondage is engendered by seeking to live in accordance with legal religion, through striving to fulfill the claims of the law in our own strength. There is … Continue reading –>
Exodus 19:8 At first sight, all seems well. The Lord delivers His people, offers them the covenant promises, and they agree: they will do all that the Lord asks them to do. It is a deal “made in heaven,” right? Read the following texts. What insight do they give us regarding Israel’s response to the covenant? Romans 9:31-32Romans … Continue reading –>
