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Bible Study 2
The Bible is a book full of treasures for those willing to look for them. It offers historical information, God's gift of salvation, advice for living pure lives, moving poetry, comfort and encouragement for
suffering people, and much more. This section is a partial list of some of the interesting facts found in the Bible.
THE BIBLE ITSELF
The Bible has 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. It is composed of the writings of more than 30 different authors, who wrote during a time span of approximately 1500 years. The total
number of verses in both Testaments is 30,442.
THE SIX COVENANTS
1. ADAMIC COVENANT
God permits Adam and Eve to eat freely of any tree in the Garden of Eden, except the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17). However, they disobey this order and succumb to the serpent's temptation. They
eat of the forbidden fruit, thereby gaining a knowledge of good and evil, injecting themselves into an ongoing struggle between God and Satan (i.e., the serpent; Rev. 12:9), and taking upon themselves the
characteristics of this struggle between the goodness of God and the evil of Satan.
According to scripture, Satan is a spiritual being with limited power who rebels against God and seeks to obtain equality with him (See: Isa. 14:12-13; Ezek. 28:13-19; Jude 6). For their disobedience (called
"The Fall"), Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden under a decree that their lives will be filled with sorrow. God tells Adam that he must now work outside the garden tilling the soil which is cursed and
overrun with thorns and thistles. Eve is told that she will have many children, but will also have sorrow when they are born (Gen. 3:16-19).
From dust they were formed, and to dust they will return (Gen. 3:19). There will be enmity between their descendants and Satan. One of their descendants will defeat Satan (bruise or crush the serpent's head),
although Satan will wound his adversary (bruise his heel) (Gen. 3:15). As Cain is told, sin "lies at the door, and his desire is" to control the individual. One must gain control over him (Gen. 4:7).
As the number of children and grandchildren of Adam and Eve increases, they begin to "call upon the name of the Lord."(Gen. 4:26). Thus, God has made provision for humans to redeem themselves by doing well,
gaining control over sin, and calling upon the name of the Lord. Eventual and complete victory over Satan through a descendant of Adam and Eve is assured.
2. NOAHIC COVENANT
After the ark lands on Mount Ararat, God makes a covenant with Noah and his descendants that the ground will continue to give forth a harvest; the seasons will not cease; Noah and his family are blessed and will be
fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. God will not again destroy all mankind with a flood. The rainbow will be the sign of the everlasting covenant (Gen. 8:21-9:16).
3. ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
In about 2100 B.C., God makes a covenant with Abram and his wife Sarai (later changing their names to Abraham and Sarah) to the effect that they will become the founders of a great nation through a son who is to be
born to them even though they are elderly. Abraham's name will be great, and in him all families of the earth will be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3). Abraham and Sarah will be the father and mother of many nations.
The covenant will apply to their son as well. Circumcision of all males will be the sign of the covenant. The land of Canaan will be given to them as a possession forever (Gen. 17:8-27), although their descendants
will live in a strange land for 400 years before this happens (Gen. 15:13-16). This covenant is confirmed with their son, Isaac, and Isaac's son, Jacob (Gen. 26:4; 28:13-15). Jacob's name is changed to Israel
by an angel of the Lord, because Jacob is considered as a prince having power with God (Gen. 32:28). The terms and conditions of this covenant are to be carried out by the tribes of Israel, that is, the descendants
of Jacob's sons: Judah, Benjamin, Levi, Joseph, Rueben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
(Gen. 48-49; Ex. 1:1-7).
4. MOSAIC COVENANT
In furtherance of the Abrahamic covenant, God calls out Moses in about 1450 B.C. to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God makes a covenant with Moses and the Israelites that this is the time when they are to
occupy the promised land. This covenant includes a code of laws beginning with the Ten Commandments; instructions for building a tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant; instruction on how to worship God and to
obtain forgiveness of sin. The words of God are to be put down in writing and preserved within the Ark of the Covenant.
The terms and conditions of this covenant are in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The heart of the covenant is found in Dt. 28:20. If the Israelites keep the commandments and the law with heart and soul,
they will be blessed both spiritually and materially. They shall become a nation above other nations. The covenant applies to them and to others not with them. But if the covenant is ignored, they will suffer dire
consequences including dispersion to and captivity in other lands. If this should happen, provision is made for repentance, restoration of their relationship with God, and re-establishment of their nation.
5. DAVIDIC COVENANT
Some 400 years later God makes a covenant with David, the king-prophet-poet of Israel. God will make Israel secure. A temple is to be built for the Lord, but it will be David's son who will build it. David's throne
and kingdom, and his son's, will be established forever (II Sam. 7:10-16). This covenant is confirmed with David's son, Solomon, after he is king of Israel.
In speaking to Solomon, God also includes a warning that if the Israelites do not follow the law as written, and if they serve other gods, the negative clauses in the Mosaic covenant will be enforced (I Ki. 9:3-9)
6. THE NEW COVENANT
The Psalms and the writing prophets record God's desire for a right heart-attitude in worship as preferable to sacrifices and offerings made simply because they were prescribed by the Mosaic code. The people are
called to magnify the name of the Lord, to repent, to be sorrowful for their sins, to seek God's forgiveness, which he will give because of his loving kindness (Ps. 40; Isa. 1:11-18). He will make an everlasting and
merciful covenant applicable to everyone (Hos. 1:10; 2:23; Isa. 55:3-5; 61:8); a covenant of peace and safety (Ezek. 34:25).
In about 600 B.C., Jeremiah reports God's intention to put the new covenant in operation for a Jewish nation chastened and cleansed by their captivity in Babylon. This new covenant will not be according to the
covenant made through Moses, which they broke. Under this new covenant, God will put his law in their "inward parts." No one will have to teach others to know the Lord, for all shall know him. He will
forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more (Jer. 31:31-34; see also Ezek. 36:33).
About the same time as Jeremiah's prophecy, Joel prophesies that the day will come when God will pour out his spirit on all mankind; that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be a new spirit (Ezek. 36:26-27)
[NOTE: In the New Testament Jesus says that his is the blood of the new covenant (Lk. 22:20). In Hebrews 8-10, it is said that Jesus is the fulfilment of the new covenant set forth by Jeremiah, and that Jesus is the
mediator of its terms. In Acts 2:16-21, Peter declares the fulfilment of Joel's Prophecy.]
THE MESSIAH (Jesus of Nazareth)
The new covenant presages a new beginning the ultimate in God's relationship with his covenant-people. He will be their God, and they will be his people. There will be peace in the land, and the great prophet, like
Moses, will lead mankind into all the right paths (Dt. 18:15-18). This prophet is the Messiah (Dan. 9:25). David and other psalmists speak of him (Ps. 2; 8:5; 16:10; 45; 72; 110; 118:22-26), and the words of
the prophets are specific: he will be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14) in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2); he will be of David's line (Isa. 11:1-5, 10; Jer. 23:5); and, as God's son, he will also be "the mighty God,
everlasting Father, prince of peace" (Isa. 9:6; Dan. 9:25) and "son of man" (Dan. 7:13). He will be a humble king who will come riding upon a "colt, the foal of an ass," bringing salvation
to the people (Zech. 9:9). Being prince, shepherd (Ezek. 34:23-24), and servant, yet righteous judge (Isa. 11:1-5; 52:13-15), he will be rejected (Isa. 53:3) and sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12). He
will be slain, bearing the sins of many and being counted among wrongdoers (Isa. 53:12). But he will rise again and make intercession for the transgressors (Isa. 53:10-12). [NOTE: The Hebrew word
"mashiach," which is rendered "messiah" in English, and the Greek word "christos," from which comes the word "Christ," both have the same meaning, namely, "anointed
one."
In the New Testament Jesus says that he is the Messiah proclaimed in the Old Testament (Lk. 22:67-70), and fulfilment of these prophecies is declared (Lk. 4:17-21). There are other Old Testament prophecies
about the Messiah; according to some, there are as many as 300. The Open Bible lists 38.
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