Understanding God's Covenants: A Journey Through Romans 9

 

Summary

In our exploration of Romans 9:4-5, we delve into the profound privileges bestowed upon the Israelites, which include the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. These privileges highlight the unique relationship between God and Israel, emphasizing the depth of their fall due to their rejection of Christ. The concept of covenants is central to understanding both the Old and New Testaments. A covenant, in biblical terms, is not a mutual agreement between two parties but a sovereign act of God's grace, where He pledges Himself to fulfill His promises. This is evident in the covenants made with figures like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, each reiterating God's unwavering commitment to His people.

The covenant with Abraham is particularly significant, as it establishes the foundation for the coming of the Messiah through his lineage. This promise is reiterated through Isaac, Jacob, and later through David, emphasizing the continuity and faithfulness of God's plan for salvation. The giving of the law to Moses further underscores the unique relationship between God and Israel, as it was delivered with an audible voice, a testament to the divine encounter that no other nation experienced.

Understanding these covenants is crucial for comprehending the biblical narrative and the fulfillment of God's promises in Christ. As Christians, we are grafted into this rich heritage, sharing in the blessings of these covenants. This calls us to a deeper appreciation of our faith and the historical context that shapes it. Let us stand in awe of God's faithfulness and strive to understand His word more profoundly, recognizing the privilege of being part of His redemptive plan.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Nature of Biblical Covenants: Unlike human agreements, biblical covenants are sovereign acts of God's grace, initiated solely by Him. They are not mutual bargains but divine promises that God pledges to fulfill, independent of human conditions. This understanding is crucial for grasping the depth of God's commitment to His people. [10:09]

2. The Abrahamic Covenant: The covenant with Abraham is foundational, promising that through his seed, all nations would be blessed. This covenant is pivotal in the biblical narrative, as it sets the stage for the coming of the Messiah, emphasizing God's unwavering faithfulness across generations. [22:04]

3. The Giving of the Law: The law was given to Israel in a unique manner, with God speaking audibly to His people. This event underscores the special relationship between God and Israel, highlighting the nation's privileged position in receiving divine revelation directly from God. [40:07]

4. The Davidic Covenant: The covenant with David further clarifies the promise of a coming Messiah, who would reign eternally. This covenant emphasizes the continuity of God's plan, linking the promises made to Abraham with the future hope of a Savior through David's lineage. [31:45]

5. Our Inclusion in the Covenants: As Christians, we are grafted into the rich heritage of these covenants, sharing in the blessings promised to Israel. This inclusion calls us to a deeper appreciation of our faith and a recognition of the historical and theological context that shapes our understanding of God's redemptive plan. [38:09]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to Romans 9:4-5
- [01:06] - The Apostle's Sorrow for Israel
- [02:11] - The Privileges of Israel
- [03:25] - Understanding Covenants
- [04:32] - Gentiles and the Covenants of Promise
- [05:19] - The Everlasting Covenant
- [06:17] - Misconceptions About Covenants
- [08:24] - True Meaning of Biblical Covenants
- [10:09] - God's Sovereign Act in Covenants
- [12:34] - Israel's Role in God's Plan
- [15:02] - Covenants with Noah and Abraham
- [19:19] - The Abrahamic Covenant
- [23:29] - The Mosaic Covenant
- [29:32] - The Davidic Covenant
- [33:49] - Fulfillment in Christ
- [38:09] - Our Inclusion in the Covenants
- [40:07] - The Giving of the Law
- [44:21] - Conclusion and Reflection

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Understanding the Covenants in Romans 9:4-5

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 9:4-5
2. Genesis 17:1-8
3. 2 Samuel 7:8-16

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Observation Questions:

1. What are the specific privileges mentioned in Romans 9:4-5 that were given to the Israelites? How do these privileges highlight their unique relationship with God? [00:12]

2. In Genesis 17:1-8, what promises does God make to Abraham, and how do these promises establish the foundation for the coming of the Messiah?

3. According to 2 Samuel 7:8-16, what is the significance of the covenant made with David, and how does it relate to the promise of a coming Messiah?

4. How does the sermon describe the nature of biblical covenants, and how does this differ from human agreements? [10:09]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does understanding the nature of biblical covenants as sovereign acts of God's grace impact our view of God's commitment to His people? [10:09]

2. In what ways does the Abrahamic Covenant set the stage for the coming of the Messiah, and why is this significant for the biblical narrative? [22:04]

3. How does the giving of the law to Israel, as described in the sermon, underscore the special relationship between God and Israel? [40:07]

4. What is the importance of the Davidic Covenant in linking the promises made to Abraham with the future hope of a Savior through David's lineage? [31:45]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on the privileges mentioned in Romans 9:4-5. How do these privileges challenge you to appreciate your own faith heritage and the historical context of your beliefs? [00:12]

2. The sermon emphasizes the continuity and faithfulness of God's plan for salvation. How can you cultivate a deeper appreciation for God's faithfulness in your daily life? [22:04]

3. Consider the unique way in which the law was given to Israel. How does this understanding influence your view of God's communication and revelation in your own life? [40:07]

4. As Christians grafted into the rich heritage of these covenants, what specific actions can you take to share in the blessings promised to Israel and live out your faith more fully? [38:09]

5. The sermon highlights the importance of understanding biblical covenants. How can you deepen your understanding of these covenants and their significance in the biblical narrative? [10:09]

6. Reflect on the concept of God's sovereign grace in the covenants. How does this understanding challenge you to trust in God's promises, even when circumstances seem uncertain? [10:09]

7. The Davidic Covenant emphasizes the promise of a coming Messiah. How does this promise inspire hope and purpose in your life, and how can you share this hope with others? [31:45]

Devotional

Day 1: The Sovereign Grace of God's Covenants
Biblical covenants are unique in that they are not mutual agreements between two parties but are sovereign acts of God's grace. These covenants are initiated solely by God, who pledges Himself to fulfill His promises, independent of human conditions. This understanding is crucial for grasping the depth of God's commitment to His people. The covenants made with figures like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David demonstrate God's unwavering commitment to His people, highlighting His grace and faithfulness. As we reflect on these covenants, we are reminded of the profound privilege it is to be recipients of God's promises. [10:09]

Genesis 9:12-13 (ESV): "And God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.'"

Reflection: Consider a promise God has made in Scripture that you find difficult to trust. How can you remind yourself of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises today?


Day 2: The Foundation of the Abrahamic Covenant
The covenant with Abraham is foundational, promising that through his seed, all nations would be blessed. This covenant is pivotal in the biblical narrative, as it sets the stage for the coming of the Messiah, emphasizing God's unwavering faithfulness across generations. The promise made to Abraham is reiterated through Isaac, Jacob, and later through David, highlighting the continuity and faithfulness of God's plan for salvation. As Christians, we are grafted into this rich heritage, sharing in the blessings of these covenants. [22:04]

Galatians 3:8-9 (ESV): "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.' So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."

Reflection: Reflect on how the promise to Abraham impacts your understanding of your faith. How can you live out the blessing of this covenant in your interactions with others today?


Day 3: The Unique Revelation of the Law
The giving of the law to Moses was a unique event, with God speaking audibly to His people. This event underscores the special relationship between God and Israel, highlighting the nation's privileged position in receiving divine revelation directly from God. The law was not just a set of rules but a testament to the divine encounter that no other nation experienced. Understanding the giving of the law helps us appreciate the depth of God's relationship with His people and the privilege of being part of His redemptive plan. [40:07]

Deuteronomy 4:33-34 (ESV): "Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?"

Reflection: Think about a time when you felt God speaking to you through His Word. How can you create space in your daily routine to listen for His voice today?


Day 4: The Eternal Promise of the Davidic Covenant
The covenant with David further clarifies the promise of a coming Messiah, who would reign eternally. This covenant emphasizes the continuity of God's plan, linking the promises made to Abraham with the future hope of a Savior through David's lineage. The Davidic Covenant assures us of God's eternal plan for salvation and His faithfulness to fulfill His promises. As we reflect on this covenant, we are reminded of the hope we have in Christ, the fulfillment of God's promises. [31:45]

2 Samuel 7:12-13 (ESV): "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever."

Reflection: How does the promise of an eternal kingdom through David's lineage influence your understanding of Jesus' role in your life? What steps can you take to align your life with His eternal kingdom today?


Day 5: Our Inclusion in the Covenants
As Christians, we are grafted into the rich heritage of these covenants, sharing in the blessings promised to Israel. This inclusion calls us to a deeper appreciation of our faith and a recognition of the historical and theological context that shapes our understanding of God's redemptive plan. By understanding our place in these covenants, we can better appreciate the privilege of being part of God's family and His redemptive work in the world. [38:09]

Ephesians 2:12-13 (ESV): "Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

Reflection: Reflect on your inclusion in God's covenants. How can you actively participate in God's redemptive plan in your community today?

Quotes


Now these two verses are important in that they enable us to understand why the Apostle felt this matter so deeply. I was saying last Friday it isn't merely and only that he was animated by very strong National or nationalistic feelings. He was undoubtedly the Apostle before his conversion was a man who was a typical nationalist. [00:01:25]

The cause of this deep feeling is what he tells us in these two verses. They had been raised to such an extraordinary position of privilege so that their failure in their fall is correspondingly great. You measure the depth of the Fall by the height to which they had been raised. [00:01:55]

Now we must be clear about this. It is not the case that God made a covenant and then for some reason or another put it on one side or abrogated it or repealed it or revoked it and then made another one. That's wrong. There are notes in certain Bibles which tend to teach that, but it's quite wrong. [00:13:54]

A covenant in the Bible is a sovereign Act of God's grace in which he pledges himself to do something. It is something alog together from God's side. There is not a single instance or illustration in the Bible of God meeting with the people and as the result of a discussion as the result of a kind of bargaining. [00:10:09]

God moved by nothing in us at all but moved entirely by his own Grace and his own eternal love he comes to the people and he says I am going to do so and so and I pledge myself that I will do it in the famous instance of the Covenant with Abram. [00:10:52]

The Covenant means this when he says here that the covenants pertain to these Israelites, these Kinsmen of his according to the flesh, what he's saying is that God chose Israel and pledged himself to her in this sense that she was to be the nation which he was going to to use as a channel to bring his great salvation to the human race. [00:12:56]

The covenant with Abram was repeated to Isaac and to Jacob and the essence of this Covenant is that it is out of the Lions of Abram it is from the Seed of Abraham that the savior is to appear. Here is this great promise of Salvation now it's to be done through Abram and his seed. [00:22:04]

The Mosaic Covenant, it's called, it's the same fundamental Covenant as I'm going to show you but it was renewed to Moses. There it is in Exodus 2:24 and 25 which we've just read. But listen to Exodus 3:16 and 17. Now you see why it was renewed at this point. [00:23:29]

The last great Covenant in the Old Testament and the one undoubtedly in the mind of the Apostle also at this point which is the covenant made with David and you'll find this in the second book of Samuel in the 7th chapter. The second book of Samuel and in chapter 7 where this Covenant as renewed now with David. [00:29:32]

The Apostle IAI in all these statements is simply concerned to do this one thing to show that this people are absolutely unique in every respect. But the thing that's common to all the respects is this that God God has made himself known to them has manifested himself to them has pledged himself to them in a way that he's never done with any other nation. [00:43:49]

The giving of the law is the next thing he mentions. Let me just try to deal with this before I close tonight. He says and to pertain to them not only the covenants but also the giving of the law. Now what's this mean? Well here again we've got to be careful. [00:40:07]

The Apostle is trying to say to them is this he says you don't realize they don't realize their privileges they've been elevated to this position that God has actually spoken to them with a voice that could be heard now it's all there in that 19th Chapter of Exodus. [00:40:47]

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Transcript
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