WHAT IS THE COVENANT RELATIONSHIP? WEEK 11 OF “THE KINGDOM OF GOD: WHAT IS IT?” BY DAN FOUNTAIN

Today’s scripture focus is Genesis 12.

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Today’s scripture focus is Genesis 12. Abram is called to leave his home and to set out on a journey of faith, to a place the Lord would show him. God was beginning the work of building a special relationship with a particular people. Not because they were deserving, “not to make them a rich and powerful people but to live with Him and to serve (emphasis mine) other nations”…Thus began the long history of salvation whereby redemption from evil comes through an intimate trust relationship with God.”

• Abram’s culture was polytheistic and God was calling him to leave this culture and land.
• Abram obeyed, God blessed him and gave him a new identity. God’s friend and the father of a new nation.
• This new people would bring blessing to the nations by helping them find their identity as followers of God.

The Covenant Relationship – “A covenant is a mutual agreement between two parties”… and in this case a covenant between God, who is sovereign, and His people, who are the subjects.

• God established the agreement.
• We enter into it by agreeing to it and promising our faithfulness and obedience.
• Based on mutual faith and trust.
• The guarantee of the covenant rests on God’s unchanging faithfulness. He will protect us.
• Our part is to obey. If we do He will bless His people and they will prosper and bless all the people of the earth.
• This provides us our identity in Him.

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Purpose of the Covenant – God wanted His people, Israel, to be a model of the Kingdom of God to other nations. They were to live in a way that would attract the other nations to come into the Kingdom of God.

1. What does it really mean to have a covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe, Almighty God? As a person and community of His people.
2. Why does God make such heavy requirements of his people?
3. What benefits do you see in having an intentional covenant relationship with God as a person, family and Church?