40DaysOnCovenant_A5Sheets

7/25/2019 40DaysOnCovenant_A5Sheets

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BIBLE READING PLAN: DAYS ON COVENANT


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THE COVENANTMAKING, COVENANTKEEPING GOD

In the Ancient Near East covenants were a way people solidified relationships and

responsibilities. When God met with people and formed covenants with them,

he was using a form of agreement which they were very familiar with. There

were various kinds of covenant, usually with attached benefits and penalties;much like the blessings and curses that appear in the Mosaic Covenant. One

of the key threads that run through the bible are the various covenants that

God made with various people, including Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, David,

and the New Covenant in Jesus Christ. The bible shows God both making and

keeping covenant with people that he chose. This bible reading plan focuses

on the Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic and the New Covenants and shows how the

earlier covenants are all fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and in the New Covenant.

BIBLE READING PLAN: DAYS ON COVENANT


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5/16

GODS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM

Day God Calls Abram

Read Genesis 12:1-9

Contemplate What did God call Abram to do? Are there any conditions on

God blessing Abram? Are the blessings only for Abram, or is God hinting at a

bigger plan? What is Abrams response to Gods call? What can we learn from

the way God approached Abram and Abrams response? What can we learn

about the purpose of blessing?

Day God Gives the Land to Abram

Read Genesis 13:14-18

Contemplate How does this promise from God differ or expand on the

promises made in Genesis 12:1-9? How does God expect Abram to live knowing

that the land would be his?

Day God Makes a Covenant with Abram


Contemplate What does God tell Abram will happen in the years to come?

Does God require anything of Abram in this covenant, are their any conditions?The passing of the blazing torch between the halves of the animals by God

indicates that God will take on any penalties or curses that would eventuate

from the breaking of this covenant. What does this tell us about the character

of God that he would take those curses on?

Day The Covenant of Circumcision is Instituted


Contemplate How long is this covenant going to last? Does God put a limit on

it? What conditions does God now introduce to the relationship? What are the

penalties for breaking the covenant by not being circumcised? What does the

renaming of Abram and Sarai indicate?

Day God Tests Abraham

Read Genesis 22

Contemplate How must Abraham have felt when God asked him to sacrifice the

son that he and Sarah had waited so long to have? How confused do you think

you would be if God wanted to take away the very thing that he had promised

you? What does Gods test of Abraham reveal about the priority he places on

obedience? What relationship do you think obedience has to covenant?


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Day God Gives Isaac the Promises He Made to Abraham

Read Genesis 26:1-5, 24-29

Contemplate What does God promise Isaac, Abrahams son? Is this the same

as what he promised Abraham? What does God say about the way Abrahamkept covenant? What happens when Abimelek sees that God has blessed

Isaac? How do you think this relates to Gods promise to Abraham that all

peoples on earth will be blessed through you (Gen 12:3)?

Day God Gives Jacob the Promises He Made to Abraham


Contemplate What does God promise Jacob, Abrahams grand-son? Is

this the same as what he promised Abraham and Isaac? Does God put anyconditions on Jacob? What is Jacobs response to Gods promises?

Day God Gives Jacob a New Name


Contemplate Jacob means supplanter. What is the significance of Jacobs

new name, Israel? What affect does this meeting with God have on Jacob?

How can we begin to see Gods promises to Abraham being fulfilled in the

name God gives to Jacob?

Day God Confirms the Promises to Jacob


Contemplate How many times has God now told Abraham and his descendants

about the covenant and the promises? What does this tell us about Gods

determination to do what he has said he will do, even across many generations?

Day Jacob Blesses His Children

Read Genesis 49:1 50:14

Contemplate How can we begin to see the promises to Abraham being

fulfilled in his great-grandchildren? How is what God told Abraham would

happen to his family in Genesis 15 starting?


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GODS COVENANT WITH ISRAEL AT SINAI

Day God Gives Moses the Law I

Read Exodus 19-20

Contemplate What does God promise Israel if they keep his covenant? What

do you think of Israel responding that they will do all that God commands

them? What will it mean to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation? What

would that look like? If a priest is an intermediary between God and humanity,

what is the significance of holiness (observance of the law) for that role?

Day God Gives Moses the Law II

Read Exodus 21-22

Contemplate Given that slavery was very normal in the Ancient Near East,

why do you think issues of justice like slavery were something that God

felt the need to regulate? How significant is it that God gave slaves rights

under the law? How is breaking the law coupled with covenant curses (or

consequences)?

Day God Gives Moses the Law III

Read Exodus 23-24

Contemplate How many of these laws are about personal sin, how many

about social responsibility and living well with others? Why do you think God

had to institute people resting in law? How does this relate to justice and

mercy? Why do you think God put festivals into law?

Day The Blessings and Curses of the Covenant

Read Deuteronomy 27:1 - 31:29

Contemplate On what basis does God pronounce these blessings and curses?

To whom does this covenant, its blessings and curses apply to? What benefit

do you think there was in renewing the covenant?

Day The Israelites Receive the Promised Land

Read Joshua 21

Contemplate How does this passage show the fulfilment of Gods promises to

Abraham? What does this show us about God as a covenant-keeper?


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Day Joshua Renews the Covenant

Read Joshua 24

Contemplate This passage shows the covenant being renewed again. What

value do you think there is in going back over the terms of the covenant?

What assistance would it be to the people to have memorials set up to remindpeople of the covenant with God?

Day Daniel Asks God to Be Faithful to the Covenant

Read Daniel 9:1-19

Contemplate In the book of Daniel the people of Israel have been taken into

captivity in Babylon. What reason does Daniel give for the people being punished

in this way? What remedy does Daniel believe will bring about an end to the exile?

How is the covenant giving Daniel hope that God will show mercy on Israel?

GODS COVENANT WITH DAVID

Day God Makes a Covenant With David

Read 2 Samuel 7

Contemplate What does God promise to David? Are there any conditions onGods promises to David? How long does God say that the house of David will

rule for?

Day Israel and Judah Have Been Unfaithful

Read Jeremiah 3:6- 4:4

Contemplate What does this passage reveal about how God feels about

people breaking covenant with him? What does God want people to do

after being told of their unfaithfulness? What does God say the outcome offaithfulness will be? What does God say the outcome of unfaithfulness will be?

How are the blessings and curses of both the Mosaic and Davidic covenants

shown here?


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Day The Terms of the Covenant With David

Read Psalm 89

Contemplate What does this Psalm say about the terms of the covenant with

David? What will happen if his descendants rebel against God? Will God ever

break this covenant? This Psalm was written during a period where the Davidicline appeared to have failed. How then does the covenant with David give the

Psalmist hope and basis to pray for the restoration of the Davidic monarchy?

Day The Psalmist Calls On God to Remember David

Read Psalm 132

Contemplate Why do you think the Psalmist is appealing to God on the basis of

the covenant? What can we learn about prayer from this Psalm, using covenant

as a basis for determining the will of God?

Day God Promises Restoration

Read Jeremiah 33

Contemplate How does this passage show God being faithful to his covenant

commitments? How does it show him being faithful to the Mosaic covenant?

And the Davidic covenant? To what fixed things does God compare his

covenant with Israel and Judah? Is there, therefore, anything that would lead

God to completely break covenant with people?

THE NEW COVENANT IN JESUS CHRIST

Day God Promises a New Covenant

Read Jeremiah 31:31-37

Contemplate How will the new covenant be different from the old covenants?How permanent is Gods commitment to Israel? Is there anything that they could

do to be permanently put out of favour with God? What then is the basis of

their relationship with God?


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Day The Breadth of the New Covenant

Read Isaiah 49

Contemplate To which people groups does God say the new covenant will

apply? What will be the outcome of the new covenant? What blessings are

described? Although God is promising a new covenant, does he say that theold covenant is out of date? Is there any indication God will cease to be faithful

to the old covenant? On what basis does God say that the peoples hope in him

will be vindicated? What does this show us about God as covenant-maker and

covenant-keeper?

Day The Graciousness of the New Covenant

Read Isaiah 55

Contemplate What does it mean to buy without cost? How is this a pictureof grace? How is grace something where Gods thoughts are not our thoughts,

nor Gods ways are our ways? What kind of new covenant is God going to

make? How long will the new covenant last? How will the new covenant be

like the covenant with David? To which people groups will the new covenant

apply? What does this new covenant reveal about the character of God?

Day God Will Be Shepherd To His People

Read Ezekiel 34Contemplate In the Old Testament, the term Shepherd is used to describe

human leaders who God has put over his people. What does God say about the

leaders who have been over his people? How does God intend to replace those

leaders? How will God shepherd his people? What does God expect of his

sheep? Who will God place over his sheep? How does this link with the Davidic

covenant? What will be the blessings of the new covenant?

Day Jesus, Son of David, Son of Abraham

Read Matthew 1

Contemplate Why do you think Matthew is at such pains to show that Jesus

was the descendant of both Abraham and David? How do you think this links

with the covenants with Abraham and David? In what ways do you think Jesus

fulfils the covenant with Abraham? What about the covenant with David?


11/16

Day Jesus Came to Fulfil the Law I

Read Matthew 5:17 - 6:4

Contemplate In what way does Jesus not abolish the law but rather fulfil it?

Does this passage read similarly to the law in Exodus? How does Jesus fulfil

the old law by requiring not only external compliance, but inward heart-changeas well? How does this inner change relate back to Jeremiahs prophecy of a

covenant where the laws are written on peoples hearts?

Day Jesus Came to Fulfil the Law II

Read Matthew 6:5 - 7:29

Contemplate Given the background of God expecting certain behaviour

from his people when they are in covenant with him, do you think that Jesus

expects people under the new covenant to obey his teaching in the Sermonon the Mount? How seriously should we take Jesus statements in Matthew

7:13-27? Does this indicate something about how the new covenant functions?

Does Jesus mention any penalties for non-compliance?

Day Jesus Indicates The Price of the New Covenant

Read Luke 22:7-38

Contemplate Similarly to the covenant with Abraham, where God took on

himself the curses of the covenant if it were broken, how does this passageshow Jesus taking on the curses of the covenant being broken? What does

this mean for our security under the new covenant? If Jesus blood has been

shed once and for all, can we now break covenant with him?

Day The Terms of the Covenant For Gentiles

Read Acts 15:1-21

Contemplate In the early church there was much controversy over whether

Gentile Christians should be circumcised and made to obey the Mosaic Law.What does this passage show us was the conclusion of that debate? Are

Gentiles required to observe the Law given to Moses? What requirements are

given to Gentiles? What is the link between circumcision and faith? Why do

you think it was sufficient that God had purified their hearts by faith? In what

way was circumcision a symbol of purification by faith?


12/16

Day Abraham Was Justified By Faith

Read Romans 4

Contemplate To what does this passage attribute Abrahams righteousness?

Was Abraham justified with God before or after circumcision (see Days 1 to

4)? How did Abraham obtain the promises from God? How are we calledto follow in Abrahams footsteps? What does this tell us about a continuity

between the covenant with Abraham and the new covenant? How does the

new covenant fulfil, and upgrade the covenant with Abraham?

Day The Way of Righteousness

Read Romans 9

Contemplate What does this passage tell us about the way to be righteous,

and remain in covenant relationship with God? How does Paul say the Jewsmissed the mark? How does God want both Jew and Gentile to be in covenant

relationship with him?

Day Gods Call is Irrevocable

Read Romans 11

Contemplate Has God rejected Israel? Will God break his covenant with

them? What is the relationship of Gentiles to the Jews in the covenant

structure? Under what terms will the branches that have been broken off, begrafted back in? Is God going to fulfil his covenant with Israel?

Day The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

Read 2 Corinthians 2:12 - 3:18

Contemplate How does Paul compare the old covenant with the new

covenant? How do you think the Spirit brings freedom under the new

covenant, compared to the law (letter) bringing death? How do you think the

transformation described in verse 18 might be linked to the Sermon on theMounts emphasis on heart-attitudes, and the promise of the law being written

on our hearts?

Day Those Who Have Faith Are Children of Abraham

Read Galatians 3

Contemplate How does Paul link the new covenant to Abraham? How is

faith and life in the Spirit different to observance of the Law? How does the

new covenant fulfil the promises to Abraham? How does Paul show that thecovenant with Abraham is fulfilled in Christ? What makes a person an inheritor

of the promises made to Abraham?


13/16

Day The Certainty of Gods Promise

Read Hebrews 6

Contemplate What does this passage say about the certainty of Gods

promise? What is the relationship of faith to the certainty of Gods promises?

How do we maintain covenant faithfulness? Is there any chance at all that Godwill not do what he has sworn by himself to do?

Day Jesus, High-Priest of the New Covenant

Read Hebrews 8

Contemplate How does this passage show that Jesus fulfils the Mosaic

covenant? How are the terms of the new covenant different from the old? What

does this passage say about the relationship between promises and covenant?

Day Sacrifice Under the New Covenant

Read Hebrews 9

Contemplate How does this passage show about how the sacrifices in

the old covenant are fulfilled in Jesus? What does this passage say about

the permanence of the effectiveness of Jesus sacrifice? Under what

circumstances then, might the covenant-relationship with God be damaged?

Day The New Covenant in Action

Read Hebrews 11:1 12:3

Contemplate What does this passage tell us about the importance of faith

for maintaining covenant-faithfulness? How does this passage sum up the

covenants God made with the people of Israel? What does it mean that These

were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been

promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with

us would they be made perfect (11:39-40)?


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Notes


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Notes


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40DaysOnCovenant_A5Sheets