A gift worth thousands of dollars will give Avondale students access to resources from an academic honoured by his country for service to music education. Source: https://wp.avondale.edu.au/news/2022/02/16/a-musical-gift/
Wednesday: The New Covenant Has Better Promises
We may be tempted to think that the new covenant has “better promises” in the sense that it has greater rewards than the old covenant had (a heavenly homeland, eternal life, etc.). The truth is that God offered the same rewards to Old Testament believers as He has offered us (read Hebrews 11:10, Hebrews 11:13-16). In Hebrews 8:6, the “better promises” is talking about different kinds of promises.
The covenant between God and Israel was a formal exchange of promises between God and Israel. God took the initiative and delivered Israel from Egypt and promised to lead them into the Promised Land.
Compare Exodus 24:1-8 and Hebrews 10:5-10. What are the similarities and differences between these two promises?
Image � Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com
The covenant between God and Israel was ratified with blood. This blood was sprinkled both over and beneath the altar. The people of Israel promised to obey all that the Lord had spoken.
“The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been, — just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents, — perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness. If eternal life were granted on any condition short of this, then the happiness of the whole universe would be imperiled. The way would be open for sin, with all its train of woe and misery, to be immortalized.” — Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 62.
God satisfies the absolute demands of the new covenant for us because He gave His own Son to come and live a perfect life so that the promises of the covenant might be fulfilled in Him, and then offered to us, by faith in Jesus. Jesus’ obedience guarantees the covenant promises (Hebrews 7:22). It requires that God gives Him the blessings of the covenant, which are then given to us. Indeed, those who are “in Christ” will enjoy those promises with Him. Secondly, God gives us His Holy Spirit to empower us to fulfill His law.
| Christ has satisfied the demands of the covenant; therefore, the fulfillment of God’s promises to us is not in doubt. How does this help you understand the meaning of 2 Corinthians 1:20-22? What wonderful hope is found here for us? |
Amen!
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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/wednesday-new-covenant-has-better-promises/
‘It Is Written Canada’ Abruptly Takes Down Facebook Post that Seemed to Support Freedom Convoy
Facebook post by “It Is Written Canada” that seemingly supported controversial Freedom Convoy said, “When governments, no matter their intention, step on our fundamental rights such as freedom of conscience, they step on the very essence of who we are.” Post included the hashtags “#freedomconvoy2022” and “#standtogether.” Several media outlets have reported on incidences of […] Source: https://atoday.org/it-is-written-canada-abruptly-takes-down-facebook-post-that-seemed-to-support-freedom-convoy/
Jesus Married?!
Was the son of God also the divine Bachelor? Was Mary Magdalene the wife of Jesus? These questions and more tackled by Matthew Korpman in a new Valentine’s edition of Bible Scholar Reacts, a YouTube series proudly sponsored by Adventist Today. To comment, click here. Source: https://atoday.org/jesus-married/
Tuesday: The New Covenant Has a Better Mediator
Read Hebrews 8:1-6. Why is Jesus a better Mediator of the covenant?
The Greek term mesites (mediator) derives from mesos (“middle”) and denotes the one who walks or stands in the middle. It was a technical term that referred to a person who fulfilled one or more of the following functions: (1) an arbiter between two or more parties, (2) a negotiator or business broker, (3) a witness in the legal sense of the word, or (4) one who stands as a surety and, thus, guarantees the execution of an agreement.
Image © Linda Lovett from GoodSalt.com
The English term “mediator” is too narrow a translation for mesites in Hebrews because it focuses only on the first two or three uses of the Greek term. Hebrews, however, emphasizes the fourth function. Jesus is not conceived as “mediator” in the sense that He settles a dispute between the Father and humans, or as a peacemaker who reconciles parties in disaffection, or as a witness who certifies the existence of a contract or its satisfaction. Instead, as Hebrews explains, Jesus is the guarantor (or surety) of the new covenant (Hebrews 7:22). In Hebrews, the term “mediator” is equivalent to “guarantor.” He guarantees that the covenant promises will be fulfilled.
Christ’s death makes the institution of the new covenant possible because it satisfies the claims of the first covenant with Israel (and even with the first humans in Eden), which had been broken (Hebrews 9:15-22). In this sense, Jesus is the guarantor who took upon Himself all the legal obligations of the covenant that had been broken. In another sense, Jesus’ exaltation in heaven guarantees that God’s promises to human beings will be fulfilled (Hebrews 6:19-20, ). Jesus guarantees the covenant because He has shown that God’s promises are true. By resurrecting Jesus and seating Him at His right hand, the Father has shown that He will resurrect us and also bring us to Him.
Jesus is a greater Mediator than Moses because He ministers in the heavenly sanctuary and has offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for us (Hebrews 8:1-5, Hebrews 10:5-10). Moses’ face reflected the glory of God (Exodus 34:29-35), but Jesus is the glory of God (Hebrews 1:3, John 1:14). Moses spoke with God face to face (Exodus 33:11), but Jesus is God’s Word personified (Hebrews 4:12-13, ; John 1:1-3, John 1:14).
| Yes, Christ has satisfied the demands of the covenant for obedience. In this light, what is the role of obedience in our life, and why is it still so important? |
Amen!(0)
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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/tuesday-new-covenant-has-better-mediator/
