Wednesday, October 5, 2011

The Redemptive Purposes of God

By: Ken Birks, Pastor/Teacher
      God created man in His own image.  When God created man, He created him with the ability to make choices knowing that man would not always make the choices that were in accordance with His will and desire for man. 
1.    Sin entered into the world with the rebellion of Satan, which led to Satan being cast out of heaven Isaiah 14:13 & Luke 10:19.
2.    Sin entered humanity with the fall of Adam and Eve - Genesis 2:17 & 3:1-6.
3.    With the Fall of Adam & Eve sin entered into the world, and death through sin, which resulted in death to all men, because all have sinned – Romans 5:12.
II.   God’s Plan of Redemption.
 In God’s infinite wisdom and foreknowledge He foresaw that mankind would sin and therefore have need of Salvation and thus be redeemed back to Him.  We see this played out in the various covenants God has made with man.
1.    The Adamic Covenant – Genesis 3:15-24
The Consequences for Sin.
          A.  Sorrow in Conception - husband shall rule over you Genesis 3:16.
          B.  Ground cursed Hard sweaty work - Genesis 3:17-19.
          C.  Physical death Genesis 3:19.
          D.  Sent out of the Garden Genesis 3:23.
God’s Redemptive Plan.
Genesis 3:21  Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
An animal had to be killed, thus begins the first mention of blood being spilled for atonement for man’s sin.
Leviticus 17:11  'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'
3722.  Kaphar, kaw-far’; a prim. Root; to cover (spec. With bkitumen) fit. To expiate or condone, to placate or cancel:–apease, make (an) atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (-liation).
The Prophetic & Redemptive Promise.
Genesis 3:15  And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."
The antagonism between people and snakes is used to symbolize the outcome of the titanic struggle between God and the evil one, a struggle played out in the hearts and history of mankind.  The offspring of the woman would eventually crush the serpent’s head, a promise fulfilled in Christ’s victory over Satan–a victory in which all believers will share.
Romans 16:20a  And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.
2.       God’s Covenant with Noah – Genesis Chapters 6 – 9.
God’s sorrow over the sinful condition of the earth.
        Genesis 6:5-6 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (6)And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
The Consequence - God would destroy the earth.
Genesis 6:7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."
    The Redemptive Factor:
·        Noah found grace in God’s eyes Genesis 6:8
·        God told Noah to build an ark Genesis 6:18-22
·        God remembered Noah and the waters abated Genesis 8:1-3
·        God’s Covenant Promise to Noah Genesis 8:20-22.
3.     God’s Covenant With Abraham – Genesis 12-18.
God’s promise & the first mention of a redeemed nation Genesis 12:1-4.
Genesis 12:1-2  Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
God’s response to Abraham’s obedience Genesis 12:6-7.
         Genesis 12:6-7  Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. (7)Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
God’s covenant promise to Abraham.
Genesis 15:13-16 Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. {14} "And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. {15} "Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. {16} "But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."
The Covenant with Abraham is Tested – Genesis 22:1-8.
When Abraham explained to his servants where he was going, he told them that he and the son would return.
Genesis 22:5b "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."
When Isaac asked Abraham concerning the sacrifice, Abraham responded by saying that God would provide.
Genesis 22:8a  And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering."
Abraham was basing his confession and response on the covenant God had established with him rather than the circumstances of the moment.
The Covenant Promise to Future Generations.
Genesis 15:13-16  Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. {14} "And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. {15} "Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. {16} "But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."
4.    God’s Covenant with Jacob - Genesis 28.
Jacob has Dream in which God Appears to Him.
Genesis 28:13-14  And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. {14} “Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Jacob’s Response to God’s Covenant with Him
Genesis 28:22  “And of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You”
In the land of Padan Aram Jacob gives Brith to 12 sons Genesis 29-31.
Jacob leaves Padan Aram with his twelve sons and returns to the land of his father.

Genesis 31:17-18  Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. {18} And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
Jacob’s Name is Changed to the Covenant Name, Israel”.
Genesis 32:27-28  So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." {28} And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."
Israel and His Twelve Sons Settle in the Promised Land - Genesis 37.
·     Joseph is loved more than all the children of Israel and is sold into slavery.
·     In Egypt Joseph is eventually raised up and during a time of famine his brothers come to Egypt.
·     Eventually the whole family comes to Egypt and dwell in the land of Goshen.
·     For 430 years they are slaves in Israel until the time Moses is raise up to deliver them.
5.   God’s Covenant With Israel Through Moses.
Moses is Called by God to Lead the Children of Israel to the Promised Land – Exodus 3:1-10.
Exodus 3:10 "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."
After the Ten Plagues, the People of Israel are Released through the Passover to Escape to the Promised Land - Exodus 12.
·     A Lamb shall be taken – Vss. 3-4
             ·     The Lamb shall be without blemish Vs. 5
             ·     The blood shall be applied to the doorposts of their homes Vs 7.
             ·     They shall eat the flesh Vs. 8.
             ·     They shall eat in haste Vs. 11.
             ·     They shall eat unleavened bread seven days Vs. 15.
III.     Conclusion:
         Everything that has been shared from this lesson points to one person and that person is Jesus Christ Who is God’s ultimate plan for redemption for all mankind, the Lamb of God.  Jesus was the Passover lamb that was sacrificed for our sins.  He is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament Passover lamb represented
John 1:29  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
1 Corinthians 5:7  Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 
1 Corinthians 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
God Bless.

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