The Kingdom of Covenants The Need for Restoration.

The Kingdom of Covenants

The Need for Restoration

“I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose”- Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, Lk. 4:43

„Your Kingdom come, your will be done“ - Matt. 6:10

Class goals

– Understanding the Covenants and the Kingdom. They serve as a key to understand the OT and NT.

– To better understand the need and the progress of God’s plan.

– Covenants also provides an opportunity to share the gospel with non-believes.

– Relation between Church and Israel– Know and interpret the most important messianic

passage of the Old Testament

Course procedure

• Progressive revelation vs. systematic theology

Advanced Class

The Need for Restoration

Genesis 1-12

Creation of Man

• Why did God create man?• Genesis 1 & 2 are two accounts of creation• Pinnacle is the creation of man– Genesis 2 sees creation through this pinnacle

Genesis 1:26-28

• What is the image of God?

Image in the immediate context is linked to dominion

Genesis 2

• V7: Perfect Creation– Personal involvement

• V15: Perfect nature: Garden • Why the tree?• V18-20: Perfect Partner

A perfect man in the image of God ruling over a perfect world as God’s representative.

The Fall

• Reading Genesis 3:1-13• Results– Shame (3:7)– Fear (3:8-10)– Relationships broken (3:11-13)– Estrangement from Creation (3:16-17, 19)– Spiritual death (3:22-24)

The promise

• V14-15: The serpent destroyed by „seed“• Why did they not die?– Principle of sacrifice– Principle of grace

• V22-24 - Tree of lifePs 16:11 You lead me in the path of life; I

experience absolute joy in your presence; you always give me sheer delight.

Gen 3:15

Genesis 1-11 Genesis 3: First Turning point

Genesis 4: Murder

Genesis 5: Genealogy of Death

Genesis 6-9 Flood

Genesis 10-11: Babel

Genesis 12: The second turning point

Reason for Creation

• Gods Original intent: A perfect man in the image of God ruling over a perfect world as God’s representative.

• Man’s rebellion: corrupted mankind and world, spiritually and physically.

• God’s goal in history: Restoration of man and world to a perfect state.

• God’s means: To create a prefect instrument to restore the blessing to the whole world.

Discussion questions

• What does it mean to be ‘God’s perfect representative’ for us today?

• Sin has rendered us helpless and completely dependent on God and his plan of restoration. How do we oftentimes try to deal with sin on our own? Can you think of other characters in the Bible who exemplify this?

• Do you think that the principle of sacrifice and the principle of grace are present in the text of Genesis 3? What other explanations are possible?