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The Kingdom of God is the Unifying Theme of the Bible

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the gospel.” (Mk. 1:14-15)

•Jesus used the term as if assured it would be understood. The Kingdom of God was embedded in the vocabulary of every Jew.

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Old Testament and New Testament View

“The Kingdom of God involves the whole notion of the rule of God over his people, and particularly the vindication of that rule and people in glory at the end of history.”

John Bright

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Comparison of Four Systems

• Dispensationalism

• Covenant Theology

• New Covenant

• Epochal - Lasor

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Scripture as a Record of God’s Mission

1. The Bible is the true story of the world in which we find our place and role.

2. God’s mission to redeem the world is the main story-line of the narrative that the Bible tells.

3. In the Old Testament, God chooses and forms Israel as a people with a view to bringing salvation to the whole world.

4. In Jesus, God’s purpose to restore the creation comes to a climax.

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5. Church taken up into God’s mission to continue the mission of Israel and Jesus.

6. The already-not yet period of the kingdom is an eschatological era of the missional ingathering of the nations.

7. The mission of God’s people involves a missional encounter with culture which both embraces the treasures and opposes the idolatry of all cultures.

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Continuation of GenesisGod as Creator 

Imago Dei:

•Man is created in God’s image. Man is created immortel. •Our body dies but we do not. Man has a soul That will live forever. What is created in God’s image is the spirit (God does not have a physical body). •Man has moral attributes of God and has the ability to choose. •Man is creative. There is no limit to our capacity to create. •The concept of Dominion places man as stewards over creation.

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Continuation of GenesisGod as Creator 

Genesis is Divided two ways:•Chapters 1- 11 is about Universal History

Primary Instruction: We see both the sovereignty and transcendence of God. •Chapters 12- 50 is about God choosing a people

Primary Instruction: God is always in the redemption business.

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Five Things We Learn In Genesis Concerning: Missio Dei

1.God is the One TRUE God.2.God has called a people.3. Israel is to live representing Him before the

nations.4.How Israel lives before the nations is one

évidence of His authority as King.5.He is a God of covenant and His

eschatalogical promise to Abraham is Mission of rédemption is for all people.

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Abrahamic CovenantGenesis 12:1-3, NASB

“Now the LORD said to Abram,

“[Go forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father’s house,

To the land which I will show you;2 And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so  you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will ]curse.

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

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What is the Meaning of Blessing?

(Barak) Hebrew word used five times:

•Denotes fruitfulness and the capacity to multiply.•The Blessing is set in the context of relationship both vertical and horizontal.

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Vertical and Horizontal Blessing

Vertical:

They know God is blessing them and they seek to live in faithful relationship with their God.

Horizontal:

The relational element of the blessing reaches out to those around.* Laban is enriched by God’s blessing on Jacob (30:27-30).

*Potiphar is blessed through the presence of Joseph (39:5).

*Pharaoh is blessed by Jacob (47:7, 10)

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Galatians 3:5-9, NASB

“So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.”  So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”

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The Kingdom is Not Filled with Slaves but instead Sons

“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into

our hearts, crying, “ Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no

longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”

Galatians 4:6-7, NASB

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Sin as Covenant RebellionSalvation is Key

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Covenant Rebellion to Idolatry

“If human beings are inescapably religious, driven always to seek an object of worship, then the fall cannot be characterised solely as revolt against the rightful Lord: It must be described further as exchange of religious allegiance.” (Chaplin)

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Exodus: Formation of a People

By mighty act of redemption (1-

18)

By covenant (19-24)

By His presence (25-40)

“Exodus is not a literary or theological

goulash. It did not come together haphazardly

or without a guiding purpose, or with no

unified concept to hold it together.” (Durham)

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Redemption

Redeemer is one who liberates family Redeemer is one who liberates family member who has fallen into bondagemember who has fallen into bondage

Israel bound to Pharaoh in Israel bound to Pharaoh in covenant?covenant?

Living under authority of Pharaoh Living under authority of Pharaoh was religious was religious

Liberation to serve God in all of lifeLiberation to serve God in all of life

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Liberated to serve God alone

‘‘In the Exodus, the power of the suzerain is In the Exodus, the power of the suzerain is broken; the pharaoh, the god-king of Egypt, broken; the pharaoh, the god-king of Egypt, was defeated and therefore lost his right to was defeated and therefore lost his right to be Israel’s suzerain lord; the Lord conquered be Israel’s suzerain lord; the Lord conquered the pharaoh and therefore ruled as King over the pharaoh and therefore ruled as King over Israel (Exod. 15:18). As their deliverer, God Israel (Exod. 15:18). As their deliverer, God had claimed the right to call for his people’s had claimed the right to call for his people’s obedient commitment to him in the covenant’ obedient commitment to him in the covenant’ (Craigie).(Craigie).

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By a Mighty Act of Redemption

By a mediatorBy a mediator

YahwehYahweh

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Meaning of Yahweh

Covenant faithfulnessCovenant faithfulness

Presence with IsraelPresence with Israel

““I will be who I will be” I will be who I will be”

(character known by future acts)(character known by future acts)

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By a Mighty Act of Redemption

•Through acts of judgments

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Judgment on Egypt’s Gods Nile turned to blood: Khnum-guardian of Nile; Nile turned to blood: Khnum-guardian of Nile;

Hapi- spirit of the Nile; Osiris-Nile was bloodstreamHapi- spirit of the Nile; Osiris-Nile was bloodstream Frogs: Heqt-god in frog formFrogs: Heqt-god in frog form Cattle: Hathor-mother goddess in form of cow; 2 Cattle: Hathor-mother goddess in form of cow; 2

bull godsbull gods Boils: Imhotep-god of medicineBoils: Imhotep-god of medicine Hail: Nut-sky goddessHail: Nut-sky goddess Locusts: Seth-protector of cropsLocusts: Seth-protector of crops Darkness: Re-sun godDarkness: Re-sun god

“...I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am Yahweh” (Exodus 12:12).

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Exodus is a SetupFor A Kingdom of the Redeemed

The Exodus is a holistic model of Political, economic, and The Exodus is a holistic model of Political, economic, and spiritual redemption. spiritual redemption.

Our Mission is to show the same broad concern that God has Our Mission is to show the same broad concern that God has for humanity. (Bayside Church – Unleashing Compassion)for humanity. (Bayside Church – Unleashing Compassion)

To Respond to God’s Redemption is to:To Respond to God’s Redemption is to: Obey the Calling to Imitate GodObey the Calling to Imitate God To release slavesTo release slaves GenerosityGenerosity Forgiveness and debts “transgressions”Forgiveness and debts “transgressions” Reliant on God’s Capacity (the Cross is Central)Reliant on God’s Capacity (the Cross is Central)

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Numbers: Failure in School of Covenant Training

Ideal Israel (1-9) Through the wilderness (10-21)

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Schools in Wilderness:Lessons to be Learned Follow Lord’s appointed leader Trust Lord to provide

necessities Trust Lord to defeat enemies

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The Choice

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Numbers: Failure in School of Covenant Training

Ideal Israel (1-9)

Through the wilderness (10-21)

In the plains of Moab (22-36)

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The Story of Numbers

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Deuteronomy: Israel Prepared to Enter the Land

First sermon: The Lord’s grace to Israel (1-4:40)

Second sermon: The Lord’s law for life in the land (4:39-28:68)

Third sermon: Exhortation to choose life (29,30)

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