Big Picture: God’s purposes for the redemption of his people and his reign over them in the New Heavens and New Earth is realized through the various progressive covenants of salvation history. Although Scripture refers to many covenants, its focus is on six: Creation, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic (Old), Davidic, and New.

What is a Covenant? A covenant is a chosen relationship in which two parties make binding promises to each other.

• A covenant is a relationship, and that sets it apart from a contract.
• A covenant is a chosen or elected relationship.
• A covenant relationship includes binding promises and obligations.

God’s Kingdom Through the Progression of the Covenants

Scripture presents a plurality of covenants (Gal 4:24; Eph 2:12; Heb 8:7–13) that progressively reveal our triune God’s one redemptive plan for his one people, which reaches its fulfillment, telos, and terminus in Christ and the New Covenant. In Scripture, covenants are more than a unifying theme; they are the backbone to the Bible’s entire storyline, the relational reality and architectural structure that moves history forward according to God’s design and final plan for humanity and all creation. “God’s Kingdom through the progression of the covenants” captures the fundamental dynamic at work as God’s redemptive plan unfolds, which starts with Adam and creation and culminates in Christ.

----------------------

The Abrahamic Covenant stands in contrast to God's judgment on humanity's sin and presents anew the plan of creation.  Through Abraham, "another Adam" and his seed, God's salvation will come to the world. The Abrahamic Covenant…

• begins with God calling and making promises to Abraham. (Gen. 12)
• “cutting” or inaugurating the covenant. (Gen. 15)
• affirming the covenant through circumcision (Gen. 17)
• establishing the covenant with an oath (Gen. 22)

**This sermon owes a plagiarizing debt to D.A. Carson’s “The God Who Is There,” and Stephen Wellum/Peter Gentry’s “God’s Kingdom Through God’s Covenants”.