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Focus on the Future - 8

Forgotten Sign of the Covenant

So how does God do business with us? Grace or works? “Pastor Lonnie,” you say, “that’s a no-brainer. We’re saved by grace. You know that.” And I’ll say Amen to that! But many Christians believe that, way back in Old Testament times, God wanted to save Israel by their works. There’s confusion about God’s covenant and its forgotten sign.

We’ll talk about that forgotten sign shortly. But first let’s do a background check on God’s covenant.

The first mention of a covenant in the Bible is in Genesis, the book of beginnings. After creation the world became wicked. It got so bad that God had to destroy it with a flood. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Genesis 6 verse 8. Remember Noah, the man with the big boat? The Lord spared his life by grace. Then God established with him an official spiritual partnership known as the "everlasting covenant." If you’re writing these texts down, that’s Genesis 9 verse 16.

Later God approached Abraham with this same everlasting covenant of grace. The patriarch liked what he heard. In fact he "believed in the Lord,” who “accounted it to him for righteousness." Genesis 15, verses 5-6. So Abraham's covenant was based on belief, not works.

Unfortunately, Abraham's descendants forgot the gospel while living as slaves in Egypt. But in their distress they cried out to heaven. "God heard their groaning, and remembered His covenant with Abraham." Exodus 2 verse 24. Through one of the most dramatic events of historyBopening up the Red SeaBGod delivered them from bondage.

After bringing His people safely across, God led them in the desert to Mount Sinai. In that majestic setting He intended to renew with them the everlasting covenant of grace. The same one already established with Noah and Abraham. There, He introduced the covenant by reminding His people of what He had just done to save them: "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I ... brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me." Exodus 19, verses 4,5.

God wants the Israelites to accept His work for their salvation. But they don't even wait to find out what kind of covenant He is talking about. Impulsively they pledge, "All that the Lord says we will do.” Verse 8.

This sounds good. They want to obey. Yet there's a serious problem. The people are trusting their own performance—not God's promises. So He carefully explains the high demands of His holy law, hoping the Israelites would realize what they are trying to get themselves into.

I guess human nature just has to learn the hard way sometimes. Have you noticed? The ancient Israelis had to learn the hard way too. God knows what will happen. Yet He lets them exercise free choice and plunge themselves into a works-based religion. It was something quite different from the covenant of grace He had with Abraham.

The results are tragic. A few days after making those wonderful promises, we find the Israelites dancing around in a wild orgy, worshiping a golden calf. Picture the scene! All their promises and resolutions lie shattered in the desert sand.

Humbled and chastened, the Israelites are finally ready to hear the gospel. God explains the meaning of sacrificial lambs, just as He had done with Adam and Eve at the gates of the garden of Eden. Every bleeding lamb on the altar reminds them to trust for salvation in the blood of their Savior to come.

Centuries later Jesus came to this earth. His mission was to fulfill a new covenant. This was a different covenant than the old covenant established at Sinai. Why? It was based upon "better promises." Hebrews 8 verse 6. Better promises? Yes, because God made them, not frail humanity. Notice the promise of this new, or everlasting covenant: “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: ‘I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,’” then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.' Hebrews 10, verses 16-17.

Some suggest that under the new covenant God's law is abolished. But here we read the opposite: What had been engraved on tables of stone under the old covenant is now written in our minds and hearts under the new covenant.

Come with me long ago and far away to the Garden of Eden. It's the end of creation week. Everything is perfect and peaceful. Lush green meadows sparkle with wild flowers. Rivers race through fragrant forests and descend through waterfalls. Exotic birds of all colors frolic among the trees, their songs a chorus of praise. Then God creates a beautiful woman as His crowning masterpiece and presents her to Adam. God gives them together the custody of their paradise garden home.

As the sun is about to set on the sixth day of creation week, God looks around and nods approvingly. Everything is good. Just perfect, as only He can make it.

What happens next? Sabbath rest happens. Genesis 2 verse 3: AThen God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.' So God set apart the seventh day for rest. Not that He was tired! He gave the Sabbath for us to celebrate with Him His work of creation. Remember, Adam and Eve had done nothing themselves to earn the right to rest. Even so, God invited them to share the joy of His creation.

Did you know that it was Jesus who actually created the world? So the Sabbath has special meaning for Christians. In fact, Sabbath rest in Christ's finished work symbolizes what Christianity stands for. Other world religions focus upon self-realization and self-improvement—what people can do to better themselves. But Christianity celebrates Christ's accomplishments. That's why the Sabbath points us away from ourselves, away from our works, to trust in what Jesus has done for us.

Let's explore deeper into the Sabbath as a sign of salvation. God's law demands that all our work be faithfully performed and finished: ASix days shalt thou labor and do all thy work.' Exodus 20:9 [KJV]. And so we work hard all week trying to accomplish our tasks. Perhaps you’ve seen the bumper sticker: “The Faster I Go, the Behinder I Get!” So the end of the week comes, and guess what! Your work isn’t done. Neither is mine. When the sun goes down each Friday afternoon we have to be honest with ourselves confess our unfinished business. So what should we do? Roll up our sleeves and work harder?

No, God has a better idea. It’s called grace. God invites us, though undeserving, to rest anyway. Not because we finished our work but because He finished His work and earned for us the right to rest. This is what the Sabbath is about: grace. Getting what we don’t deserve. Sabbath rest. It’s right there in the fourth commandment surrounded by all the duties required by the other Ten Commandments. It’s right there! How did we manage to miss it? God offers us rest from our unfinished works by reminding us of His perfect work on our behalf.

The Sabbath also provides rich insight into the meaning of Calvary. Let's reverently visit the cross on that fatal Friday afternoon. How things have changed since that first Friday of creation week! Instead of beautiful meadows and mountains, we see the bare rocks of Golgotha. Rather than the happy songs of paradise birds, we hear the mocking shout: ACrucify Him!'

Yes, so much has changed. But one thing remains the same between those two Friday afternoons of Creation and Calvary. And what was it, friend? Here it is: Once again Jesus is completing a work for us. With His dying breath He cries: "It is finished!" John 19, verse 30. The lost world is now redeemed! We are complete in Christ.

As the sun begins to set at Calvary, friends of Jesus lay Him to rest inside a tomb. There He stays over Sabbath hours to memorialize His completed work for our salvation. After His quiet Sabbath repose Jesus arises and ascends to heaven's royal throne.

Don’t be scared of the Sabbath, friend. It’s a gift from God to memorialize Christ's two greatest accomplishmentsBcreating us and saving us. He gave us life and then new life. These are the reasons above all others why God is worthy of our worship. No wonder Scripture declares the Sabbath to be the special sign, between God and His people: AKeep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.' Ezekiel 20 verse 12.

What a wonderful Lord we have! First He created us and then He saved us. Now He calls us to worship Him. That’s what keeping the Sabbath is all about.