DAY 150 - BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE LAW
THEN HE TOOK THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT AND READ IT TO THE PEOPLE. THEY RESPONDED, “WE WILL DO EVERYTHING THE LORD HAS SAID; WE WILL OBEY.
EXODUS 24:7
Reading: Genesis 2: 15-17; Genesis 9: 1; Genesis 12: 1-3; Genesis 24: 4-11
“Covenant” is not a word that is used in the first 3 chapters of Genesis, but if you read carefully, you will see that there is a clear description of it in these chapters.
The Creator of the universe creates a people, provides for them, gives them mandates by which to live, then tells them that if they disobey by eating of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they will surely die. They will essentially, slowly lose all the things that He has done for them and the life that He has given them until it is gone completely...eternally. This is the covenant that was broken at the fall on man’s part. But God would not have it. He would not let the story end that way. He would restore it. He makes another covenant with Noah, and then with Abraham. These covenants may look different, but they are not – God is still pursuing the same things. Now, we are at the mountain of Sinai, and God is making this covenant with the people of Israel. “You will be my people.” “I will give you the land – if you obey.” With mandates by which to live...
God made a covenant with Israel to live as His people, in the land that He would give them. If they followed THE LAW in that land – central to which was the love of God Himself - they would experience great blessing and become a witness to all the world – blessing all the nations around them. You are called into covenant with God Himself. You are part of His people. He will give you what He has promised you in this life, if you obey. He has given you His Holy Spirit, as a seal of the covenant, that you may follow THE LAW of God.
Prayer
You are amazing, God – that you created us in your image, gave us life and everything we need, because you loved us so. Thank you for not giving up on us. Thank you for choosing me.
For the family
Explain
Explain to your children that they are called to be part of the covenant people of God. One of the ways that they are part of the covenant people, is having their parents teach them the ways of God. One day, they, too, will have children, and they should then do the same. This achieves one of the mandates that God gave, which is to multiply His image on the earth – what the Israelites were told to do as well, so that they can be a witness to all nations of who God is.
Engage
Watch this clip with your children: https://youtu.be/8ferLIsvlmI