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BACKGROUND
DEFINITION OF TERMS (For Serious Students)
COVENANT
LAW
LAW
I. In the Old Testament
II. In the New Testament
GRACE
GRACE, MEANS OF
KINGDOM OF GOD
KINGDOM OF GOD, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
I. In John the Baptist
II. In the teaching of Jesus
III. Kingdom and church
IV. In the rest of the New Testament
V. In theological thought
The
full background to this teaching is available online at this link
<b>DEFINITION OF TERMS</b> (For Serious Students)
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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| CENTRAL KINGDOM CHARACTERS |
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___________THE THREE KINGDOM AGES__________
THEME______PATRIARCHS__PROPHETS___PEOPLE___
_______________Creation_____c.1500BC______c.5BC___
_______________c.1800BC_____c.432BC___Jesus Return
SOCIETY_______Nomadic_____Agrarian___Developmental
REACHING_______Family_______Nation________World
SALVATION___Righteousness____Law_________Grace
PRIESTHOOD__Melchizedek_____Aaron________Jesus
SUCCESS BY_Reproduction____Prosperity____Sacrifice
SACRIFICE______Isaac________Animals________Jesus
PROMISE_____Edenic Cvt.__Abrahamic Cvt._New Covenant
PERSONIFIED_Abraham (Seed)_Moses (Guide)_Jesus (The Way)
Each of the three kingdom ages has featured an individual who has characterized and personified the message of the age. God has used each of the three to be His mouthpiece and example for bringing His ongoing revelation of Himself to the people of the times.
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| ABRAHAM - THE SEED - FATHER OF THE NATIONS |
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 Abram (exalted father) was chosen by God to become Abraham (father of a multitude), the physical father of the Jews and our spiritual father today, through the chosen line of Isaac. Incidentally, he is also the spiritual father of the Moslems, through Ishmael!
Genesis 17:3-7
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 As we have already seen, the 'promise' of the 'Promised Land' of Canaan, the nation of the second kingdom age, was given to Abraham.
Genesis 17:8
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 But God reiterated once again, that all His promises are conditional upon obedience. In this case, obedience was to be shown through the painful, physical process of circumcision. For at this time there was no formal Law, either in written form or placed upon the heart, as existed in the two next kingdom ages.
Genesis 17:9-14
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 Abraham was the example to those of his own and succeeding generations. For God blessed him physically, with huge flocks and wealth, and spiritually, as the father of the nations to come.
Genesis 24:1
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The Jews looked back, and still do, upon Abraham as being both their father and God's friend.
2 Chronicles 20:7
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 They still keep hold of the promise of God through Isaiah.
Isaiah 41:8-10
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 Jesus too, acknowledged the special place of Abraham in the Jewish inheritance.
Luke 19:9-10
Indeed, Abraham was God's foremost representative during the first kingdom age.
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| MOSES - THE GUIDE - COMMUNICATOR OF THE LAW |
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 Moses was God's messenger, conveying the Law and God's other desires, to the people.
Exodus 19:9
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 The anointing of God rested upon him so strongly, that others could not bear to look at him after he had been in God's presence.
Exodus 34:33-35
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 In the New Testament he is referred to as the representative of the Law and as a type of Christ.
John 1:17
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 Moses too, was the only human to whom Jesus likened himself.
John 5:45-7
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 The writer of Hebrews also made this comparison, with Jesus being pictured as a greater Moses.
Hebrews 3:1-6
Yes, Moses was the outstanding character bestriding the second kingdom age.
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| JESUS - THE WAY - THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE |
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 Few would argue with the thesis that Jesus was the dominant figure of the third kingdom age. As reflected in the New Testament by Jesus himself.
John 14:6-7
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And attested to by many others. Christ is the successor to the Law, represented by Moses.
Romans 10:4
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 Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant that replaces the Law.
Hebrews 9:14
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And Christ is the same, past, present and future.
Hebrews 13:8
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 Today, Christ lives in believers. A message Paul delivered as God's servant, often through pain and hardship.
Colossians 1:24
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As people of His church, we are to become like Jesus.
1 John 1:7
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 Jesus took on the nature of a servant, and we are to do so too.
Philippians 2:5-11
Jesus is our example, not only the giant character of the third kingdom age in which we live, but also as Savior of the world!
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| CONCLUSION |
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 Jesus linked Himself with Abraham and Moses in the story of Lazarus and the rich man. In so doing He linked the leading characters of the three kingdom ages.
Luke 16:23-31
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| <i>NEXT WEEK</i> A REVELATION OF....... 3 KINGDOM AGES
GOVERNING THE KINGDOM |
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 A big problem in the church is the way we structure authority. For, in many cases, we apply structures that apply to previous kingdom ages.
So let's see what is applicable to today's third kingdom age.
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 God always has a man or woman for the times. One who is fully sold out to Him and available to be used in whatever way God chooses.
The question He asks each one of us is, "Are you available?"
"God, use me in which ever way you choose - be it big, small, or even, not at all. I surrender everything to you."
TORAH SCROLL
Illustration of an Ancient Torah Scroll
Source: http://www.bible-history.com
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
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870. The foolish one looks inwards, the wise outwards, but the godly, upwards.
David Tait
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Moses met with the Lord in the Tent of Meeting. 
He was regarded as the first amongst all the prophets in the Old Testament. 
Christ is the head of the church.