4B(intro)
© Jeff Stacey | Last updated: 24 October 2016
CHART 4B: HOW GOD’S EVERLASTING COVENANT, ESTABLISHED WITH ABRAHAM AND HIS CHOSEN DESCENDANTS ISAAC AND JACOB (“ISRAEL”, AND HIS DESCENDANTS), ACTUALLY WORKED OUT UNTIL THE DEATH OF JOSEPH
[GENESIS 11:27 – 50:26]
Introduction
4B(intro)1 The information about God and the history so far: Charts 1A to 4A
The Introduction to Chart 4A [4A(intro)1] summarised the information about God and the history as set out in Charts 1A to 3B(JOB).
Chart 4A then outlined the new movement abruptly initiated by God Gen 12:1-2,3 [4A3(a)]. Noah had earlier said prophetically that God was “the God of Shem”, Noah’s eldest son Gen 9:26a [3B27(c)]. In grace God sovereignly and UNCONDITIONALLY chose Shem’s descendant Abraham [4A4(sub-title, b)] and made two UNCONDITIONAL declarations of blessing to him [4A3(c)(i) and 4A5(sub-title)] and five UNCONDITIONAL promises to him [4A9(a-e)].
God declared to Abraham: “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” Gen 12:3c. Ultimately God was going to express His own nature on Earth by making Himself known TO all people THROUGH Abraham and his chosen descendants! So God had stated specifically that eventually He would completely accomplish His primary purpose on Earth [4A3(c)].
Later God formally confirmed His unchanging commitment to Abraham and his chosen descendants by “establishing His everlasting Covenant” with them [4A8]. This involved two further declarations Gen 17:7,8. He would be their God forever and would give them the Land of Canaan to be their homeland forever [4A8(b)(i, ii)].
In grace, God began this commitment by giving them the “package” [4A8(c)] of His Covenantal commission [4A11] and its associated Covenantal gifts [4A9], requirements [4A10] and warnings [4A12]. CONDITIONALLY they could THEN share with God in accomplishing His primary purpose positively [4A11(b)(ii)]. But this would only be IF they believed His unchanging declarations and promises and obeyed His Covenantal requirements [4A11(b)(i)]. So the paradigm of responsibility for them under this Covenant [4A13(c)] was again the same in principle as previously.
4B(intro)2 God’s Covenantal commitment
This Covenant was the beginning for Abraham and his chosen descendants of their theologically defined history. That is, how it actually worked out would be based on God’s unchanging Covenantal commitment to them – His UNCONDITIONAL declarations and promises. This was despite many circumstances that would gravely threaten them.
There were frequent encounters between God and the main characters as He communicated directly with them [see 4B21(a)]. They later responded to His instructions in various ways, when their heart-commitment to Him was acutely tested by challenging life situations. Their responses always had consequences that vitally influenced the resulting outcomes.
Due to the large amount of material, detailed explanations for these cycles of testing are only given for the most significant episodes [see 4B24(a)].
All of this was how God’s everlasting Covenant with Abraham actually worked out initially. But His commitment to Abraham was permanent and unchanging. So it would continue to apply after the historical events that were recorded in Era 4.
4B(intro)3 Chart 4B
Chart 4B, like Chart 4A, is derived from GENESIS 11:27 – 50:26. These chapters are basically a historical narrative. They consist of selective biographies of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. They describe how God’s Covenantal declarations and promises to Abraham and his descendants began to be implemented.