Dr.
Thomas Chung’s message is based on Genesis
9:8-17.
God’s
covenant is the foundation of Judaism and Christianity. These covenants are essential to our faith as
God fulfilled all the covenants He made with us. Even in the midst of suffering and
devastations we can see God’s fulfilling His covenants. Like floods all over the world, wars in Syria
and Africa, and other calamities elsewhere.
God showed His mercy. Dr. Chung related a case of a child surviving
being buried underground for seven days in Syria.
The
covenant of mercy God’s made with Noah although was given to him was also
passed on to us. God also have mercy for
animals, places etc.
6 Covenants
1. Covenant He made with Noah
– Covenant of mercy.
2. Covenant with Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob – Covenant of inheritance.
3. Covenant with Jesus –
Covenant of eternity.
4. Covenant with Moses –
Covenant of obedience.
5. Covenant with David –
Covenant of kingship.
6. Covenant with Jeremiah and
Ezekiel – Covenant of regeneration.
Covenant of mercy
This
covenant was what God made with Noah.
God took His covenant very seriously.
In Gen 9:8-17, the word “covenant” appeared 7 times in this short
passage. A covenant is an obligation
undertaken by a person to fulfil a promise.
Two other meanings of covenant means agreement and testament.
God’s
covenant with Noah in Gen 9:8-11. In
verse 11 God said there will never be another great flood like the one in
Noah’s time, and indeed we had not seen such flood. The covenant of mercy God gave Noah is
unconditional. It is also a covenant of
grace. Grace is unmerited favours of
God. We cannot earn it. It is given by God freely.
Implications of covenant of mercy
These implications can be
seen in the Old and New testaments.
2 Samuel 12:20-23
The
above passage is about King David committing adultery with Bathsheba who bore
him a son. Their son was ill and King
David fasted and prayed for 7 days but the child died. After that King David
refreshed himself and went into the house of God to worship Him. Despite the death of the child God had shown
mercy to King David who acknowledge by worshipping Him.
In
Ezra chapter 9 we also saw how the Israelites disobeyed God and intermarried
with their neighbours besides other sins they committed. However, Ezra said God had not punished them
to the extent of their sins. Ezra 9:13. We can see the mercy of God here.
The climax of the mercy of God – The
Cross
The
ultimate mercy of God is the Cross. On
this Cross His One and Only Son died for our sins. God demanded justice and all who have sinned
must die. By right we should all be dead
because we are all sinners. But God had
mercy on us. His Son was made sin for us. He paid the price for us.
God’s
mercy is in action even in tribulations and devastations like floods,
earthquakes etc.
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