Sabbath School Lesson for January 7-13, 2023
Overview of Lesson 2, God’s Covenants With Us
Memory Verse: ” ‘Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.’ ” Deuteronomy 28:1, 2 NKJV
This week we will explore these topics:
- Sunday: God’s covenant that involves our salvation–What is universalism?
- Monday: Moses reviews God’s covenant in Deuteronomy.–Were God’s blessings and promises unconditional? (Deuteronomy 28:1-14)
- Tuesday: Solomon shares how we are to honor God.–How will putting God first make us wise and not foolish? (Proverbs 3:1-10)
- Wednesday: Malachi stresses the value in returning a tithe (a tenth) of our increase to God.–How are we blessed by tithing and what are we to do with that blessing? (Malachi 3:7-11)
- Thursday: Jesus invites us to seek God’s kingdom first.–How do both rich and poor receive God’s blessing? (Matthew 6:25-33)
There are basically two kinds of covenants that God has with humanity. One of them is bilateral, meaning it involves two parties. Both God and humans have a part to perform in the plan of salvation, for instance. As we choose to obey God’s commands, He blesses us materially and spiritually, giving us the grace needed to obey.
There are also unilateral covenants that consist of promises of God that benefit all mankind. The promise of rain, sunshine, and seasonal changes that control our livelihoods would fall under this category. Also, the promise that another worldwide flood would not cover the earth would be unilateral in nature, involving only God’s merciful benevolence. See Matthew 5:45, Genesis 8:22, and 9:11.
The law of God, contained in His covenant, has a definite role to play in the salvation covenant, as we diligently look for ways to obey His words out of love. His specific commands to turn away from idolatry, to keep the Sabbath, and to refrain from certain unhealthy foods should still therefore be taken seriously by all God’s children. Likewise, honoring God by faithfully managing the resources given us, is an important way to fulfill the covenant agreement we make with God.
Sunday: The Salvation Covenant
The Bible is quite clear that those who accept God’s salvation have certain obligations to fulfill, as part of our covenant agreement with God. Despite clear directives for man’s participation, there are some who believe that everyone will be saved, regardless of their behavior or even their choice. This is called “universalism”. It appears to describe God’s merciful nature, but falls short of revealing the justice that God also embodies, with a reasonable future end of death and suffering sin has brought to our planet.
Even though Paul would be the first to declare that salvation is by faith alone, he was able to confidently share with his friend Timothy, when his execution was near, that he had “fought a good fight”, had finished his course, and kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:6-8). By faith, he was able to claim the “crown of righteousness”, which is the righteousness of Christ.
Although keeping the law seems to be a more urgent theme of the Old Testament, we find numerous references that encourage thoughtful, loving commandment keeping throughout the New Testament.
Bible Verses for Thought and Discussion:
1 John 5:13, Matthew 10:22, John 6:29, and 2 Peter 1:10, 11
- What do these verses tell us about how to be saved? What is our part?
2 Timothy 4:6-8
- How do we “fight a good fight”, when it comes to our salvation?
Monday: To Hearken Diligently
Moses must have known that his life was drawing to a close, as they neared the Promised Land, after their allotted forty years of wandering in the desert. His farewell sermons are recorded in the book of Deuteronomy, called “The Book of Remembrance”. He fervently counsels the Israelites to obey God and enjoy the blessings He supplies as a result of their faithfulness.
God’s covenant is reviewed in Deuteronomy, including the lofty Ten Commandments that were received on Mt. Sinai (Deuteronomy 5:6-21). Moses stressed that God’s commands were not beyond their ability to obey (Deuteronomy 30:11, 14). They were to obey them diligently, with love motivating their actions (Deuteronomy 6:5).
If they did not comply with His requirements, however, Moses warned that they would experience very harsh consequences. These curses, as they are called, were also specified, leaving them with no excuse for ignoring God’s precepts. They would soon experience the results of their disobedience, if they did not chose God’s way of salvation.
Bible Verses for Thought and Discussion:
Deuteronomy 28:9, 13, 15, 18, 25
- How would Israel benefit from obeying God?
- What were some of the consequences for not obeying Him?
Deuteronomy 30:11, 14 and 6:5 and Psalm 51:10, 11
- How and why does God expect us to obey?
- What tools does He supply for us in our efforts to follow Him?
Tuesday: Honor the Lord
The book of Proverbs, which gives us many wise sayings, outlines the many ways we honor God in order to be wise. One repeated refrain in these sayings is the need to honor God with our first fruits.
Giving God the best we have, and doing it before anything else, is the best way to honor God by our gifts. Giving Him the remnant of our increase, the leftovers, will not be sufficient in honoring God the way He deserves.
The reason this is true is because giving God the best and doing it first is an act of faith. It not only shows we are thankful, but that we trust Him to continue blessing us with adequate provisions. Proverbs 3:10 tells us that if we put Him first, our “barns will be filled with plenty”.
Hardship may come, but God has ways to help us overcome adversity, if we place our faith in His loving arms. Isaiah 26:3 confirms this by saying, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
Bible Verses for Thought and Discussion:
Proverbs 3:1-10
- Why is trusting God so important, and how do we show that trust (v. 5)?
- How is God honored by our possessions (v. 9)?
- Does this mean ALL our possessions, or just what we give to Him? How and why do we honor Him with all our possessions?
- Why do harsh times still plague us, even when we are giving God our best (v. 10)?
- How do we avoid losing trust in God when our provisions are not enough to sustain us, when the “barns are not full”?
Wednesday: The Tithe Contract
The prophet Malachi used a series of interesting questions and answers to address the many problems the Israelites were having at the time. One of those questions involved robbing God (Malachi 3:8). The Eighth Commandment tells us not to steal. Could that possibly include stealing from God? Naturally, they wanted to know the answer to this intriguing question.
Malachi goes on to remind his peers of the give-and-take nature of the covenant agreement we have with God. One of the ways to show our faith in Him is by returning one-tenth of our increase to His storehouse. Doing this faithfully, with a loving, thankful heart, allows God to pour out abundant blessings to us in return.
The surplus He provides from our faithful tithe-paying allows us to help others even more, making us a blessing to them as well. These transactions make us partners with God, enabling God’s kingdom to be experienced in a way that would not otherwise be possible.
Bible Verses for Thought and Discussion:
Malachi 3:7-11
- Who benefits from the tithe?
- What does the practice of tithing have to do with the Ten Commandments and our relationship with God?
Thursday: Seek Ye First
Prophets throughout Scripture have emphasized the importance of our choice to serve God. Our choice can indeed result in either blessing or curses. In other words, there are good and bad consequences for just about all we do here on earth. Moses said it plainly in Deuteronomy 30:19. “…I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live”. And of course, we know that Jesus is the “life” we are to choose (John 14:6).
Jesus goes further, however, by reminding us that we should make that choice to serve God before anything else (Matthew 6:33). Although there is plenty to worry about in this world, either our own welfare or that of those we care about, it is particularly important to put God first in all our choices, in all we do or say (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Seeking God first, making Him the first priority of our life, is paramount to finding the peace and joy He offers . This makes the prompt, faithful return of our tithes and offerings to God the perfect statement of our faith and our desire to make God our first choice.
We have a part to play in the great controversy by listening to the Holy Spirit and obeying what God calls us to do. Examples of this would include confessing our sins, in order to receive forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9). And, by keeping our mind on God and trusting in Him, in order to have “perfect peace” (Isaiah 26:3).
Bible Verses for Thought and Discussion:
Matthew 6:25-34
- What kind of thought processes can keep us from worrying about the material things in life?
- What can we actually do that will make us worry less and trust God more?
- What are some ways we can show our trust in God?
Friday: Final Thoughts
The modern words for “covenant” would be contract, alliance, or pact. The strength of these worldly agreements, whether for business or political purposes, depends on the choices and actions of both parties involved. They typically consist of…
- laws or rules to be followed,
- promises or guarantees if the parties comply,
- and the invitation to choose or sign up for the specified terms of the agreement.
All these components are contained in the covenant we make with God. Even though the parties in this spiritual contract are obviously not equal–God has the advantage of being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent–there remains the possibility of a mutual love relationship between God and His creatures. The only thing God can’t do for us is make the choice to enter this covenant relationship with Him.
Our choice largely depends on how much we trust the Lawgiver. As we will discover in our lesson next week, one important way to show and develop this trust is by returning one-tenth of our increase to Him. This regular statement of faith reminds us of our covenant with God. By recognizing Him as the Owner of everything on earth, we experience a partnership with Him, giving us the opportunity to advance the Kingdom of God and continue receiving His blessing.
Next Week: The Tithing Contract
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