Reaction and Thoughts on Lecture Two of Biblical Theology:

Why would it be beneficial to identify a unifying theme working throughout the Bible? The benefits of this practicality is that we will be more readily able to understand and recognize what God was saying and what God was doing. God’s word and deed can never be separated, what God says, God does.

Therefore, Biblical Theology begins with understanding the Trinity. The Trinity, made up of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, can be translated into three themes, The Kingdom, The Covenant, and The Mediator.

The Kingdom referring to God, as Psalm 93:1 and 96 put it, God reigns. With the word “Kingdom ” a few different things can be implied. For example, a King is required in order to have a Kingdom. The Bible talks about the Reign of God. Jesus himself emphasizes that the very heart of the Kingdom idea is the Reign of God. God is active. He is actually in complete sovereign control of the everyday life of everything within His Creation. The next “Kingdom” might refer to is Jerusalem. Is it possible to think of a Kingdom without thinking of a domain? The Bible talks about the reign over His domain. This would imply everything in his domain (all of creation), not just Jerusalem falls under his reign. What happens when someone does not acknowledge God’s reign? Does that mean they are not part of the Kingdom? If you look at any of the king’s or leader’s of old, any of the English Kings/Queens, Nebuchadnezzar, Napoleon, etc., if you lived within their domain would you not be subject to their reign, whether you wanted to acknowledge it or not?

It is helpful for me to think of it this way as well, that because God reigns, so and so reigns. This means that who ever is in power as been appointed to power by God. I have this tendency to want to say that God has allowed things to happen rather than appointed because if I say appointed, I am implying that God knowingly allowed this or that to happen, and if I don’t agree with it then I must confront the God who is all knowing and working all things for His Glory. This is hard because it forces us come to terms with the fact that we do not understand everything God does and therefore must trust, have faith, in Him and put down our foolish pride that says we know what’s best in every situation. It also makes us realize that there is so much more going on in this world, and there is so much more at stake than most of the little things we get weighed down by on a daily basis.

Now back to the Kingdom, I must apologize as I will often lose myself in tangents of thought. The kingdom is pretty easy to see in the Old Testament, as you can see God actually leading his people, reigning over them and through word and action. In the New Testament it is just a prevalent, just in a different way. John the Baptist came preaching the Kingdom, essentially creating the foundation of New Testament Theology on the fact that the Kingdom had come, that Jesus, the Mediator, had come. The New Testament is filled with examples of Jesus exercising his authority and reign over all things. When he said something, it happened, whether that was calming the seas, casting out demons as well as Satan himself, healing the sick, or raising the dead. This is also exactly what Paul was doing in the Acts 28. By living with confidence in the word and promises of God, telling them of Christ and his works, he was bringing the authority and reign of God to everyone he came into contact with (barbarians and Jews alike). 

            You can begin to see that there was something special about Paul if you read Acts 28. There is an incredible amount of unrelenting passion and tireless work that he displays and points to his intimate relationship with God. You can visibly see the fruits of what happens when God creates an abiding relationship with His people.

            This brings us to the second theme, the Covenant. Covenant cannot be separated from the idea of kingdom. The word is mentioned 290 times in the Bible but never once defined by the Bible. This makes it difficult to fully understand because it is used for many different reasons in many different conditions. A few meanings as defined by different scenerios:

                        -To rise, establish (was the referred to as covenant).

                        -To continue – For example: I will continue with you.

                        -To give – Idea of a gift. Example: I gift you my covenant.

                        -Is, it exists – Once I give it, so it is.

                        - Remember

                        - God Keeps – Used the most when people were told to be obedient.

                        - Set – Used with David in reference to foundations (building foundations)

            Bond/Relationship – God established a relationship, an unbreakable bond. Much like a marriage bond   

                              is intended to be. In our world bonds can be broken, but to God a covenant is unbreakable.

            Examples: Unilateral – All God’s covenants

      Bilateral – Marriage

Very important to understand difference with Conditional and Contingent

            Conditional – If you do this, then that (making deal with God)

            Contingent – When you do this, this happens (trust/belief in God)

So what is Covenant? It is an abiding (steadfast, enduring, continuing without change) relationship that God sets up. At the very heart of this all however is the third and most important theme, the Mediator. Adam and Eve were the first mediators, appointed by God. After that it became the seed of the woman, then Kings, Queens, and Prophets, and ultimately it all leading up to the second Adam, Christ.

Christ is the pinwheel on which all else turns (in understanding the Bible, Biblical Theology, and the world around us). Not only is He spoken of as the Kingdom, but He as the ultimate Mediator, He has come as the physical manifestation and expression of God’s Covenant with His people (who are also referred to as His Kingdom).