From the Garden to the City

From the Garden to the City The Covenant with Abraham

Review • We are on a journey from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1-3) to the city of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21,22). • This journey covers seven covenants: • The covenant with Adam, • The covenant with Noah, • The Covenant with Abraham, • The Covenant with Moses, • The Covenant with David, • The Covenant with Cyrus. • The Covenant with The Lord Jesus Christ.

Review • The first six covenants are covenants under the “Old Covenant” and they all fail. • The seventh covenant is the “New Covenant” and is everlasting. • A special emphasis of this study is how various aspects of the first six covenants are “fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17) in the New Covenant. • All things become new--not all new things! (II Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 21:5) • Tonight we begin the first of the big three covenants under the Old Covenant: Abraham, Moses, and David.

Old Covenant Pattern of History • Each of the first six covenantal periods of history under the Old Testament seems to follow the same pattern. • Exodus: God moves his people from one place to another • Establishment of covenant: God gives his promises and commands. (The sanctuary is established.) • History: Advancement • : Fall • : Decline • Announcement: Judgment of the old world (covenant) and intention to form a new world • Judgment: God judges His people and they usually go into captivity. God destroys the Sanctuary.

Covenant with Abraham • Biblical ReferencesDate • Exodus: Genesis 12:1-5 2083 A.M. • Abraham leaves Ur and goes to Land of Canaan • Estab. of Cov.: Genesis 15:1-21; 2093?, A.M. • God walks between the pieces of animals • 17:1-22 2107 A.M. • Circumcision the boundary sacrament • History – Advan: Genesis 16:1- 50:26 2107-2369 A.M. • From being childless unto Joseph ruling the world • -Fall: Joshua 24:14 2370 A.M.? • Worshipped Idols. • -Decline: Exodus 1:1-7 2370?-2513 A.M. • Announcement: • Judgment: Exodus 1:8-22 2401?-2513 A.M.: • Slavery to the Egyptians

Covenant with Abraham • Movement of Redemptive History: God’s people are restored to the land • Dominant Theme: Promise, land, seed • Chronological source: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph; 430 years of Exodus 12:40-41 • Scripture Reference: Genesis 12:1-50:26; Exo. 1-12 • Name of God: God Almighty (Genesis 17:1; Exodus 6:3) • Name of the People of God: Hebrew (Genesis 14:13; 39:14; 41:12; Exodus 1:15) • Worship Environment: Altar, wells, trees, calling on the name of the Lord • Sacraments-Boundary: Circumcision • -Memorial: Passover

Review • Remember that under the Covenant with Adam, the people first lost access to the sanctuary (Garden of Eden), then lost access to the home land (the Land of Eden), and finally lost access to the world in the flood. • Under the Covenant with Noah they were restored to the world. • Under the Covenant with Abraham they are restored to the home land (land of Canaan). • Under the Covenant with Moses they will be restored to the sanctuary.

History-Advancement • The narrative (Genesis 12-50) regarding the Covenant with Abraham, focuses primarily on the Advancement phase of the covenant. • There is no mention of the fall until Joshua 24:14, and the children of Israel are in slavery to the Egyptians at the beginning of the book of Exodus. • When Abraham is called out of Ur of the Chaldees in Genesis 12, it is just he and his wife. He wanders around in the land of Canaan and eventually has one son Isaac. • At the end of Genesis, his great-grandson Joseph rules the most powerful nation in the civilized world and Joseph is given as much space in the narrative as Abraham himself.

History-Advancement • Noah 1056-2006 AM • Flood 1656 AM • Shem 1558-2158 AM • Abraham Genesis 12-25:10 2008-2183 AM • Isaac Genesis 25:11-27:46 2108-2288 AM • Jacob Genesis 28:1-36:43 2168-2315 AM • Joseph Genesis 37:1-50:26 2259-2369 AM

Joseph • Joseph typifies a righteous man who, through patience and Godly service, is raised to honor and power in a pagan nation. • Who else is an example of this? • Daniel. • Joseph is also a type of Christ. He was persecuted by his brothers, slandered and thrown into prison, but eventually he was raised up and glorified by God. • Joseph like Christ forgave his persecutors. He nourished and comforted them.

Joseph • Genesis 50 • 15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. • 16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, • 17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. • 18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. • 19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

Joseph • Genesis 50 • 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. • 21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. • The overview of the Book of Genesis is “from the fall to the throne room.” • This could also describe the overview of the entire Bible.

Joseph • The story of Joseph is a hymn in the Holy Week services of the Orthodox Church with Joseph being the earliest symbol of the passion and glorification of Christ. Jacob wailed the loss of Joseph while that brave youth was sitting in a chariot like an honored king; for at that time, not having enslaved himself to the pleasures of Egypt, he was glorified instead by God, who looketh into the hearts of men, and who granteth them incorruptible crowns. On this day begins the anniversary of the holy Passion of the Saviour, he of whom Joseph of exceeding beauty is taken as the earliest symbol; for this Joseph was the eleventh of the sons of Jacob, and because his father loved him exceedingly, his brothers envied him and threw him into a pit. Then they took him out and sold him to strangers, who sold him in Egypt. He was slandered for his chastity, and was thrown into prison. But finally he was taken out of prison, and he attained a high rank, and received honors worthy of kings, becoming governor of the whole of Egypt, whose people he supported. Thus he symbolized in himself the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and his consequent great glory. (Genesis 40; 41)

Joseph • The above excerpts are from: The Services of Great and Holy Week and Pascha Monday Bridegroom Orthros • The dragon verily found the Egyptian Eve a second time, and hastened to trip up Joseph with words of flattery. But he left his robe and ran away from sin, not being ashamed of nakedness, as the first creatures before their disobedience. From: The Services of Great and Holy Week and Pascha Monday Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Deceiving Tyrants • This is a very controversial subject but one that I will attempt to deal with delicately. • I am not going into a lot details, but I will give you some food for thought. • In the book of Genesis the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) use deception. • The deceptions: Abraham - Genesis 12:10-20; 20:1-18 • : Isaac - Genesis 26:1-16 • : Jacob - Genesis 27:1-29 • Other deceptions: The midwives – Exodus 1:15-22 • : Rahab – Joshua2:1-2

Deceiving Tyrants • These deceptions are not criticized but are blessed and/or commended : Abraham - Genesis 12:16-17; 20:7, 14 ff : Isaac – Genesis 26:12 ff : Jacob – Genesis 28:1-5 : Midwives – Exodus 1:20 : Rahab – Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25 • There are two common factors in each of these deceptions: A woman and a tyrant are involved in each. • In some cases it seems to be appropriate to deal with tyrants through deception. • This could be a reversal to what happened to Eve: the serpent deceived her and now she deceives the serpent (tyrant).

Deceiving Tyrants • While I believe deception of tyrants is a Biblical concept, very few if any of us will ever have the justification to use it. • Can anyone think of an modern example of when this would be applicable? • Hiding Jews from the Nazis. • Deceiving your boss is probably lying. • I have never personally felt justified in using this technique, and doubt that I ever will.

Esau and Jacob • Genesis 25 • 20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. 21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. • 22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. • 23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. • 24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

Esau and Jacob • Genesis 25 • 25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: • 27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. • 28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. • 29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: • 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. • 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

Esau and Jacob • Genesis 25 • 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? • 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. • 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. • What are your thoughts on this passage? • The Hebrew word translated “plain” in verse 27 is the same word as translated “perfect” in Genesis 6:9 (Noah); in 17:1 (Abraham); and in Job 1:1 ff (Job). This word means “righteously mature.” • Esau was a hairy man, a hunter and Jacob was a righteous man, a keeper of flocks.

Esau and Jacob • There is nothing innately wrong with being hairy or a hunter, but we know from history that Esau was a “profane person, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright” (Hebrews 12:16). In this case the hairiness, being a hunter, and living in the field probably were a negative contrast to Jacob’s qualities. • Rebecca had more Godly insight because she loved Jacob, “a righteously mature man” while Isaac loved Esau “because he did eat of his venison.” • Esau was an impatient, short-sighted man ruled by his bodily passions. • Jacob was a patient person, focused on the long run and spiritual things.

Esau and Jacob • Esau had been without food for a day. It was not like he was in danger of starvation. • Jacob made an exchange with Esau that was not coercive and not fraudulent. • Esau swore to Jacob that he would sell him his birthright. • In Jacob’s dealings with Esau, Isaac, and Laban, he demonstrated what Christ meant when He said “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (Mat.10:16) • Biblical commentary: • thus Esau despised his birthright. (Gen. 25:34)

Esau and Jacob • Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. (Heb 12:16,17) • In Romans nine, St. Paul makes the following statement regarding Jacob and Esau: “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Romans 9:11-13) • When did God state that Esau would serve Jacob? • Before they were born in Genesis 25:23. The fact that Esau would serve Jacob did not mean that Esau could not be Godly.

Esau and Jacob • Where is the Old Testament quote about God “hating Esau?” • St. Paul’s quote is in the Book of Malachi after centuries of ungodly actions by the Edomites, Esau’s descendants. • To understand this fact let us review some Old Testament history (See Isa. 34:1-8; 63:1-6; Eze. 25:12-14; 35:1-15; Amos 1:11-12; Oba. 1;1-21; and Mal. 1:1-5) • Genesis 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. • Genesis 36:8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. 9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

Esau • Ezekiel 35:14 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate. 15 As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD • The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names has this to say about Idumea: Idumea (i-doo-me’-ah) = Same as Edom = Red. • Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament says this about Idumea: Iδουμαία, αςIdoumaiaIdumea The mountainous territory south of Judea (= Edom). • The Bible uses Esau, Edom (Edomites), Mount Seir, and Idumea interchangeable to mean descendants of Esau.

Esau • Esau, Edom, or Idumea continually attacked Israel in the Old Testament. • II Chronicles 28:16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. • Eze. 25:12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them; • Eze. 35:5 Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: • Oba. 1:10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.

Esau • Esau descendants were God’s perpetual enemies. • Ezekiel 35 • 1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, • 2 Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, • 3 And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. • 4 I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. … • 7 Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth. • 8 And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword. • 9 I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Esau • Isaiah 63 • 1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. • 2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? • 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. • 4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. • 5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. • 6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

Esau • Malachi 1 • 1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. • 2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, • 3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. • 4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation forever. • This passage was written fifteen hundred years after the passage in Genesis 25 where God says Esau will serve Jacob.

Esau • God hated Esau for good reason; his descendants were always against God and His people and never repented. • This continued under the New Covenant with the five Herods. Josephus reports that they were Idumeans, descendants of Esau. • Herod the Great, referred to as Herod the King (Matthew 2). He was King at the birth of Christ and ordered the slaughter of the male children in Bethlehem. • Archelaus son of Herod the Great and ruled in Judea after the death of his father (Matthew 2:22) • Herod the Tetrarch son of Herod the Great, also referred to as Herod Antipas. He beheaded John the Baptist (Matthew 14:1-12) and judged Christ (Luke 23:6-12)

Esau • Herod the King (Acts 12)-This is Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great (Matthew 2), and son of Aristobulus (Josephus 18.5.1,4). He beheaded James the brother of John and imprisoned Peter (Acts 12:1-4). He was eaten by worms and died (Acts 12:20-23). • King Agrippa (Acts 25:13-26:32)-Son of Herod the King (Acts 12) and he was almost persuaded to be a Christian by St. Paul (Acts 26:28). • Descendants of Esau were “seeds” of Satan who persecuted and killed God’s “seed.” • This is the basis of God’s “hatred” of Esau.

Melchizedek • Although there is very little in Scripture about Melchizedek, St. Paul (Hebrews 7) bases the priesthood of the ascended Lord Jesus Christ on this mysterious person. • There are two Old Testament passages that deal with Melchizedek. • Genesis 14 • 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale. • 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. • 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: • 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he (Abraham) gave him (Melchizedek) tithes of all.

Melchizedek • Psalms 110 • 1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. • 2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. • 3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. • 4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art apriest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. • Who or what is Melchizedek who is so important to our salvation but is only mentioned in four verses of the Old Testament? • Did anyone research the word “priest” in Genesis and early Exodus?

Melchizedek • Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. • Genesis 41:45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. • Genesis 41:50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. • Genesis 46:20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. • Genesis 47:22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. • Genesis 47:26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh’s.

Melchizedek • Exodus 2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. • Exodus 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. • Exodus 18:1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; • Exodus 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. • Exodus 19:22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them. • Exodus 19:24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.

Melchizedek • Exodus 28:1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. • Exodus 28:3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. • Exodus 28:4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. • Exodus 28:41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they mayminister unto me in the priest’s office. • Exodus 29:1 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest’soffice: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,

Melchizedek • There are four occurrences of non-Aaronic priests: Melchizedek the priest of Salem; Potipherah the priest of On, Jethro the priest of Median, and the priests associated with Israel before the institution of the Aaronic priesthood. • The Bible gives the most information about Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law: • Exodus 18 • 1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; • 2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, • 3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: • 4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:

Melchizedek • Exodus 18 • 5 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God: • 6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her. • 7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. • 8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them. • 9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. • 10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

Melchizedek • Exodus 18 • 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. • 12 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God. • 27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land. • Jethro: • Priest of Median • Offered sacrifices to God • Did not join himself to Israel

Melchizedek • These priests were probably priests to the world under the covenant with Noah. They offered animal sacrifices as did Noah, Jethro, and Job. • Once Israel was established as the priestly nation, “a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation,” this priesthood and sacrifices probably ceased. • Under the Old Covenant a person did not have to be part of Israel to be saved, but a person had to trust what was taking place in Israel. Jethro is an example of this. • Job was also probably a priest under the covenant with Noah also.

Melchizedek • Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil…5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. • These individuals saved outside of Israel where referred to as “God fearers.” • The most famous “God fearer” was Cornelius: “And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews” Acts 10:22

Melchizedek • Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. • However in order to be saved under the New Covenant, all nations must become part of the New Israel, the Church, by baptism. • “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

From the Garden to the City