Class #6: We Need a Mediator, Part 1 From Eden to Exile: A Theology of the Old Testament 4/7/2013

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1 Class #6: We Need a Mediator, Part 1 From Eden to Exile: A Theology of the Old Testament 4/7/2013 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus Introduction to Offices of the Old Testament One key to understanding the Old Testament is to see it as the story of God interacting with his people. Many religious texts talk about God s dealings with humans, but the true God of the bible reveals himself to have one main objective in his interactions: bringing glory to himself by redeeming a people he loves. So throughout the OT we see God showing his presence among his people. But there is a problem: we are separated from a holy God by sin. Solution: We need a mediator to stand in our place before God. Q: What is a mediator? In baseball a mediator is the guy who judges whether a player is getting what he deserves, to make sure he is being treated fairly. In our case getting what is fair doesn t end well for us. Fair treatment for sin is JUDGMENT. We need a mediator who can do something about the sin problem. We know our ultimate mediator between us and God is Jesus (it s at the top of the page ) but God has also given us other men to be our mediators, though not perfect like Jesus. All mediators before Jesus were flawed and could not atone for sin in the same way. It is important to realize that mediators are a gracious gift of God, that he lovingly gives us to make reconciliation possible. Just like other means of grace (i.e bible, prayer, sacraments) God gives us other people in the Body to help us know him, protect us from sin, and know what is required to be righteous. Examples of mediators in the OT: Since we talked about the Exodus last week, let s look at an example of a mediator during that period: Exodus 20:18-21 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die. Moses said to the people, Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him 1

2 may be before you, that you may not sin. The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. Exodus 32:7-14 And the LORD said to Moses, Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt! And the LORD said to Moses, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you. But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever. And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people. Q: Who are other examples in the OT of God s mediators? -Moses -Aaron -Abraham -Joseph -Jeremiah -Judges -David -Solomon Classify these into their roles. We have 3 main categories, or offices of mediator: Prophet Priest King - Proclaims word of God, calls to repentance - Intercedes on behalf of people with prayer, sacrifices and offerings - Rules over God s people for their protection and for God s glory Ultimately, the OT mediators are just foreshadows of Christ s fulfillment as our ultimate mediator. He accomplishes perfect reconciliation with God by executing each role: Prophet Christ called them Priest Christ redeemed them King Christ rules them We will spend the rest of today s class focusing on the office of King and Greg will cover the offices of Prophet and Priest in the next couple of weeks. 2

3 Office of King and the Nation of Israel It s good to be king, if just for a while -Tom Petty Role of a King: Q: What does a king do? (List examples from culture) -protect from enemies -enlarges territory -makes laws/rulings -treaties with other nations -lives well -throws parties -gets the girl -Vice-regent with God God is ultimate authority -Uphold God s law (Deut 17:14-20) -Protect God s people Deuteronomy 17:14-20 When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me, you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, You shall never return that way again. And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold. And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel. The King is God s ordained mediator to subdue and rule His people (for their redemption) and restrain and conquer His enemies Biblical foundation for the office of king A human king was actually ordained by God and was to be chosen by God Rooted in the creation and fall o Gen 2:15 God asserts his rule o Gen 3:5 Man overthrows the rule of God o Gen 3:15 God promises a victorious king o Man was created to be ruled (image of God), but we rebelled Human kings were promised in the covenant o Gen 17:5-7 Abraham promised nations & kings (Jacob too, 35:11) o Gen 49:10 Judah declared to be the royal lineage o God ordains human kings to rule on his behalf God declares authority over his chosen kings o Deut 17:14-20 Moses regulations for kings 3

4 o Kings who lead the people to obey God s law will bring blessing David fulfills the covenantal promise of God s chosen king, after Saul failed o 1 Sam 8:4-20 People go against God s will to place Saul on throne o 1 Sam 16:1-3 God (through Samuel) selects the ordained King o The rightful human king must be a faithful co-regent with God An eternal king is promised God promises Israel that the throne of David will be eternal Covenant of grace is reaffirmed with David, with the promise of continual reign o 2 Sam 7:12-16 this is critical in redemptive history o After David s rule, Solomon was a good king but things quickly fell apart, kingship was in shambles, and Israel and Judah were exiled Promise of a new, future king in the lineage of David restoration after exile o Isa 11:1-3 Righteous branch from the stump of David The future king will reign eternally and conquer enemies o Zech 14:9,16 and Ps 110:1 o All nations will be subdued under this future king, not just Israel Origins and Development of the kingdom: -Patriarchs [Melchizedek?] ruled over God s people, protected from enemies -Judah declared royal line of succession remember that Jesus was from line of Judah -Theocracy God rules his people directly, disaster results when they disobey (Exodus) -Judges Get to the promised land and need to be ruled, forget God s law and are often harassed by neighboring countries -Samuel and Saul People ask for a king to be like their neighbors, Saul is chosen because he is tall and handsome, hides, disobeys and is rejected by God And the LORD said to Samuel, Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them. (1 Samuel 8:7-9 ESV) -United Kingdom David chosen and anointed, not for his strength and Solomon. Temple and palace built, kingdom seems established. -Divided Kingdom North and South kings were good and bad many had to rediscover God s law, Prophets warned against judgment for leading God s people astray -Exile the kings of Israel are relegated to irrelevance, kings of conquering nations have more input into the spiritual lives of the people of Israel (Nebechudnezzar, Belshazzar and Darius Daniel) -NT King a figurehead allowed by the Roman govt to appease the Jewish people 4

5 Jesus the right kind of King for God s people So when Jesus arrives in Palestine talking about ushering in a new kingdom, the people who had been let down by their kings for centuries were desperate for him to free them from Roman oppression and lead them into a new era. Unfortunately they missed the point of having a king: their redemption from sin and reconciliation to God. This is why they turn from wanting to make him king on Palm Sunday to calling for him to be crucified five days later. Ultimately they rejected God as their king. Jesus made king of all creation by resurrection and ascension. Jesus has been crowned as King of an eternal Kingdom and will return in glory to exert dominion over every creature. Ephesians 1:19-23 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Application: -Respect authority we all have Adam s sin of rebelling against God s authority -How do we submit to Christ s rule? if Jesus isn t our ruler, who will be? -What hope do we have in Christ as our King? Our enemies will be conquered the last of which is death and we will be led to God s presence forever. 5