Why a conference on biblical covenants? (November 2024 at First OPC)
The big thing happening around here this month is the Silicon Valley Bible Conference, which is scheduled for next Saturday, November 16. The theme is "The Covenant King: How the Whole Bible Tells Us About Christ."
Our speaker will be Pastor Jonty Rhodes, who is coming all the way from Leeds, England where he serves as the pastor of Christ Church Central Leeds, a congregation in the International Presbyterian Church. As the pastor a new church plant in a highly secular part of England, his ministry is very much a missionary ministry. (By the way, we hope to hear a bit more about his ministry in our Adult Sunday School time on Sunday November 17. Jonty will also preach during our morning and evening worship services that day.)
You're all invited! Go ahead and sign up if you haven't already. For those of you who are not able to join us, the event will be live-streamed on our Youtube page, and you're welcome to check it out there.
Why a Conference on Covenants?
There are a whole bunch of reasons that we should be excited to learn more about the covenants in Scripture. The main reason is that they come from God. Because they come from God, they reveal his character, his love, his truth, and his plans for us.
Another reason to learn about the covenants is that they are all connected to each other. God's covenant promises are like a golden thread running through the Bible, starting with Adam, then continuing to Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and finally to Christ. If you want to know how the Bible fits together, like many different parts in a true unity, you will want to learn about the covenants.
A final reason to learn about the covenants is that they are all about relationships. One of the few times we use the word "covenant" in daily life is to describe what's happening at a wedding, when a couple pledges themselves to each other in love. The love shared between the couple is a precious gift, but it is even better for that love to be strengthened by a covenant so that it can be expressed in an orderly, public, and permanent relationship. In a similar way, the love between God and us his people is a precious gift, and God's covenant promises make that love relationship even better by adding order and permanence.
Reading Recommendations
If you want to learn more about the biblical covenants, I have a few book recommendations. First, Jonty Rhodes has written an excellent book called Covenants Made Simple.
Second, our former pastor, Dr. Ryan McGraw recently published a book entitled What is Covenant Theology? Tracing God's Promises Through the Son, the Seed, and the Sacraments.
Third, there is an excellent chapter on covenants in Michael Barrett's book Beginning at Moses.
Someone looking for a lot more detail should check out volume 2 of Joel Beeke's Reformed Systematic Theology.
