A Case for the Bible: Session Three – Covenants and Joshua Chapters 5-8

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This week’s presentation focuses on three of the Bible’s major Covenants, and the importance of those Covenants to our study at this point in the Old Testament. For the Bible study portion, we will read through Joshua chapters 5-8 and then discuss those chapters in our study groups. This website will post basic answers mid-week following the class for your review.

As Christians, it is more important than ever to know what we believe, and why we believe it, and then apply that to who we are on a consistent basis, and this can only be done effectively if we know what God’s Word teaches, especially the big picture that always points to Jesus!

All class sessions include a time for prayer and reflection, an “apologetics” presentation, and a Bible study section. You will find the presentation notes and the Bible study survey format below, with basic answers to the survey format posted during the week. These things can be used as a leader’s guide, or to review your own study each week.

Watch this week’s presentation:

2025 A Case for the Bible Presentation Notes

Session 3: The Importance of Covenants in the Bible

Class Review and Prayer

Prayer Cards: Do you have anyone that you are hoping to share what you are learning with? Write that person(s) name down on your prayer card along with any other prayer request you might have (exchange with your table group at the end of the evening).

Discuss:

  1. What are the 66 books of the Christian Bible, and their categories?
  2. Recite the apologetics’ theme from 1 Peter:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.  1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV)

Class Focus Questions and Overview

  1. What are the four important areas of Christian Growththat we should be focusing on in our Christian Walk (from our Ministry Statement)?
  2. What are the 66 books of the Christian Bible, their categories and description?
  3. How should we study the Bible? Hermeneutics
  4. What are the major Covenants in the Bible, and why are they important to know?
  5. What are the 12 parts to the Bible’s “Big Picture” that help you tell the story?

APOLOGETICS

  1. What is the history of the Bible? Authorship and Language
  2. How did we get our Bible today? Transmission
  3. How do we know the Bible has been transmitted correctly? Translation
  4. How do we know we got the right books? Canonization
  5. How can we trust that the Bible is the Word of God? Inspiration?

(Note: The above will include evidence from archeology, prophecy fulfillment and science)

4.  The major Covenants in the Bible, and why they are important to know

Eight Major Covenants of the Bible

  1. Edenic – Rule – Genesis 2:15
  2. Adamic – Redemption – Genesis 3:15
  3. Noahic – Restraint – Genesis 6:7
  4. Abrahamic – Restore – Genesis 12:1-3
  5. Mosaic – Reveal – Leviticus 26
  6. Palastinian – Return – Deuteronomy 29-30
  7. Davidic – Reign – 2 Samuel 7:12-16
  8. New Covenant – Regenerate – Jeremiah 31:27-34

For this class we will focus mainly on these three Covenants:

ADAMIC

ABRAHAMIC

MOSAIC

THE ADAMIC COVENANT (generally broken into two parts)

  1. The Edenic Covenant of Rulership: The first part of the promise is found in Genesis 1:26-30and 2:16-17. It outlines the parameters of Adam’s existence in the garden of Eden.
  • It consists of blessings and a warning to Adam. He and Eve are created in God’s image, and given dominion over the animals. They are given the gift of relationship with one another and the ability to bear children and expand the race over the whole Earth. They are vegetarian, so no slaughter of animals is necessary.
  • Eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is forbidden. God makes it clear that “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”
  1. The Adamic Covenant of Redemption: The second part of the Adamic covenant is how God deals with the breaking of the Edenic covenant. There are punishments, and another promise.
    • Women will experience pain in childbirth, and there will be disharmony between man and wife. The soil will be cursed, thorns and thistles will appear in the plants, and survival in general will be a struggle for the whole natural world (Romans 8:22-23). Finally, death will be the fate of every living being (Genesis 3:14-19).
    • The Genesis 3:15 Promise
      (begins the Scarlet Thread of Jesus)

Despite the terrible nature of these curses, and the havoc that ensued, contained within the curse is a promise:

  • Speaking to Satan, God says, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 NIV)
  • The promise indicates the “offspring” or “seed” of a woman, which can only mean a virgin birth. The seed of the woman is Jesus Christ who, though He was bruised by the cross (Isaiah 53:4-5), will crush the head of the Great Serpent (Galatians 4:4, 1 John 3:8).

THE SEED IS HE – HE IS THE SEED!

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Genesis 3:15 (NASB)

“From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.”

John 13:19 (NASB)

“So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Therefore He again asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,”

John 18:4-8 (NASB)

THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB)

The Genesis 12 promise God made to Abraham is unconditional in the sense that God alone would fulfill it without the help of another person (Gen. 15), but God also gave a requirement of circumcision (Gen. 17) that would be the outward sign of His people’s obedience to Him under this covenant.

This covenant encompasses three things:

  1. A Nation (Israel)
  2. Land (Promised Land)
  3. Blessing (Jesus)

THE MOSAIC COVENANT (sometimes called the Sinai Covenant)

The Mosaic Covenant is also known as the Law of Moses and can be found throughout the Old Testament, starting in Exodus, as it was given by God on Mount Sinai to Moses and the people of Israel during the Wilderness Wandering.

  • The Law further unfolds the Abrahamic Covenant laying out specific expectations from God.
  • It is a conditional covenant, specifically for the Nation of Israel, in order for them to function as a society in light of the culture of that day.
  • The Law sets Israel apart from all other religious practices because they were to be representatives of the one true God and role models to the other nations.
  • The main expectation of the Law is obedience to God; and the result of disobedience is seen in the consequences the Nation would face when they failed to follow God (and they will fail, thus showing them, and us, the need for a savior and redeemer)
  • The Law will, in many ways, foreshadow the coming Messiah, Jesus.

As Christians we are not under the Mosaic Law because it was given directly and specifically to the Nation of Israel for three purposes:

  1. Ceremonial Laws (sacrifices and offerings)
  2. Governmental/Civic Laws (to guide and keep the Nation from chaos and for health and hygiene care)
  3. Moral Laws (to set them apart from all the other Nations by keeping them pure and Holy as representatives of God)
  • Anything Jesus taught that repeated something in the Law we are obligated to follow (not for salvation) as we are His under grace.
  • All who believe and trust in Jesus, including the Jewish people, are free from the penalty of the Law because Jesus gave His life, and then resurrected in defeat of death and Satan, for the very purpose of covering us, so that we do not have to do anything works based, as required by the Law, to attain forgiveness and eternal life.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB)

Bible Study

Each week we will have Bible study following the presentation. There will be questions presented here on the weekend, and basic answers will be posted mid-week for your review. This can also be used to make a leader’s guide for your own small group and future studies!

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

LET’S PRACTICE…

This week we are working on the content of the book, from our hermeneutical format…

***BEFORE STARTING THE REVIEW, DISCUSS ANYTHING FROM THE PRESENTATION YOU’D LIKE TO COVER, THEN…

From your homework this week, discuss with your groups what is in each chapter

Joshua chapters 5-8:

Content of the book: What is in each chapter?

Note: There are several ways to study a book of the Bible, you can choose the level you’re most comfortable with:

  1. Basic: Read the chapter, then write down a title for each chapter (you could include more than one depending on topics in that chapter or what your study Bible might have).
  2. Going Deeper: Take notes to summarize the chapter (no more than three to five sentences). However, you can add to your summaries if you glean something important from your study partners each week (leave some room).
  3. Advanced: Look for these things to put in your summary notes:
  • Is there anything in the chapter that relates to God’s Covenant Promises:
    • Abrahamic: (Nation, Land, or Blessing)
    • Mosaic: (Following the Law – protection vs. loss of protection due to disobedience)?
  • Where’s Jesus? Is there anything in this chapter that foreshadows/pictures Jesus?
  • Prophecy? Is there anything that is predicted and fulfilled later in the Old Testament; or predicted and fulfilled in Jesus (Messianic); or is apocalyptic in nature?
  • The Shelf: Note any questions or a-ha’s you have about the chapter.

LEADER QUESTIONS TO HELP GUIDE THE STUDY

Chapter Five:

  1. Why were the surrounding people afraid of the Israelites?
  2. Why did Joshua have the men circumcised before going into Jericho (what is the history behind this – see Genesis Chapter 17)?
  3. Discuss who the “captain of the host of the LORD” might be.
  4. Going Deeper/Advanced: Are there any Covenants in view in this chapter? Is there a picture of Jesus in this chapter?
  5. Advanced Extra: What is the significance of Gilgal?

Chapter Six:

  1. What did God tell Joshua to have the people do in order to capture Jericho?
  2. Who was Rahab and why was she and her family spared (review chapter 2 discussion about Rahab)? Read Matthew chapter 1:1-6 to see where Rahab fits in the genealogy of Jesus.
  3. Going Deeper/Advanced: Are there any Covenants in view in this chapter? Is there a picture of Jesus in this chapter?
  4. Advanced Extra: What prophecy do we see in this chapter and when is it fulfilled (cross-reference by reading 1 Kings 16:34)? Extra, Extra: What is the significance of the number seven in the Bible?

Chapter Seven:

  1. What was Achan’s sin and how did it affect the entire Nation of Israel?
  2. Discuss the seriousness of sin in God’s eyes, the importance of Jesus, and how our decision about Him affects our eternal life.
  3. Going Deeper/Advanced: Are there any Covenants in view in this chapter? Is there a picture of Jesus in this chapter?

Chapter Eight:

    1. What was different this time when Israel went to attack the city of Ai, and why?
    2. What did Joshua do to demonstrate a special kind of leadership in this campaign against Ai and Bethel?
    3. Going Deeper/Advanced: Are there any Covenants in view in this chapter? Is there a picture of Jesus in this chapter?

HOMEWORK:

Continue reading the book of Joshua, chapter 5-8, then follow the format we used this week and be prepared to discuss what you learned next week!

Please join us next week as we continue our Case for the Bible and A Study in the Book of Joshua!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!  Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15 

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