revelation in the Old Testament will appear in a tabular arrangement.
i. The original promise. The Covenant of grace. Abraham: the Patriarchs.
(
a
) Abraham. Gen. 22:16 f. (comp. Heb. 12:3; 13:15 ff.; 17:4 ff.): Heb. 6:13 ff.; 11:8 ff.; Gen. 21:12; Heb. 11:18. Comp. Gen. 23:4; Heb. 11:13. Abraham offers an example of faith in self-surrender (11:8), patience (9 f.), influence (11 ff.), looking beyond the outward (9 ff.) and through death (17 ff.).
(
b
) The patriarchs, to whom the promise was repeated, shewed Abraham's faith (11:9, 20 ff.).
More was implied in the promise than Abraham obtained (6:17, 15).
Hence the full force of a seed of Abraham (2:16 note).
ii. The Law. The Covenant of works. Moses: Joshua.
(
a
) The circumstances of the history.
(1) The lessons of the Exodus. Ps. 95:7 ff.; Heb. 3:7 ff.; 4:1 ff.
A continuous revelation bringing with it a continuous trial (to-day).
(2) The giving of the Law. Ex. 19:12 f.; Deut. 4:11 f.; Heb. 12:18 ff.
The awfulness of revelation. Physical terrors symbols of the spiritual. Comp. Deut. 32:35 f.; Heb. 10:30.
(3) The Covenant. Ex. 24:8; Heb. 9:19 f.; 10:29. Comp. Matt. 26:28. A Covenant ratified by death.
(4) The Conquest. Heb. 11:30 f.; 4:8. A sign of a truer rest. Gen. 2:2.
(
b
) The characteristics of the institutions.
(1) The Tabernacle. Ex. 16:33; 25:40; 26:33; 30:10; Heb. 8:5 f.; 9:1 ff. A copy and a shadow.
(2) The Service. The Day of Atonement. The Day. Lev. 16; Heb. 6:19; 9:12 f.; 28; 10:4; 13:11, 13.
Essentially provisional, representative, transitory.
iii. The later promise. The Covenant of Divine Fellowship.