INTRO: How do you remember your phone number? address? Social Sec. number? How can a Christian remember the Bible as a whole? One way is be memorizing the Covenants, for the Bible revolves around Covenants, agreements between God and man, made by God Himself.

I. There are nine Covenants:
They revolve around people: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob (Israel), Aaron, Phineas, David, and Jesus. There is one Covenant that was made within the Godhead, "THE ETERNAL COVENANT" (see I Peter 1:1-2).
1. Adam--obey and live. Disobey and die. And whatever Adam does will
count for the whole human race (Romans 5:14-15).
2. Noah--God agrees to never again destroy the earth with a flood, and the
rainbow is the sign of the covenant (Genesis 9).
3. Abraham--the land, descendents innumerable, father of many nations,
the SEED, Jesus (Genesis 12-17). Sign--circumcision.
4. The National Covenant with Israel--given at Sinai, the ark of the covenant,
moral law, civil law, religious law--Sign--the seventh day Sabbath.
(See Exodus 31:13-17).
5. Aaron--his descendents only can be priests.
6. Phineas--only his descendents may be High Priest.
7. David--his DESCENDENT (Jesus) will be king forever (2 Sam. 7)
8. Jesus--the NEW COVENANT in His blood, halted the national covenant with
Israel (Hebrews 8:6-13).

II. The Covenants All Have Two Things in Common:
A. They all look to Jesus, or find fulfillment in Jesus.
1. Jesus is the 2nd Adam.
2. Jesus is the ark.
3. Jesus is the seed of Abraham.
4. Jesus is the meaning behind the Old Testament religion.
The priesthood, the lamb, etc.
5. Jesus is the priest that replaced the Aaronic priesthood.
6. Jesus is the priest that replaces the descendents of Phineas.
7. Jesus is the son of David.
8. Jesus' blood is the blood of the New Covenant.
B. They all revolve around the concept of the FAMILY.
1. The eternal covenant--Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2. Adam is the head of the human family.
3. Noah's family was saved in the ark, and we all come from Noah.
4. Abraham and his family were in the covenant, and circumcision.
5. Israel is Jacob's family.
6 and 7. Aaron and Phineas, it was their families that became priests.
8. David and his Son, King forever.
9. Jesus made us sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father.

III. Both the Essential Importance of Jesus, and the Essential Importance of the
Family are under pointed attack in our Generation.

CONCLUSION: The PCA recognizes Covenant Theology as the heart of the Bible, and the outline of Bible history. We must promote and defend the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and the essential value of the FAMILY, in the church and in the home.