The Unchanging Nature of His Purpose: He Swore By Himself

By TL Lineberry

The author has lived by the motto:  Go where there is no path and leave a trail.  His extraordinary approach to understanding the Bible blazes a new trail in well-known narratives which include ancient rituals used in society.  The book includes themes like blood bonds, powerful covenants and the reasons why God’s Divine titles were spelled differently by translators.  His explanations of what the Bible is all about will stretch the reader's mind in such a way they will dive into it time and time again. This is not an ordinary read, it offers a fresh and unique journey through the world's most famous book and with exceptional perspectives that most have never heard explained.  It needs a warning label, “do not start reading before bed, you’ll be up all night.”  It is a true asset to any faith-based library.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Outskirts Press
• Release date: Feb 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9781977273154

TL Lineberry

Author TL Lineberry has lived by the motto:  Go where there is no path and leave a trail.   The author's uncommon but practical approach  to understanding the Bible blazes a new trail in  The Unchanging Nature of His Purpose.  The book takes a hands-on approach to understanding  well-known Bible narratives including ancient rituals in society as seen with Abraham and others.   He offers an extraordinary perspective inspired by the author's personal spiritual journey.  Themes like blood bonds, powerful covenants and why God’s Divine titles were spelled differently by translators.  His explanations of what the Bible is all about will open your eyes and stretch your mind offering narratives that you'll be able to dive into time and time again.  Author TL Lineberry offers this unique journey through the world's most famous book and brings to bear his truly exceptional perspective as a youth pastor, banker,  teacher, business owner, and speaker.

Book preview

The Unchanging Nature of His Purpose

He Swore By Himself

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2024 TL Lineberry

v2.0

The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Outskirts Press, Inc.

http://www.outskirtspress.com

Cover Photo © 2024 T.L. Lineberry. All rights reserved - used with permission.

Outskirts Press and the OP logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Dedicated to Jessica

my amazing

Daughter

in Heaven

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Bond of Blood

Chapter 3: The Ritual of Blood

Chapter 4: The Man from UR

Chapter 5: The Top and Bottom Line Blessings

Chapter 6: He Swore by Himself

Chapter 7: The Ceremonial Scar

Chapter 8: Covenant Brothers

Chapter 9: Jonathan and David Continued

Chapter 10: The All Peoples Mandate

Chapter 11: The Full Covenant Messiah

Chapter 12: The Immutability of His Counsel

Chapter 13: The Gentiles Are In

Chapter 14: The Primary Names of God

Chapter 15: Farewell Commands

Chapter 16: World Changing Vernacular

Chapter 17: Upside Down Rightside Up

Chapter 18: When God Calls Your Name Twice

Chapter 19: The Unknown God

Chapter 20: The Unchanging Nature of His Purpose

Chapter 21: God Among the Ancients

About the Author

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the following friends

whose encouragement and

assistance made this project

available:

Dr. Roy H. Cantrell - Daniel J. Miller

and

Julia Arrowood

Randy Black

Bekki J. Brown

Daniel Boswell

D. B. Craft

Randy Howard

Eric Howard and Kim Angel

K. C. James

Gary and Sharon Lane

Mary Mondon

Dr. Nathan Page

Lindy and Doug Pope

Gina Tanner

Connie Usry

Foreword

Every new day in life can be viewed as entering a room filled with thousands of books. What will I read today? There before you are thousands of stories, facts, discoveries, mysteries and secrets revealed in such a vast library of life. Who could comprehend or begin to understand the knowledge that is held within the covers of so many volumes? The mind races with lightning speed evaluating in microseconds, the many choices, the adventures, the joy and the pain that might be found on just one page. Is there a book that is going to speak clearly to me today? Is there a page that can change my life? Consider the challenge, this could be one of those books.

Over thirty years ago while living in Canada, the search for a deeper revelation of existence, purpose and destiny led me on a journey that has forever changed the way I view humanity. My hunger to unlock the most profound and yet simplistic instructions for man birthed revelation in my heart far beyond all expectations. Each new stone overturned in my venture produced intrinsic wealth that remains ever present and as brilliant as it appeared at the moment of discovery. That precious truth is what I would like to share with you through the life pages of this manuscript.

Several friends who have heard me share this book in sermons and classrooms have encouraged me to write or publish my lectures. To each of them I say thank you for being such attentive students and for the encouragement to share my passion. May you arrive at the end of the last chapter with a greater appreciation of the One who went to such great lengths to establish a relationship with you. I submit to you, The Unchanging Nature of His Purpose.

- T.L. Lineberry

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

One of the remarkable things about the Bible is its vast scope and many conditions under which truth is revealed. In history, biography, adventure, poetry, domestic life, problems at home, national crisis, the rise and fall of nations, heroes, heroines, the conflict of good and evil – nothing equals the Bible in reading because of its Divine nature.

Apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament the following in 2 Timothy 3:16- All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Inspiration of God in the Greek text literally means it was God breathed. In other words, men were carried along by the Spirit of God as they recorded the Holy manuscripts that eventually became the Canon of Scripture. The Bible is not just a book about God written by man. It is a book written by God for man. It is a precious gift and can be read with confidence.

The Unchanging Nature of His Purpose is not just another narrative about the Bible. Please consider the fact that many people today are Biblically illiterate. Especially the masses of our current generation who have never opened a Bible or been inside of a house of worship except for weddings or funerals. Illiteracy may sound a bit harsh, but for many years I spent countless hours in the study of the Bible as well as teaching it. It is very disappointing to see the lack of understanding many Christians have of its contents. There are those even in Christian leadership who lack an in-depth knowledge of the Book they represent. Remarkably, many believers have heard thousands of sermons, participated in years of Bible studies and yet remain limited in their knowledge or explanation of Scripture.

Non Christians from all walks of life are often able to share small parts of the Bible stories. Unfortunately, many in Church each week know more about Hollywood movies, actors, sports and pop music than they do about the Bible. Whatever knowledge one has of basic Bible stories is a good thing because God is in all of them. But there is so much more to learn from Scripture. How much more? So much that it can revolutionize one’s life when you grasp it.

Am I promoting some new revelation that has never been shared? Absolutely not. There are no claims here of extra Biblical revelation or of being a renowned scholar. What I’m sharing has been there all the time in either written form or presented by scholars for centuries. However, the information in this book is from over thirty years of teaching and personal studies. All too often the lessons I’m calling attention to have been overlooked or not explained in a manner that are easily understood. It is my hope that this writing will be more than just information but revelation knowledge. It should be read slowly and digested. If it brightens your day, encourages you in your walk of faith, please consider passing it onto someone.

For starters, the Bible has an Introduction like most books and after that, one main theme flows from its pages. All the stories, families and adventures are linked to one and only one great message and only one great Promise. How could this be, how is it possible there is just one major theme in all of Scripture? That is exactly what this book presents. Throughout the journey there will be some side streets in support of the main theme. These consist of cultural or Scriptural curves and intersections, but all of them are tied to a Divine Agreement. This Agreement has to do with God’s relationship He chose to establish with humanity. It has to do primarily with one main subject.

For the benefit of those who have no clue what the Bible is about or heard it explained, or to anyone who is not aware that the Bible is the best selling book of all times, here is a quick summary:

It contains 66 books that are divided into two sections, Old Testament and New Testament. However, they are both old but never outdated. Testament is an Old English word for Covenant, therefore, that means the Bible has an Old and New Covenant, the first one and the last one. The first 5 books of the Old Testament are referred to as Law. These were laws written to equip and instruct the people of Israel to the library of life. This covers almost everything from relationships, diet and even personal hygiene. After the Law comes books of poetry, songs, stories of kings, nations, wars, and many multifaceted adventures that stretch the mind.

But there is only one main subject in the Bible and that begins right after the introduction. It appears all through the Old and New Testaments.

MISSIONS

The main subject is that of missions. That’s right, missions. Didn’t missions start with the New Testament Christian Church? Weren’t they officially launched by Christ’s Disciples or the great Apostle Paul? That has some truth but not the main truth. Before we’re done with this Mission Story you may be surprised to learn how missions were handled by those whose responsibility it was to execute them.

The Bible begins with missions, maintains missions as its central theme and climaxes in the last book of Revelation when the Mission endeavor has been completed. My goal is to help you lock onto that theme in such a way that it will forever change how you view the Bible or explain it to others. This will impact your life!

The Abrahamic Covenant contains the mission and method God chose to establish His relationship with humanity. One may argue that the Bible doesn’t begin with missions, it begins with the Creation and the Fall of man, followed by Noah and the flood. That is true, but where do we find missions in all of this?

The foundation of missions has to do with one word, and that is, Covenant. Throughout the book it will be referred to as, The Promise, Divine Agreement and specifically, the Blood Covenant and the all peoples mandate. The word Covenant, as well as other terms will be capitalized and or in italics to indicate its importance. The main theme will be repeated several times throughout the book because we learn by repetition. Since Scripture best interprets Scripture, most of the sources for the Mission Story come from the analysis and explanation of Scripture with both Hebrew and Greek word studies. The authorized New Kings James Version Bible will be the largest resource of revelation. Hebrew and Greek explanations may appear in parenthesis within the Scriptures for clarification and Emphasis Added will be seen at the end of the Scripture. Because this project comes several years after retirement and the donation of my personal library there will be no bibliography. You are encouraged to conduct your own research to further study the contents you are about to read.

Please be aware, there are parts of this story that hopefully will cause you to stop reading and just reflect upon the evidence. It is very possible that tears may become evident when engulfed with how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit established missions on your behalf.

I trust you will enjoy The Unchanging Nature of His Purpose.

CHAPTER 2

Bond of Blood

The first 11 chapters of Genesis can be viewed as the Bible’s Introduction. It starts with In the beginning God then ends at the last verse of chapter 11. After the Introduction, the main story of the Bible begins in Genesis 12. The Old Testament states that a Mission Story is going to happen, the New Testament explains how it transpired. The Introduction, Genesis 1-11, designates the need for the Mission Story, which was God’s plan to redeem Creation from its fallen state. That may sound simple, but in reality it was very strategically planned and executed. The Mission Story is really about one specific character, God’s Son, who is the Scarlet Thread that is woven through every page in the Old and New Testament narratives.

The synopsis of the Mission Story is this: God, the Uncaused Cause of the Universe, the Self-Existent Holy One entered a Covenant on behalf of His Creation. God’s handbook for humanity begins in Genesis 12 with the Abrahamic Covenant which unveils the Unchanging Nature of His Purpose.

THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

Genesis 12:1-3, 1- Now the Lord had said to Abram, get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. 2- I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. 3- I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

The Abrahamic Covenant merely stated was a Divine Agreement God orchestrated and chose to participate in. Supernaturally, the story is much deeper than most explanations of what really took place with Abraham. This was an unconditional Covenant and an everlasting Promise. Most of the Divine Covenants of the Bible were conditional, which meant, if you do this, then this will happen. But God’s Promises to Abraham and His seed were unconditional and would be fulfilled period.

Before delving further into this story, it must be understood that the Promises God made in the first three verses of Genesis 12 were not completed until Genesis 22. To set the stage for this, let’s take a look at the Old Testament word Covenant.

Accepted by many scholars, the Bible is a book of Covenants. There is no denying that fact. The introduction of a Covenant is foreshadowed in Genesis 1 called the Creation Covenant followed by the Noahic Covenant. These Covenants were the result of God’s response to mankind’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden and the world’s devastation by a great flood.

Fast forwarding through Biblical history are Covenants such as the Mosaic, the Land Covenant, referred to as the Palestinian, and the Davidic Covenant. There were other Covenants that were made for specific reasons regarding Israel, but the one Covenant that is above all others in the Bible is that of Genesis 12. The Covenant God established involving Abraham flows through the entire Bible, sometimes like a small stream and other times like a raging river. In general terms, this is what the Bible is all about, a Divine Agreement with Abraham. I repeat, this is what the Bible is all about.

In Hebrew, the word for a Covenant in Scripture when describing an agreement is beryth or berith. It comes from the root word which means to cut. So a Covenant is cutting. When you read the word Covenant or words indicating a Covenant was made, it means that two or more parties were involved in cutting a Covenant. The reference in 1 Samuel 18 when Jonathan and David made a Covenant with each other is commonly accepted that they had some kind of an agreement. And it is OK to view it that way, but it goes much deeper. Once you understand the meaning behind the statement made a Covenant, it changes the way Old and New Testament relationships should be regarded.

The serious nature of cutting Covenants in the middle eastern culture can not be overemphasized. It was a binding agreement that included a number of rituals that resulted in benefits and conditions for each party involved. Covenants were carried out as ceremonies and almost always involved animal sacrifices. In some primitive tribes, instead of animals, human sacrifices were used; sometimes it was a first born child.

The cutting of the Covenant typically included dissecting animals in half and placing them before each party participating. The bloody animal carcasses were laid out in such a manner that it made an aisle to walk between. This may sound gruesome but no doubt it was something to behold. Once again, the seriousness of the event can not be overstated.

Generally speaking, the Old Testament can