The Truth about God s Promise to Abraham

Transcription

1 CallToRestoration.com The Truth about God s Promise to Abraham August 2009 Table of contents Introduction David Earl Minson Page 2 The Land Promise David Earl Minson Pages 3-4 The National Promise David Earl Minson Pages 4-5 The Seed Promise David Earl Minson Pages 5-6 The Spiritual Dimension of the Promises Rusty Springer Pages 6-9 The Law s Role in the Promise Chase Palmer Pages 9-12 Taking Part in Abraham s Legacy Ben Soto Pages 12-14

2 Introduction David Earl Minson In Gen. 12:1-3 the Bible says, Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. With these words we find the initial announcement of the Abrahamic promise. In Gen. 26:3-4 God repeated the same promise to Isaac. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Here the promise comes into clearer focus. There are three elements to the promise: give Israel the land of Canaan, make Israel a great nation, and bless all nations in the seed. God repeated the same to Jacob in Gen. 28: And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. The repetition of this promise retains the three main components: the land promise, the national promise and the seed promise. This promise frames the hope of all mankind, for in it is the pledge of Christ as the sacrifice for the sin of man. Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. Apparently Abraham s obedience is why God proceeded with His plan to fulfill the promise through him, implying there was a conditional element to the promise. God later talked to Isaac about the promise, reaffirming that God would fulfill it. Gen. 26:5 explains why. Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. God is very clear that He would fulfill the promise through Abraham s family BECAUSE Abraham had been obedient. Again, it appears there was a conditional element to the promise. This three-fold promise is greatly misunderstood in religious circles today. For example, many misunderstand the land promise. Some believe it was never truly fulfilled so they expect Christ to establish an earthly kingdom at which time He will fulfill the land promise. Some believe the land promise was such that Israel would dwell in the land no matter what they did. This view fails to see the land promise had a conditional element. Others have a similar view of the national promise, that the physical nation of Israel would always be God s chosen people. Again, this fails to recognize the promise came with implied conditions. Some (non-christians) believe the seed promise refers to some race or nation of people stemming from Abraham. The idea is that some nation will be a special blessing to the rest of the world. Many of the Islamic faith believe this is the nation stemming from Ishmael, the Arab peoples. Many Jews believe the seed refers descendants of Isaac, Israel. This view fails to recognize the seed promise points to Christ. With these misunderstandings we need to restore a proper emphasis on the Abrahamic promise. We need to understand what the promise is really about and how it is ultimately fulfilled in Christ s spiritual mission to save the lost. In early stages of the story, we find implications that the fulfillment of this promise through Abraham was conditional. For example, in Gen. 22:18 the Lord said to CallToRestoration.com

3 The Land Promise David Earl Minson Let s take a closer look at the land promise. In Gen. 13:14-17 God repeated the land promise to Abraham. See also Gen. 17:8, Gen. 28:3-4, 13 and Gen. 35:12. In Exo. 6:4-8 God reminded Moses that He was about to fulfill the land promise and give Canaan to Israel. Consider the physical implications of this promise. Is there anything left of this land promise yet to be fulfilled? Josh. 21:43-45 is emphatic that God fulfilled all the land promise. And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. 44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. Compare with Neh. 9:7-8 and Ps. 105: There is nothing left of the land promise yet to be fulfilled. There is no need for Christ to establish an earthly kingdom for Israel in order to fulfill the land promise; it s already been fulfilled! But some may protest that Israel didn t keep the land forever, suggesting Christ must come back and give it to them. This view forgets the conditional implications in the Abrahamic promise. Israel didn t receive the land because they were righteously worthy (Deut. 9:4-6). However, there were certain conditions attached to their receiving and retaining the land. Moses Law made these conditions clear. For example, in Lev. 26:27-28 God warned Israel about punishment they would face if they walked contrary to Him. In Lev. 26:32-33 He went on to say, And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. 33 And I will scatter you among the CallToRestoration.com heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. God was very clear that if Israel rebelled against Him, He would remove them from the land. Deut. 30:15-20 (NKJV) adds, See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them. Compare with Deut. 8:18-20, Deut. 28:58-63 and Josh. 23: The land promise was conditional on Israel being loyal to God. If they rejected God, He would expel them from the land. This very thing happened much later in Israel s history. In the days of the Babylonian Empire, Judah betrayed God and worshipped idols. God warned Judah they would lose the land if they didn t repent (Jer. 16:12-13, Jer. 18:9-11). Judah continued their rebellion and God allowed the Babylonians to come against Judah in waves, destroying cities, killing and carrying away captive. Some Israelites at that time thought they should continue to possess the land promised to Abraham. God instructed Ezekiel what to tell them. Ezek. 33:24-29 says, Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance. 25

4 Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? 26 Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour s wife: and shall ye possess the land? 27 Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. 28 For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. 29 Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. They thought they should still enjoy blessings of the land promise. They failed to recognize the same thing many today fail to recognize. Retaining the Promised Land was conditional on their faithfulness to God! God restored Israel to their land after the Babylonian captivity (Ezra. 1:1-4, Neh. 9:7-38, etc), but Israel did not remain faithful to God. Years later they rejected His Son. (Jn. 1:11) Is there any indication this betrayal cost them possession of the land inheritance? In Mk. 12:1-11 Jesus told a parable about a vineyard owner (God) and the husbandmen (Israel). Jesus recalled that God had sent prophets to Israel through the ages to call them back to Him. Israel repeatedly rejected the prophets, such as those in Ezekiel s day. Jesus went on to cite Ps. 118: He tied this to the discussion in verse 9 that God would come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. By rejecting Jesus, Israel was rejecting God (Lk. 10:16, Jn. 5:22-23, Jn. 12:44). This violated the terms of their covenant with God. Did they lose their land? In 70 AD Rome destroyed Jerusalem, killing many Jews and carrying others away. Jesus warned of this coming doom on Jerusalem and Judea for rejecting Him. For example, in Lk. 21:20-22 Jesus warned, And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Compare with Lk. 23: All the warnings given to Israel in Old Testament scripture were about to come to fruition. God warned Israel if they betrayed Him, He would cast them out of the Promised Land. Jesus seems to confirm that very thing was about to happen. The Promised Land they had enjoyed as their inheritance appeared to be slipping from their grasp. Clearly, the notion that Israel would always occupy that land, no matter what they did, is incorrect. The Abrahamic promise had implied conditions. Moses law clearly stated conditions on which Israel would possess the land. The National Promise David Earl Minson God s promise to Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3 included the pledge, And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: This second element of the Abrahamic promise is the national promise. Like the land promise, God reiterated the national promise to Isaac in Gen. 26:1-4 and to Jacob in Gen. 28:13-14 and Gen. 35: The great nation that was to come from Abraham was Jacob s descendants, the Nation of Israel. In Gen. 46:3 God said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: After Israel s escape from Egyptian captivity we see this promise fulfilled. Deut. 26:5, which says, And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous, speaks of this as being realized during their captivity. No question God fulfilled the physical aspect of the national promise when He made Israel a great nation, God s chosen people. Deut. 7:6 says, For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth CallToRestoration.com

5 But Israel s good standing with God came with conditions. In Exo. 19:5, God said to Israel, "If you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure to me above all people: for all the earth is mine." Thus Israel's status of being God s chosen people was contingent upon their obedience to God. God warned them in Lev. 26:27-28, And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; 28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. In what way did God say He would chasten them? Lev. 26:38-39 goes on to explain, And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. 39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them. If Israel turned against God He would cause them to perish. Would the fact they were Abraham s offspring save them? No, because the promise had conditions. In Mt. 3:9-10 the Bible says, And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Just because they were Abraham s offspring did not mean Israel had a free ride. Ultimately God would judge them by their fruit. If their fruit showed they d rejected God, the axe was laid to the root of the trees. Could Israel as a nation actually lose their standing with God? In Mt. 21:42-43 Jesus said, Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. After teaching the parable of the vineyard owner (discussed above), Jesus talked about the Jews rejecting of Him. He plainly said God s kingdom was being taken from them and given to another nation that would bring proper fruit. Because Israel as a nation showed the fruit of rejecting Christ, the axe was laid to the root of the trees and the nation lost its special standing with God. Does this mean an individual Israelite could not be saved? Paul anticipated this question in Rom. 11:1-5. Paul responded that he was an Israelite and he was in the kingdom (Col. 1:13). As the prophets suggest (I Kings 19:18, Isa. 1:9, etc) there was a remnant that remained faithful to God. Those who reject Christ are cut off from God. (Rom. 11:19-20) Those who accept Jesus as the Christ can have salvation (Rom. 11:23) and be part of God s family. Today, a fleshly Israelite enjoys no special distinction before God simply by reason of their birthright. In Acts 15:9 Peter said God put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. He went on to say in Acts 15:11 (NKJV), But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they. Today, an Israelite can be saved, but it is in the same manner as Gentiles. The notion that Israel would always be God s chosen people, no matter what they did, is incorrect. The Abrahamic promise had implied conditions. Moses law clearly stated conditions on which Israel would remain God s special people as a nation. When they rejected God s Son, they rejected God, violating these conditions, and changing their national status before God. The Seed Promise David Earl Minson In Gen. 12:3 God told Abraham, in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Gen. 18:18) In what way would Abraham be a blessing to all nations? Gen. 22:18 says, And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Gen. 28:14) What of Abraham s seed would bless all nations? Could it be Israel, as a nation, blessing all other nations? In Ps. 105:6 the Bible says, O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. This speaks of Israel as Abraham s seed; no doubt Israel was Abraham s offspring in a physical sense. But have they been a blessing to all nations any more than any other nation? CallToRestoration.com

6 Jews in Jn. 8:33 misunderstood the seed promise. They answered him, We be Abraham s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? They thought Israel as a nation constituted the seed. Was Israel so righteous that their very existence is a blessing to the rest of us? Isa. 1:4 says, Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. How could Israel as a nation be the promised seed when they were a seed of evil doers? Other nations fare no better. The Bible says in Rom. 3:9, 19, What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God (Gal. 3:22). Whatever nation springing from Abraham you choose, all are sinful. Surely the seed blessing to all nations must be something more than just another sinful tribe of man. In fact, the seed is not a nation at all; it is a perfect, sinless man, Jesus Christ. Gal. 3:16 says, Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Christ is the promised seed of Abraham, and He blesses all nations in bringing salvation. Gal. 3:8, And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. The seed promise was a declaration of the gospel, the good news that God proposed to save man through His Son coming in Abraham s family. Acts 3:25-26 explains, Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. God blesses all nations through Abraham s seed, Christ, in the universal offer of salvation. The idea of a coming seed blessing all nations is not limited to the Abrahamic promise. Later prophets picked up this theme and developed it, adding detail to the picture. A psalm about Messiah s glory speaks of the universal (all nations) impact of Messiah s work. Ps. 72:11 says, Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: CallToRestoration.com all nations shall serve him. The blessings of Messiah s rule reach all nations. Ps. 72:17 employs language from the Abrahamic promise in discussing this. His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. Christian teachers of the first century were not the first ones to connect the Abrahamic blessing to all nations with Messiah s work! (Compare Isa. 42:1-7). The psalmist sees Messiah s work being something in which men of all nations shall be blessed. Just like God promised to Abraham (Gen. 22:18), this message of hope would go out to all nations (Isa. 2:2), not just Israel. Mt. 1:1 affirms Christ s Abrahamic heritage. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. When Christ completed His work on earth He commanded His disciples to carry the gospel message to all nations. In Mt. 28:19 He said, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (Compare with Lk. 24:47). Early Christians took this charge seriously. In Acts 13:47 Paul said, For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. The seed promise to Abraham looks to Christ and His mission to offer salvation to all nations. Jesus is the seed of Abraham. He is a spiritual blessing to all nations. This suggests the Abrahamic promise had a prevailing spiritual dimension. In fact, that is precisely what the Bible teaches. The Spiritual Dimension of the Promises Rusty Springer Any clues to a mystery are best understood once the mystery has been revealed. The New Testament has revealed the mystery that was set before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:3-14). The mystery includes a oneness of God s people through Christ and an inheritance of a redeemed possession through the Gospel. Now that the mystery has been revealed, we can understand the clues of the mystery. The Abrahamic promises are clues to the mystery that is finally revealed through the

7 Gospel. Look at the Abrahamic promises through the lens of the New Testament, since the New Testament reveals the mystery. It is true that the Abrahamic promises were fulfilled in a physical sense, but they obviously had spiritual implications. The physical manifestation of the fulfilled promise was the shadow, but the substance is Christ (Col. 2:14-17). Notice that the law was intended to be the clues of what Christ would become as the substance. The law was meant to be a shadow to show the type of what would later be revealed in the New Covenant. The promises given to Abraham were brought about through the nation of Israel and their possession through which God would govern with a national law. The physical land was needed for the physical nation of Israel to put a law in place that would usher in the ultimate promise (Gal. 3:17-29). Without a nation it is impossible to have a national law, and the law was needed in order to bring us to Christ. What was promised to Abraham would eventually be realized by all who would experience the promises through the seed - Jesus Christ. The nation of Israel experienced a part of God s fulfilled promise, but God s intent had always been that the promises would completely be fulfilled spiritually. The promise was given to Abraham, the clues were in the Law of Moses, and the mystery was revealed through the Gospel. His ultimate goal was to reconcile man to Himself, that every man from every nation could experience the promised rest (Eph. 1:3-14). Seed (See Explanatory Article) In Gen. 12:3, Abraham (Abram at the time) is promised that through him all the families of the earth will be blessed. When God reiterates the promise in Gen. 22:18, God says that through His seed all of the earth will be blessed. Through the lens of the New Testament, we know that the seed was not speaking of several family members to follow Abraham, but the particular offspring, Jesus (Gal. 3:16). Paul s letter to the Philippians is very clear that Jesus, though Divine (God), left Heaven to humble Himself as a man and to obey His Father in death as a man (Phi. 2:6-8). Jesus then became a physical being in order to fulfill the seed promise made to Abraham. Truly all families are blessed through Jesus obedience by which we have the Gospel - the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4), the very Gospel that saves (Rom. 1:16). The very fact that the seed promise was fulfilled in a physical sense also points to the spirituality of its fulfillment as well. After Jesus came and died in the physical sense, He now is exalted to the right hand of the Father to reign over His kingdom in a spiritual sense (Phi. 2:9-11). The physical fulfillment would have no meaning without the spiritual significance and fulfillment. In other words, the physical death, burial, and resurrection would have no impact on all families of the earth if men could not be saved from sin through the Gospel. Now that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God, He rules over His kingdom. National (See Explanatory Article) With the seed promise, it is clear that there first was a physical fulfillment followed by spiritual blessings. The National promise indeed was fulfilled physically, but also served as a shadow of a greater, spiritual nation to come. In Genesis 12:2, the promise given to Abraham was that he, more specifically his offspring, would become a great nation. The physical fulfillment of this promise was through the establishment of the nation of Israel. God expounds on the national promise in Genesis 17:4-6, saying that Abraham would be father to many nations. If the fulfillment of the promise was only through the nation of Israel, there is an inherent problem because Israel is only one nation. How could Abraham be a father to many nations if the promise only included one? The national promise must be about more than just Israel. In fact, it embraced a larger scope, beyond Abraham s physical offspring. Through the lens of the New Testament we can clearly see the intent of the national promise. Paul explains the spiritual intent of the original promise in Romans 4:16-18, which says, Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,(as it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall CallToRestoration.com

8 thy seed be. In order to be a citizen of the nation of Israel, one was born into the family of Abraham. Now, all have access to the national promise through obedient faith. For all who were born into the nation of Israel were considered a citizen of it. By faith through grace, all can be children of Abraham, of which many from other nations are considered a part of the nation of God. He is a father of many nations because the people of God extend beyond national borders. Each person that comes to Christ by faith is considered Abraham s seed despite where they were physically born. In Christ, all are one in the nation of God (Gal. 3:28). He continues in Galatians 3:29, And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. According to the promise given to Abraham, all those who are Christ s are indeed Abraham s seed. Christ, the seed promise, established a new kingdom, the national promise. He now reigns supreme at the right hand of the Father as the King of His kingdom. That kingdom is the church (Matt. 16:16-18). The spiritual fulfillment of the national promise, then, was the establishment of the church. Of which, many can be made citizens when translated into the kingdom by the blood of Jesus (Col. 1:12-14). That saving message is extended to all people of the world, thus fulfilling the promise that Abraham would be a father of many nations (Mark 16:15-16). Land (See Explanatory Article) The seed promise of Jesus ushered in the national promise, the kingdom, which allowed for the fulfillment of the land promise. Again, the land promise was fulfilled in a physical sense in that the nation of Israel was allowed into the land of Canaan to conquer and develop the land. However, just as the seed and land promise extended beyond the physical Jesus and the physical nation of Israel, the land promise involves more than its physical fulfillment. The ultimate aim of the land promise looked beyond the narrow strip of land Israel once owned. It looks to a promise of heavenly rest. Again, through the lens of the New Testament, the clues make evident the original intent of the promise. In Heb. 4:7-10 the New Testament writer speaks about this promised rest. He noted that in Ps. 95:7-8, David speaks of Israel entering into rest after they were already in the Promised Land. Since David was already in the Promised Land, their promised rest must be about more than the physical land. David did not experience rest in the land of promise; he was constantly running and hiding from Saul during Saul s reign as king. David was known as a man of war during his own reign. There is no rest in war. Obviously, though looking forward, he understood that the land that was truly promised was heavenly. That is the only true rest that would be known by David. The rest that remains is our heavenly rest. This is the spiritual intent of the land promise. Is the Abrahamic promise merely about the minute piece of land circled above? Not only did David understand that the ultimate fulfillment of the land promise was spiritual, Abraham also understood the land promise pointed to a heavenly city. Hebrews 11:8-10 states, By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Though Abraham was shown the land and even understood it to be the inheritance, he looked beyond the physical land to a city whose maker is God. Hebrews 11:13-16 states, These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that CallToRestoration.com

9 is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. The city whose maker is God is identified here as a heavenly city. These men of faith knew the land that physically would be inhabited, but they were looking beyond the land promised in a physical sense, to Heaven. Conclusion Ultimately, the seed promise fulfilled by Jesus was to give all men a chance to be a citizen of the Kingdom. The national promise was fulfilled by the establishment of the church to give entrance to Heaven. And finally, the land promise will be fulfilled once all citizens of the kingdom are given the eternal inheritance in Heaven (1 Cor. 15:24). The promises given to Abraham were clues to a greater purpose. The physical fulfillment of these promises under the Old Testament were shadows, or clues, to the greater mystery that is realized in the New Testament. Once the mystery is revealed the clues make sense. Now that the mystery has been revealed through the New Testament, the clues of the promises of Abraham make sense. The Law s Place in the Promise: a Shadow of Good Things to Come Chase Palmer Man s relationship with God has always been regulated by particular commandments and laws that are set forth by God. God has always set the parameters of man s relationship with Him and that relationship has always been conditional based upon man s obedience to the laws and regulations that God has instituted. God sets the rules and terms of His relationship with us, and it is our duty to obey all of these commands. Abraham certainly understood his role in his own personal relationship with God. Abraham had received a promise from God and by Abraham s obedience to God had entered into a covenant with God. Because God had mercy upon Abraham and Abraham was willing to obey God, the promises that were made to him by God would be fulfilled. From the beginning in the creation man s relationship with God has been based upon man s submission and obedience to God s Law. Whether it was Adam and Eve in the garden, Noah building the ark, or Moses and the children of Israel with the written Law that was given at Sinai, God has always commanded obedience to his law. After the Exodus from Egypt, God called Moses to Mount Sinai to reveal to him His new Law for his people. Entering into a covenant with the children of Israel as His chosen nation of people, as had been promised to Abraham, God institutes this Law. Man s relationship with God was based on his adherence to the commands written in this Law. Exodus 19:5-6, Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. If this people would hearken to the voice of God and keep this written law (which we will refer to as the Law for the purposes of this article) then God would make them his holy nation and fulfill the national aspect of the Abrahamic promise. Though Israel had become God s chosen nation their standing with God was still contingent upon their obedience to his commands. Lev. 26:27-28, And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; 28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. As we consider the three-fold promise that was made to Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3 (the Seed promise, the National promise, and the Land promise), the Law plays a vital role in the fulfillment of all three dimensions of this promise. The national promise, the land promise, and the Seed promise were all reliant upon the Jews CallToRestoration.com

10 obedience to the Law that had been given on Sinai. We will examine the role of the Law as it pertained to the three facets of the Abrahamic promise. First let us begin with the Law s role in the fulfillment of the national and land promise given to Abraham. Without law it is impossible for judgment to occur. Law given provides man with the knowledge of what God desires from him. God s laws are always given for the benefit of His creation. God establishes His rules and commandments for us to obey because he knows better what we need than we do ourselves; the Law given to the children of Israel was no different. Obedience to God s law always benefits man. The Law was going to make God s judgment of His children possible. Rom. 7:7, What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Paul is stating that the Law itself was not sin but was a tool that would bring sin and disobedience to light. This is certainly what God wanted to accomplish with the institution of this law. We must understand that the Law provided neither help nor hope for Israel but, what it brought to light the idea that all were guilty in one way or another before God. The Law would separate this people from the world and at the same time would convict them of their sin, so that they would look to the ultimate fulfillment that was to come in the person of Jesus Christ. The Law made it apparent to Israel what God s will was for them. They could know the kind of people that they needed to be because of the Law. This law was a very specific law, with very specific commands, and there was never a need to wonder what God s rules for Israel were because of the specificity of the Law. It was Israel s obedience to the Law that separated them from other nations before God. It was Israel s obedience to the Law that allowed God to give and sustain them in the land that had been promised to Abraham and his seed. The land belonging to the Jews was contingent upon their continued obedience and acknowledgment of God s law. This is covered in the article examining the Land Promise in detail by David Earl Minson. While we are looking at the Law and the fulfillment of the national and land promise to Abraham, we must understand that Israel would not always be God s chosen people. Israel was God s chosen nation but that was only to be for a time. At some point God was going to establish a New Kingdom that all men and women would be able to be a part of. Isa. 2:2-3, And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. We can see the fulfillment of this prophecy with the establishment of the Lord s Church in Acts 2 with the preaching of the Gospel of Christ on the day of Pentecost and then the acceptance of the gentiles into the kingdom in Acts 10 at the house of Cornelius. Since Israel s time as God s chosen nation was temporary, the Law that regulated them was temporary as well. The Law was never intended to be God s final will for man but it was to serve as a tutor to prepare Israel for the perfect law that was to come by Jesus Christ. Gal. 3:24, Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. The Law was the method chosen by God to separate out from the world His chosen nation and to sustain them in that Promised Land. Consider Rom. 4:12-13: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Rom. 4:16, Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all. We must understand that at the time when Abraham received the promises from God, he was not a Jew. He fathered many nations, including the Israelites CallToRestoration.com

11 Abraham is not only the father of those who would come after him and live under the Law that regulated the Jews, but he was first the father of those that would desire to serve God and walk by faith, regardless of their national affiliation. If we look at Rom. 4:11, And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also, we begin to understand that the Law was not the source of justification, but rather man s obedience through faith with the ever present mercy of God. Abraham s circumcision was to serve as a seal or sign of the righteousness that had been imputed to him by God. The Jews believed that it was their adherence to the Law of circumcision that brought about their justification, but Abraham had received the promise and righteousness before he received the sign of circumcision. This now opens the door for you and I, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, as gentiles, to be heirs of the promises that had been made to Abraham. Remember God promised that all families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham s seed. The Law was to be in effect for a time and was to condemn and bring about the understanding that man needed forgiveness for his sins. 1 John 3:4, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. With the Law came the acknowledgment of sin (Romans 3:20), and with the acknowledgment of sin man should understand his need for the forgiveness of that sin. It was not the Law s place to provide forgiveness and the Law could not forgive the sins of man; however, the Law could lead the way to the fulfillment of that seed promise that was given to Abraham which did bring the forgiveness of sin. We understand from Gal. 3:18-25 that the inheritance of the promise given to Abraham was not by the Law as the Jews supposed because it was promised to Abraham before there was the Law. Gal. 3:18, For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Natural questions would then arise. Why was the Law instituted in the first place, if it could not justify, forgive, or save? Does it not dissolve the Abrahamic promise? That is exactly what Paul asks and answers in the next verse. Gal. 3:19, Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come CallToRestoration.com to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. The Law was given so that we would become aware of and acknowledge our own sinfulness and the need for the love and mercy of God. When the Seed promise given to Abraham was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Law would cease in its power over man because forgiveness of sin had come by the blood of Christ. This leads to the significance of the following verses. Gal. 3:20-25, Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. These verses in Galatians 3 illustrate the purpose that God had for the Law and how it performed its role perfectly in fulfilling the spiritual promises given to Abraham in Gen. 12. The promise of the seed was fulfilled in Christ coming and providing the perfect sacrifice that could take away sin; man through his faith could have his sins forgiven by the power of Christ s blood. The Law brought us up to the door of salvation and left us there because the sacrifices and ceremonies of the Law could not bring about salvation and forgiveness of sin. Hebrews 10:4, For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

12 Now that Christ, the perfect sacrifice had come there was no need to continue the ritualistic sacrifices that were demanded under the Law. Hebrews 10:9-10, Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The final will of God for man had been established. The Law that had been in place from the days of Moses on Sinai to the days of Christ could now be laid to rest. Mt. 5:17, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Col. 2:14-17, Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. The Law, as has been discussed, was a witness against man and stood convicting man of his sins. God in His perfect plan of redemption, that had been promised to mankind from the instance of the first sin we have recorded in Gen. 3:6 with Adam and Eve eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was completed by Christ. Christ would come to earth and defeat Satan and death for all men by His death, burial, and resurrection. Gen. 3:15, And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. God always keeps His promises. The Law pales in comparison to the law and ultimate remission of sin that Christ brought with His law in the New Testament. The Law was nailed to the cross of Christ and its ordinances and guilt sustaining power over man were removed and replaced with forgiveness, mercy, and love from Calvary s hill. Christ had fulfilled all the demands of that law with his sacrifice and had with its passing instituted the new law that had been prophesied of hundreds of years before by the prophet Jeremiah CallToRestoration.com Jer. 31:31-34, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Though the Law is no longer in effect for us today, we should never take away from the fact that it was instituted by God and is profitable for us today by showing the will of God and illuminating more about the one that would come, fulfill that law, and take it out of the way for our benefit. We must understand the superiority of Christ to the Law and that the Law performed its intended purpose in the ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise. It served its purpose in convicting man of sin and assuring a future law by the messiah that would bring about the accomplishment of all of God s promises to mankind by the precious blood of the perfect Lamb of God, His only Son Jesus Christ. The Law certainly was a shadow of good things to come. Taking Part in Abraham s Legacy Ben Soto In the previous articles we have examined the three parts of the Abrahamic promise: the Land Promise, the National Promise, and the Seed Promise (Gen. 12:1-3). This promise was conditional upon the obedience of the people (Deut. 30:15-20, Lev. 26:27-28) and was passed down through the descendants of Abraham. Today many people simply look to the physical aspects of the promise and fail to realize the bigger, spiritual picture of the covenant.

13 We also noticed the role of the Law in the promise to Abraham. The entire purpose of the Law was to show the Jews they were in sin and could not have redemption of their sins without the Messiah. We find a summation of this idea in Gal 3:19, Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made, here we see that the Law was designed to last until the coming of Christ, in whom all nations would be blessed (Gal 3:16). As we examine the Abrahamic promise we must not be confounded by the physical aspects of its fulfillment, but we must look to the spiritual nature of the inheritance (Nation: the Church, Land: Heaven, Seed: Christ). Considering what we have examined so far, we may begin to wonder: if there are spiritual implications in the Abrahamic promise, can one partake of this inheritance? Some believe that because of their ancestry, Jews are partakers of this promise; but must we be from the lineage of Abraham to receive the inheritance? To answer this question let s look at Rom. 9:6-8 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Here the Bible teaches that those of Israel are not Jews only (the physical descendants of Abraham) and that all Jews are not necessarily the children of Abraham. In John 8 we find a discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees that perfectly illustrates the principle taught in Rom. 9:6-8. Jesus warned the Pharisees that they were in bondage to sin because of the works they were committing. They continually disputed with Jesus with the claim that because Abraham was their father, they therefore could not be in bondage. Jesus never denied their ancestry, but did deny their faithfulness to God, as we read the account in John 8:37-39, I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. Despite their lineage from the patriarch, Jesus told them they were not truly the children of Abraham because of the sinful actions they were committing. So to answer the question: no, one does not have to be of the physical descent of Abraham to be a partaker of the promise. The Bible teaches us that we can be counted for the seed by being the children of Abraham. Though he was about one hundred years old and Sarah, his wife, was barren, he believed that God was going to fulfill the promise that was made. In Rom. 4:19-21 we find a description of the kind of faith Abraham had, And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. The scriptures teach us that Abraham was strong and unwavering in his faith. If you have a desire to partake in the inheritance of Abraham you must have the same type of strong, unwavering faith in God s ability to perform what He has promised. Those who have faith in God s plan are counted as the children of Abraham and will therefore be blessed along with Abraham. The Bible teaches this in Gal. 3:7, 9 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. Abraham s example is not just about faith, but faithful obedience. As we read in Rom 4:12 Abraham is, the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision. Abraham is the father of those who walk in his steps. This shows us that we cannot be counted as partakers of the inheritance by faith alone, but must by faith act in obedience as Abraham did (Gen. 26:4-5, Jam. 2:20-24). Paul explained in Eph 2:12-17 that both Jew and Gentile are made one in Jesus Christ. These concepts become more clear when we remember Rom 9:6, For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel, which teaches that the nation of Israel is not made up of Jews only. If we can be citizens of God s Israel in Jesus Christ, can CallToRestoration.com