While most people studying the Bible recognize that God made covenants with Abraham, they misunderstand or overlook how Abraham’s relationship with God came about. To begin with, God simply made seven promises to Abraham before any covenants were enacted.
Genesis 12:1-4 Now Yahweh 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."
So Abram went forth as Yahweh had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
At this point, no covenant was in place; God simply promised that all of these things would come about. Here the Bible tells us that Abraham simply believed in these promises of the one true God. This is the exhibition of faith that Abraham is primarily remembered for. Understanding this principle is key to how the apostle Paul would use this simple faithfulness of Abraham later on in his letters to illustrate faith in Messiah.
Galatians 3:16, 29 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Messiah ... for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua. And if you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.
The physical covenants and genealogies were for physical blessings for Abraham's fleshly descendants through Jacob. They were necessary and proper until the fulfillment of the promises and covenants in Messiah. From Yeshua’s time on, genealogies would no longer be necessary, since they had served their purpose of identifying Abraham's ultimate "seed," Messiah. Physical covenants related to blessings of the land would also no longer be necessary, as the children of Abraham would be defined by their simple faith in God’s Messiah. And this would not be to gain or prosper in a specific, physical land but to live in an eternal, universal Kingdom covering the entire earth.
Those who exhibit this faith in God by believing in his Messiah, just like Abraham's elementary faith, will be counted within the idiomatic expression of believers spanning many ages, known collectively as "children of Abraham." These are the ones whom, like Yeshua taught, will "come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven," (Matthew 8:11).
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Remember, if you have thoughts or comments that you would like to explore further with me, feel free to email me at coreofthebible@gmail.com. And be sure to visit coreofthebible.org for all of the podcasts on our podcast page there. Thanks for listening today!
All music in today's episode: Brittle Rille by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3460-brittle-rille
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
MORE INFO:
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MUSIC:
All music in today's episode: "Brittle Rille" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3460-brittle-rille
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
