The Promise to Abraham — The Unfolding of Biblical Eschatology

Key to Genesis and a Pivotal Point in Redemptive History

The call of Abram in Genesis 12:1–9 is a pivotal point in redemptive history. According to Gordon Wenham, no section of Genesis is more significant than 11:27–12:9. It is, as Bruce Waltke observes, “the thematic center of the Pentateuch.” While the first eleven chapters of Genesis focus primarily on the terrible consequences of sin, God’s promises to Abram in Genesis 12 focus on the hope of redemption, of restored blessing and reconciliation with God. God is going to deal with the problem of sin and evil, and he is going to establish his kingdom on earth. How he is going to do this begins to be revealed in his promises to Abram. The remaining chapters of Genesis follow the initial stages in the fulfillment of these promises. Thus Genesis 12:1–9 sets the stage for the remainder of Genesis and the remainder of the Bible.

The key section of Genesis 12:1–9 is the explicit call of God to Abram found in verses 1–3.

Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  Continue at Keith Mathison

The Glory of Israel Revealed

I am utterly convinced that the glory of Israel can be found in no other place than in Christ. He is the only true and rightful heir of the promise of God made to Abraham for “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.” [Gal 3:16] The promise of God was reserved for Christ alone by God’s own will in the giving of the Law, which was “added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made.” [Gal 3:19]. All this so that the promises of God could only be inherited by those who have faith in His Son. [Gal 3:22] Through many tears the apostle Paul spoke of this truth to the church in Rome, and though he had great affection for his own Jewish people, it was his words penned under the inspiration of the Spirit of God that said “This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” [Romans 9:8] Read it all HERE

Jesus and Israel: One Covenant or Two?

Every year, thousands of Christian books are published worldwide. Of those thousands, there are usually only a small handful that are worth reading. Of those that are worth reading, there are only a few that are worth reading repeatedly. David Holwerda’s Jesus & Israel: One Covenant or Two? is one of those rare few. The basic purpose of Holwerda’s book is to examine the topic of promise and fulfillment in Scripture from a Reformed, covenantal perspective. In order to thoroughly deal with this significant topic, each chapter of the book is devoted to addressing one specific issue that sheds light on the relationship between Jesus and Israel. The topics that are addressed include, for example, the temple, the land, and the law. Though not an explicitly stated purpose of the book, the examination of these issues from a covenantal perspective also provides a very helpful contrast with the popular dispensationalist ideas of promise and fulfillment. Continue Reading>>>

The Israel of God!

Introduction

Israel is a word that is found in scripture over 2500 times, and because of its critical importance to the Church in coming to a sound understanding of God's Covenant Promises, it carries great significance. Was the Lord's promise of an everlasting inheritance made to a middle eastern nation of geopolitical and genealogical stature, or was that promise made to an Israel that is an elect, diverse, and spiritual people? To be sure, there are those who believe that the peace, prosperity, freedom, and everlasting Kingdom reign, was promised to the literal progeny of Israel. They think that this can only be fulfilled by the literal seed of Jacob inheriting literal land. But is the Israel of God defined by genealogy, or does being a true Israelite mean anyone born of thee Seed, which is Christ. Is the Israel of God defined by having a blood relationship to Jacob, or is it defined by having a blood relationship with Christ? These are all pertinent questions that should not be lightly esteemed, nor brushed aside with old tired platitudes, clichés, or colloquialisms.

Indeed we must ask ourselves, in light of scripture, is it even possible that such a glorious and eternal promise could be fulfilled in such an earthly kingdom? Is the New Covenant Congregation kingdom a "Plan B," or is the grace of the New Covenant with Israel, the means by which God is fulfilling the previous Covenants? There is only one way to arrive at the truth of these questions, and that is by trusting the word of God itself. There are essential interpretative rules to understanding biblical eschatology. The first is that the Bible is the inerrant divine word of God, and thus absolutely and fully authoritative. The second is that, being the divinely inspired word of God to man, it is its own interpreter of what is being said. The scriptures are the ultimate and final authority that determines the faithfulness of doctrines of the Church. Sound exegesis will come only by our first understanding this principle both effectually, and intellectually. Relying on what our teachers and leaders think is right, or on blindly following popular authors, will never lead to consistent doctrines that are in total harmony with scripture. Only in rightly dividing the word of truth will we discern what was being prophesied future in God's promises to Israel, and what God has declared was fulfilled by Christ. Our interpretive paradigm must start with the "absolute" that the terms "Jews and Israel" must ultimately be defined by the Bible, and not by secular history or modern day understanding.

With this in mind, this study will examine this important issue, in the illuminating light of the divinely inspired scripture. We begin this exposition in the book of Romans, chapter nine. There the Apostle Paul deals with this very question of "The Promises made to Israel." God here answers the objection against the truth that the Jews were judged. The question is, if the promises were to Israel, why then has Israel rejected Christ and come under this judgment? Continue Reading>>>

The Ultimate Fulfillment of the Land Promise

"The sun shall be no more
your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
give you light;
but the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
Your sun shall no more go down,
nor your moon withdraw itself;
for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your days of mourning shall be ended.
Your people shall all be righteous;
they shall possess the land forever,
the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,
that I might be glorified." Isaiah 60:19-21

"My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore." Ezekiel 37:24-28

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God." Revelation 21:1-3

Read it all HERE