Approximately 3950 years ago a boy was born to a family in the city of Ur. The parents named their new son, Abram . . . This is ancient history. Are we as 20th century Bible students interested in ancient history or modern Christian living? The life we live now is the one for which we will be accountable at the judgment seat.
The answer is, of course, that we are vitally interested in both ancient history and modern Christian living. If it were not for what was promised to Abram in ancient times our modern life would not be worth living. Abram was promised a glorious inheritance which he has yet to receive. The destiny of this earth is wrapped up in these promises. Your destiny is also wrapped up in these promises. If you are faithful, you may sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Abram, whose name was later changed to Abraham, was called the friend of God. A brief look at a few of the incidents in his life will show why he deserved this title. While a young man in Ur he saw through the shallowness of the idol worship that surrounded him. He believed in the accounts of Noah and Babel and saw that there was only one almighty God that rules heaven and earth. He obeyed the request of this God when He commanded Abram to leave the prosperous, civilized city of Ur to wander in the unknown land to the west.
He remained faithful to God through the trials and temptations of wealth and prosperity. He did not falter when asked to sacrifice his only son, the one in which lay all his hope. He looked for something beyond this life. He looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Because of the life that he lived, God made Abraham the recipient of some very special and all-encompassing promises. These promises are recorded in the 12th, 13th, 15th, 17th and 22nd chapters of Genesis. The entire chapter should be read in each case to get the full context.
The things that were promised to Abraham are as follows : (1) Abraham would become a great nation and his name would be great and his seed would be as numerous as the stars of the sky ; (2) Through Abraham and his seed all nations of the earth would be blessed ; (3) God would bless those that bless Abraham’s seed and curse those that curse Abraham’s seed ; (4) God would give Abraham and his seed the land from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates for an everlasting possession ; (5) Abraham’s seed should possess the gates of his enemies.
We can rest assured that these are valid promises and that they are sure of fulfillment. God states through the writer to the Hebrews in Chapter 6, verse 13, “For when God made promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself saying, surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee.” We can find no greater assurance than God’s immutable word.
Almost 4000 years have passed since those promises were made. What happened to them during that time? A careful study of history will reveal that they remain essentially what they were at their inception — promises. Abraham lived in the land of Egypt and Canaan. He was a stranger in both places.
The only land he ever owned was the field containing the cave of Machpelah which he used for a burying place. Abraham lived to see Isaac’s children, but this was very far from the multitudinous seed promised. In fact we can say that during Abraham’s life the promises were not fulfilled in any way.
Turning to the history of the descendants of Abraham, we find only a partial fulfillment. Following through the lineage of Abraham we have Isaac, Jacob, Jacob’s twelve sons and finally the nation of Israel. A nation which was conceived in the servitude of Egypt ; was unified by Divine trial through the 40 years wandering in the deserts of Sinai ; gained its own land under the divinely guided leadership of Joshua and finally came to its greatest heights as a nation under the rulership of David and Solomon. The name of Abraham has become well known because of these people he fostered.
These people possessed a small portion of the land promised to Abraham for a short time and then it fell back into the hands of their enemies.
A Jew by the name of Jesus Christ, who could trace his lineage through David to Abraham preached a Gospel to the world which has brought many blessings to mankind.
In these few statements can be summarized the extent of the fulfillment of the Abrahamic promises. In view of surety of the original covenant, there can be only one conclusion. If there is only a partial fulfillment up to the very moment you are reading this article then the remainder of the fulfillment must be in the future. Furthermore we will endeavor to show that the destiny of all nations on this earth and the destiny of you in particular is governed by the fulfillment of the Abrahamic promises.
In support of this bold claim we will go over the promises point by point and see the far reaching effect of their fulfillment.
Abraham’s Seed : The natural seed of Abraham, the nation of Israel, has become quite numerous, but a much broader aspect can be found. In Gal. 3:26-29 we find that all who follow the gospel preached by Christ can become Abraham’s adopted descendents and heirs to his promises.
This opens a vast field and indicates that the name of Abraham certainly will be great for his family will be all those down through the ages who have embraced the true way as it is in Jesus. There is also a very particular “seed” of Abraham. This “seed” is Jesus Christ as indicated in Gal. 3:16. Herein lies the key, for it is through Jesus that the ultimate and complete fulfillment of all the promises must be accomplished.
Blessing of the Nations: We have previously mentioned the blessing of the nations through Christ’s preaching. This portion fades into insignificance, however, when we consider all the other blessings Christ, Abraham’s special seed, will bring to the earth. One has only to read chapters such as the 11th of Isaiah to realize that the blessings that mankind will enjoy in the Kingdom of God under the ruler-ship of Christ are beyond our fondest imagination.
Blessing and Cursing: We have seen during our day that the nations who persecute the Jew have received their just punishment. This fact will be realized to an even greater extent in the Kingdom when the nations will recognize that Israel will have the first dominion. The saying will come true that “ten men will take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, I will go with you.”
The Land Forever: This is probably the most significant promise for you and I personally. Abraham and his seed were promised the land forever. For them to receive the land for an unending period of time necessitates that they be in the proper state. They must be immortal. This promise, therefore, insures eternal life for Abraham and his seed. Who are his seed ? All those who follow the Gospel preached by Christ. What must we do to come under this wonderful promise of eternal life ?The answer is plainly taught by Jesus himself. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”
Possession of the Enemies’ Gates: The fulfillment of this aspect of the promises is twofold. First the Jews in the Kingdom of God will become the first dominion and will finally rise above all those who have tried to annihilate them, Second, and most important, man’s constant and ever present enemy is death. Jesus Christ has triumphed over death and now sits at God’s right hand. All his true followers, the adopted nation of Israel, will be rewarded with eternal life in the coming Kingdom and will similarly triumph over their worst enemy, death. Finally at the end of the Millenial Kingdom death will be abolished completely and God will be all and in all.
Abraham received the promises in ancient times and will receive the promised land as an everlasting possession in the future. Let us all try to pattern our lives after Abraham, who was called, the friend of God.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One