pilgrim people

The Abrahamic Covenant (con't)

in Genesis 15, God promises Abraham offspring and a land. There are two levels of fulfillment. The first level was fulfilled in the nation Israel and the land of Canaan. As awesome as that first level of fulfillment was, however, it was only a picture and type of the greater fulfillment.

If you have a Bible, open it to Galatians 3.

While making his argument against the Judaizers that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, and not by works of the law, Paul is careful to show how it is that one becomes a true descendent of Abraham. Look at vv.7-9...

What glorious revelation this is! Justification comes through faith alone to people of every tongue, nation, and tribe. The promise given to Abraham now goes out to all the earth. And it can only be received by faith.  This is possible because of what Paul says in v.16: "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."

You see, Christ is the offspring of Abraham through whom all the promises come to us. The law that was later given through Moses could not change the covenant previously made to Abraham and ratified in blood. That promise is fulfilled in Christ so that as Paul says in v.29: "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise."

Could it be any more clear? Not all of national Israel is of true Israel. Paul presses this argument vigorously both in Galatians and in his letter to the Romans. The great number of offspring promised to Abraham was only foreshadowed in national Israel. Those that are truly his are those that, like himself, have faith in the promise.

That is how the promise of offspring is fulfilled on a greater level. But what about the promise of land? How is that fulfilled on a greater level? Well, again, the New Testament reveals to us a greater reality. Turn to the Book of Hebrews, chapter 11. Read vv.8-10, 13-16...

You see, the promised land of Canaan was temporary. It was not permanent. What is permanent, however, is what awaits us in the future, namely, the new heavens and new earth. What awaits us is infinitely greater than a plot of real estate in this present evil age. Canaan, as good as it was, was only the type and foreshadow of something much better. Canaan, as good as it was, ultimately became corrupted, defiled, and faded away. The true Promised Land, however, is an inheritance that the apostle Peter says is incorruptible, undefiled, unfading, and reserved in heaven (1 Pet 1.3-5). Like Abraham, we look forward to it with hope.

More to come...