One could argue that the promise that Abraham would be the father of a great nation was fulfilled while the Israelites multiplied in Eypt:
Deut 26:5 you shall make this response before the LORD your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.
In fact, when the Israelites sinned, God tells Moses that he and his descendants would take their place:
Ex 32:10 Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation."
The contrast is clear. Israel was a "great nation" and God was rather angry and wanted to replace them with Moses and his descendants.
In any case, one could argue that Israel fulfilled the promise of being a great nation while they were in Egypt.
Additionally, 1st century Jews understood the promises of Abraham to include promises to the entire earth. They understood the promises to Abraham to include an inheritance of and blessings on the entire world. Abraham was to be the father of many nations (Gen 17), not just one. They believed the promises were not limited in scope to an ethnic group to occupy a small tract of land.
1. This says A GREAT NATION.. Enough said.
2. Later he said many nations (different topic. He never said whoever blesses or curses the nations)
3. God said specifically.
[SUP]12 [/SUP]Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. [SUP]13 [/SUP]Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
this is the ONLY part that was fulfilled in Egypt. But this is not all of it, So those who say God fulfilled it in egypt are wrong. for God adds this.
[SUP]14 [/SUP]And
also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward
they shall come out with great possessions. [SUP]15 [/SUP]Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. [SUP]16 [/SUP]But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
The promise is most definately way past egypt.. But God does not even stop here.
“To
your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— [SUP]19 [/SUP]the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, [SUP]20 [/SUP]the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, [SUP]21 [/SUP]the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
and oh by the way, How long was this promise to last? Just in case anyone was wondering?
[SUP]4 [/SUP]“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and
you shall be a father of many nations. [SUP]5 [/SUP]No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for
I have made you a father of many nations. [SUP]6 [/SUP]I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and
I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. [SUP]7 [/SUP]And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. [SUP]8 [/SUP]Also
I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
everlasting gift. Unless eternity has stopped or the land is no longer there, then no one can deny this must till be in effect. or God lied.
also, Here, for the first time, the plural word is used. Many nations came from abraham, God kept his promise as they did, And also notice, the promise of blessing and cursing was not given for all these nations, It was given in the past, only for A NATION.