There are many Christians who deny the eternal significance of the Abrahamic Covenant. Another thread was started on “forgetting” this covenant, but few participated in that. Possibly because it is a matter of ignoring or rejecting this covenant, or failing to hear about it in their churches.
There are eight aspects to the Abrahamic Covenant [which was reiterated in part or in full to Isaac (Gen 26:1-5, 24; ) and Jacob (Gen 28:10-15; 35:9-12)], not least of which is the promise of Messiah/Christ to all humanity – not just Israel. The interesting thing about this covenant is that it encompasses all the subsequent covenants. Also those who deny that there will be a redeemed and restored Israel in the Land of Promise are confronted with this covenant in Scripture, and have only three options: (1) God did not really mean what He said to Abraham, (2) The Church will occupy the land of Israel instead of the New Jerusalem, or (3) this is all allegorical and really means something totally different from the plain literal sense.
1. THE LAND OF PROMISE FOR ETERNITY
In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. (Gen 15:18-21)... And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. (Gen 16:8) [Note: “I will be their God” indicates a redeemed and restored Israel, not the nation-state to hear about].
2. A VAST MULTITUDE OF PHYSICAL DESCENDANTS
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. (Gen 15:5)
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. (Gen 17:1, 2).
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; (Gen 22:14-17)
3. ABRAHAM THE FATHER (ANCESTOR) OF MANY NATIONS
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. (Gen 17:3-6)
4. A VAST MULTITUDE OF SPIRITUAL DESCENDANTS
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. (Gen 17:7) [Note: this speaks of a personal relationship with God for those who believe God and the Gospel of Christ]
5. CIRCUMCISION: THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT FOR ISRAEL
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. (Gen 17:9-14)
6. SARAH TO BE A MOTHER OF MANY NATIONS
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. (Gen 17:15,16).
7. THE COVENANT TO BE ESTABLISHED THROUGH ISAAC (AND JACOB)
But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. (Gen 17:21).
8. CHRIST TO BE THE SEED (DESCENDANT) OF ABRAHAM
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Gen 22:18).... Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Gal 3:16)...The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son [descendant] of Abraham. (Mt 1:1). Unbelieving Jews accept everything else other than this.
There are eight aspects to the Abrahamic Covenant [which was reiterated in part or in full to Isaac (Gen 26:1-5, 24; ) and Jacob (Gen 28:10-15; 35:9-12)], not least of which is the promise of Messiah/Christ to all humanity – not just Israel. The interesting thing about this covenant is that it encompasses all the subsequent covenants. Also those who deny that there will be a redeemed and restored Israel in the Land of Promise are confronted with this covenant in Scripture, and have only three options: (1) God did not really mean what He said to Abraham, (2) The Church will occupy the land of Israel instead of the New Jerusalem, or (3) this is all allegorical and really means something totally different from the plain literal sense.
1. THE LAND OF PROMISE FOR ETERNITY
In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. (Gen 15:18-21)... And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. (Gen 16:8) [Note: “I will be their God” indicates a redeemed and restored Israel, not the nation-state to hear about].
2. A VAST MULTITUDE OF PHYSICAL DESCENDANTS
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. (Gen 15:5)
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. (Gen 17:1, 2).
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; (Gen 22:14-17)
3. ABRAHAM THE FATHER (ANCESTOR) OF MANY NATIONS
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. (Gen 17:3-6)
4. A VAST MULTITUDE OF SPIRITUAL DESCENDANTS
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. (Gen 17:7) [Note: this speaks of a personal relationship with God for those who believe God and the Gospel of Christ]
5. CIRCUMCISION: THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT FOR ISRAEL
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. (Gen 17:9-14)
6. SARAH TO BE A MOTHER OF MANY NATIONS
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. (Gen 17:15,16).
7. THE COVENANT TO BE ESTABLISHED THROUGH ISAAC (AND JACOB)
But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. (Gen 17:21).
8. CHRIST TO BE THE SEED (DESCENDANT) OF ABRAHAM
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Gen 22:18).... Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Gal 3:16)...The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son [descendant] of Abraham. (Mt 1:1). Unbelieving Jews accept everything else other than this.