God's Promises to Abraham

All right. Well, we'll finish with a prayer after our Bible study today, but you'll notice a handout.

Oh, any comments from the sermon? Anybody have any things that came to mind that you would like to share? We do conclude the main service so that we can have an interactive type of atmosphere. It just keeps things a little bit more structured. Technically, we could have just continued on into the Bible study, but the fact that we do want to possibly have some interaction, it's more uniform to conclude the service and then go into the Bible study. So any comments anyone has? Of course, that's quite a story to delve into there with Abraham's faith. Quite challenging. I'm sure you agree, but we are dealing in the realm of Abraham and his faith.

God used him in an incredible way. God offered promises to him.

Jason, where's that other handout?

So let's read the fundamental promise. Man, I'd like to blame this on my children, but I actually did the hole punching.

Okay, let's read this fundamental statement here regarding the promises of Abraham. This is the 15th fundamental belief. It says, we believe in God's enduring righteousness. The righteousness is demonstrated by God's faithfulness in fulfilling all the promises he made to the father of the faithful, Abraham, as promised God multiplied Abraham's lineal descendants so that Abraham literally became the father of many nations. We believe that God has promised materially prospered Abraham's lineal descendants Isaac and Jacob, Jacob whose name was later changed to Israel.

We believe that God through Abraham's seed, capital S, Jesus Christ, is making salvation available to all humanity regardless of physical lineage. Salvation is not, therefore, a birthright.

It is freely open to all those whom God calls, and those who are regarded as descendants of Abraham are those of the faith, heirs according to the promises. We're going to get into a little bit of that. We believe that the knowledge that God has fulfilled and continues to fulfill, and the physical promises made to Abraham and his children, that he is fulfilling in the spiritual promise through Jesus Christ, is critical to our understanding the message of the prophets and its application to the world.

As typical, you'll see the numbers. Those then line up with the scriptures. So, how can we say we believe in God's enduring righteousness? Well, number one, you can see the scriptures. So, every one of our fundamental beliefs is backed by scripture. Very important. This is a big topic. There are so many different angles to come from. I thought I would come from today's and just, you know, you try to think of a bite-sized piece. But I encourage you, whatever piece we bite out of this, I encourage you to go back through and read all this.

It's very important to understand the promises to Abraham, and we're going to delve a little bit more into that. And how his promises relate to Israel and Judah, those in his physical lineage. You know, God chose a very special people, delivered them out of Egypt, we know. But it's not my purpose to speak upon those today.

What I chose to speak about, or to take this Bible study about, is how Abraham's promises relate to us. Us, who are not of the physical lineage of Abraham. How and what do Abraham's promises mean to us? But to not ignore God's plans for Israel and Judah, I did give you this other handout. So I just want to reference this briefly, and then we're going to move on to the promises and how they affect us. But as your handout says, Israel's separation begins during the reign of the 10th century BC there. However tragic separation may be, God includes within his masterful design plan to redeem Israel and humankind, to eventually bring them together with God and with each other.

God reveals that all 12 tribes of Israel will once again be united. I just want to read this scripture to you. If you look down three paragraphs, this is from Ezekiel 37 verses 21 through 28. I encourage you to go on to United Church of God, ucg.org. You can type in that commentary. There's a way to get into commentary. Look up Ezekiel. It's fascinating. So God reveals that 12 tribes of Israel will once again be united. Surely, he says, this is from Ezekiel, I will take the children of Israel, those of the lineage, those of God's chosen people that we read about in the Old Testament, surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations wherever they have gone and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land and I will make them one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel.

The one king shall be the king over them all. They shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they be divided again into two kingdoms. Then they shall be my people and I will be their God. David my servant shall be king over them. So this is speaking of the future. And they shall have one shepherd. They shall also walk in my judgments, observe my statutes, and do them. They shall dwell in the land which I've given to Jacob my servant, where the fathers dwelt, and they shall dwell there and their children and their children's children forever.

And my servant David will be their prince forever. So I just wanted to briefly mention that God does have a plan for Israel, for Judah, in this prophetic setting of Ezekiel. But again, there's so many different angles we can come at from the promises that God made through Abraham. It did include prosperity to the physical nation. But what we're going to talk about again today is what it means to me, what it means to you, God's promises through Abraham.

We're going to leave this, and I'm going to take a bite out of this. You will see as you look at it later.

But in the Bible study today, we're going to look at exactly what is our inheritance. What do the scriptures say of what we can look forward to in fulfilling the promises of Abraham?

What can we look forward to inheriting you and I from the promises of Abraham? What is exactly our inheritance? What exactly was the promise to Abraham? How can those not in Abraham's physical lineage, you and I, then how does that promise connect to us? So we're going to look at that today. And if anybody has a comment along the way, just give me a quick hand. We have probably about 25 minutes of material or so, so it does allow for comments as it comes. So what is the inheritance as promised to come through Abraham?

The answer might be closer to us physically than we think. In fact, it's right under our nose.

More accurately, it's right under our feet. We will see. So let's begin to uncover this. Galatians 3 verse 16. If you'll turn there with me, I'm going to give you a series of scriptures today to build a kind of a journey through this. I didn't make you turn to many scriptures in the sermon, so I will now punish you for that. You can turn to the scriptures or you can just let me read them to you. You can write them down and go back later in your own personal study. But Galatians 3, 16 is an important place to start in unraveling the promise.

So let's go through this of what is our inheritance. So Galatians 3 verse 16. Paul is addressing Gentile Galatians. Gentile Galatians who are in Christ. So these are Gentile converts in Galatians. So they didn't have any lineage to Abraham. So these weren't necessarily those who were in the descendants of Abraham. So Galatians 3 verse 16. Now to Abraham and his seed, capital S, were the promises made. He does not say, and to the seeds, as of many, but as one. And to your seed, who is Christ. So this tells us that the promise involves both Abraham and Jesus Christ. So the promise involves both Abraham and Jesus Christ. Now skip down to verse 26 through 28 here. Again, speaking to Gentile converts, those in Christ who were Gentile, not of the physical lineage. He's going to bring them into the conversation here. Verse 26 through 28, staying here in Galatians 3. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither is their slave nor free, neither is their male or female. You are all one in Christ Jesus. So if you are in Christ, then physical lineage doesn't matter. Jew-Greek, in reference to the promise. Doesn't even matter your physical makeup. Male-female. If you are in Christ, your sons of God, Paul says. And remember, Abraham's promise involves the promise to Abraham involves Abraham and Christ.

So going down to verse 29, this brings it together here. Verse 29, here's the key. Verse 29, and if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

So what do these three verses tell us again?

They tell us verse 16. Again, the promises have been made to Abraham. We also see that the promises have also been made through the seed, capital S, which is Christ. So both Abraham and Christ are involved in the promise. Verse 26 tells us how you could become a son of the seed through faith in Jesus Christ. So you could become a son or a daughter baptized into Christ. You put on Christ.

Verse 29, if you are in Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. So those of Christ are of Abraham's seed. Therefore, those in Christ of Christ are heirs to the promise of Abraham. So if you are in Christ, it doesn't matter race, color, man, woman. If you're in Christ, you become Abraham's children and therefore an heir to the promise made to Abraham. So whatever was promised to Abraham, then, is now your promise if you're in Christ.

So begs the question, what exactly was promised to Abraham?

Let's go through this. We're just going to go through a series of just, very briefly, we're not going to go too deep, but turn with me to Genesis 12. Genesis 12.

And we're going to be, again, to unravel what precisely was promised to Abraham. We're going to build this understanding here and how it affects you and I. We're Gentiles. We're not part of the lineage of Abraham. How does this... what am I to be? What's the promise to me?

So Genesis 12. Let's look at verses 1 through 3.

And this is good to have in case you ever need to defend this truth.

Genesis 12, verse 1 through 3. Now, the Lord said to Abram, Get out of your country from your family and from your father's house to a land that I will show you, and I will make you a great nation. I will bless you. I will make your name great. You shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you. I will curse those who curse you. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

So let's skip down to verse 6 and 7 here. Verse 6 and 7.

Verse 6, Abram passed through the land of the place of Setchim as far as the Tyribinth tree of Moray, and the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, here it is, To your descendants I will give this land. And there he built an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him. So we're beginning to uncover the promise.

What precisely did God promise Abraham? Land. Promised this land. Promised land.

And we're beginning to see a little bit of the vastness here. We're going to be going to uncover some vastness here. And this land in which all the families of the earth will be blessed.

So there's a little bit further clarification and more information giving of this promised land. So we're going to continue. Abraham went to Egypt for a short period of time. There was a famine. He returns to Canaan. And God now is going to come to him again and reiterate the promise to Abram and his descendants. Let's go forward to Genesis 13 and verses 14 through 17. Genesis 13 verses 14 through 17.

Here, this promise of land is reiterated. Genesis 13 verse 14. And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, look what he says, Lift your eyes now, look from the place where you are, northward, southward, eastward, westward. For all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. Verse 16, And I will make your descendants from the dust of the earth, so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length, its width, for I give it to you.

So, we see more. We see this expanded information here. Let's track through these details. Notice for how long is this promise to Abraham? Verse 15, Forever. For this land I give to you, I give to you and your descendants forever. So, this is an eternal inheritance. It's a forever inheritance. And if you saw in verse 14, it speaks about the actual land again. This time, it says, Lift up your eyes, Abram, and look northward, southward, eastward, westward. Verse 15, again, For all the land that you see I give to you and your descendants forever. So, we're beginning to see some more vastness here. And then, he really gets vast. Verse 16, And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth. You remember, he said, all the families of the earth will be blessed. If a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be numbered. The vastness of the descendants. So, this is expanding the details here. So, we know again, this is eternal promise. We see the vastness of all that it will include. All the families of the earth. The descendants, like the dust of the earth. And notice the expansion of the land.

There's inherent expanse in this land. You know, he went out and said, Look! Everything you see, northward, southward, eastward, westward, walk it. See the vastness of it. So, we see the incredible fullness of this promised land. But we're not done yet. We're about to see the entirety of this promise of what God promised Abraham here. Wait till you see this. Let's turn to Romans 4, verse 13. Romans 4, verse 13. This is about to give us and point us to the absolute depth, width of this promised land. Romans 4, verse 13. Look at this. Romans 4, verse 13. It says, For the promise that he, that's Abraham, would be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. So, Paul's referencing here just as a side note. Of course, Abraham's faith was the basis of his righteousness, and that faith drove him to obedience to God's law. But we're not at the moment expanding that. But we turn to the scripture because of what else is mentioned here. You see the fullness of the land of the promise from God to Abraham.

The promise from God to Abraham is that he would be heir to what? The world. The world.

That's the expanse of the land. The whole earth. That's Abraham's inheritance.

And anyone who falls under the promise of Abraham, what's your inheritance then? The whole world. The earth. Everything.

Heir to the world. So, we see here Abraham and his seed, and all those who follow into the promises of Abraham, will be heirs to the world. This is incredible. So, as we established in the first three verses, the promise of airship to the world is a promise not only to the lineage, solely to the lineage of Abraham. It's really a promise to all those specifically who are in Christ.

And to that seed, the capital S. All those of Christ are promised inheritance of the world.

Pretty exciting. So, there's... and what's even more exciting is to see... is to go in and see how it comes full circle back to us. And I want to just do that briefly now. So, the promise is made to Abraham, and we can actually see this inheritance being passed down. It comes full circle back to us, those who are in Christ.

So, let's do that. Let's track that for just a moment.

We know Abraham had a son, Isaac. Are these promises passed down to Isaac? Are these same promises passed down to Isaac? Yes, they are. Let's go back to Genesis 26, if you will, in verse 2-5.

We're going to track this promise as it's passed down through Abraham's lineage. It's going to lead to Christ, and then it's going to lead to us. It's fascinating to see this. So, Genesis 26, verse 2-5. Let's track this just for a moment, see this inheritance being passed down. Genesis 26, there's another famine in the land, but now the Lord is going to speak to Isaac, Abraham's son. Genesis 26, verse 2. Then the Lord appeared to him Isaac and said, Do not go down to Egypt, live in the land which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you, and bless you. This is to Isaac. For you and your descendants I will give these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father, and I will make your descendants, this is speaking to Isaac, multiply as the stars of heaven, and I will give your descendants all these lands, and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham kept, obeyed my voice, kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. So the same promises are passed down to Isaac. Well, then, what about Jacob? So Isaac's son, Jacob, were the promises passed to Jacob here? Well, turn forward just a little bit to Genesis 35, in verse 9. Genesis 35, in verse 9. We'll see that God extends the promise to Isaac's son, Jacob.

Genesis 35, let's read verses 9 through 12. Genesis 35, verse 9 through 12. Then God appeared to Jacob again when he had come from Paddam Aram and blessed him, and God said to him, Your name is Jacob. He should not call Jacob anymore, but Israel, so he changed his name to Israel, so he called his name Israel. Verse 11. Also God said to him, I am God Almighty, be fruitful and multiply. A nation in a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, I shall give to you, and your descendants after you I will give this land.

Okay, so we see the inheritance being passed down. This is a physical inheritance, but it actually is a spiritual inheritance to come. We will see. As a side note, this combats the incorrect doctrine that is taught of heaven and hell. You know, that we die and we go to heaven. We're going to see that this, what is actually in the promises, what is actually going to come. We are inheritors through Christ of the earth. We will see. And God's kingdom comes down to the earth. We don't die and go to heaven. We're going to see all this come together. It's a fascinating picture of truth here. So, we've gone Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. What about Jacob's sons, children? Israelites. Jacob's name was changed to Israel. He had 12 sons. Each son gave rise to a different tribe. Let's see if it's passed down to them. Romans 9 verse 3. Let's turn there. I told you you'd have to turn to a few scriptures. Romans 9 verse 3. We're going to see this incredible inheritance continue to be passed down. And what it's an inheritance of? Well, it's inheritance of the world. Romans 9 verse 3. And we'll read through verse 5. Romans 9 verse 3. For I wish that I myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my countrymen, according to the flesh. Now verse 4, this is where we want to get to. Speaking of, do the promises apply to the Israelites, those children of Jacob. Verse 4. Who are Israelites? To whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. Of whom are the fathers, and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, and eternally bless God. Amen. So now referencing the Israelites to those who pertain the adoption, glory, covenants, giving of the law, service to God, and the promises. So the Israelites to whom pertain the promises. So, so far we've established through Scripture first the world. The world is the promise inheritance. The promise is passed down specifically in the lineage of Abraham's descendants. It's a forever promise. It's an eternal promise from God.

We're almost done. I want you to see this next link, though, before we get done.

Luke 3 verse 23. Let's turn there. This will give us proof that Jesus Christ himself is a descendant of and seed of Abraham. Luke 3 verse 23. We're not going to go through all these descendants, but I just want to show you that Christ, Jesus Christ, is a descendant of Abraham. Luke 3 verse 23 says, now Jesus himself began his ministry at about 30 years of age, being the son of Joseph. We know Jesus was the son of Joseph. Then it goes through all this lineage. Skip down to verse 34. So we're speaking of Jesus Christ and his lineage. We'll go down to verse 34. It finishes up with just Jesus Christ being the son of Joseph and in the end the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham. So, Jesus Christ came from the tribe of Judah, one of the sons of Jacob or Israel. So, verse 34 stated again, the son of Jacob, Isaac, the son of Abraham. So even Christ is in the lineage of the descendants of Abraham. All that's wonderful, but what about us? Again, we want to come full circle. Not only is there a lineage here, it's a very systematic... of course God works very systematically, very orderly. But let's come full circle and remind ourselves again about us. Let's go back to Galatians 3 verse 28 and 29 where we started. We read this earlier. It's wonderful to go through Abraham's lineage, but what about us? Those who aren't a direct descendant of Abraham by birth.

We need to get in here somehow to become an heir to the promises made to him. Certainly we want to be made under and brought near to these promises. We read this again, but let's just read it again here already. Galatians 3 verse 28 and 29. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There's neither slave nor free. There's neither male or female. For you are all one in Jesus Christ. And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. So again, all those who haven't descended through Abraham, through Isaac, Jacob, were called Gentiles in the Bible. So Paul went to talk to the Gentiles. This is our particular study here. Paul went to talk to the Gentiles to tell them of the riches of their inheritance, that they can now be brought under those promises because of Jesus Christ. If they join in Christ, they can be part of this inheritance, become a child of Abraham through Jesus Christ, therefore becoming an heir to the promises. If you look while we're hearing Galatians 3, look at verse 7. Just further puts an explanation point on this. Galatians 3 verse 7, therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. So even though God has a special plan for those chosen people that he delivered out of Egypt, at some point they're going to have to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. They're going to have to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, join in that relationship, because as it says there, those are the heirs of the promise. Only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. This is an incredible privilege for us. Those who are called in this lifetime, everyone will have an opportunity to have their eyes open to this. It might be in this lifetime. We know about the resurrections and the truth behind those.

Those who are in Christ in this lifetime will be resurrected at his return. Those who didn't have the opportunity to know Christ and weren't called by God will have the opportunity in the second resurrection. But our opportunity is now. We were once strangers to all this, and now we're not. Just a few more scriptures. Ephesians 2, verses 11 and 12. Paul's mission was to go to the Gentiles, let them know of their their position in Christ. Ephesians 2, verses 11 and 12. This speaks to us.

You know, before we were, we entered into the relationship with Jesus Christ through baptism. Before we had that circumcision of heart, we were strangers to this promise. But now we're not. Once we enter into that covenant. So Ephesians 2, verse 11. Therefore, remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh, who were called uncircumcised by what is called the circumcision, made in the flesh by hands, verse 12. That at that time you were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, and having no hope and without God in the world. So they were strangers to the promise. No hope. But skip down to verse 19. Verse 19 in Ephesians 2. Now, though, but now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

Now through Christ, you now are heirs according to the promise here.

And again, you're to inherit these incredible promises made to Abraham.

And we know that the inheritance to come, as I began with, is right under our feet.

We're going to get to that in just a moment. But here's just one more step to further go against the false doctrine that we go at death. We go immediately to this inheritance.

We can ask the question, has this already been fulfilled?

Did the promises made to Abraham and to our forefathers? Have they obtained this promise already somehow? Have they obtained this inheritance? Well, Hebrews 11, verse 8 and 10. Let's look at this. Hebrews 11, verse 8 and 10, we're going to see that although these promises were made to Abraham and the forefathers, they remained heirs. They remain heirs today. They haven't obtained this inheritance yet. In fact, we're all going to obtain this at the same time.

This is very enlightening. Hebrews 11, verse 8 through 10. We'll actually see that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they were merely sojourners, temporary inhabitants of the promised land. Hebrews 11, verse 8, by faith Abraham obeyed, and he was called to go out to the place which he would receive an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, that heirs with him of the same promise. So, they're still heirs. Verse 10, for they waited, while heirs, therefore he waited for the city, which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. So, have they received the promise? Go down to verse 13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them far off, were assured of them, embraced them, confessed, and they were strangers in pilgrims on this earth. Now, get this. Skip down to verse 39 and 40. Verse 39 and 40.

All these things, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

We're all going to receive those in Christ. Abraham, our forefathers, we're all going to receive and be made perfect at the same time. They haven't been made perfect yet. They're still awaiting their promise. They're waiting for the return of Jesus Christ. We're awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. If by that time we have died, we're going to be raised to the fulfillment of this promise. If we're still alive, we're going to be changed in the twinkling of an eye.

So, all these men died in faith, not having received the promises, through the very fathers to whom the promises were made, did not go to their ultimate reward, the inheritance of the world. Not yet.

Abraham and the patriarchs didn't receive the promise inheritance even to this day. They haven't become inheritors yet. They're still heirs.

God's grace. We're heirs today.

In Christ came preaching the good news of the coming kingdom of God, a kingdom that would occupy and govern the earth, the same earth that's been promised to Abraham and the heirs for an eternal inheritance. Let's finish. We can finish with any comments as well with Revelation 21. It could bring it all together. Revelation 21. God's kingdom is coming to us. It's coming to the promised inheritance, the earth.

New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven to be established on earth, a time when God will dwell with men. Revelation 21. Let's read verses 1 through 4.

Revelation 21 verse 1 through 4. Verse 1 through 4.

So it's the picture of New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. It'll be a time in which God is with men. The kingdom of God is to be established on the promised earth. What did Christ preach in the Sermon of the Mount? The meek shall inherit what? The meek shall inherit, or they shall inherit the earth. That's our promise, eternal promise. We hopefully can see the physical aspect of it. The Israelites did obtain physical blessings, absolutely.

But there is this eternal inheritance that we're all striving for eventually to come here. And we wait as we're sojourners in a foreign country, if you will. This is not our country. We're waiting for that city to come so that we can be made perfect with Abraham and with all those to whom the promise—who are under the promise.

All right. Did the turkey pinwheels get eaten? Did y'all save me any? You didn't save me any, did you?

Well, I guess we can finish with a prayer. Let's finish with a prayer. So if you'll buy your heads.