A. Definition and Description.
1. The unconditional covenant (agreement, disposition) between God as party of the first part in favor of Abraham and his progeny as the party of the second part is the Abrahamic covenant. This is a justice covenant from the justice of God. Unconditional means there are no strings attached.
2. This covenant is a deposition made by God in favor of Abraham.
3. Like all covenants, it is a part of the divine decrees.
4. Abraham is the beneficiary without merit. The source of this blessing to Abraham and his descendants is not any merit in Abraham, but Abraham’s adjustment to the justice of God and the fact that God is pleased.
5. The source of this blessing to Abraham and his descendants is the justice of God. The justice of God is free to fulfill this covenant to Abraham at the point of his adjustment to the justice of God through the attainment of his spiritual maturity. It’s one thing to be in the covenant (via salvation and rebound); it’s another thing to know and understand the covenant (in maturity).
B. The Original Declaration of the Covenant, Gen.12:1-3.
1. “Now JHWH [Jesus Christ] had spoken to Abram, `Go with reference to yourself from your land, and from your relatives, and from the place of your birth, to a land which I will cause you to see; And I will manufacture from you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will cause your person to become great; therefore, you will become a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, but the one who despises you, I will curse, and all the races shall be blessed through you.”
2. Verse one emphasizes Abraham’s necessary isolation and separation from Ur for the fulfillment of the covenant, for the development of the new race, and for the development of his spiritual advance, plus separation from his family to avoid personal distraction. Land is specified because of coming disaster.
3. Verse two is Abraham’s logistical grace support necessary to fulfill this promise. All four categories of blessing were given for the encouragement of his momentum, and in anticipation of his reaching maturity and historical impact.
4. Verse three is miscellaneous because it has three clauses:
a. Blessing by association.
b. A curse on anti-Semitism.
c. Messianic blessing clause.
C. The Land Promise in the Abrahamic Covenant, Gen 13:14-16.
1. “And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, `Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give to you and to your progeny forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if anyone can count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted.”
2. This is amplified in Gen 15:18-21, which gives the dimensions.
3. The Jews do not have any right to this land until Jesus Christ returns at the Second Advent. Any land they acquire now must be by conquest, as with all other nations. Until the Second Advent, the Jews only attain land by the principle of seizing and holding, a military principle found in divine institution #4. To date, David had the largest amount of land by conquering the indigenous population of the Jebusites.
4. This land promised goes from the Nile to Saudi Arabia to the Euphrates to the Mediterranean.
D. The covenant was confirmed to Isaac, Gen 26:3-4.
1. This had to be done to prove the covenant would not be fulfilled through the line of Ishmael.
2. This is the doctrine of blessing by association. Nations are blessed because of their relationship with the Jewish nation.
E. The covenant was confirmed to Abraham’s grandson Jacob, Gen 35:12. This is why the title of Jesus Christ is so important as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
F. The covenant was confirmed at the time of the Exodus, Ex 6:2-8.
1. This was the time for the formation of the Jewish nation. This covenant was the basis on which God delivered the Jews, a race in slavery, and caused them to become a nation.
2. Six hundred years after the death of Abraham there are still blessings to the Jews, all from blessing to one mature believer.
3. EL SHADDAI means the many-breasted God, referring to His many grace provisions.
G. The mechanics of the abraham covenant demanded ultra-supergrace sexual prosperity, Gen 17:1-7; Rom 4:13-18.
a. There is blessing in every generation to the Jews of that generation. The omnipotence and logistical grace support of God are emphasized.
b. Gen 17:2, “That I may give My covenant between Me and You; I will cause you to be multiplied by maximum use of My power.”
H. The new race and the land are brought together in the covenant, Gen 17:8. “Furthermore, I have given to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your pilgrimage, all the land of Canaan, for an eternal possession; therefore, I will be your God.”
I. Circumcision is the ritual of confirmation and acknowledgment that this is an unconditional covenant, Gen 17:9-14; Rom 4:13-18.
a. Circumcision in Israel is a reminder that God keeps His word.
b. Circumcision means that any Jew, who believes in Christ, will be the recipient of this covenant forever.
c. Circumcision illustrates the faith-rest drill and Abraham’s dependence on the omnipotence and faithfulness of God.
J. Amplification of the Covenant after Abraham Passes Momentum Testing, Gen 22:17-24.
K. The Covenant and Joseph’s Coffin. The Abrahamic covenant became the basis of Joseph having something greater in dying than he ever had in living: Joseph’s coffin. His coffin was a doctrinal reminder to the Jews that God would deliver them. It was never placed in the ground, but was carried with the Jews to the Land, Heb 11:22.
L. God has promised a city forever suspended over the Land, Rev 21:2, 10.
1. This city, the new Jerusalem, extends from the Nile to the Euphrates, and from the Mediterranean to Saudi Arabia.
2. This city is so beautiful that it looks like a bride. Of course, all brides are beautiful, being animated.
3. This city is part of Abraham’s eternal escrow blessings.
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