gregoryfl
07-09-2008, 05:15 PM
Concerning the inheritance of promise, given by God to Abraham and to his seed, let us look at the progress of the promise; starting first with Abraham:
Gen 12:1-3 Now Yahweh said to Abram, 'Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.'
All he is told here is that he was to go to a land the Lord would show him. Out of him would come a great nation. He would be a blessing for all the families of the earth. When he gets to Canaan the Lord tells him, 'I will give this land to your seed.' (Gen 12:7)
At this point, very vague, but later he is given more specifics:
Gen 13:14-17 Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was 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 offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its breadth; for I will give it to you.'
Now the Lord starts to describe boundaries, to the north, south, east, and west, as far as he can see. He also describes the great nation to be so great they cannot be counted. Notice that he has him count the dust, that which is of the earth, if he is able to. This I think is important as we will see in the next description of the promise.
Gen 15:5 Yahweh brought him outside, and said, 'Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.' He said to Abram, 'So shall your seed be.'
Notice how now Abraham is to count the stars, that which is of heaven, if he is able. Keep that in mind. Seed so numerous, concerning heaven and earth.
Gen 15:18-21 In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.'
Now he is given the direct boundaries. Notice that each time so far he is given even more specifics regarding the land he is to inherit.
Gen 17:4,5 'As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
Now he expands upon the portion of the promise regarding his offspring, for now he says that from him will be, not just a great nation, but indeed, many nations.
So far this is what we have:
1)Promise given to 2 parties, Abraham and his seed.
2)The physical land of Canaan given, wherein all manner of wickedness dwelled.
3)A great nation to come from Abraham
4)A multitude of nations to come from Abraham
5)As numerous as the earthly sand
6)As numerous as the heavenly stars
7)All families of the earth blessed as a result
When we get to the time after Christ, Paul then makes this shocking statement:
Rom 4:13 For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
How in the world (no pun intended) did Paul get the idea that Abraham was inheriting the whole world from what we just read in Genesis? The land of Canaan is hardly the entire world. However, did you notice that he did not say "heir of the earth"? Hmm, so what exactly did Paul mean? And how do the 7 aspects of the promise all tie together in the reality that exists now?
What do you think of when you hear the word "world"? Do you think of this physical earth? This planet? According to scripture the world always involves the inhabitants of this planet, not the physical planet itself. Therefore, when God gave his life for the "world", he obviously had people in mind. This world, is the same world that Abraham inherited. In particular, we inherit the Lord Jesus, and he inherits us. Here is how I came to that conclusion.
What is eternal life? Is it life without end? Is it speaking about length of existence?
Joh 17:3 This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
1Jn 5:11,12 The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
Eternal life is a person! In particular, it is the person of God the Father expressed in the Son. For us, knowing God in his Son in an intimate way, such as a husband and wife experience physically, is what possessing eternal life is all about. Now, with this in mind, notice how eternal life is spoken of as an inheritance. The Jews understood it this way, for example, the rich young ruler asked this:
Mar 10:17 As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?'
What they had in mind was living in the promised land under the rule of the Messiah. The Messianic kingdom. Jesus also spoke of eternal life as an inheritance when he said:
Mat 19:29 Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.
Further scriptures showing that this inheritance is linked to the kingdom of God and of Christ are:
Col 1:12,13 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;
1Co 15:50 Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can’t inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
Eph 5:5 Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.
This inheritance also includes the entirety of salvation:
Heb 1:14 Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
The inheritance of the promised land given to Abraham, and all the riches that were to be found in it, where the Messiah would rule in his kingdom, is already a reality, but not in the way most would think of it. For Jesus himself is the promised land! He is the reality of the earthly shadow!
Col 2:6 As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him,
2Co 6:16 What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, 'I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'
It is he that we are to dwell in, and live in, experiencing his riches, riches that are said to be inexaustable. And God and Christ live in us, walking in us as well, for we too are the promised land, as the body of Christ! Yes, we are the inheritance of God given to Christ. Notice:
Eph 1:18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 3:8 To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
Act 20:32 Now, brothers, I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
This inheritance is found in us, and among us, as well as in Christ. Remember, Christ is he who exists not only in heaven at the right of God, but he also exists in us on the earth. We are included in who he is corporately. His riches are found in him, and that includes in each of us who dwell in him. Picture, if you will, living in a part of the land, with your own particular riches to use and share with others in the land. The most descriptive word picture of this land is given in Deuteronomy, where it is written:
Deu 8:7-9 For Yahweh your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs, and underground water flowing into valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey; a land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper.
Think fulfillment here. As we live out this life in the body of Christ, in this promised land consisting of ourselves and our Lord, all the riches of Christ as given to each of us are shared and brought forth as we live in community with each other; and as we care for each other, and give that part of Christ that we have to each other. And Christ lives his life out in the land as well, as he lives in and through us expressing himself on this earth.
Now concerning the kingdom, it too is also spiritual, one that exists within God's people. Jesus said as much when he said,
Luk 17:21 neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.'
This inheritance is given now in seed form and will not be fully experienced until we receive incorruption, our permanent dwelling places, the body Jesus has. As Paul and Peter said, this is held in heaven for us:
1Pe 1:4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,
2Co 5:1-4 We know that if the life we live here on earth is ever taken down like a tent, we still have a building from God. It is an eternal house in heaven that isn't made by human hands. In our present tent-like existence we sigh, since we long to put on the house we will have in heaven. After we have put it on, we won't be naked. While we are in this tent, we sigh. We feel distressed because we don't want to take off the tent, but we do want to put on the eternal house. Then eternal life will put an end to our mortal existence.
Next let's see how the promise that Abraham would be a father of many nations and also a great nation was fulfilled.
Rev 5:9 They sang a new song, saying, 'You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,
Truly from Abraham there exists many nations spiritually of his seed.
1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
And yet, we are but one nation, a great nation from the loins of Abraham.
How wonderful it is to know that we are not to inherit some little physical plot of ground in the middle east, but that, as I have been convinced, we inherit all that the Christ is, which includes each other. And as a final word picture that we live in now spiritually,
Deu 12:10 But when you go over the Jordan, and dwell in the land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit, and he gives you rest from all your enemies around you, so that you dwell in safety;
1Jn 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.
Yes, we live in the land, in Christ himself, and in each other. We have rest from all our enemies, for the Lord drove them out and we dwell in safety. The evil one cannot touch us. How great indeed is our inheritance!
Ron
Gen 12:1-3 Now Yahweh said to Abram, 'Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.'
All he is told here is that he was to go to a land the Lord would show him. Out of him would come a great nation. He would be a blessing for all the families of the earth. When he gets to Canaan the Lord tells him, 'I will give this land to your seed.' (Gen 12:7)
At this point, very vague, but later he is given more specifics:
Gen 13:14-17 Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was 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 offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its breadth; for I will give it to you.'
Now the Lord starts to describe boundaries, to the north, south, east, and west, as far as he can see. He also describes the great nation to be so great they cannot be counted. Notice that he has him count the dust, that which is of the earth, if he is able to. This I think is important as we will see in the next description of the promise.
Gen 15:5 Yahweh brought him outside, and said, 'Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.' He said to Abram, 'So shall your seed be.'
Notice how now Abraham is to count the stars, that which is of heaven, if he is able. Keep that in mind. Seed so numerous, concerning heaven and earth.
Gen 15:18-21 In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.'
Now he is given the direct boundaries. Notice that each time so far he is given even more specifics regarding the land he is to inherit.
Gen 17:4,5 'As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
Now he expands upon the portion of the promise regarding his offspring, for now he says that from him will be, not just a great nation, but indeed, many nations.
So far this is what we have:
1)Promise given to 2 parties, Abraham and his seed.
2)The physical land of Canaan given, wherein all manner of wickedness dwelled.
3)A great nation to come from Abraham
4)A multitude of nations to come from Abraham
5)As numerous as the earthly sand
6)As numerous as the heavenly stars
7)All families of the earth blessed as a result
When we get to the time after Christ, Paul then makes this shocking statement:
Rom 4:13 For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
How in the world (no pun intended) did Paul get the idea that Abraham was inheriting the whole world from what we just read in Genesis? The land of Canaan is hardly the entire world. However, did you notice that he did not say "heir of the earth"? Hmm, so what exactly did Paul mean? And how do the 7 aspects of the promise all tie together in the reality that exists now?
What do you think of when you hear the word "world"? Do you think of this physical earth? This planet? According to scripture the world always involves the inhabitants of this planet, not the physical planet itself. Therefore, when God gave his life for the "world", he obviously had people in mind. This world, is the same world that Abraham inherited. In particular, we inherit the Lord Jesus, and he inherits us. Here is how I came to that conclusion.
What is eternal life? Is it life without end? Is it speaking about length of existence?
Joh 17:3 This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
1Jn 5:11,12 The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
Eternal life is a person! In particular, it is the person of God the Father expressed in the Son. For us, knowing God in his Son in an intimate way, such as a husband and wife experience physically, is what possessing eternal life is all about. Now, with this in mind, notice how eternal life is spoken of as an inheritance. The Jews understood it this way, for example, the rich young ruler asked this:
Mar 10:17 As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?'
What they had in mind was living in the promised land under the rule of the Messiah. The Messianic kingdom. Jesus also spoke of eternal life as an inheritance when he said:
Mat 19:29 Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.
Further scriptures showing that this inheritance is linked to the kingdom of God and of Christ are:
Col 1:12,13 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;
1Co 15:50 Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can’t inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
Eph 5:5 Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.
This inheritance also includes the entirety of salvation:
Heb 1:14 Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
The inheritance of the promised land given to Abraham, and all the riches that were to be found in it, where the Messiah would rule in his kingdom, is already a reality, but not in the way most would think of it. For Jesus himself is the promised land! He is the reality of the earthly shadow!
Col 2:6 As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him,
2Co 6:16 What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, 'I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'
It is he that we are to dwell in, and live in, experiencing his riches, riches that are said to be inexaustable. And God and Christ live in us, walking in us as well, for we too are the promised land, as the body of Christ! Yes, we are the inheritance of God given to Christ. Notice:
Eph 1:18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 3:8 To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
Act 20:32 Now, brothers, I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
This inheritance is found in us, and among us, as well as in Christ. Remember, Christ is he who exists not only in heaven at the right of God, but he also exists in us on the earth. We are included in who he is corporately. His riches are found in him, and that includes in each of us who dwell in him. Picture, if you will, living in a part of the land, with your own particular riches to use and share with others in the land. The most descriptive word picture of this land is given in Deuteronomy, where it is written:
Deu 8:7-9 For Yahweh your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs, and underground water flowing into valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey; a land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper.
Think fulfillment here. As we live out this life in the body of Christ, in this promised land consisting of ourselves and our Lord, all the riches of Christ as given to each of us are shared and brought forth as we live in community with each other; and as we care for each other, and give that part of Christ that we have to each other. And Christ lives his life out in the land as well, as he lives in and through us expressing himself on this earth.
Now concerning the kingdom, it too is also spiritual, one that exists within God's people. Jesus said as much when he said,
Luk 17:21 neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.'
This inheritance is given now in seed form and will not be fully experienced until we receive incorruption, our permanent dwelling places, the body Jesus has. As Paul and Peter said, this is held in heaven for us:
1Pe 1:4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,
2Co 5:1-4 We know that if the life we live here on earth is ever taken down like a tent, we still have a building from God. It is an eternal house in heaven that isn't made by human hands. In our present tent-like existence we sigh, since we long to put on the house we will have in heaven. After we have put it on, we won't be naked. While we are in this tent, we sigh. We feel distressed because we don't want to take off the tent, but we do want to put on the eternal house. Then eternal life will put an end to our mortal existence.
Next let's see how the promise that Abraham would be a father of many nations and also a great nation was fulfilled.
Rev 5:9 They sang a new song, saying, 'You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,
Truly from Abraham there exists many nations spiritually of his seed.
1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
And yet, we are but one nation, a great nation from the loins of Abraham.
How wonderful it is to know that we are not to inherit some little physical plot of ground in the middle east, but that, as I have been convinced, we inherit all that the Christ is, which includes each other. And as a final word picture that we live in now spiritually,
Deu 12:10 But when you go over the Jordan, and dwell in the land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit, and he gives you rest from all your enemies around you, so that you dwell in safety;
1Jn 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.
Yes, we live in the land, in Christ himself, and in each other. We have rest from all our enemies, for the Lord drove them out and we dwell in safety. The evil one cannot touch us. How great indeed is our inheritance!
Ron