I. Video. Has The Church Replaced Israel? David Brickner, (Left M.A.); Darrell Bock (Right, Ph. D.), Mitch Glaser (Screen, Ph. D.). All are Messianic Jews in Christian Ministry.
II. Article References.
Charles C. Ryrie, Th. D., Ph. D., D. Litt. Merrill F. Unger, Th. D., Ph. D. John F. Walvoord, Th. D., D. Litt. Harold W. Hoehner, Th. D., Ph. D. Stanley D. Toussaint, Th. D. Edward E. Hindson Th. D., Ph. D. Robert L. Thomas, Th. D. Lewis Sperry Chafer, Th. D., D. Litt. J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D. Robert P. Lightner, Th. D.
III. Article Narrative. The Abrahamic Covenant (Part 1).
A. The Abrahamic Covenant’s Importance.
1. The first of the four great determinative covenants made by God with the nation Israel was the Abrahamic covenant, which must be considered as the basis of the entire covenant program.
2. The Scriptures abound in references to the covenant into which God entered with Abraham, and its application is seen in many different realms. This covenant has an important bearing on the doctrines of Soteriology. Paul, in writing to the Galatians, shows that believers enter into the blessings promised to Abraham. The argument of Paul in Romans is based upon this same covenant promise made with Abraham. Immediately after the fall of man God revealed His purpose to provide salvation for sinners. This program was gradually unfolded by God to man. The promise made to Abraham represents a progressive step in this revelation. In him the Divine Purpose becomes more specific, detailed, contracted, definite, and certain.
(a) Specific, in distinguishing and separating him from others of the race; (b) detailed, in indicating more of the particulars connected with the purpose of salvation; (c) contracted, in making the Messiah to come directly in his line, to be his “seed”; (d) definite, in entering into covenant relation with him, as his God; (e) and certain, in confirming his covenant relationship by an oath.
3. Again, this covenant has an important bearing on the doctrine of resurrection. The promise entailed in the covenant is the basis of the Lord’s refutation of the unbelief of the Sadducees in the fact of resurrection.
To those who denied the possibility of resurrection the Lord affirmed that resurrection was not only possible but necessary. Since God had revealed Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Ex. 3:15), with whom He had entered into covenant relationships, and since these men had died without receiving the fulfillment of the promises (Heb. 11:13), inasmuch as the
covenants could not be broken it was necessary for God to raise these men from the dead in order to fulfill His word. Paul, before Agrippa (Acts 26:6-8), unites “the promise to the fathers” with the resurrection of the dead in his defense of the doctrine. Thus the fact of physical resurrection is proved by the Lord and Paul from the necessity laid upon God to fulfill His covenant, even though it entails physical resurrection to do so. Consequently the fact of the believer’s resurrection is united to the question of the kind of covenant made with Abraham.
4. Further, this covenant has a most important bearing on the doctrines of
Eschatology. The eternal aspects of this covenant, which guarantee Israel a permanent national existence, perpetual title to the land of promise, and the certainty of material and spiritual blessing through Christ, and guarantee Gentile nations a share in these blessings, determine the whole eschatological program of the Word of God. This covenant becomes the seed from which are brought forth the later covenants made with Israel. The essential areas of the Abrahamic covenant, “the land, the seed, and the blessing,” are enlarged in the subsequent covenants made with Israel. The interrelationship of the eternal, gracious covenants of God with Israel might be graphically set forth in the following manner:
a. The general basic covenant with Abraham. (1) The promise of a national land [Gen 12:1; 13:14-15, 17]. (2) The promise of “redemption,” national and universal [Gen 12:3; 22:18; Gal 3:16]. (3) The promise of numerous descendants to form a great nation [Gen 12:2; 13:16; 17:2-6, etc.].
b. The other covenants. (1) The land covenant gave Israel particular assurance of final, permanent restoration to the land [Deu 30:3-5; Ezek 20:33-37, 42-44.]. (2) The New Covenant has particularly to do with Israel’s spiritual blessing and redemption [Jer 31:31-40; Heb 8:6-13, etc.]. (3) The Davidic Covenant has to do with promises of “dynasty, nation, and throne.” [II Sam 7:11, 13, 16; Jer 33:20, 21; Jer 31:35-37, etc.].
5. Thus it may be said that the land promises of the Abrahamic covenant are developed in the land covenant, the seed promises are developed in the Davidic covenant, and the blessing promises are developed in the new covenant. This covenant, then, determines the whole future program for the nation Israel and is a major factor in Biblical Eschatology.
B. The Abrahamic Covenant’s Provisions.
1. The covenant made with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, and confirmed and enlarged to him in Genesis 12:6-7; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-14; 22:15-18, entitled certain basic promises. These have been summarized:
[The things promised by God are the following: 1. That Abraham’s name shall be great. 2. That a great nation should come from him. 3. He should be a blessing so great that in him shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4. To him personally (“to thee”) and to his seed should be given the land of Israel forever to inherit. 5. The multitude of his seed should be as the dust of the earth. 6. That whoever blessed him should be blessed, and whosoever cursed him should be cursed. 7. He should be the father of many nations. 8. Kings should proceed from him. 9. The covenant shall be perpetual, “an everlasting covenant.” 10. The land of Canaan shall be “an everlasting possession.” 11. God will be a God to him and to his seed. 12. His seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. 13. In his seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.]
2. When these particulars are analyzed it will be seen that certain individual promises were given to Abraham, certain national promises respecting the nation Israel, of which he was the father, were given to him, and certain universal blessings that encompassed all nations were given to him.
a. The language of the Abrahamic Covenant is plain and to the point. The
original covenant is given in Genesis 12:1-3, and there are three confirmations and amplifications as recorded in Genesis 13:14-17; 15:1-7; and 17:1-18. Some of the promises are given to Abraham personally, some to Abraham’s seed, and some to Gentiles, or “all families of the earth” (Gen. 12:3).
b. The promise to Abraham. Abraham himself is promised that he would be the
father of a great nation (Gen. 12:2) including kings and nations other than the
“seed itself” (Gen. 17:6). God promises His personal blessing on Abraham. His
name shall be great and he himself shall be a blessing.
c. The promise of Abraham’s seed. The nation itself should be great (Gen. 12:2)
and innumerable (Gen. 13:16; 15:5). The nation is promised possession of the
land…the Abrahamic Covenant itself is expressly called “everlasting” (Gen. 17:7) and the possession of the land is defined as “an everlasting possession” (Gen. 17:8).
d. The promise to Gentiles…“all families of the earth” are promised blessing
(Gen. 12:3). It is not specified what this blessing shall be. As a general promise it is probably intended to have a general fulfillment.
3. In the development of this covenant it is of utmost importance to keep the different areas in which promise was made clearly in mind, for if the things covenanted in one area are transferred to another area only confusion will result in the subsequent interpretation. Personal promises may not be transferred to the nation, and promises to Israel may not be transferred to the Gentiles.
IV. Article Considerations.
A. One of the most difficult and most important factors of writing an article is related to sources of information. A writer must ensure that such sources have a high degree of knowledge on the subjects that are being written, and also must have a high degree of respect from other writers. A second factor that must be considered relates to how to lawfully use material of other writers. In this web site, copyright statutes are not violated. Also, “public domain,” is to be considered. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain
B. In this article, I have chosen theologians whom have proven themselves to be highly respected by others in the Biblical doctrine of eschatology (the study of what Scripture teaches about the end times), and other doctrines of scripture. All of the references in this article have a connection with Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) as graduate or instructor.
C. For education and other supporting data for each source of information in this article, please refer to my Page, “About My References.” The following links show information about Dallas Theological Seminary. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the Seminary. It is important to understand that DTS is not a denominational seminary, and is totally independent of such.
D. About Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS).
1. General Info. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Theological_Seminary
2. Doctrinal Statement. https://www.dts.edu/about/doctrinal-statement/
Eternity 