ABRAHAMIC COVENANT 4 OF 8 SCRIPTURAL

Part 4 of 4

Scripture References:  Genesis 32:12; 17:2,6; 24:60

(V12) "And thou saidst, I will surely to thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."
(V12) Here Jacob while running from his offended brother, Esau, reminded God of his promise that he made to Abraham.  The Abrahamic promise contained God's goodness toward him and that He would cause his offspring to be as the sand of the sea.
Three times I have had the awesome opportunity to stand in the great Caribbean sea.  I also took part in an unforgetable baptizing in those mighty waters where boatmen have been lost and never found.  It would be totally impossible and fruitless for me to try to count the sands of that great sea.

Genesis 17:2, 6
(V2) "And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly."
(V2)  Again God reiterates His covenant with Abraham.  However, this time He made it a personal covenant just between the two of them and also reassured him that He would still multiply him to the extreme. 
(V6) "And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee."
(V6) History verifies this verse when we read about Israel, Iraq, Iran and other Middle Eastern cities that sprang from Abraham's seed and great kings like David, Solomon, Hezekiah and Josiah, just to name a few, ultimately leading to the eternal reign of King Jesus in the Millennial Temple at Jerusalem.

Genesis 24:60
(V60) "And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them."
(V60) Abraham's wife, Sarah, died at the ripe old age of one hundred and twenty seven and was laid to rest in a cave in the field of Mach-pe-lah.  While suffering from old age Abraham sent his servant to Mesopotamia to find a wife for his son, Isaac.  On his journey the servant found and chose Rebekah who willingly went with him to be a wife to Isaac.  Here in this verse we find that she was evidently accepted by the Abrahamic family, because they pronounced a blessing that told her to be a mother of thousands of millions and that her seed would own the entrance of those that hate them. 
This concludes our series of posts on the Abrahamic covenant.

Before I shut down the computer I want to ask you, Dear Reader, "ARE YOU RAPTURE READY????

THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT - 4 OF 8

Part 3
Scriptural References: Genesis 17:4-6; 35:11; Romans 4:16-18

Genesis 17:4-6
(V4)  "As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations."
(V4) In 16:16 we learn that Abram when 86 years old fathered a son whose mother's name was Hagar.  Ishmael's name meant "God hears".  This is in reference to God hearing Hagar when she was miserably pregnant with Ishmael.

(V5) "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."
(V5) At this time God makes a decision to change the name of the wondering patriarch from Abram meaning "exalted father" to Abraham which means "father of many nations" or "father of multitudes".  The name of his laughing wife Sarai had been changed to Sarah meaning "princess".

(V6) "And I will make thee exceeding frutful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee."
(V6) Even though Abraham begged God to favor Ishmael God told him that the covenant that they had made would be fulfilled only through Isaac.  Nevertheless, Ishmael would also multiply greatly and eventually grow into a great nation that would demonstrate a lot of fruit.  On the other hand, Isaac was a symbol of Christ who through the cross brought the covenant to it greatest fulfillment.

Genesis 35:11
(Vll) "And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;"
(V11) Here we see the royal covenant line pass from Abraham to Isaac then to Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel (Genesis 35:10,11).  When God talked with Jacob He introduced Himself as God Almighty (El-Shaddi - all efficient God) and told him to be productive and increase.  He further told him that out of his loins would come forth a plurality of nations.

Romans 4:16-18

(V16) Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,"
(V16) Paul is letting us know that justification doesn't come by the law or by works, but only by faith so that it can be free by grace so that all of the seed could share the promise.

(V17) "(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickened the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were."
(V17) The viability of the word of God is made manifest in the first three words of this verse that simply state that whatever follows will surely come to pass.  Another thing to notice when God told Abraham that he had made him a father of numerous nations He spoke in past tense.

(V18) "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of  many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be."
(V18) Contrary to human hopelessness Abraham believed in hope that he would become what God said he would be and history verifies that to be the case.

Before I shut down the ole computer there's one question that I must ask,  Dear Reader, ARE YOU RAPTURE READY?!!!!