The physical nation of Israel was never the point of God’s plan in Scripture. God’s promise to Abraham is all about Jesus Christ.
God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 is one of the most crucial moments in all of Scripture. If we misunderstand the point of this promise, it will affect our view of the rest of the Bible.
Now the LORD had 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. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
If this promise that God made to Abraham is ultimately about the physical nation of Israel, then that will change the entire way we look at Scripture.
However, if this promise is ultimately about someone or something else, that will significantly impact our view of Scripture.
Let’s examine this promise that God made to Abraham and break it into three parts.
- Great Nation. Israel became a great nation under King David and Solomon (2 Samuel -1 Kings).
- Seed. Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah just as God promised (Genesis 21).
- Land. God kept this promise and gave them all the land He promised them (Joshua 21:43-45; 23:14).
All three of these promises did apply to the physical nation of Israel – and God kept all three promises.
But there was a greater meaning and purpose behind these three promises. Let’s see what the New Testament writers have to say about God’s promise to Abraham.
The Seed Promise
Let’s think about the seed promise to Abraham and read Galatians 3:1-4:7.
Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. (Galatians 3:7-9)
Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. (Galatians 3:16)
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
The apostle Paul revealed to the Christians in Galatia that the ultimate fulfillment of the Seed promise to Abraham is Jesus Christ and those who are His.
The seed promise was ultimately not about the physical nation of Israel. It was about Jesus Christ and those who are His – Christians.
The Great Nation Promise
Once we know that the seed promise was ultimately referring to Christ, that gives us a hint about the nation promise. Let’s read 1 Peter 2:7-10.
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
In context, the builders who rejected Christ refer to the Jewish nation. Jesus made this very same statement to the chief priests and Pharisees. He told them the kingdom of God would be taken away from them and given to other people (Matthew 21:42-43).
What people or nation was Jesus talking about? The same nation and special people that Peter is writing to – Christians (1 Peter 1:1-12).
The ultimate fulfillment of the nation promise to Abraham refers to Christians – those in the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13-14).
The Land Promise
By now, I hope we realize that the land promise to Abraham was also about something far more significant than Canaan. To show this from the Scriptures, let’s read Hebrews 11:13-16 and Philippians 3:20-21.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16)
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)
The ones who “died in faith” in the Hebrews 11 passage include Abraham and Sarah. They were seeking a homeland; they desired a “heavenly country.” They looked forward to the city God was preparing for them. Paul reminded Christians that our citizenship, our home country, is in heaven.
The ultimate fulfillment of the land promise to Abraham is the city in the heavenly country where God lives (Hebrews 12:22-24).
God’s Promise to Abraham: Takeaways
- The blood flowing through your veins makes no difference as far as God’s favor is concerned – He shows no partiality (Acts 10:34-35). The Gospel is for all (Romans 1:16-17).
- The only blood that matters is the blood of Christ which transfers us into the kingdom of Christ and forgives us of our sins (Colossians 1:13-14; Acts 22:16; Revelation 1:5).
- If you belong to Christ, then you are an heir of the promise God made to Abraham (Galatians 3:26-4:7).