“Art thou greater than our father Abraham which is dead and the prophets are dead? Whom makes thou thyself?” John 8:53.

In being born of a virgin, Jesus had taken “the seed of Abraham” and so continued until he was 30 years of age when, in baptism he consecrated his being to God a living sacrifice. He was accepted, and from that moment, being begotten of the Spirit and sealed as a new creature, he is a partaker of the divine nature, the human nature (Abrahamic seed) being the thing sacrificed.

Consequently, in this conversation with the Pharisees Jesus calls Abraham their father and God his Father. (Verses 54, 55). We answer for Jesus then, that he at that time was greater than Abraham and the prophets, in as much as they were only justified men – human nature – while he (since baptism) was begotten of the Spirit and a “partaker of the Divine nature.” He was then, as much better and greater than them, as the divine nature is superior to the human.

Abraham became heir to the righteousness which is by faith; that is, he was “justified freely from all things,” but this did not change his nature; no, it left him still a man – but a righteous man. Those who become heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, follow Abraham thus far: They also believe God and are justified as men, and then, they go further than he; being called of God they present themselves living sacrifices, as Jesus did and are accepted in the beloved and thus (by making their calling and selection sure), they become as Jesus did – “partakers of the divine nature.” These exceeding great and precious promises Abraham and the prophets heard not of and therefore were not called, to run for the prize we seek.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob while in some respects noble characters receive much of their luster and grandeur from their being used as types of spiritual things. We have often noticed many ways in which Abraham was a type of our heavenly Father and Isaac the son of promise a type of God’s Son, our Lord: Rebecca, Isaac’s wife, was a type of Jesus’ bride – the church, who soon will become joint-heirs with him to our Father’s inheritance.

The promises to Abraham were all seemingly, of an earthly sort, and until the Spirit through Paul unfolded them, it was impossible to see anything but earthly promises to a human seed; but now thank God we see how all of those promises made to Abraham will have a fulfillment, just as they were made to him and much as he understood them; and we also see beyond Abraham the type, to him whom he typified – the true Father of the true Isaac – in the fullest sense, “The Father of the faithful” who is himself calling us to be the Bride of His only Son and heir of all things. And when we apply to our Father, God; instead of to the type, Abraham, the words: “In Thee and in Thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed,” we see a strength and depth of meaning never discerned when we applied them to the type. No, Abraham is no part of “The Seed“; neither is he in any but a typical sense, its father for, “One is your Father even God.”

What shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God? Did he make promises to Abraham, which he never intended to fulfill and in which he was only a type?

No, the promises which God made to Abraham were all of an earthly kind and so Abraham must have understood them; but, God foreknowing his own great plans, so arranged those earthly promises that the higher – spiritual blessings and spiritual seed, would be hid in earthly promises, until in his own due time, His spirit should, through Paul, reveal it to the church. This mystery of the spiritual seed was kept secret in past ages, but is now revealed. Eph 3:9.

Now let us look at any of the promises made to Abraham or expressed by the apostles, and we find them all susceptible of earthly fulfillment. We will examine some of them shortly, first stating the reward we expect Abraham to get and then seeing how the promises accord.

To Abraham and the prophets God will give, “a just recompense of reward” undoubtedly – all that was ever promised them and probably much more than they ever expected; yet they, may never receive the spiritual gifts promised only to Jesus and his Bride. We repeat, that the prophets knew nothing of “our high calling” to be joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Jesus said of John the Baptist, the prophet – “there hath not risen a greater;” (Matt 11:11,) yet this greatest prophet did not claim the honor of being a part of the Bride but said: “He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom: but the friends of the Bridegroom which stands and heareth him, rejoices greatly because of the Bridegroom’s voice: this my joy, therefore is fulfilled.” John 3:39. Thus does John tell us that his joy and privilege was not to be of the bride, but to be a friend of the bridegroom and to introduce him. Moses also was a great prophet, yet Paul does not class him with the spiritual house of sons, for he says, “Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant…but Christ as a son over his own house, whose house, are WE?” Heb 3:5, 6.

Since (as shown in the preceding article) the anointing or begetting of the Spirit to a new nature (the spiritual) began with our Head, Jesus, we conclude that none of the patriarchs or prophets were thus begotten (the spirit not being given until after Pentecost); and if not begotten they never can reach birth or a perfection of spiritual being (like unto the angels and like unto Christ’s glorious body).

How then will they be resurrected we enquire – with what body will they come?

They belonged to the human family and will be raised human (earthly) beings. By their faith, they were justified as men; (reckoned free from sin and its penalty, sickness and death), and in the resurrection they will we believe be raised perfect men (That is to say they will experience an instantaneous resurrection).

Herein will be the value of their faith, viz: that while the world in general will be raised to a measure of life only, and require faith and works during the Millennial age to prove their harmony and test their obedience to God and thus come gradually to perfection, these ancient worthies will, because tried and found worthy and justified by faith, be raised in the glory and perfection of earthly being, instantaneously.

Let no one forget that there is a “glory” attaching to the earthly. There are “celestial (spiritual) bodies and bodies terrestrial (earthly): but the glory of the celestial is one (thing) and the glory of the terrestrial is another.” 1 Cor 15:40.

Raised in the perfection of being, how they would tower above others on earth, degraded as all humanity is by sin. How naturally would come to them the homage and respect of the whole race. They would naturally assume the place first given to Adam – “A little lower than the angels“ – crowned “with glory and honor” and set over the works of God’s hands: – “Have thou dominion.” (See Heb 2:7 and Gen 1:28.)

Continued with next post.