Can the promises to Abraham be fulfilled?

We think so – let us see. We read (Gen 12:1-3), “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country [Chaldea] and from thy kindred and from thy father’s house, unto a land which I will shew thee, and I will make of thee a great nation, (we believe the Lord here speaks not simply of the nation or people of Israel, but of all the peoples of the world united under one head), and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

If Abraham be placed at the head of the (earthly) kingdom, all this can be accomplished.

Again, we read (Gen 13:15,16): “All the land which thou see, to thee will I give it and to thy seed forever; and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.” [There is not much need of urging that this does not refer to the “little flock.”]

Again (Gen 17:7,8): “I will give to thee and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger – all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession.”

Again (Gen 22:17): “In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is by the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

Now unless we can see more seeds than one in these promises, we will have confusion: but if we can see that the earthly seed is to be as the sand, and that the blessing seed is Christ and the little flock under him, we may see how Abraham might suppose it all to belong to the natural seed. And indeed, we should not know of the distinction were it not revealed through Paul. (Gal 3:29).

Paul, in Rom 4:16, seems to mention both of these seeds (natural and spiritual) when he says, that God’s promise was “of faith, to the end that 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 (…) like unto Him whom he believed, even God.”

[We give the marginal reading which conveys the true idea, viz: that Abraham was the actual father to one of the seeds and a likeness of the Father of the other – “even God.”]

Let us next read from the sermon of Stephen, the second Christian martyr, (Jesus being the first) about God’s promise to Abraham. He says (Acts 7:1-6):

“The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham… and said unto him, ‘Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and come into the land which I will show thee.’ Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Charron: and from thence…he removed and came into this land wherein ye now dwell. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no not so much as to set his foot on, yet He promised that He would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him….And God spoke on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land and that they should bring them into bondage and entreat them evil four hundred years.”

Let no one question therefore that there is an earthly seed to be blessed with earthly blessings as men, and that the promise to Abraham associates him especially with that seed, and not with the higher one whose father is God.

Paul speaks of Abraham’s hopes, saying (Heb 11:8-17): “By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed; and went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise…dwelling with Isaac and Jacob heirs of the same promise: For he looked for the city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God.”

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises (the things promised – the land wherein they dwelt, etc.), but having seen them afar off…and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth. For they that say such things declare that they seek a country, and truly if they had (wished) been mindful of that country from whence they came out [Chaldea], they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now, [instead of returning] they desire a better (the promised) country, that is a heavenly, (Canaan in the heavenly kingdom). Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

The city to which we have seen Abraham and the Prophets are coming, is the Millennial Kingdom into which they shall be the first to come on the earthly plane, and whose earthly seat of government will probably be Canaan the very land here mentioned, in which they sojourned as strangers.

Paul proceeds to add to his list of ancient worthies David, Samson, Rahab and the prophets who succeeded in various undertakings because of faith in God: and he suggests the thought that these faithful ones will also get a reward in “the city” (the Millennial kingdom) being prepared. But after mentioning all these Paul adds: “These all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise [the chief or “high calling“] God having provided SOME BETTER THING FOR US that they without us [the Christ] should not be made perfect.”

That is, they shall not perfectly receive, the things promised them until THE SEED [Christ] has first received its reward; until the New Jerusalem shall come down; then the promises made to them, shall all be accomplished or “made perfect.”

And now methinks, someone would say, “Art thou greater than our father Abraham…and the prophets? Whom makes thou thyself?“

To which we answer in Jesus’ words, “If I honor myself my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honors me.” No, dear brethren and sisters, none of us could have imagined such a “high calling” as we have received; but as we read his promises, we should be unworthy of them did we not believe and confess and accept them, with grateful hearts.

As we see the exclusive character of the call to be joint heirs of “Glory, Honor and Immortality” let us lay aside every weight and run for it. The prize given to the patriarchs is almost beyond human comprehension, and yet God has PROVIDED some better thing for us.

I shall praise him eternally for the opportunity provided even if I should not “so run as to obtain” it.

But why should I not attain it – why should you not obtain it?

Our justification is complete – it is Christ that died. Our call is official, it is “of God in Christ Jesus.” True, we are weak, but He who invites us says, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” Haste then to perform your covenant; to present your bodies living sacrifices. The time of sacrifice will soon be over – haste to make your calling and election sure by submitting yourself to God, who will work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” R218