It is important to understand that the plan of God for human redemption begins to be revealed with Abraham. Before Abraham, God dealt with several important individuals, but He did not deal with them in the light of His ultimate and eternal purpose, only in relation to the time in which they themselves lived.
It is in Abraham that we encounter the first example of a man specially chosen of God with correct purpose of God's intention for all men in consideration. God’s divine plan of redemption was first revealed and begins to be worked out through Abraham. When Jesus came to confirm and ratify the promises to the fathers of an age lasting inheritance with His own blood, it is not said that He took upon Him the seed of Adam. Instead:
“He took on Him the seed of Abraham…” Hebrews 2:16
Jesus comes through Abraham’s seed. ALL the promises of God which embody the promise of a redemptive work unto age lasting life reflect the true purpose of God’s heart in making two specially called and chosen people — Abraham and his seed.
"Now to Abraham the promises were declared, and to his Seed. He is not saying ‘and to seeds’ as of many, but as of One: And to your Seed which is Christ." Galatians 3:16 concordant
Christ Jesus did not come to confirm the promises made to Noah, or to Enoch, or to Abel. He came to confirm the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Redemption by Christ is real help. It changes our nature, which begins with simple faith like Abraham. Abraham’s seed is the starting point of the promised redemptive work that will bring His promise to completion. This is a blessing of complete salvation to all the families of the earth, lasting throughout all the ages of God's purposes with blessings toward mankind. Abraham was to become:
“…a great nation, and a multitude [company] of nations, for kings shall come of you.” Genesis 35:11
Abraham’s posterity was to emigrate and colonize and “spread abroad to the west, the east, the north, and the south.” Abraham was not only to become a multiplicity of natural nations and have offspring like the sand of the sea, but to have one particular seed through whom ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH WOULD BE BLESSED. This singular seed was confirmed to be Jesus Christ:
“...for the promise to be confirmed to the entire seed, not to those of the law only, but to those also of the faith of Abraham, who is father of us all, according as it is written that, A father of many nations have I appointed you facing which, he believes it of the God Who is vivifying the dead and calling what is not as if it were, who, being beyond expectation, believes in expectation, for him to become the father of many nations, according to that which has been declared, ‘Thus shall be your seed.’
And, not being infirm in faith, he considers his body, already deadened (being inherently somewhere about a hundred years) and the deadening of the matrix of Sarah, yet the promise of God was not doubted in unbelief, but he was invigorated by faith, giving glory to God, being fully assured also, that, what He has promised, He is able to do also. Wherefore, also, it is reckoned to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:16-22 concordant
To be drawn to Abraham’s bosom is to embrace the Abrahamic covenant, being brought in close enough to know the scope of LIFE that is promised. It means having been drawn to personally embrace the blessing shown Abraham, the recipient of God's righteousness by faith. Yet the seed which is Christ is destined to send this extended blessing to all the families of the earth. To be in agreement with Abraham’s seed leads us to to be a true Israelite, circumcised of heart and placed in God’s lasting Kingdom.
Abraham believed God, and his faith was credited to him for righteousness. He later received a sign of circumcision, which was a seal or symbol of the righteousness which he had already gotten by faith when he was not as yet circumcised, that he might be the father of all those who would believe. New Testament scripture emphatically declares Abraham to be the father of ALL who believe! There is NO distinction as to race, nationality, or color. There is no distinction between Jew, Israelite, or Gentile. This includes every born-again believer throughout the centuries, of whatever ethnic original race, skin color, religion, social status, or gender.
Though many nations of people are descendants of Abraham’s natural seed, God’s chosen seed is a King Who will refresh all people. He is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant that will include all racial lines, all skin colors, every social class and station of life, all fading and passing away in God's glory. We should understand completely that, regardless of a man’s race, nationality or color, if he is a believer that Jesus is the Christ, he is the seed of Abraham. He can stand with those who say, “I have Abraham as my father! Father Abraham has many sons and I am one of them!”
Who, then, shall inherit the promises made to father Abraham? Who are his heirs? Here is the answer!
“For the promise that Abraham should be heir of the world, was not made to Abraham, nor to those who are his seed through the law, but rather, to those who are His seed through the righteousness of faith!” Romans 4:13
The apostle Paul states that it is this way so that the promise made to Abraham might be sure to ALL the seed, to ALL his offspring. It was not only those who were natural descendants in Israel, but especially to those who are made heirs through faith. Without distinction, ALL are to be one with the Father through faith. Paul closed his argument by declaring that Abraham is the father of us ALL. Paul was writing this letter to the believers in Rome, composed of Jews and Gentile proselytes and converted pagans. He stands, as it were, in their midst and, with one grand inclusive gesture, declares:
“Abraham is the father of us ALL!” Romans 4:17
Then hastily he adds, “As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations.” The significant phrase, “as it is written,” makes the fact that Abraham is a father of many nations contingent upon the foregoing fact that he is the father of US ALL. The fact that he is the father of us all rests firmly upon the blessed foundation that he is the father of ALL WHO BELIEVE.
So while it is true that a great company of nations has come from Abraham according to the flesh, it is not through that natural lineage that Abraham can truly fulfill the promise of being heir of the world. It is only through those gathered out by faith in Christ that changes men’s very tongue and the tribal characteristics in His people, so nations become blessed by the seed of Abraham through a very special faith in a promised Messiah!
God’s enChristed people are not counted for inheritance according to the natural line of descent. A Son, the Messiah, firstborn among many brethren, can redeem everyone to bring the true blessings of God. What matters is that the seed of Abraham, the heirs of the promised blessings, reach the full intent of the promised blessing and then flow out to bless all the families of the earth.
We do not want to be strangers to what is promised. We want to be gathered to a great supply of heavenly bread that has been reserved, kept in store for communion that truly frees us from the earthliness of our fleshly life:
“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.” Romans 10:12
“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [ethnos: nations] through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all nations be blessed.’ So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ." Galatians 3:6-9
Now the apostle Paul, in the book of Galatians, tells us that when God gave this promise to Abraham, if He had said seeds, plural — in you and in your seeds, instead of seed, singular — then the promises of God to Abraham would be fulfilled in the natural people of the state and tribes of Israel or in the great Israel nations of Europe and America, the natural descendants of Abraham according to the flesh.
But the apostle tells us that since God said seed, singular, and not seeds plural, then the seed that God was referring to which would bless all the families of the earth is THE SEED WHICH IS CHRIST. Since we are the body of Christ, then we, the body of Christ, are that ultimate seed of Abraham to which God promised a lasting inheritance long ago.
God promised to come forth in a measure that would be a blessing to all the people in the earth. How full must this promise be to loosen us from all our fleshly, religious, and worldly problems? Yet the divine blessing must be extending to all the families of the earth. We embrace the scripture from Genesis 12 through Revelation 22 as the divinely inspired record of God progressively working in every generation to prepare a pure and perfect seed.
This is Christ, Head and body, until ultimately, in these last days, He would bring forth and present a divine order ordained to bear rule over every earthly way found in mankind. God promised an answer to our problems long ago. It was presented to Abraham and is now working within Christ to a people of faith. They will continue being made perfect until perfect blessing is come to all the families of the earth!
The main plan in scripture starts to be revealed in God’s dealings and purpose with the family of Abraham and His promised seed, from Genesis through Revelation. Out of Abraham came Isaac, out of Isaac came Jacob, the chosen seed in his generation. Then out of Jacob came twelve sons, a many-membered seed of nations — the seed of Abraham that God worked through in their generation. Then two thousand years ago, out of the twelve tribes came Jesus, One raised from death, One filled with divine power to LIVE in God as a Son to the Father of lights on to the highest plane possible.
Jesus Christ now is exercising power to send His Spirit of sonship to redeem, to BUY US BACK completely by His own sacrifice. He purchased us back from all the ways death operates within us, turning the focus of our understanding to pits of hellish thinking that are taking us to the graves of dastardly deeds. The early church on the day of Pentecost received His Spirit roaring into a body of believing followers. These people were baptised in the Holy Spirit. Soon, a pure incorruptible seed of the Word of God ministered in their midst because of the then present apostles who wrote effectively the inspired writ of New Testament. To them, eoinian life is now at once received.
The promise to Abraham's seed is found in the body of Christ, born ordained under God's promise. They, the members of the early church, were born of a certain faith. They were the seed of God, the promised like mindedness found in a faith. The holy spirit ministered in that generation by preaching into the spiritual womb of a people an incorruptible Word of God. Then a second generation of spiritual believers was born. They were planted with the faith, the seed of Abraham, in their generation. Out of them came many generations called into the spiritual Israel of God and they are the seed of Abraham in their generation.
Finally now, after two thousand years, in these last days there is a present generation of believers God considers the seed of Abraham. God is working redemption through this generation who are members grown to a fuller measure. We grow into the stature of Christ being formed, established within our being, making us alive to God. We are inheritors of the promised blessing that comes from a city God builds “WITHOUT HANDS’, carefully blessing all the families of the earth. Kings of the King are being made through following Christ’s instructions FROM THE HEART:
“Thou .. hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:9-10
God promised Abraham long ago, and Paul clearly saw:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise…” Galatians 3:28-29
Oh, we do grasp what we hear the apostle say that truly is available to us. Whether we be a Jew, Israelite, Greek, Galatian, British, American, Spanish, African, Chinese, or any other nationality or race, IF we belong to Christ, THEN— and then only — are we Abraham’s seed, HEIRS, drawn close to Kings and Priests with a harmonious chord that defines enjoyment.
One day Jesus was speaking with some notable Jews. They were the religious leaders of their day, honored and respected. They thought that they amounted to something because they claimed the distinction of being the natural descendants of Abraham. They said:
“‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me ... you are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do.”’ John 8:33-44
They were, without doubt, the natural seed of Abraham. But they made the fatal mistake of rejecting God’s Christ, not seeing Him, not knowing the seed line of the Abrahamic promises. They were not realizing that their position with Abraham depended upon their position in accepting the promised Messiah. They did not accept He who was verified as risen from the dead, to ascend to the right hand of God’s majesty, there subduing all under His feet.
He has been sending the Christ to those who believe in Him. IF YOU BE CHRIST’S, THEN are you Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise. The white, English-speaking Anglo-Saxon man or woman outside of Jesus Christ is no more the seed of Abraham than the Ethiopian bushman or the Australian aboriginal. Jesus remarked:
“And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom [natural heirs, fleshly offspring] shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:11-12
In this day, Abraham still stands as the faithful pioneering father of a vast multitude who look for a city whose builder and maker is God. His Seed has sprung forth out of EVERY tribe and kindred and tongue and nation and people. There is the red man, the brown, and black, yellow, and white. Abraham says, “Come to the kingdom, these are my children, for they have FAITH LIKE ME!” Abraham surely has laid down his many crowns to merge with the multitudes of his children surrounding the enthroned King:
"For it became Him, because of Whom all is, and through Whom all is, in leading many sons into glory, to perfect the Inaugurator of their salvation through sufferings. For both He Who is hallowing and those who are being hallowed are all of One, for which cause He is not ashamed to be calling them brethren, saying, ‘I shall be reporting Thy name to My brethren, In the midst of the ecclesia shall I be singing hymns to Thee.’ And again, ‘I shall have confidence in Him.’ And again,'Lo! I and the little children who are given Me by God!"‘ Hebrews 2:10-13 concordant
The word Israel simply means PRINCE OF GOD. Jacob is not the only man changed of name to be a prince. Israel was Jacob, the first man God called out to deal with a name change. It was a change in his NATURE, from a schemer who grasped and supplanted, to the nature of one who is trusting God to be a prince with God and men. Jacob was no longer going through life by his own scheming, grasping, and supplanting. Jacob became one who could not walk in his own strength, who would take hold of God and say, ‘I will not let you go until I get the blessing you want to give.’ And when God did, it changed Jacob’s nature from a schemer to the contrite nature of a true prince of God — a new name to fit his new inner nature.
The scripture says there wrestled a man with him all night long. And toward the breaking of the day, when he prevailed not, the man touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh. Thus Jacob became absolutely helpless to walk in his own strength any longer. Then the picture changes. No longer is the angel of the Lord wrestling with Jacob, but now Jacob is wrestling with the angel of the Lord. And he takes a fresh hold and the angel of the Lord said, "Let me go, for the day breaks." Jacob took a fresh grip, and says,"I will not let you go until I get the blessing." And the angel of the Lord says:"What is your name?" He says, ‘Jacob.’ And the angel says, "Your name shall be called Israel, for as a prince have you power with God and men, and have prevailed." Genesis 32:26-28
From that day forth, it was so. As such, Jacob is the type of all those in every generation whom God calls to change their inner nature from the natural minded schemer, dependent on grasping efforts, to be joined to the royal family as a member empowered of God. God gives us a new name to fit our new nature:
"The one who is conquering, him will I be making a pillar in the temple of My God, and he may be coming out nevermore, and I will be writing on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which is descending out of heaven from My God, and My new name." Revelation 3:12 concordant
Therefore, now, we, the body of Jesus Christ, have been CALLED OUT by the Spirit of God, out of the masses of the world, and out from religious Babylon. We are set apart so God might quicken our spirit to believe in the redemptive power working in Christ. His enthronement with God has changed our inner nature to be a prince of God’s spiritual Israel, to be the seed of God, the real heirs of God's promise of blessing for our generation.