God made man in His own image and likeness, with the capacity for fellowship with the Creator. Sin disrupted that fellowship, marring the image of God. The eternal purpose of God involves the full revelation of Himself in grace through the Seed of the woman who is also the Seed of Abraham, and the Seed of David. Thus the eternal purpose of God is linked inextricably with the nation of Israel, of whom Christ came–the Son of David, the Son of Abraham (Matt. 1:1).
For centuries mankind was undivided. Then came Babel and the division of the people into nations. Immediately after, Abram was called to become the progenitor of Israel–the chosen nation. God established a covenant with Abram, outlining His program for centuries to come, culminating in earth-wide blessing.
The Abrahamic Covenant
(Gen. 12:1-3, 6-7; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-14)
This covenant provides a key to the whole range of the Old Testament and finds its fulfillment in the New. Our view of this covenant will affect our view of the nation of Israel and of the Church. It is a pivotal point in the approach to the whole Bible.
1. The provisions of this covenant pertain to Abraham himself, to all nations, and to Israel: a) a personal promise that Abraham should have a great posterity; b) a national promise of greatness and of the land in perpetual possession; and c) a universal promise of blessing to all the families of the earth.
2. The immutability of this covenant is seen in its reiteration to Isaac and also to Jacob despite patriarchal behavior. It was based on God’s promise and oath (Heb. 6:17-18). It was not conditioned on the faithfulness of Abraham or his posterity. God punished their sins but never abrogated or transferred His covenant. The defections of Abraham and of Jacob, the transgressions in the wilderness, the servitudes in the days of the judges, the Babylonian exile–all these left the covenant unaffected. So it is in the present dispersion of Israel.
3. The spiritual lessons of this covenant for today lie in its emphasis on the gracious purpose of God for Israel and the world. Human history is not meaningless. This covenant gives a skeleton outline of the eternal purpose of God as it affects Israel and indicates designs of grace toward all. Further, it gives assurance that what God has purposed He will perform. History is moving toward the fulfillment of God’s unalterable purpose.
The Fulfillment of the Covenant
There are two views regarding the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant:
1. A spiritual fulfillment in the Church: “Hath God cast away His people” (Rom. 11:1)? Paul does not leave us waiting for the answer. By no means! “God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew” (v. 2). The term, “spiritual Israel,” used in referring to the Church is a non-biblical phrase. But is the Church “the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16)? Of course not. The general description concerns “as many as walk according to this rule,” i.e., those who boast alone in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. To this is added another class–“and upon the Israel of God.” Would not the logical conclusion be that Paul is describing those of the nation of Israel who have embraced Jesus as Messiah and have recognized the principle that “no man is justified by the law in the sight of God” (Gal. 3:11).
The acute problem with this view is that every term must then be spiritualized. Jerusalem then does not mean Jerusalem; Israel does not mean Israel; the twelve tribes mentioned by name in Revelation do not mean the twelve tribes, etc. One then is left to his own imagination to construct a world of his own making.
2. A literal future fulfillment in the nation of Israel: Of course one should not confuse the present Israeli state with the biblical people of Israel (the present state includes scores of nationalities, including Israeli Arabs). However, having said that, both the Old and New Testaments require a literal fulfillment: Israel’s tribulation has been literal; Israel’s restoration is being literally fulfilled; Israel’s regeneration shall also literally come to pass (Ps. 72:17-20). They have never held the land given to them (see Gen. 15:18-21); they shall yet possess all that has been promised.