I Am Abraham’s Seed and an Heir of the Promises

We read the Scriptural account of the creation of the heaven and the earth in Genesis 1:1-25, where God spoke into existence: the day, night, sun, moon, stars, galaxies, the entire universe, all living plants, and animals.  However, in verse 26, He said "Let us make man in Our image and likeness..."  Genesis 2:7, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."  This part of the creation was not spoken into existence, but formed by God's hands.  He formed Adam from the dust.  Man did not receive breath through a spoken word from the Lord, but rather, by God literally breathing His breath into man's lungs.  Every human being is born into this pattern of created order.  Psalm 139:13 (NLT), "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb."  His hands formed us, His breath breathed into us, and He has made every human being.  We are created by God, in His image, and for His purpose.  Do you realize what a special part of His creation you are?

 In Genesis, we read about God's special plan and purpose for mankind.  Realize this, God has not changed His mind concerning His purpose and desire in creating man.Genesis 1:26-28, "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue (dominate) it; have dominion (to rule over, to subdue) over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."  When God created humankind in His own image, He made a choice to delegate to them "dominion" or the power to reign over every living thing that moves on the earth. God's original design therefore, was that people would be empowered and blessed to rule God's world and subdue it.  Of course, we understand what happened when Adam chose disobedience.  Through disobedience man fell and experienced the loss of that "dominion."  We see though, in verse 15 of Genesis 3, that God begins to move redemptively, and a plan for the recovery of man's position is set in motion.

 In reading, Genesis 12:1-3, "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. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 3 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.", we see that God promises to bless Abram and says that in him, all of the families of the earth will be blessed.  Then, in Genesis 17:5-7, we read, "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 "I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you."  This covenant was God's irrevocable pledge that will "be God" to Abraham and his descendants forever.

 Abraham is shown in both the Old and New Testaments as a prototype of all who experience God's process of seeking to reinstate man to that place of dominion, through redemption, first and foremost, in his relationship to God by faith, without works. 

 Romans: 4:3,13 and 16, "For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." ... 13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. ... 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all."  Abraham is designated as the "father" of all who walk his pathway of faith.  As such, he is God's revealed example of His plan to eventually reestablish His Kingdom's rule in all the Earth through those people who have entered into covenant with Him.

 We read in Genesis 24:34 and 35 that God fulfilled His promise to bless Abraham.  It says, 34 "So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. 35 "The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys."

 What does the Word of God say about us receiving the blessing of Abraham and being the seed of Abraham?  Galatians 3:6-9, “just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” 7 therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 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.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” Galatians 3:13 and 14, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Such good news!  Through Christ, we have been redeemed from the curse of our disobedience of the law (sin) and, the blessing of Abraham comes upon all believers. Then, we read in Galatians 3:26 and 29, "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ... 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed (offspring, Abraham's posterity, family), and heirs according to the promise."  Romans 8:14-17, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."  The word "heir" in verse 17 in the Greek, means - one who receives his alotted possession by right of sonship.  As Christians, through faith - to receive the blessings of God's kingdom promised to Abraham

 All that Jesus has gained through His redemptive work is ours!

 Galatians 4:4-7, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

  John 1:12 and 13, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."  Praise God, when there was no way or hope for us, God made the way - through His Son Jesus!

 God through Christ, has provided for our every need...spiritually, physically, emotionally, and materially. Let us look at what the Word of God says:

 Ephesians 2:4-7, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

 Ephesians 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ"

 Philippians 4:19, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

 John 10:10, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

 As children of God, the blessings of Abraham are ours.  However, just as with everything God has given us, including salvation, we must receive them by faith.  Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God.  Faith is simply believing God because He told us so!  Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

 I trust, as we face the trying difficult days that have come upon us, that this blog encourages you. You are the seed of Abraham and an heir of the promise! Remember, keep your eyes on Him and His Word.  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us - Jesus is the Word!

 As I end my blog today, I encourage you to meditate on Deuteronomy 28:1-14 keeping in mind, these verses are full of the blessings of God which will come upon you and overtake you, if you obey His word.

 Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (NASB20), "Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I am commanding you today, that the Lord your God will put you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 "And all these blessings will come to you and reach you if you obey the Lord your God: 3 "Blessed will you be in the city, and blessed will you be in the country. 4 "Blessed will be the children of your womb, the produce of your ground, and the offspring of your animals: the newborn of your herd and the young of your flock. 5 "Blessed will be your basket and your kneading bowl. 6 "Blessed will you be when you come in, and blessed will you be when you go out. 7 "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated by you; they will go out against you one way and will flee at your presence seven ways. 8 "The Lord will command the blessing for you in your barns and in everything that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 9 "The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10 "So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you. 11 "And the Lord will give you more than enough prosperity, in the children of your womb, in the offspring of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 "The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless every work of your hand; and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. 13 "And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will only be above, and not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God which I am commanding you today, to follow them carefully, 14 and do not turn aside from any of the words which I am commanding you today, to the right or the left, to pursue other gods to serve them."

 

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