Abraham’s heir and ultimately Christ Himself…
We are Abraham’s offspring by Faith…
Abraham’s Covenant – Faith…he believed and it was credited to
him as righteousness
His initial calling to follow the Lord and the promises given
to him by the Lord in which he believed
• Promised a Land
• Promised a nation (a seed and descendants)
• Promised that through him all the families of the
earth would be blessed
Abrahamic Cov…
Bless those who bless you
& curse those who curse you…
John A. Witmer - The Bible Knowledge Commentary
God had chosen Israel as His covenant people from eternity
past and entered into a relationship with them that will never be
destroyed (cf. Jer. 31:37).
God is not through with the nation of Israel…His covenant
with them is eternal and Daniel’s 70th week, still to come, is for the
restoration of Israel…
Romans 11:1
I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it
never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the
tribe of Benjamin.
Abraham’s life provides New Testament believers with
pictures of Christ and our walk with Him.
Pictures of Christ…
Picture of Faith - Ishmael & Isaac
The Provision of a Sacrifice - The Ram
The Promise of a Savior - The Seed
Picture of Faith - Ishmael & Isaac
Abraham is known as a man of faith…
Perhaps the greatest picture of faith certainly in the OT as Paul
uses him as an example to all of us…
He believed and it was credited to him as righteousness…
It was not the law that provided for salvation but rather
faith…
We also have a negative picture of Faith…Ishmael…
(Pharaoh as well as Abimelech)
Gen. 16 – Sarai and Hagar – Ishmael the result – son of the
bondwoman whereas Isaac is the son of the free woman…
• Sarai gives Hagar, her maid, to Abraham to have a child
through vs. 2 (Abram listens…)
• Hagar conceives and despises Sarai vs. 4
• Sarai treats Hagar ‘harshly’ and Hagar flees vs. 6
• The Lord appears to Hagar telling her to go back and submit
to Sarai…(vs. 9)
o He also tells her that Ishamel’s descendents will be too
many to count (vs. 10)
• Vs. 13 we have Hagar giving us one of the names of God…
o The God who See’s – ElRoi…
Gen 17 –
• Promised a son of his own flesh from Sarah – vs. 19
• Abram is named Abraham – Father of many nations
• and Sarai named Sarah – Princess (15)
• Promised the land as well as a son along with descendents…
• Given the sign of circumcision as a a sign in the flesh of
God’s promise…’My covenant’…
Gen 18-19 – Isaac is again promised…named thus as ‘laughter’…
Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed, Lot rescued and his wife
turned to a pillar of salt
Gen 20 – Abimalech – Sarah…
Gen 21 – Isaac born and Sarah kicks out Hagar and Ishmael…
See also Gal. 4.21-31 - allegory of the free woman and bondwoman
Galatians 4:21–31 Faith vs. Flesh - Belief in God or our own effort
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? 22
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one
by the free woman.
23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and
the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 This is allegorically
speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount
Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is
Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in
slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
27 For it is written, “Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; Break forth and
shout, you who are not in labor; For more numerous are the children of the
desolate Than of the one who has a husband.” 28 And you brethren, like Isaac,
are children of promise. 29 But as at that time he who was born according to the
flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the
free woman.
31
The Provision of a Sacrifice - The Ram
Gen 22 – Abraham offers Isaac – God provides a ram for the
sacrifice
Genesis 22:7–8
Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And
he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the
wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham
said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering,
my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
Genesis 22:12–14
He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do
nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have
not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham
raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in
the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and
offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14
Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it
is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.”
Jehova Jirah…God will Provide
What a picture of the Lord Jesus…the lamb of God…
John 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold,
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
The Promise of a Savior - The Seed
Seed of Abraham…see Galatians
Genesis 15:5–6
And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the
heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And
He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
6 Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as
righteousness.
Genesis 17:5–7
“No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be
Abraham; For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 “I have
made you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings
will come forth from you. 7 “I will establish My covenant between Me
and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations
for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after
you.
Genesis 22:15–18
Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from
heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you
have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17
indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the
stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed
shall possess the gate of their enemies.
18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,
because you have obeyed My voice.”
Hebrews 6:13–14
For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could
swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “I will
surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”
Galatians 3:6–9
Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him
as righteousness. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of
faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that
God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel
beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in
you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham,
the believer.
Galatians 3:15–16
Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it
is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets
it aside or adds conditions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken
to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as
referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is,
Christ.
Gen 23 – Sarah dies
How do we trust the Lord?
Are we striving to do for God rather than simply resting in what
He has said He will do?
God has provided us a Lamb for salvation…
Are we walking by Faith, trusting Him in what He has said?