In this section, we continue to study the Covenant between the Father and the Son. Now we will see how it was revealed through the example of Abraham. Keep in mind that key to understanding which we discussed in the previous study.
In this study we will see what we said before, that all prophets are images of Christ, and so it is with Abraham as well, and through the texts describing them, that Covenant between the Father and the Son is displayed or revealed.
With this in mind, read the texts about Abraham as if they speak of Christ. Paul understood this and he says it this way:
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Abraham himself is an image of Christ. Therefore, the promises were given at the same time to both Abraham and Christ. And all promises, in the plural, not just one like that of offspring, that is, children whom Christ will receive forever, or the possession of the land of Canaan, that is, the whole world, as we will see.
When we know this, let us now read the texts about Abraham with the understanding that these texts speak of Christ, and then that Covenant between the Father and the Son is revealed to us. And now we read of God’s first appearance to Abraham:
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Here we see that God is actually speaking even more to Christ and about Christ and the agreement with Him for the salvation of mankind. This text reveals the plan of salvation, that is, the Covenant between the Father and the Son. God promised to Christ that if He would depart from the House of the Father, that is, leave Heaven, and go to earth and become man, that He would redeem us and in that way become a blessing for all mankind, the Father on His part promises to Christ that He will therefore bless Him above all, that is, glorify Him and make Him Head over all, and give Him in eternal inheritance the children whom Christ will obtain through His righteousness and the work of Redemption which He will carry out here on earth. These same promises are constantly repeated through other examples of people who are images of Christ, such as Jacob or David. We will see this in other studies later.
Here the Covenant between the Father and the Son is revealed, and the conditions and promises on Both sides. Read this text again and meditate upon it.
Now we read the second text about Abraham where that Covenant is revealed again:
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
This text again reveals the Father’s promise to Christ that He will give Him numerous children like the heavenly stars in eternal inheritance, through the redemption which He will carry out through His death. Christ Himself says that the Father has made Him:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Thus we see that the Father gave to Christ all whom He redeemed, that Christ might with full right give them eternal life and that they be Christ’s forever.
Now we go further to Genesis 17 where we read how God made a covenant with Abraham. There we will be able to see even more clearly that this covenant actually reveals that great Covenant between the Father and the Son, the conditions and promises of that Covenant. Read that here through Abraham, the Father actually speaks to Christ and reveals that Covenant:
1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Here the conditions and promises in that Covenant between the Father and the Son are more fully revealed. First, the Father requires perfection, righteous walking before Him, because that alone will reveal the Father’s character, and under that condition He makes a Covenant with Christ. With that condition, the Father promises to Christ a mighty offspring, and that is the same promise which we saw a little while ago. Through this, the Father makes Christ the “everlasting Father” to that offspring, that is, His children whom He will obtain because they are given to Him in eternal inheritance. And He gives Him the name ‘Abraham,’ which means ‘Father of a multitude.’ And through Christ’s righteousness, He establishes Him as an Example to all believers and therefore Abraham is also called and known as the ‘Father of the faithful.’ The text says that ‘nations’ and ‘kings’ shall come forth from Christ. And thus it is written in Revelation:
5 …Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
God also in this text promises that He will be God to both Christ and His offspring, which means that the Father will give them all and care for all as God. And at the end He says again in the text “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan.” This does not mean only the land of Canaan, but the whole world, and in eternal possession both to Abraham, which he had not yet received because he died. So Paul understood it:
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Therefore, to be the heir of the world forever. It is evident that this was not yet fulfilled in Abraham because he died, but here it is spoken both to Christ and to all the saved. Thus Scripture says for Christ and for the saved at the end:
17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of…
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.