Through whom is Abraham the father of the Jewish people?
Abraham is the father of the Jewish people through the genetic line of Isaac, then Jacob, and then the twelve sons, continuing onward. Scripture presents this physical descent as the basis for Israel's national identity, while the Abrahamic covenant later promised them a nation, land, and government.
Les explains that Abraham's role as father of the Jewish people is not complicated; it came about genetically through Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve sons, and so on. He notes that everything connected with the nation of Israel is earthly, while the Body of Christ, or Grace Age believers, have heavenly promises. Even though Abraham belongs to the Old Testament program, Paul by inspiration uses him as an example of faith for New Testament believers. After the Abrahamic covenant, chapter 12 promises Israel a nation of people, a geographical area of land, and a future government.