How has God kept the promise of countless descendants to Abraham through Israel?
God enlarged the covenant promise, making Abraham’s offspring as the dust of the earth—a great multitude through Isaac and Jacob, the nation of Israel. Though Israel has been a small nation across over 4,000 years, tremendous numbers of people have come from that covenant promise.
Les teaches that in Genesis 13:16 God enlarges the covenant promise of chapter 12, saying Abraham’s seed would be as the dust of the earth: if a man could number the dust, then his seed could be numbered. This points to a great offspring through the line of Isaac and Jacob, or the nation of Israel. Even though Israel has been a small nation over more than 4,000 years, tremendous numbers of people have come out of this covenant promise. In Genesis 15, God does something totally different and gives Abraham a promise that ties him to us, and verse 5 says He brought him forth; Les suggests God dealt with Abraham face to face, possibly in human form.
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
More Questions
Is God's promise to Abraham about his descendants a single promise or a twofold promise?
The promise to Abraham about his descendants is a twofold promise, involving two completely different realms, not one.