What does Genesis 12's promise show about God's plan beyond Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
Genesis 12's promise shows God's plan reaches beyond Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and beyond the Law to the Age of Grace. In that age, salvation blessings extend to the whole human race. Those in Christ become Abraham's offspring in the Spirit, not Jews, and heirs according to the promise.
Les explains that being in Christ makes a person Abraham's seed, but that does not make him a Jew. Instead, believers become Abraham's offspring in the realm of the Spirit. If they are Abraham's seed in that spiritual sense, they become heirs according to the promise. Les takes the reader back to Genesis 12 to show the last part of the covenant: God told Abram, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee," and "in thee shall all the families of Israel be blessed of the whole earth." Les says this shows God looking way beyond the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and way beyond the Law, to the Age of Grace, when His salvation blessings go to the whole human race.
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.
Does the Abrahamic promise look beyond the Law?
Yes, the Abrahamic promise looks beyond the Law. God was looking beyond the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and beyond the Law itself, to the Age of Grace, when His salvation blessings would extend to the whole human race.
What age was God looking toward when He promised blessing through Abraham?
God was looking toward the Age of Grace. He was looking way beyond the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and beyond the Law. In that age, His blessings of salvation go to the whole human race, not limited to one nation.
More Questions
What did God promise Abraham in Genesis 12 about the nations?
In Genesis 12 God promised that through Abraham all the nations of the world would be blessed.