Yes, the Abrahamic covenant is the foundational promise that guarantees the future Kingdom, in which the Messiah will reign as King over a restored nation of Israel in their promised land.
Les Feldick teaches that the Abrahamic covenant contains three basic promises: a nation, a land, and a government under the Messiah as King. This covenant underpins all the Kingdom promises in Scripture, especially those Jesus and the disciples discuss in the Gospels. The Kingdom is not simply a political restoration but the fulfillment of God's oath to Abraham, where the Messiah will rule over Israel from the land promised to Abraham.
Genesis 12:1-3 — God's initial promise to Abraham to make him a great nation, which forms the basis of the covenant that includes the land and the coming King.
Genesis 15:18-21 — The specific covenant where God gives Abraham the land from the Nile to the Euphrates, confirming the territorial aspect of the Kingdom promise.
Matthew 19:28 — Jesus speaks of the future regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His throne and the twelve will judge the twelve tribes, directly tying the Kingdom to Israel's restoration.
The Bible records God's covenant with Abraham in Genesis, promising to make of him a great nation and to give him and his descendants a specific land (Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 15:18-21). This covenant is the foundation for Israel's existence as a nation with a homeland. In the Old Testament, the prophets speak of a future time when God will restore Israel and set up His Kingdom, with the Messiah reigning as King (e.g., Psalm 2, Isaiah 9:6-7). In the Gospels, Jesus announces the Kingdom and promises His disciples that in the regeneration they will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). The disciples' question to Jesus after His resurrection reflects this expectation: "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). Thus, the Bible clearly presents the Abrahamic covenant as the basis for a literal, future Kingdom on earth involving Israel.
Les Feldick consistently teaches that the Abrahamic covenant is the umbrella promise under which all other covenants and God's prophetic purposes for Israel and the Kingdom are contained. He summarizes it as three basic promises: first, God would make Abraham a great nation (Israel); second, He would place that nation in a specific geographical land (the Promised Land); and third, He would provide a government, ultimately by coming Himself as the Messiah-King to rule over them. This covenant is the foundation for the Kingdom that the disciples expected when they asked Jesus if He would restore the kingdom to Israel. Les emphasizes that the Kingdom requires both a King and a kingdom territory, and that the Messiah would be not only King but also Redeemer, solving the sin problem. He highlights that the Jews of Jesus' day wanted the King to overthrow Rome but neglected the need for a suffering Savior. All these elements are part and parcel of the Abrahamic covenant, which is the key to understanding the Kingdom's significance.
Les Feldick explains that the Abrahamic covenant comprises three basic promises: (1) God will make of Abraham a great nation of people, the nation of Israel; (2) He will place that nation in a specific geographical area of land, often called the Promised Land; and (3) He will provide a government for them, ultimately by God Himself becoming their King in the person of the Messiah, who would also be their Redeemer. These three elements—people, land, and government—are essential to the Kingdom. As Les says, you cannot have a viable kingdom without a king, and a king is of no use without a kingdom. Thus, the covenant lays the foundation for the Kingdom.
The disciples, like the Jews of that day, understood the Kingdom as a restoration of the glorious kingdom of David and Solomon, but with a greater king—the Messiah. They asked Jesus, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). This expectation was rooted in the Abrahamic covenant, which promised a nation, a land, and a king. Les points out that they wanted the King and the Kingdom to throw off Roman rule, but they didn't fully grasp the need for the Messiah to first be the suffering Savior who dealt with the sin problem. The Kingdom, as promised, would come after the Messiah's work of redemption.
The Abrahamic covenant promised that out of Abraham would come a nation, placed in a land, and over that nation God would set up His government with the Messiah as King. Les says that when Jesus came and John the Baptist presented Him as Israel's King, the long view was the Kingdom. The Messiah would be greater than Solomon, and the Kingdom would be a restoration of Israel's glory. However, the covenant also required a Redeemer to solve the sin problem, so the Old Testament had parallel lines of prophecy: the coming King and Kingdom, and the suffering Savior. Jesus fulfilled both roles; His death and resurrection made possible the future Kingdom.
Les emphasizes that "everything that's happening all the way up through the Gospels and well into the book of Acts is based on that Abrahamic covenant." All other covenants are wrapped up inside it. The Kingdom that everything looks forward to is comprised of the fulfillment of the covenant's promises. God's faithfulness to His covenant is seen throughout the Old Testament, as He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when He delivered Israel from Egypt. Thus, the Abrahamic covenant is the foundation of God's plan for Israel and the Kingdom.
Disciples' Kingdom Expectation
Les explains that the disciples asked Jesus to restore the kingdom to Israel, expecting a return of the Davidic/Solomonic glory, but with the Messiah as King, which stems from the Abrahamic covenant.
Kingdom Requires King
Les teaches that the Abrahamic covenant is foundational; a viable kingdom requires a king, and the Messiah is that King, which is why Jesus was presented as King and the Kingdom was in view.
Three Promises of the Covenant
Les outlines the three promises of the Abrahamic covenant: nation, land, and government. This leads to the title 'King of Israel' for the Messiah.
King and Redeemer
Les shows that the covenant promised a King and Kingdom, but also a Redeemer to solve the sin problem; the Jews wanted the King but neglected the suffering Savior.
Three Promises Recapitulated
Les repeats the three promises, emphasizing that all other covenants are involved, and that the Messiah would also be the Redeemer.
Covenant in a Nutshell
Les sums up the Abrahamic covenant as nation, land, and government, and connects it to God's promise and to the promised land.
God Remembers His Covenant
Les points to Exodus where God remembers His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, showing that everything up to Acts is based on this covenant.
Kingdom Looks Forward to Covenant Fulfillment
Les explains that the Kingdom is comprised of the Abrahamic covenant promises—a nation, a land, and a King—and that all of Scripture looks forward to that.
Genesis 12:1-3: 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: 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: 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.
The initial promise to Abraham that includes the nation aspect of the covenant.
Genesis 15:18-21: In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
God's covenant with Abraham specifically delineating the land promise, which forms the territorial basis of the Kingdom.
Matthew 19:28: And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Jesus promises that in the future Kingdom, the disciples will rule over the twelve tribes, fulfilling the Kingdom promises to Israel.
Acts 1:6: When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
The disciples' question reveals their understanding that the Kingdom is to be restored to Israel, based on the Abrahamic covenant.
Exodus 2:24-25: And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
God's remembrance of His covenant with the patriarchs is the reason He moves to deliver Israel, showing the covenant's ongoing significance.
Les Feldick teaches that the Abrahamic covenant consists of three basic promises: (1) God will make of Abraham a great nation, Israel; (2) He will place them in a specific geographical land, the Promised Land; and (3) He will provide a government, ultimately by coming Himself as the Messiah-King. These three elements are inseparable and form the foundation of the Kingdom.
The Kingdom is tied to the Abrahamic covenant because that covenant guarantees the existence of a nation, a land, and a King. The Messiah is that King, and the land is the Promised Land given to Israel. Thus, the Kingdom is the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham.
Yes, the disciples, as Jews, understood the Kingdom as a restoration of Israel's glory, as promised in the Abrahamic covenant. They asked Jesus if He would restore the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6), and Jesus affirmed that in the future regeneration they would sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes (Matthew 19:28).
The covenant promises that God Himself would provide a government over Israel, and in the fullness of time, that government would be epitomized in the Messiah, who is both King and Redeemer. The Messiah is greater than Solomon, and His rule will be the Kingdom.
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