Introduction
The title and theme for our Sabbath School lesson this week is "Abraham's Seed." The purpose is identified in the following sentence: "Our study this week focuses on the identity and role of God's true Israel in every age, including our own." We will first focus on the role, and then the identity, of Israel.
There seems to be a recurring notion in our Sabbath School studies at least up to and including this week's lesson. The idea is that God's covenant is an agreement, a compact, or a bargain that must be entered into by God and man.
That God initiates, promises, and fulfills His covenant is not the issue or the difference in understanding. There is agreement here. The difference is with man's response. The concept contained in language such as "those who tried to keep, the best they could, their end of the covenant," and "Israel had to fulfill her end of the bargain; if not, the promises could be nullified" (comments for Wednesday and Monday) is a serious point for consideration.
From a Biblical perspective are the words, or even the concept, expressed in the above paragraph ever found in connection with God's everlasting covenant? No. The words that express the concept are the sum and substance of the Old Covenant.
We need to be ever mindful that fallen man is dead to the things of God's covenant (Eph. 2:1). The dead know nothing and can do nothing. So how can they possibly do the best they can "in fulfilling their end of the covenant" or "end of the bargain." The Spirit of God must quicken or bring to life a person dead in trespasses and sin. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin and of judgment and of righteousness (John 16:7-11). As the spiritually dead is awakened to his condition and also to the goodness of God there is given to him the gift of repentance (Acts 5:31) and there is created within him a faith rooted in the innermost part of the heart (Rom. 10:17, 9-10). He thanks God for the promise of salvation contained in the everlasting covenant. With a heart overflowing with love to God he will do the duties of a believer. He will obey. But his obedience does not constitute his end of the covenant. He does not fulfill an end of a bargain.
The Role of Israel
Jacob and Mother
Abraham's grandson, Jacob, was promised the inheritance, and all the spiritual blessings of God, as was Abraham and Isaac, Jacob's father (Gen. 28:1-4). Earlier, Jacob and his mother believed God's promise that the birthright of inheritance would go to Jacob. However, as years passed they felt God needed some assistance in obtaining it. The term "Jacob" means "to supplant," "to overreach." The word "deceitful" in Jer. 17:9, and "Jacob" come from the same root word. It is true that in helping God out Jacob and his mother didn't use works of righteousness. They used guile and deceit. It is evident that Rachel and her son thought that the end justified the means.
Sara, Abraham, and Hagar
Abraham was involved in two covenants. He and his wife, Sara, received the covenantal promise of God by faith alone and was thus counted as righteous (Gen. 15:6). But after time elapsed with no offspring, they knew that if something wasn't done relatively soon there could be no possibility of having a child. Sara came up with the brilliant idea that Abraham and she "had to fulfill" their "end of the bargain," their "end of the covenant;" if not, the promise would not be realized. So, Hagar was enlisted to help produce a child of the flesh. This is, of course, the Old Covenant. This was an amalgamation between the flesh of man and the promise of God.
The everlasting covenant of God is not a bargaining proposal or a procedure. God's covenant is His promise of grace. A promise is something to be believed, not negotiated. This is not negotiable! It is not that God does His part of the bargain, if you do your "end of the covenant." Certainly God wants to bring us into a state of agreement with Himself. This is called reconciliation. He has done this already. This was the fulfillment of the covenant that He entered into with His Son back in the days of eternity. When Jesus became the Head and Representative of the race, God was here, in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself. Now He pleads with us, for His sake, to receive this reconciliation. Simply believe it. Accept it. Don't resist it (see 2 Cor. 5:19, 20). The role, the duty, the function, of spiritual Israel is to believe.
Jacob learned this valuable lesson in a terrible time of trouble. He learned that the fulfillment of the promises of God comes by faith and not by fraud. Jacob was a man of great physical strength and endurance. But it was not through his might as a wrestler that he gained the victory. Jacob's strength was in his weakness.
The angel said, "Let me go" (Gen. 32:26). Here is evidence that Jacob had stopped fighting and was clinging. His strength was now by faith in God. He was resting in God. No longer a supplanter, but rather as a prince of God, he fought the good fight of faith and won. The journey from a Jacobite to an Israelite is an illustration of righteousness by faith. When Jacob stopped fighting God he became an Israelite. There is more than one way to fight God. We can fight God by resisting Him. We fight God, also, when we refuse to believe His covenant. An "Israelite" is one who is crippled and helpless in his own strength, and overcomes the world by faith (1 John 5:4, 5).
Abraham, Sara, Rachel, and Jacob gave bad example to their physical descendants, Israel. But they recovered from their unbelief and became outstanding examples of righteousness by faith. Why did the nation of Israel (and we Christians) not follow their examples of faith? Why do we follow their examples of the flesh?
The Old Covenant experience of Abraham and Sara was repeated at Sinai in the motivation exhibited in the people's response as they promised "All that the Lord has said we will do" (Ex. 19:8). They thought God's everlasting covenant was do-able on their part. Thus they felt they needed to make a compact with God and to hold up "their end of the bargain."
So much for the role of Israel. Let's move on to the identity of Israel.
The term "Israel" has been used for centuries to designate a nation of people as the physical descendants of Abraham. However, not all of Abraham's descendants were to be considered Israel. Physical descent does not constitute a true Israelite. An Israelite is a child of promise (Rom. 9:8; Gal. 4:28). Israel is the seed of Abraham because of God's promise to Abraham.
Consider, for a moment, Christianity and Christians today. The term "Christian" is used to designate anyone who makes a profession of belonging to Christianity. In spite of the profession, however, this does not constitute one a Christian. So with Israel. The Bible testifies: "Not all Israel is Israel" Rom. 9:6). Those who share a common racial ancestry are not necessarily the "seed of Abraham."
True "Israel" came into existence as a gift of God's grace. God changed Jacob (the "supplanter") from deceit to Israel ("overcoming prince"). After God changed Jacob's character He gave him the new name of Israel to reflect the change. Israel is made up of those who have been changed by God's grace, and who continues in grace "from faith to faith."
The nation of Israel was a type, a symbol, a figure, a shadow of Christ. He is the substance, the true Israel. Jesus, the great prince of God is the first Israel, not in point of time, but in pre-eminence. And so, anyone who is Christ's is a true Israelite.
The everlasting covenant promise to Abraham and to His offspring always centers in Jesus. The promise was to, and through, the Messiah. He is the Seed of Abraham. He is the "Israel" of God. Both words "Seed" and "Israel" are collective or corporate terms. Messiah's people and Himself are one, as the Head and the body or church.
By comparing Matt. 2:15 with Hos. 11:1 we note that Jesus is Israel. God's son, Israel (the nation), was taken from Egypt, yet proved faithless in subsequent history. The only begotten of the Father, the Son, Jesus, was taken from Egypt, grew into perfect manhood, and accomplished the work which the Father had purposed.
Isaiah 49:3 also calls Him "Israel." This chapter reveals a conversation between the Father and the Son that occurred back in the days of eternity. This conversation is about the everlasting covenant between Them. The Father told the Son: "I will preserve You and give you for a covenant to the people" (verse 8). Jesus believed God's promise. This is the faith of Jesus.
What covenant promises did the Lord make to the nation of Israel? The same that He made to Noah, to Abraham, and to Jacob. In every case the condition of receiving the promises was to believe what God said. Because the nation of Israel refused to believe they never entered God's rest (Heb. 3:18-4:3).
God promised Abraham that through His Seed all His covenant promises must come. And all His promises were to His Seed, the Son of Man (Gal. 3:16). So the covenant, decreed in the days of eternity, was promised to Abraham and to his Seed, his Heir, his Offspring, the true Israel. God referred to not several individuals, but to One, who can be none other than Jesus, the Messiah and Mediator of the everlasting covenant. It follows that if you and I are in Him, then we are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29).
In conclusion and summary we learn that Israel is identified as Jesus and all who believe God's promise from the heart. The role, or duty, or function of Israel is to receive and to keep the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14:12). Believing God's everlasting covenant of love and grace will always be manifested in obedience to all of God's commandments. This is righteousness (i.e., obedience) by faith. This is the precious message God promised to, and commanded to be given to, the world (see "Testimonies to Ministers," pp. 91, 92).
Comments to the weekly Sabbath School Quarterly
