The Messiah is the Son of Abraham. This was the provision in the Abrahamic Covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant is actually a set of three covenants, as the Covenant with Abraham was confirmed with Isaac and then Jacob. This trinity of covenants established the national identity of Israel. Through the Abrahamic Covenant God set apart a people out of all nations on the earth. The Abrahamic Covenant did three things:First, it created a nation of his biological descendants who have a specific national inheritance in the Levant, this nation wasIsrael. Secondly, it introduced an eternal priesthood who administered the blessings of Abraham. This was fulfilled in the Church. Third, it introduced Faith as a means to enter this Covenant, opening the door for the Gentiles to become adopted children of Abraham and heirs to this covenant.
Ethnic descendants of Abraham as National Israel
First, it created a nation of his descendant who have a specific national inheritance in the Levant, this nations was Israel. The story of Abraham opens up with this promise being given to Abraham as God calls him out of Ur of the Chaldees.
Gen 12:1-7 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: (2) 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: (3) 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. (4) So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran…
Gen 12:1-7…(5) And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. (6) And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. (7) And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
The Abrahamic Covenant Confirmed in Isaac and Jacob, establishing the National Identity of Israel
God confirmed the Abrahamic Covenant with Isaac and Jacob, and in doing so defined the national identity of Israel. Let us first consider Isaac. The first time the Abrahamic Covenant was confirmed to be limited to Isaac was when Sarah and Hagar were in conflict concerning their respective sons. Sarah demanded Abraham evict Hagar and Ishmael, so that Isaac would be the sole heir to all that belongs to Abraham. This would, of course, include the Covenant promises.
Gen 21:8-13 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned. (9) And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. (10) Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” (11) And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son. (12) But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. (13) Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”
God told Abraham to listen to Sarah, saying “for in Isaac your seed shall be called.” In saying this He limited the Abrahamic Covenant to Isaac and his descendants, excluding Ishmael and the other biological children Abraham would later father through Keturah.
Another confirmation of the Abrahamic Covenant with Isaac would occur when Isaac was an adult after the death of Abraham. There was a famine in the land, and Isaac was considering doing what his father Abraham had done: Go to Egypt. God appeared to him to warn him against this, and then proceeded to confirm the Abrahamic Covenant
Gen 26:1-5 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. (2) Then the LORD appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. (3) Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. (4) And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; (5) because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
Abraham protected the exclusivity of Isaac as heir to the promises by giving any gifts he wanted his other children to have as sending away presents and then sending them eastward – away from Isaac and the Promised Land.
Gen 25:5-6 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. (6) But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east.
God proceeded to confirm the Covenant with Jacob. The first confirmation was in Rebekah’s womb. Jacob and his twin brother Esau were wrestling in her womb. She inquired of the Lord why this was happening. He revealed that Jacob was the heir to Isaac’s Covenant Promises he inherited from his father Abraham
Gen 25:21-26 Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. (22) But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. (23) And the LORD said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.” (24) So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. (25) And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. (26)Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Genesis 27 presents to us the story of how Jacob used deception to acquire the blessing he was ordained to have.
Gen 27:27-30 And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: “Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the LORD has blessed. (28)Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine. (29) Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you.Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!” (30) Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
An Eternal Priesthood
Secondly, it introduced an eternal priesthood who administered the blessings of Abraham. This was fulfilled in the Church. We see this in the wake of the account of Abraham sending in armed men to liberate Lot and the citizens of Sodom. Melchizedek is presented in the text as King of Salem (Jerusalem) and priest of God. Melchizedek presents the first communion and administers blessing from God to Abraham.
Gen 14:14-20 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. (15) And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. (16) And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. (17) And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale. (18) And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. (19) And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: (20) And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
This priest administered to Abraham the anointing that executed the blessing previously declared. Who is Melchizedek. This would be a…
Christophany– an Old Testament appearance of Jesus Christ the Messiah. This appearance administered the blessing that supported the Abrahamic Covenant. Melchizedek appears twice again in Scripture. In Psalms 110 we see a Messianic Psalm later used by Jesus to prove His deity. Christ, in Matthew 22:42-46, ask How can the Messiah be David’s Son if he is his Lord. The only answer is if Jesus Christ is the God-Man. While he is David’s Son According to the flesh, it is apparent that this Messiah is not a mere human. This Messiah would be a priesthood eternally after the order of Melchizedek. This Messiah is the God-Man. As God-Man He would indeed be David’s Lord by means of the authority inherent in His divine nature.
Psa 110:1-7 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (2) The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. (3) Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. (4) The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. (5) The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. (6) He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. (7) He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
The Covenant of Faith
Third, it introduced Faith as a means to enter this Covenant, opening the door for the Gentiles to become adopted children of Abraham and heirs to this covenant. We see faith introduced in such a way in Genesis 15, which begins with the promise and declaration that Abraham is justified by faith.
Gen 15:3-6 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. (4) And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. (5) And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. (6) And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Immediately after Abraham is declared righteous, God calls him to cut covenant. Ancient covenants were cut by cutting up animals and arranging them where two paths divide the carcasses. During this ritual both parties would cross these pathways. The cutting of the animals represents the fate that would befall upon the covenant breaker. We see Abraham arranging these animals thus in Gen 15:7-11
Gen 15:7-11 And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. (8) And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? (9) And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. (10) And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. (11) And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
Typically both parties would pass through to confirm the covenant and put it into legal force. We see something different in this Abrahamic Covenant. When it is time for both to pass through the midst, God passes through the midst twice in two differing manifestations.
Gen 15:12-18 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram… …(17) And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces…
Gen 15:12-18 …(18) 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:
God fulfilled both parties obligations. He accepted Abraham’s faith as the good deposit and performed Abraham’s work in confirming the covenant. The burning lamp represented the light of God, and the furnace represented Abraham as a vessel in which God’s glory could shine. God confirmed His promise, and Abraham’s faith was the sole entry point for Abraham into this covenant. This “Covenant of the Pieces” provided an entry point for someone to become a child of Abraham by faith, as it is faith that brings one into the covenant rather than any human work, whether it be obedience to the law or begetting children.
Paul explains this in Romans 4, arguing that faith, and not works, puts us into the Covenant. The Covenant of the Pieces makes provision for non-biological heirs to become heirs through faith, making the family of Abraham a mixed family of biological and non-biological heirs.
Rom 4:3-24 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (4) Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. …
Gen 15:12-18 …(9) Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. (10) How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. (11) And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:..
Gen 15:12-18 …(12) And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. (13) For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith…
Gen 15:12-18 …(14) For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: (15) Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. (16) Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (17) (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. (18) Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. (19) And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: (20) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (21) And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (22) And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. (23) Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; (24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;