Millennial Series: Part 12: The Abrahamic Covenant and Premillennialism

Bible.org ^ | 1951 | John Walvoord

[wmfights]

The promises to Abraham, to Abraham’s seed, and to “all families of the earth” are to be distinguished clearly. It breeds utter confusion to ignore these Scriptural divisions and to muddle the whole by reducing it to a general promise. Not only should these distinctions be observed, but it should be carefully noted what is left out of the covenant. While Abraham is personally justified by faith because of his trust in God’s promise concerning his seed, it is obvious that the Abrahamic Covenant itself is not the gospel of salvation even though the promised blessing anticipated the gospel (cf. Gal 3:8). Those in the covenant are promised that God will be their God in the general and providential sense. It is true that Christ is the fulfillment of the promise of blessing to all nations. But the covenant does not contain the covenant of redemption, a revelation of the sacrifice of Christ, a promise of forgiveness of sin, a promise of eternal life, or any of the elements of salvation. The promise to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 is, by way of example, a far clearer picture of the promise of redemption than any of the long passages dealing with the Abrahamic Covenant. While the Abrahamic Covenant is essentially gracious and promises blessings, it deals for the most part with physical blessings and with a physical seed. To make the covenant a phase or a statement of the covenant of redemption is hardly justified by the study of its precise provisions.

[wmfights]

Dispensational Ping

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[StoneWall Brigade]

is this based from a book?

[wmfights]

I think part of the reason that Amillenniarians can’t figure out the Abrahamic Covenant is they don’t differentiate between natural lineage of Abraham and the spiritual lineage within it. It is the spiritual lineage within the natural lineage that will will ultimately possess the land in the future millennium.

[theBuckwheat]

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce the conception of Jesus, in Luke chapter 1:32 he says that Jesus will inherit the throne of his father David.

Jesus, through John, states in Revelation 22:16 that He is the offspring of David.

There is no way to understand why this claim is essential and material to the role of Jesus in God’s plan of salvation for all humanity without understanding its basis in the Covenant that God made with Abraham.

[wmfights]

No, it’s a series of articles written from 1949 - 1952.

[wmfights]

Beautiful point!

[StoneWall Brigade]

Oh oh thanks for posting this has been great stuff.

[CynicalBear]

>>It is the spiritual lineage within the natural lineage that will will ultimately possess the land in the future millennium.<<

That distinction is lost on most Christians. Especially on those who think the church is now Isreal. Those who don't understand lose out on much of the richness of not only scripture but prophesy as well.

[wmfights]

I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I am as well. It goes on for another 11 parts.

[wmfights]

That distinction is lost on most Christians. Especially on those who think the church is now Isreal. Those who don't understand lose out on much of the richness of not only scripture but prophesy as well.

You are so right.

We can go around for days, weeks, months or even years with those that don't look to a literal meaning first in Scripture about the millennium and Israel and it always comes back to not understanding the spiritual inside the natural. I think the name Israel has meanings on several levels. God only named Jacob Israel after Jacob truly believed. IOW, while we consider all Jews Israelis I think it's a better understanding to think of all believing Jews Israelis when thinking in religious terms.

[CynicalBear]

I really think he did great job in this article explaining about who Isreal is. The best I’ve ever seen.

[wmfights]

While the Abrahamic Covenant is essentially gracious and promises blessings, it deals for the most part with physical blessings and with a physical seed. To make the covenant a phase or a statement of the covenant of redemption is hardly justified by the study of its precise provisions.

This stuck with me as well.

This point really knocks the pins out of those that would say Christians are the "new Israel". We are not of the physical seed of Abraham. We are of "all the families of the earth". We receive the spiritual blessing.

One day we will share that spiritual blessing with Israel, when their eyes have been opened.

[rdb3]

One day we will share that spiritual blessing with Israel, when their eyes have been opened.

Hosea 5:15 tells us when that will happen!

Jesus Christ: You can’t impeach Him and He ain’t going to resign.

[wmfights]

Hosea 5:15 tells us when that will happen!

Great verse.

I know the Amillennials will argue that won't happen because they lost the promise when they didn't accept Jesus as Messiah, but the promise was everlasting (Gen 17: 7-8)and at one point their eyes will open and they will rejoice that he has come again.

For me, it's a blessing to see that when God makes a promise he keeps it. If God withdrew His Grace every time I did the wrong thing I would never be saved.

I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.

[redleghunter]

Google or Amazon Walvood’s books. I read a couple. Very good. His books get into more deal on the theological approach.

[redleghunter]

Don’t know if you are following part 10 discussions. Still going on:) In some cases the posts are like the movie “The Notebook.”:)

The last 100 or so posts over there have some good meat on the bones.

Thanks again for this series. Have to read again this part as I read too far ahead!

[StoneWall Brigade]

Thanks I will do just that.

[wmfights]

Don’t know if you are following part 10 discussions. Still going on:) In some cases the posts are like the movie “The Notebook.”:)

LOL

Thanks for the info.

Occasionally I get pinged and look at those posts. I try to stay focused on posting a new part every Sunday. For me this is a bit of a Bible study. I read a new part each Sunday, review the verses that are quoted and during the week try to think of reasons the author is correct, or wrong.

Experience has taught me that there are posters who attempt to discredit an article by first denigrating the author and when that fails denigrating the poster so I tend to avoid posting a lot on threads I post.

[redleghunter]

Or worse, some comment without reading the articles.