Reprinted from the View From the Lighthouse (April 1999)

We must begin in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and took a bite out of the forbidden fruit and sin took a bite out of them. In Genesis, ‘The Promise’ was first given:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed
and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

This verse is generally accepted as the first prophecy of the coming Messiah, a Redeemer who would deal with the deceiver, "bruise his head", and bring redemption to fallen man.

We then travel to Genesis, Chapter 9. After the Flood, the Promise was given to Noah and his seed as a covenant:

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; . . . for perpetual generations:(Gen 9:8-9, 12)

Please note, the Promise, or covenant, was given for ‘perpetual generations’.

The Promise was next given to:

As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Genesis 17:4-7

It is of the utmost importance to understand the word translated here as "nations"
is the Hebrew word, "Gowy (Goy)".
According to Strong’s Concordance, the word "Goy"(H1471), means
"a foreign nation; hence a Gentile".

So we see that Abraham was to be
the father of many "Gentile" nations.

. . . and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. (Genesis 17:19)

Notice the covenant (promise) was not fulfilled in Isaac, but was continued also to his seed.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: (Exodus 33:1)

And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. (Isa 65:9)

...For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. (Rom 9:6-8)

That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Gal 3:14)

 

The Garden of Eden --

  to Noah --

    to Abraham --

      to Isaac --

        to Jacob --

          to Judah --

                        and on down through the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Luke, Chapter 3, lists the 77 generations from God thru Adam to Jesus to show us that:

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. . . . For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; . . . (Galatians 3:16, 18, 19)

[Note: The Law was added because of their transgressions, and ended when the seed came. Jesus Christ Fulfilled the Law!]

1. Promise was not to Abraham (or to his seed) through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
2. If they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void and the promise has no effect:
3. The promise is sure to all the seed, which is of the faith of Abraham. Abraham was the father of many nations.

1. Gentiles, without Christ, were strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope,
     and without God. (v12)

2. Gentiles made nigh by blood of Christ. (v13)

3. Wall is gone between Jew and Gentile. (v14)

4. In himself, Christ has made one new man.(v15)

5. Through Christ, both Gentiles and Jews, have access by one Spirit. (Vs 18)

6. Gentiles are fellowcitizens with Jews, Both are of the household of God; (Vs 19)

7. Together, we are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Jesus Christ is
     the chief corner stone; (Vs 20)

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circum-cision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Rom 2:28-29)

 

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)

And, . . .commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, . . . For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:4-5)

 

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. (Acts 2:32-33)

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. (Acts 2:38-39)

...the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. (Acts 13:32-33)

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: (Eph 3:5-6)

And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal 3:29)

And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy,
and upon the Israel of God. (Gal 6:16) [][][][]