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Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapters 6 to 8 Chapter 9 Chapters 10 and 11 Chapter 12 Chapters 13 and 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapters 20 and 21 Chapters 22 to 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapters 29 to 35 Chapter 36 Chapters 37 to 41 Chapters 42 to 47 Chapters 48 to 50 |
Detailed instruction as to the earthly seed and the land given
When God had thus revealed Himself, according to His
establishment of blessing in power on the earth, through the
priestly king Melchisedec, naturally the actual blessing of the
chosen people finds its place; and we come down to the actual
earthly scene, and in chapter 15 have the detailed instruction of
the Lord to Abram, regarding the earthly seed and the land given to
him, the whole confirmed by a covenant where God, as light to guide
and furnace to try, deigns to bind Himself to the accomplishment of
the whole. Death makes it sure. Jehovah confirms thus the covenant
in going, in grace, through that which bound Him; Abram, heir of
the promises, undergoes the terror and shadow of it. It is not here
precisely expiation, but what belonged to the confirmation of the
promises, by the only thing which could establish them in favour of
man a sinner. It is evident that this unfolding of God's ways, and
the establishment of the covenant embraces (though the covenant be
made in favour of the earthly people) new and important
principles. God Himself was Abram's defence and portion. That is
the highest portion of all, so far as anything given to man can
go. * Earthly hopes and God's purposes: unconditional promise as to Israel and the landBut Abram feels yet his connection with the earth as an abiding place in connection with the flesh, and it was indeed God's purpose so to bless him. That is in its nature Jewish, and we have consequently the Jewish portion unfolded. The whole scene descends thus here to earthly hopes, and promises, and covenant, and the land. Abram's mind goes down; for it is going down — when God says (on his having refused everything from the world, in view of the world to come as a future hope), 'I am thy reward,' as He had been his shield — to say, What wilt thou give me? But the divine word uses it, to unfold on God's part His purposes in this respect, which, as regards the government of this world, are of real importance. I have no heir, says Abram; nothing to continue, by a family tie, the possession of my inheritance on earth, according to promise; for on earth, where men die, there must be succession. And so it was to be. But still, — as to the earth, it was to be by dependence on Jehovah, by promise, and by faith. Although connected here with the earth, it was not according to nature: on this footing all was foreclosed against Abram — he had no seed. Hence, the seed of faith and promise comes forth — not indeed the one seed — but the Jews as children of promise. The principle is set forth and faith counted for righteousness while Abram believed God. Thus, for this world, Israel was the seed of promise, the heir. Then comes covenant as to the land, according to promise made in the call of Abram. The Lord binds Himself to Abram according to death, as we have seen (for indeed it is assured in the death of Christ, without which they could have nothing). This is, as to present fulfilment, connected with the suffering of the people in Egypt, and their subsequent deliverance, when the oppressors of the people and the usurpers of the inheritance would both be judged. The inheritance assured to Abraham's seed by unconditional covenantThe character of the act by which the covenant was made, we have already noticed. The reader may compare Jeremiah 34:18-19, as to the force of this act. It is not here, moreover, a promise by which Abram is called out by faith, but the assuring the inheritance to his seed by covenant, and here without condition. It is the promise to Israel, the seed of promise, the heir in connection with the earth and flesh. Remark, moreover, that the prolonged sorrow and oppression of God's people — the delay of the promised heir — is in connection with the patience of God towards those that are to be judged. (Compare 2 Peter 3:9.) We may remark that the oppressors of Israel are judged for the sake of Israel, the usurpers of his inheritance for him. Summary of man's state and God's ways with him in it
Here the laying out of God's plans and purposes closes, even as
to the earthly people, and man's ways, and God's ways for their
fulfilment, begin to be unfolded with chapter 16*, with the
paths of those, or hindrances from those, with whom His people may
be connected in any way. These are developed up to chapter 23 when
Abraham ceases to be the representative of the stem of
promise. Sarah dies, the vessel of the seed of promise, and the
risen heir comes into notice as the one whom God sets forth. They
that are born after the flesh precede those who are born according
to promise. We cannot but remark, what gives so striking a character to the book of Genesis, and such freshness to all that is in it (particularly to what we have gone through hitherto), how all the great principles of man's estate and of God's ways are brought out in it. It is a heading and summary of all man's state and God's ways with him in it — not of redemption, though sacrifice and covering of sin be found, nor of its glorious results. Redemption is in Exodus. Man's state and God's ways and fundamental promises are here. |
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