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ABRAHAM’S PROMISED SEED
THERE is nothing in man which can merit the divine favour: the promises of God to us are altogether free, resulting wholly from his sovereign grace: yet does God frequently manifest his love towards us in consequence of something done by us. Abraham, it should seem, was an idolater, when God first made himself known to him in his native land: and then did the Almighty promise, that in him should all the families of the earth be blessed. But, in the passage before us, Abraham is recorded to have performed the most extraordinary act of obedience that ever was known from the foundation of the world: and God takes occasion from that to renew his promise, and, for his more abundant consolation, to confirm it with an oath. To ascertain the full import of this glorious prophecy, it will be proper to inquire,
I. Who is the seed here spoken of—
It is not to all the natural descendants, or to that part of them that composed the Jewish nation, or even to the spiritual seed of Abraham, that these words refer: they speak of one particular individual, the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. To him all the types direct our attention—
[The temple with all its utensils, the priests with, all their habits and services, the sacrifices and oblations of every kind, all shadowed forth his work and offices. The principal events in the Jewish history, together with the great persons engaged in them, their lawgiver, their commanders, judges, kings, and prophets, prefigured him in different points of view, and, as so many lines, meet in him as their common centre. On this account we have reason to think that the prophecy before us relates to him.]
2. In him all the prophecies receive their accomplishment—
[However some of the prophecies might be partially fulfilled in Solomon or others, it is certain that all of them together were never accomplished in any one but Jesus. They were intended to designate him, that, when he should arrive, there might be no doubt of his being the very person fore-ordained of God to be the Saviour of the world. The minute description of the promised Messiah, together with the marvellous combination of circumstances that marked Jesus as the person foretold, lead us further to believe that the text had particular respect to him.]
3. To him exclusively the text is applied by God himself—
[St. Paul tells us that the blessing of Abraham was to come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ [Note: Gal_3:14.] ; and that the words of the text related, not to others, but to Christ alone [Note: Gal_3:16.].]
This point being ascertained, let us inquire,
II. In what respect all nations are blessed in him—
The full accomplishment of the text will not take place till that glorious period when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea. Yet, in a limited sense, all nations have experienced the truth of this prophecy already.
1. They are reconciled to God through him—
[Christ died not for one nation only; he was a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Many of all nations have already believed in his name, and rejoiced in his salvation: and in every place they who believe in him shall find acceptance with their God [Note: Col_1:20-22.].]
2. They are united in one body in him—
[He has broken down the middle wall of partition that divided the Jewish and Gentile world, and, having reconciled both unto God in one body by the cross, he has slain the enmity thereby [Note: Eph_2:14-16.]. All mankind are now brought into one family, and are taught to regard each other as brethren: and in proportion as the religion of Jesus gains the ascendant over our hearts, we are united in love to every member of his mystical body.]
3. They are blessed with all spiritual blessings—
[There is not any thing that can conduce to our present or future happiness which Jesus will not bestow on his believing people. Adoption into his family, peace in our consciences, holiness in our hearts, and an eternity of glory in the Father’s presence, are the certain portion of all his faithful followers. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile; all are admitted to the same privileges, and all shall participate the same enjoyments.]
Infer,
1. The antiquity of the Gospel—
[The sum and substance of the Gospel is, that Christ is the only source of all spiritual and eternal blessings. Wherever this truth is strongly urged, men are ready to cry out against it as a new doctrine. But we can trace it, not only to the Reformers of our church, but to the Apostles, yea to Abraham also: for St. Paul declares, that when God spake the words to Abraham, he “preached the Gospel to him” even that very Gospel whereby he and all the nations of the earth must be saved. [Note: Gal_3:8.] Let this truth then no longer be reviled as novel, but be received as the one ground of all our hopes.]
2. The importance of faith—
[Abraham’s faith in this Gospel was imputed to him for righteousness [Note: Gal_3:6.] ; and by believing the same divine record we also must be justified [Note: Gal_3:7; Gal_3:9.]. No doctrine whatever is more explicitly declared in Scripture than this. Let us then acknowledge the necessity of faith, and look to the Lord Jesus Christ as that promised seed, through whom alone the blessings of Abraham can flow down upon us.]
3. The connexion between faith and works—
[Faith was that principle which produced in Abraham such exemplary obedience [Note: Heb_11:17.]: and the same root will bear similar fruits wheresoever it exists [Note: Act_15:9.]. Indeed the pardon of past sins would be utterly insufficient to make us happy, if it were not accompanied with the renovation of our natures. To this effect St. Peter expounded, as it were, the very words of the text, declaring to the Jews, that conversion from sin was one of the first blessings which the Lord Jesus was sent to bestow [Note: Act_3:25-26.]. Let us then not consider faith and works as opposed to each other, but as possessing distinct offices, the one to justify our souls, the other to honour God, and to manifest the sincerity of our faith.]