Promise to the Fathers

BUT it may be asked if we believe that the inheritance of the saints will be confined to the literal land of Palestine. To this we answer that it will embrace the land of Palestine, but not be confined to it. That the promise embraces "the land" cannot be denied. And there is a significance in the assertion of Paul in Heb. 11, that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, dwelt in the land of promise as in a strange country, confessing themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Though all was theirs by promise, they actually inherited nothing on the earth. And to the same intent are Paul's words to the Romans:

"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." Rom. 4:13

Here the heirship is said to be "of the world." This construction does no violence to the promise; for in the promise, as made in Gen. 12:7; 13:15, 17; 15:7, 18; etc., the word rendered land is the same that is rendered earth in Gen. 1:1, and in a multitude of other cases. While this, of itself, would not be decisive as to the extent of the inheritance, it does admit of the apostle's construction, as in Rom. 4:13.

There is an argument of analogy that is very conclusive on this subject, and must be admitted by all who claim any relation to Abraham, and to the covenant made with him. In that covenant were three prominent points, as follows:—

1. There was a promise of the land.

2. It was to him and to his seed.

3. Circumcision was given as a token or surety of the faithfulness of God to fulfill his promise, as well as the token or evidence of their relation to the covenant as heirs.

Now the second and third points are universally acknowledged to have been brought over into this dispensation, with this important truth in connection: They are changed or enlarged so as to embrace more than was included in the first meaning of the terms given. Thus, it was at first believed that "the seed" embraced only the literal descendants of Abraham. But in the New Testament, we learn that this term refers primarily to Christ, and then to all who are Christ's by faith. And that the literal descendants, merely as such, are not heirs at all. Thus it is said:—

"He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; . . . But he is a Jew which is one inwardly." Rom. 2:28, 29.

And again:—

"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.

And therefore the true heirs to the promise are not counted by natural descent, but are of all nationalities, as the apostle says:—

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:28, 29.

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Eph. 2:11-13

"That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel." Chap. 3:6

The Saviour taught the same doctrine before the apostle wrote. To them who claimed Abraham as their father, who yet rejected him, he said:—

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." John 8:44.

Thus it is fully established that "he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly," and that the children of the flesh are not counted for the seed; and that all who are of faith are the children of Abraham and heirs of the promise. This will be universally admitted; and so far the covenant with Abraham is embraced by Christians.

But the statement of the third point is equally evident, and is also acknowledged. Notice the following:—

(1.) The true circumcision of the covenant is not outward. "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, 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.

"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." Col. 2:11.

(2.) Circumcision was given as a "token of the covenant," Gen. 17:11; and is also called a "sign" and "seal " in the New Testament; Rom. 4:11; and this seal is explained as follows:—

"In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance." Eph. 1:13, 14.

The earnest is the same as the seal or token. Again it is written:—

"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Eph. 4:30.

"Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." 2 Cor. 1:22.

This is the circumcision of the heart; made without hands; in the Spirit; the true token or sign of our heirship. And as it was said to Abraham that the uncircumcised man child should be cut off—if he had broken, or had no part in, the covenant—so it is now said: "If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. 8:9. Such have not the seal or token of the covenant, and hence have no part in the covenant.

(3.) Circumcision was given to the male descendants of Abraham; but in the gospel, with the change that is effected, whereby circumcision becomes an internal, instead of an external seal, a change is also made in respect to the subjects of the rite. Of this, Paul speaks:—

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:28, 29.

This reference is unmistakable. The Greek, or Gentile, by "the circumcision of Christ," has the seal of the covenant made with Abraham; and so also the female. The distinctions which formerly existed in this respect exist no more.

Now, as before remarked, all classes of New Testament believers accept these truths, and so far acknowledge their relation to the Abrahamic covenant. But it seems strange that so many who claim to be the children of Abraham reject the promise made to Abraham. While they earnestly claim to be "heirs according to the promise," they as earnestly claim that the inheritance belongs to somebody else, and not to themselves.

But to the analogy. If THE SEED, and if CIRCUMCISION, be found plainly recognized in the New Testament, should we not expect that the subject of the promise—the inheritance or the land—would also be found in the New Testament? And again, if the second and third terms of the covenant are enlarged in the New Testament, should we not expect that the first term, when found, would be equally enlarged? Certainly we should. And consistent with this, we have seen that Paul speaks of Abraham as "heir of the world." Roth. 4:13. And the Saviour makes this one of the beatitudes in his "Sermon on the Mount," saying, "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth." Matt. 5:5.

This promise looks to the future; it is, indeed, a promise—not the statement of an existing fact. Of this present world, we may say with the poet,

"This groaning earth is too dark and drear

For the saints' eternal home."

If Christ is to "destroy the works of the devil;" if the covenant to Abraham is to remedy the effects of "the fall," then we may look for a "restitution," a restoration of that blessed "dominion" which was given to man in the beginning.

But here another objection is raised. It has been claimed that this promise of the Saviour is fulfilled in this present life: that the blessings and enjoyments of this world belong to the righteous.* But it seems strange that learned men, eminent Bible teachers, should ever advance such a proposition, so directly is it at variance with all the Scriptures. On this we notice:—

1. "The poor of this world" are "heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him." Jas. 2:5.

2. The prophet said, "The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Ps. 37:11. This is not the case at present, as we all know by observation or experience, and as is proved by our Saviour's words, as follows:—

3. "In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33. The enjoyment or blessing of the Christian is not from the world, but from Jesus' work of overcoming the world for us. So far from the meek having "abundance of peace" in this world, they have persecutions and afflictions; their life is only a "warfare," in which they are speedily overcome if they lay off the armor.

4. The wicked inherit more of this world than the righteous, the latter being "the poor of this world." This, if the promise is fulfilled in this world, would invalidate the scripture which says: "Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." Gal. 4:30. If the inheritance is in this present world, the son of the bondwoman has the larger share.

5. As Abraham did not inherit the land, so it is very evident that he does not possess it now. Hence the promise to him is assuredly to be fulfilled in the future.

6. Paul says that Abraham and others did not possess the land, but were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. But Peter says that Christians are "strangers and pilgrims" even now. 1 Pet. 2:11.

The prophet says the Lord created not the earth in vain. Isa. 45:18. When he made the earth, he pronounced it very good. But through Satan's wiles and man's rebellion it was brought under a curse, and now it is not "very good," as it was at first. According to the terms of the curse it now brings forth "thorns and thistles." Poisonous herbs grow out of it, and deadly miasms rise from its surface. It refuses to "yield its increase" to man's toil, causing him to pine away; or with convulsive throes swallows up its inhabitants in a sudden destruction. Instead of being a place of only beauty and life, it is a scene of corruption and of death, with but here and there traces of its original loveliness. But this shall not continue forever. If God created it not in vain, then his original purpose will be fulfilled, and Satan's triumph shall come to an end.

We have read in the Scriptures that the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth; but we have seen that this has not been, and is not now, fulfilled. The Saviour said the meek shall inherit the earth; but they are strangers in it yet, even as their father Abraham was. As Abraham had to buy a burying place in the land of promise, so his faithful children now are only suffered to abide in the land on their paying tribute to wicked men. The psalmist said the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace; but now the wicked possess the earth, and the life of the just is a life of persecution and affliction, and "he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey." Isa. 59:15. But we toil and suffer in hope, for there remains a rest for the people of God; a rest, or resting place, which they have not yet reached. This is no other than the peaceable possession of "the land of promise" which shall yet be given "to Abraham and to his seed."

We turn again to Paul's words respecting the circumcision of the covenant—the token or earnest of the faithfulness of God to his promise. He says:—

"After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance." Eph. 1:13, 14. And this is just the light in which it was presented in Gen. 17. It was the assurance to Abraham that God would fulfill to him the promise of the land. The object of circumcision is not changed; it is still the token, the earnest, or the assurance, "of our inheritance."

But here another objection is urged on 1 Pet. 1:4, where it is said our inheritance is "reserved in Heaven." Abraham, said Paul, "looked for a city which had foundations, whose maker and builder is God." Heb. 11:10. This is that "Jerusalem which is above." Gal. 4:26. John, in prophetic vision, saw it "coming down from God out of Heaven." Rev. 21:2. Therefore, Peter's words are true, as referred to the city, but they do not apply to the earth, which the meek shall inherit, and upon which the holy city comes down. Look once more at Paul's words in Eph. 1:14. He says this circumcision of the heart, the seal of the Spirit, "is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession." While Peter's words will not apply to the earth, these words will not apply to the city of God in Heaven. But they will apply to the earth, which was made very good; and is to be given to the children of men; upon which the righteous shall be recompensed; which the meek shall inherit; but which is now under the curse, and is groaning for redemption. Rom. 8:22. The subject of the redemption of God's creation is a most glorious one; the mere thought of it fills the heart of the pilgrim with "joy unspeakable." But this must be reserved for future consideration.