Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, vol. 4

May 1, 1889

“The Call of Abraham” Bible Echo and Signs of the Times 4, 9.

E. J. Waggoner

Soon after the flood, as men began to multiply upon the earth, they again forsook the Lord, and gave themselves fully over to the service of Satan. In a very short time, we find them so filled with rebellious pride that they began to build a city and a tower, thinking that thereby they could protect themselves against any judgments that God might bring upon them. Genesis 2:1-9. This impious attempt was brought to nothing, and the people were scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth, yet they did not forsake the service of Satan. Within about four hundred years after the flood, the people of the earth were once more sunken in idolatry and superstition. BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.1

At that time the Lord came to Abraham, one of the descendants of Shem, and said to him: “Get thee out of thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3. BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.2

The Lord saw in Abraham a willingness to serve him, although all his people were idolaters (Joshua 24:2), and he separated him from them, so that he might not become contaminated by them, but might become the father of a people who should be fitted to inherit the earth. If we closely examine this promise, we shall find that it comprehends a great deal. “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” means nothing less than the possession of the whole earth by the descendants of Abraham. But this will appear more clearly as we pass on. BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.3

In Genesis 13:14-17, we find the promise renewed more in detail in these words: “And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.4

Here we have strong proof that the promise to Abraham included nothing less than the whole earth, for his seed were to be multiplied as the dust of the earth. The length and the breadth of the land was to be theirs. BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.5

At that time Abraham had no child, and in all human probability could never have one. “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with him, saying, 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.” Genesis 17:1-5. BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.6

Again, when God was about to destroy Sodom, he said: “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” Genesis 18:17-19. BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.7

This give us to understand that the promise was made to Abraham with so much positiveness, because the Lord knew that he would keep his commandments, and that he would command his children and his household after him to do likewise. From this also we may learn that the promise to his seed was only to those who should serve the Lord. BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.8

Once more we find the promise renewed, when Abraham had showed his faith in God by proceeding to offer up his only son, through whom the promise was to be fulfilled. The Lord then called to Abraham, and said: “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” Genesis 22:16-18. BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.9

In the expression “thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies,” we have the promise of conquest. Bear this in mind, while we consider a few other points. In Galatians 3:15-17, we have a scripture that has an intimate connection with the subject under consideration. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; ...that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 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. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law...cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” From the above scripture we learn that the seed to whom the promise was made, is Christ,-the same that was promised at the time of the fall. BEST May 1, 1889, page 137.10

Now in connection with the promise to Abraham, that his seed should possess the gate of his enemies, read the following words of God the Father to his Son Jesus Christ: “Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Psalm 2:7-9. BEST May 1, 1889, page 188.1

When this shall have been accomplished, then “the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace;” for the meek are they who have come to Christ and have learned of him, yielding themselves to him to be his servants; and Paul says: “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29. From this, together with the statement that “they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed” (Galatians 3:7, 8), we may conclude, even at this stage of our study, that the promise to Abraham, and to his seed, was nothing less than the promise of the earth to all who, through faith in Christ, should gain the victory over sin. And this is further confirmed by Paul’s statement that “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.” Romans 4:13. BEST May 1, 1889, page 188.2

In the twenty-sixth chapter of Genesis we find the promise once more repeated, this time to Isaac; and in the twenty-eighth chapter it is renewed to Jacob. BEST May 1, 1889, page 188.3