An Alphabetical Analysis
Volume 8 - Prophetic Truth - Page 11 of 304
INDEX
ABRAHAM
It is fitting that the alphabetical order of subjects should place
Abraham first in a series of studies dealing with prophecy, for while the
germ of all prophetic truth as it regards the Race is found in Genesis 3:15,
and the germ of all prophecy as it regards Gentile dominion is found in
Daniel 2, the fact that the bulk of prophecy has to do with Israel, makes the
call of Abraham and the covenants made with him of prime importance.  The
first item in the promises made to him is the Land:
'Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and
from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will
shew thee' (Gen. 12:1).
After the separation of Lot from Abram, the Patriarch was told to:
'Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of
it; for I will give it unto thee' (Gen. 13:17).
In Genesis 15 the geographical boundaries of this promised land are
given:
'In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy
seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great
river, the river Euphrates' including the land occupied by the ten
nations specified (Gen. 15:18 -21).
Israel has never yet possessed the promised land in its fullest extent,
but when prophecy is fulfilled, their land will not only be 'delightsome' but
extensive.  This promise of the land was repeated to Isaac and to Jacob as
may be seen in Genesis 26:3; in 28:4,13; and in 35:12; promises remembered by
Joseph as recorded in Genesis 50:24 -26.
No good purpose will be served by multiplying these references, for if
those quoted do not prove that Israel must yet inherit a specific portion of
land, part of which is known as Palestine at this day, then we must leave all
who differ to the judgment seat of Christ.  Associated with this land, is a
Seed and a Nation.  The seed and land come together in the promise of Genesis
12:7:
'Unto thy seed will I give this land',
and the nation is the subject of the extended promise of Genesis 12:2,3:
'I will make of thee a great nation'.
Promises also were made that spoke of the multiplying of the seed like
unto 'dust' (Gen. 13:16); as the 'stars' and as the 'sand' (Gen. 22:17).
There is no necessary allusion here to a 'heavenly' and an 'earthly' seed,
the comparison is directly concerned with number. In other aspects of
prophetic truth, we shall have to revert to and expound this feature, but for
the moment we pass on to other aspects of the subject.
While no mention is made of the heavenly Jerusalem, described so
vividly in Revelation 21, we learn from Hebrews 11 that just as the promise
of the land was made to Abraham by God, so the additional promise of the
heavenly city was made to the Patriarchs.  Some aspects of this feature of