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

'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

'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