When GOD makes a promise, He keeps it. Such is the case with His unconditional promise to Abraham, whose faithfulness yielded Abraham’s reward.
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going…” (Hebrews 11:8)
Preparing the Bride for GOD’s Story
How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? One aspect is to learn GOD’S STORY. He created us in His image…. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. And we learn His perspective.
Genesis 25:29-34 (from a different angle)
“Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.
But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”
And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”
Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.
So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”
Same text, different perspective
We looked at these same verses in the last GOD’S STORY entry. We considered the two brothers and how the older forfeited his birthright to the younger (and how the younger triggered the forfeit).
Abraham was much beloved by GOD and the faithfulness of Abraham and the relationship he shared with GOD must have been contributory to the Covenant — the everlasting promise which GOD made to Abraham… and to all of his offspring.
Abraham was a father who sacrificed. Through him, the line of the Hebrew people began, and the everlasting promise was made from GOD to man:
“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations….. “I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant…” (Genesis 17)
The faith of this one man Abraham, and his relationship with the LORD that grew from that, would bring about salvation to all mankind, even though the offspring — even just a generation and two beyond the father — proved unworthy of that gift of promise.
There was infighting, rivalry, and trickery between the brothers and Jacob’s sons would perpetuate the lack of trust one to another.
But nevertheless, GOD held to His promise to Abraham, and Israel would eventually become the nation that GOD had promised all those many generations before.
Such is the quality of person and covenant that would trust in God. And such is the character of GOD, His honour and faithfulness to all generations.