What in the World is Happening – Part 4 of 4

Isaiah 46:3-11

 by Paul George

A spiritual war that began in the spiritual realm of God’s kingdom spreads to the physical realm. Defeated in the spiritual realm Satan sets his sight on the physical realm of God’s kingdom. Through the disobedience of Adam and Eve sin and death enters the perfect world created by God. The invasion of the physical kingdom of God did not result in total victory for Satan. God predicted the outcome of the spiritual war that began in the Garden of Eden.     

In the Garden of Eden God told the serpent the seed of the woman would crush his head. From the Garden of Eden to the present Satan’s goal is to one day establish his kingdom upon earth and seat his king on the throne given to the promised seed of the woman. Who is this promised seed?  

At the time of their first son’s birth, Adam and Eve must have had a special measure of joy. With Cain came the hope that this son might be the promised “seed” (Genesis 1:4:1). When Cain killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8) Cain was no longer qualified to be the promised “seed.” Abel could not be the promised seed he is dead. With the birth of Seth (Genesis 8:25), hopes once again were raised. If this son was not the promised seed, at least he could be the forefather of the promised seed. Satan is no fool. He knows he cannot prevent the birth of the promised seed. He has only one alternative, pervert the bloodline of the promise seed. In Genesis, chapter 6 Satan’s attempt to pervert the bloodline of the promised seed is revealed. God brings this attack upon the bloodline to an end with a flood (Genesis 6:1-8). Had it not been for the obedience of Noah the coming of the promised seed would not be fulfilled. 

About three hundred years after the flood in the days of Noah under the leadership of Nimrod, a second revolt against God occurred (Genesis 11). What is known as the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-3) set the groundwork for the coming of the promised seed. The Abrahamic covenant promised blessings, not to just Abraham’s descendants but “all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:3).  

What in the World is Happening has its roots in the Garden of Eden, in a plain in the land of Shinar, in the life of Abraham. 

The account of the call of Abram, whose name God will change to Abraham, is recorded in Genesis 12:1-20.   

A famine in Canaan prompted Abram to leave Canaan and go to live in Egypt. Even at her age, Sarai was a beautiful woman. Abram feared some Egyptian might want her for his wife, and in order to have her, he might first make her a widow. To save his own life, Abram asked Sarai to lie about her identity. Thus, during their sojourn in Egypt, Abram and Sarai represented themselves as brother and sister. 

It is crucial that we recognize how Abram’s deception threatened the promised “seed.” How could Abram and Sarai have a child when Sarai was about to become the wife of another man? Abram’s actions were completely inconsistent with the covenant God had just made with him. Rather than cooperating with the covenant, Abram actively undermined it. God intervened. 

Abram began to be concerned as time passed and he still had no son of his own. He wrongly concluded that his heir would be a child born in his household, and not of him or Sarai (Genesis 15:1-2). God assured him he would have a son that would come from his own body (Genesis 15:4). Like the stars of the heavens (15:5), his descendants would be numberless. Abraham believed God’s promise, and due to his faith in the promise, he was reckoned as righteous (Genesis 15:6). 

Time continued to pass with no son in sight. Sarai concluded the time for her to bear a child had passed. She realized that God had closed her womb. Perhaps, Sarai suggested to Abram, God meant for him to have a son through some other woman. Therefore, Hagar, Sari’s maid, was given to Abram as his concubine; through her, Abram could have a son. This presumptuous act brought painful consequences, both for Sarai and Abram. Hagar did bear a son, Ishmael. The Arab people, who came from Ishmael, have been a thorn in Israel’s side throughout their history.  

Fifteen years after God’s covenant was first made with Abram, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham to signify that His promise was not forgotten. Abram means, “exalted father;” Abraham means “father of a multitude.” Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah, “Princess,” (Genesis 17:15). At this time, God introduced the rite of circumcision (Genesis 17:9-14). 

Ten years passed from the time of Abraham’s circumcision until the time when the promised son was born. Nine years passed before God announced the time of the birth of the son. As the angels paused at Abram’s tent for a meal on their way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, they informed him that Sarai would bear a son at that same time the following year. Shortly after, Lot and his daughters fled from Sodom, barely escaping God’s wrath on that wicked city. Because Lot’s wife died in this ordeal, his daughters arranged to become pregnant by their drunken father in order to “preserve their family” through their father (Genesis 19:30-38). What tragic irony. The offspring of these unions were also a source of suffering and sorrow to Abraham and Israel, to this day.  

The greatest test of Abraham’s faith is described in Genesis 22. God instructed Abraham to take his son to Moriah and offer him up as a sacrifice. With great agony of soul, Abraham obeyed, trusting in God to raise his son from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). In response to Abraham’s faith and obedience, God again reiterated his covenant with Abraham (Genesis 22:15-18). 

Later God confirmed with Isaac the covenant He had made with Abraham (Genesis 26:3-5).

In the next verses, we find the account of Isaac going to live in Gerar with his wife Rebekah. There, not surprisingly, he represents her as his sister, just as his father Abraham had done before him (Genesis 26:6-11).  

Rebekah, like Sarah, his wife was barren (Genesis 25:21). In answer to Isaac’s prayers, she became pregnant with twins. When Rebekah inquired of the Lord, He informed her, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples shall be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). 

In the light of God’s word to Rebekah, Jacob needlessly acquired his brother’s birthright. With Rebekah’s help, he also stole his brother’s blessing (Genesis 27). We cannot in any way justify the actions of Jacob or his mother. However, for now we must concentrate our attention on Isaac. He is eager to pronounce a blessing on his son Esau before his death. When he is wrongly convinced that Jacob is his son Esau, Isaac pronounces this blessing on him (Genesis 27:27b-29). 

In his final days, Isaac sought to set aside God’s choice of Jacob as the one who would be heir of the Abrahamic covenant. If Jacob and his mother were wrong for their deception, Isaac was also wrong in trying to pass the blessings of the covenant on to Esau rather than to Jacob. In the end, Isaac surrendered to the will of God and pronounced on Jacob the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 28:4-5).  In a dramatic way, God affirmed His covenant with Jacob while he was on his way to Haran to seek a wife (Genesis 28:13-15). 

In Haran, Jacob found a wife, but things did not turn out as he had planned. He wanted Rachel, the younger daughter of Laban; instead, he was given Leah. Laban made him work seven more years for Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel, but he did not love Leah. Yet Leah bore him the first of his sons. Eventually, Rachel bore Jacob two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph was loved more than any of the other sons. Clearly, Jacob wanted Joseph to rule over his family. In God’s sovereignty, it was not Ruben, the oldest son of Jacob (Genesis 35:22; 49:3-4) but Judah who was designated as the one through whom the blessings would be brought upon all humanity (Genesis 49:8-10). 

While Judah was chosen to be the son through whom the promised seed would come, he certainly was not the kind of person we would have selected for this position. Unlike Joseph, who refused to enter into an illicit sexual relationship with his master’s wife (Genesis 39), Judah married a Canaanite woman (Genesis 38:2). He took what appears to be a Canaanite wife for his son (Genesis 38:6). When two of his sons died because of their wickedness, Judah would not give his last son to Tamar as her husband. Tamar outwitted Judah, by playing the part of a Canaanite cult prostitute, and became pregnant by her father-in-law (Genesis 38:12-19). From this union of Judah and Tamar, the messianic line was continued (Genesis 38:27-30). 

While the Old Testament does narrow the field to a single person, it remains difficult to comprehend how one person could possibly fulfill all of the prophecies about him. The promises even seem to require more than one person. Even the godliest Israelite found it impossible to comprehend how God could possibly fulfill all of the promises pertaining to the promised seed in one person. As Peter writes:  

As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow (1 Peter 1:10-11). 

Errors pertaining to the promised seed  

The errors pertaining to the promised seed predisposed the Israelites of Jesus’ day to resist and reject Him, rather than submit to Him as the promised Messiah. The ungodly Israelites simply picked those promises that suited their sinful desires and ignored the rest. They embraced the promises of the Messiah as a blessing to Israel while ignoring the promises of His coming to judge sinners, whether Jew or Gentile. 

We may thus summarize Israel’s error: they became proud of their privileged position and failed to see their privilege as a manifestation of God’s grace to those who were undeserving. Such pride was totally unfounded. God warned the Israelites against such pride, reminding them that they were slaves at the time God delivered them (Deuteronomy 5:15). They were not chosen because they were great in number or strength; they were chosen solely based on God’s sovereign grace (Deuteronomy 7:7-11). When they worshipped, they were to acknowledge their ignoble origins (Deuteronomy 26:5). 

Ezekiel 16 offers the most humbling indictment of Israel’s pride: 

“Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem, “Your origin and your birth are from the land of the Canaanite, your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing; you were not rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths. No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the open field, for you were abhorred on the day you were born. “When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’ I made you numerous like plants of the field. Then you grew up, became tall, and reached the age for fine ornaments; your breasts were formed and your hair had grown. Yet you were naked and bare. Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine,” declares the Lord God. “Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you, and anointed you with oil. I also clothed you with embroidered cloth, and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. And I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands, and a necklace around your neck. I also put a ring in your nostril, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you,” declares the Lord God. “But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing” (Ezekiel 16:1-15).  

Israel’s history consistently bears witness of Israel’s waywardness and God’s faithfulness (Psalm 78). If the coming of the promised seed were dependent upon sinful men, He would surely never have come at all. However, since the coming of the promised seed was dependent upon God Himself, He has come indeed! 

The Abrahamic covenant, recorded in Genesis 12:1-3, spoke of Abraham’s “seed” as the recipients of God’s blessings, as well as the instrument through which the blessing would be accomplished. New Testament teaching on the “seed of Abraham” falls into two categories: (1) the seed which provides the blessing of God; and, (2) the seed who receive this blessing. Let us consider what the New Testament has to say on each of these subjects. 

The nation Israel was chosen to display the glory of God. God’s glory has been displayed through Israel. Israel was chosen not only to demonstrate the glory of God, but also to be the instrument by which God’s grace was proclaimed to men of every nation. Israel was to be a blessing to the nations. They were to be a light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6; 60:3). Israel took credit for God’s blessings, rather than receiving them humbly and with gratitude. Their pride produced prejudice, so that they felt superior to the Gentiles. They thought themselves to be worthy of God’s blessings and the Gentiles to be unworthy. Like Jonah, they refused to take the good news to the Gentiles. In response to Israel’s persistent rebellion God sent His Son to take Israel’s place, to do individually what Israelites could not do on their own or as a nation. 

What Israel failed to do as God’s “servant,” Jesus did as Israel’s Messiah, the “suffering Servant.” Our Lord not only took the sinner’s place, but in a sense, He took Israel’s place, achieving for this people what they could not do. Paul points this out in his letter to the Galatians,  “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”-- in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ (Galatians 3:13-16).  

As a nation, Israel did not bless the nations by her obedience. Israel’s rejection of Messiah brought about the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. The gospel went to the Jew first, but Jewish rejection led to Gentile evangelism, as the Book of Acts makes clear. As the apostle Paul said, we can be grateful for Israel’s failure, and we can look forward to her restoration,  “I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be” (Romans 11:11-12).  

Since the “seed” is Jesus Christ, then our blessing or cursing is the result of our response to Him. Contrary to Israel’s belief, one is not saved by being one of the physical seed of Abraham or of Jacob, “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants will be named” (Romans 9:6-8). That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).  

The good news for the Old Testament sinner was this, salvation is available to sinners who trust in the “seed” whom God will provide. The good news of the gospel is this: God has provided the promised “seed,” Jesus Christ. By faith in Him, sinners are saved and become the children of God. 

Jesus Christ is the promised seed of the woman. Your response to Him is the most important decision you will ever make. To trust Him for salvation is to enter into God’s blessings. To reject Him is to bring upon yourself the curse of God. May you trust in Him for salvation and blessing. 

The salvation of man and the destruction of Satan was promised in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). The “seed of the woman” was later revealed to be the “seed” of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), of Isaac (Genesis 21:12; 25:19-26), of Jacob (Genesis 25:23; 27:27-29), and of Judah (Genesis 49:8-10). He was still later indicated to be the “seed” of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Further revelation indicated that He would both suffer for the sins of His people (Isaiah 52:13--53:12) and reign triumphantly as Israel’s King (Psalm 2, 110). He was to be both human (Genesis 3:15) and divine (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2), born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) in the village of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Jesus of Nazareth was the promised “seed,” fulfilling all of the prophecies related to his birth, suffering, death and resurrection (Galatians 3:13-16). He was rejected by the leaders of Israel and proclaimed among the Gentiles. This same Jesus is coming again, to triumph over His enemies and to rule over all creation (Acts 2:22-36; 7:2-53).

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