CHAPTER III. THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
1. The Token. (Circumcision- flesh/heart)
Continued from yesterday…
2. The Seed.
First we will notice Paul's application of that term.
"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." Gal. 3:16. ((Now to Abraham and (CHRIST) his seed…))
Some have said that the conclusion of the apostle is far-fetched, not truly in accordance with the letter of the promise. But we think not so. Whatever may be thought of the method of his argument, of his peculiar use of the grammatical number of the term, the conclusion itself is so evident that it scarcely calls for any argument. For a moment consider the similar expression in Gen. 3:15. It is here said that the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent; and no one stops for a moment to argue that this promise was not said "of many;" all perceive at once that it must be considered as spoken "of one, which is Christ." And likewise when it was said to David, "I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will establish his throne forever" (1 Chron. 17:11, 12), it is well understood that his seed to whom his throne shall be established forever, is Christ. Compare Luke 1:32, 33. ((Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.))
In the promise to both Adam and David, the circumstances imperatively demand that the term "seed" be referred to Christ, and not to their posterity in general. And so also in the case of Abraham. It is just as unreasonable to apply this word here to any but Christ, as in the other cases.
But we are met with the objection that all the faithful are called Abraham's seed; that he is the father of all them that believe. True, but this gives the term one remove from its first, or first supposed, meaning. Granted that it was for many generations mostly supposed to refer to Abraham's natural descendants only, and that it referred to all of them.
Now it is readily seen that outward circumcision could not serve the purpose for which the seal was given; for, while it was said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called," Ishmael and his posterity were circumcised, as well as Isaac and his children. The sons of Ishmael made the same boast, that they had Abraham to their father. And Esau, as well as Jacob, descended from Isaac.
The decisive fact on this point is this: Though all true believers are the children of Abraham, they are such ONLY through Christ. "If ye are Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:29. If ye are not Christ's, then ye are not Abraham's seed--ye are not heirs. Christ is the true seed to whom the promises were made; he is the only one that can confer heirship; the only one who can constitute us the seed of Abraham. Being so constituted, we are "heirs of God," but only as being "joint heirs with Christ."
Rom. 8:17. We are not natural heirs; we are heirs by adoption. Verse 15. We are brought nigh unto God by the blood of Christ. Eph. 2:13, 16.
The promises to Abraham belong truly to Christ; he is the heir, and we, being united to him, are Abraham's seed and heirs of God.
This point is quite beyond dispute.
From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study. Part 3
By J. H. Waggoner. 1890
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