Skip to main content
  • Need Help? (800) 652-1144

Day: August 11, 2023

The Abrahamic Covenant: Obedience and Faithfulness

 FIFTH IN A SERIES

In the preceding four issues, my column has been devoted to the major theological and doctrinal matters involving Abraham, especially the Abrahamic Covenant and its bearing on the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Jesus and Paul are definitely central figures in the Bible, but so is Abraham. He teaches us much about grace, and faith that justifies.

In this fifth and last column, I want to focus on Abraham: his life and his testimony. What are some of the issues he faced, how did he handle them, and what personal application can we make from his life?

The Obedience of Faith in Ur (Gen. 12:1, 4)

“Now the Lord had said unto Abram,” we read in Gen. 12:1, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.” “So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him” (vs. 4).

In our highly mobile society, moving is just a fact of life. People get jobs in different cities, go to a college or university in another state, and are used to packing bags and moving. In the ancient world, that was not at all true. Abram was called to leave his hometown, his family, and his father’s home. Where was he going? What was the destination? “Unto a land that I will shew thee.”

Most people like to have God’s plan for their lives laid out upfront. “You want me to move where? What’s the weather like? Is there a good golf course nearby, and what about ski slopes in the winter?” But the most important thing is not that we know all of God’s will for us, but that we are obedient to what we do know, as was Abram.

Abram in Egypt (Gen. 12:10–20)

After Abram and Sarai obediently went to the land of Canaan, the land of Canaan was impacted by a serious famine. Before we get deeper into this, there is a lesson right here: Following God’s instructions and living in obedience to Him does not mean that life will be easy.

I’m sure we can all relate. We have lived an obedient life, made godly choices, and then find that we do not receive the promotion we were promised, and the increase in salary that we had earnestly hoped for. You’ve heard that the boss thinks you are a “religious fanatic.”

As they approach Egypt, Abram tells Sarai, his wife, “Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee” (12:13). Sarai, though 65 at this time (see vs. 4), was a beautiful woman. Evidently, these Egyptians knew that the relationship between a man and his wife is “sacred.” A man will fight to preserve the relationship. Therefore, Abram reasoned, he had to remove himself from the picture. “I am only her brother.” They would take Sarai and leave him alone. Maybe Pharaoh would add Sarai to his harem. 

Pharaoh took Sarai into his home and treated Abram well for Sarai’s sake. It looked like everything was going to work out; but “the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife” (vs. 17). But Pharaoh was very unhappy with Abram. “Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way” (vs. 19).

This is a rebuke to Abram. Pharaoh’s question humiliated Abram. At that moment, the Egyptian monarch behaved with more integrity than Abram, “father of nations.” Have we not all been in situations where non-believers behave with more integrity than believers?

Julius, the Roman centurion, was a pagan, but he treated an important prisoner, the Apostle Paul, kindly on the voyage to Rome and allowed the apostle to go and see friends for encouragement (Acts 27:3). Julius also prevented his men on the sinking ship from following military procedure, which mandated the execution of prisoners on a sinking ship lest they escape (Acts 27:42–43).

Abram Defers to Lot (Gen. 13:8)

In Genesis 13:8, we read, “And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.” The issue had to do with grazing rights. In modern language, Abram said to Lot, “The whole countryside is available to you. Take your choice of what you think is the best grazing land. If you want the land on the left, I’ll take the land on the right. If you think the land on the right is better, they I’ll go to the left” (paraphrase of vs. 9).

Remember, Abram is well-known, has lots of possessions, and even has a private army, but Abram is deferring to Lot, his nephew. Lot took a look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley and saw that the whole area was well-watered. That’s the area that Lot chose.

Maintaining peace and good relations may entail surrendering our rights, even as Jesus did in Philippians 2:5. Family ties are important, but all too often strife erupts within a family. Families are supposed to be citadels of peace and acceptance. A breakdown in family ties destroys this very vital and basic purpose of families. Abram has set a good example for all of us.

Abram: A Man of Courage and Devotion to God (Gen. 14:14)

Sometimes we think that men and women of faith are pushovers. Of course, there are such people who are pushovers. We need to remind them, “If you won’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” But Abram was a man of faith, and also a man of courage.

In Genesis 14 we read of an invasion led by Chedorlaomer and a coalition totaling four kings, who made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and his coalition of five kings. The invaders were fierce warriors, winning over the local kings. “And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed” (vss. 11–12).

Abram, a man of faith and courage, led his personal army of 318 men and rescued Lot (vss. 14-16). Abram certainly lived by faith, but he realized, as we all should, that faith does not make us passive in the face of evil. I’ve heard that in the early years of America’s founding, generals would tell their men, as they went into battle, “Trust the Lord—and keep your powder dry.”

We must all admire Abram, but in this same chapter, we see that Abram puts the honor of God at the top of his list. The king of Sodom, in an evident good gesture to Abram, offered Abram the goods that had been taken. Abram refused. If he received goods from the king of Sodom, he would have allowed the king to attribute Abram’s successes and wealth to the king’s generosity instead of the Lord’s goodness (vss. 22–23). 

This reminds me of the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:10: “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

Abram’s Love for Ishmael (Gen. 17:18) 

Most Christians, and even non-Christians, don’t quite know what to think of Ishmael, Abraham’s first son. “Wasn’t he the father of Islamic terrorists?” some might ask. Abraham clearly knew God’s plan for his second son, Isaac (17:19). The line of God’s covenant would be carried through him. The Hebrew patriarchs include Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet, in Genesis 17:18 Abraham cries out to God, “O that Ishmael might live before thee!” Even as Abraham could not forget Ishmael, neither will the Bible allow us to forget Ishmael.

In Genesis 16 Sarai recommended Abram follow what was accepted practice, to father a son by a surrogate. In this case, it was Sarai’s Egyptian servant, Hagar. When Hagar became pregnant, the conflict between the two women could not be ignored. Hagar did not help the situation (Gen. 16:4). This pregnant Egyptian woman fled into the desert (vs. 6).

But God was not done with Hagar and her son. The angel of the Lord “found” Hagar (vs. 7). The angel’s advice to Hagar was to return to Sarai and submit to her (see vs. 9). Hagar, I am sure, found that to be a most unpleasant command. The angel followed that with amazing news: “I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude” (vs. 10). 

If we fast forward to Genesis 21, we see that Ishmael has grown and upsets Sarah because he is mocking Isaac (vs. 9). Sarah tells Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son” (vs. 10). “And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son” (vs. 11). God tells Abraham not to be upset. He has a plan for Isaac. But then Abraham receives consolation from the Lord, “And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed” (vs. 13). God loves Ishmael because he is a descendant of Abraham, just as He brought blessings to Potiphar’s house because He loved Joseph (Gen. 39:5). 

Much more could be written about Ishmael, but we want to notice that Abraham passes away at the age of 175. “And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah” (Gen. 25:9). Is this a small token of God’s plans for Jews and Arabs to come together at some future time, brought together by the love of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus? I believe it is, but that’s another story.

God is faithful. He has not forgotten His promises to Abraham.

Trampling the Abrahamic Covenant

The Bloody Trail of  “Christian” Anti-Semitism

THIRD IN A SERIES

One of my early mentors, Ernie Reisinger, loved to read and study the writings of the old-school theologians, and also the theological treatises and polemical writings from church history. However, he was always careful to remind me to “call no man master,” meaning the Word of God is our final authority, not any theologian, no matter how sound and articulate he is. Another gentle admonition was in the same vein: “The best of men are but men at best.” Martin Luther is an example of that.

Toward the end of his life, Luther wrote some of the most hateful and utterly nasty things about the Jewish people. His words are bristling with hostility and a mean spirit. Am I being harsh? You judge for yourself.

Three years before his death in 1546, Luther wrote a 65,000-word treatise titled “On the Jews and Their Lies.” He describes Jews as a “base, whoring people, that is, no people of God, and their boast of lineage, circumcision,  and law must be accounted as filth.” He wrote that they are “full of the devil’s feces … which they wallow in like swine.”

In the treatise, Luther advises Christians to carry out seven remedial actions: (1) Burn down Jewish synagogues and schools; (2) refuse to let Jews own houses among Christians; (3) confiscate Jewish religious writings; (4) forbid rabbis from preaching; (5) offer no protection to Jews who are traveling; (6) for usury to be prohibited and for all Jews’ silver and gold to be removed, put aside for safekeeping, and given back to Jews who truly convert to Christianity; (7) to give young strong Jews flail [a threshing tool], axe, spade and spindle, and let them earn their bread in the sweat of their brow. 

During WWII, copies of this book were commonly seen at Nazi rallies. Some believe Luther’s writings at the end of his life fueled the Holocaust.

Anti-Jewish Animosity in the Early Church 

It was relatively easy for some in the early church to develop an increasing hostility against the synagogue and its Jewish worshippers. Several developments were viewed by church leaders as indicating that God was done with Israel. Jewish revolts against Rome in which Jews were savagely beaten by Gentile armies were indications to many that God had turned from His chosen people and was establishing “the new Israel,” i.e., “the church.”

In Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho, a Jew, written perhaps around AD 150, Justin argues his case against Trypho by stating that the Jews are getting just what they deserve, “for you have slain the Just One, and His prophets before Him, and now you reject those who hope in Him.” 

Many others promoted the view that God had rejected Israel because of Israel’s rejection of Christ. In the third century, Origen wrote: “And these calamities they [the Jewish people] have suffered, because they were a most wicked nation, which, although guilty of many other sins, yet has been punished so severely for none, as for those that were committed against our Jesus.”

Animosity in Rabbinic Judaism

There were several factors that produced a growing division between Jew and Christian. For one thing, the Lord Jesus Christ did not meet the expectations of the Jewish masses who were looking for a different kind of Messiah than Jesus presented Himself to be. In John 6:15, the people wanted to make Jesus king by force, but He fled.

Secondly, the success of the church in reaching both Jews and Gentiles and bringing them together caused dismay in the Jewish religious establishment. Because the Apostle Paul championed the cause of Gentile freedom from circumcision and Jewish holy days, the door had been opened for the formation of a new and distinct religious community. Devout Jews were finding it increasingly difficult to live in peace with those who believed that they had no obligation to observe the ritual requirements in which many Jews put great stock.

Thirdly, Jewish Christians refused to take part in the two Jewish revolts against Rome (AD 66–73 and 132–135). This led Jewish nationalists to look upon Christians with disdain. Christians were viewed as having no allegiance to the Jewish nation. Consequently, following the destruction of the Jewish Temple in AD 70, “a new Judaism emerged. Rabbinic Judaism, as it came to be called, was a separate religion and considered all Jewish Christians personae non gratae in relation to the synagogue” (Marvin Wilson, Our Father Abraham, p. 93). What had begun as a dispute within the company of believers now became a permanent breach between two opposing religious groups, Jews and Christians. It was in this context that a “new Israel,” devoid of any connection with the Israel of the Bible, began to take shape.

The Post-Reformation Era

Churches and denominations claiming to be rooted in the theology of the Magisterial Reformation (the reformation of the church is to be carried out with the help of the magistracy, the civil government) naturally promote replacement theology. They are simply trying to be true to their religious heritage, and the reformers were generally in the replacement camp. This is certainly true of historic Presbyterianism and Lutheranism. Luther, Calvin, Knox, and the other reformers did not see a place for Israel in God’s plans, nor did they acknowledge that such a place existed. 

“To date,” writes Thomas Ice, “I have not been able to find any reformers who supported the restoration of the Jews back to their land in Israel” (Thomas Ice, “Lovers of Zion: A History of Christian Zionism,” a paper presented at the Pre-Trib Study Group, Dallas, Texas, Dec. 6–8, 2004, p. 4).

With the coming of John Nelson Darby and C. I. Scofield, however, prophetic conferences began to teach premillennial eschatology. Doctrines like the Pre-Trib Rapture and the restoration of Israel began to impact churches and communities. The stage was being set for a coming clash of prophetic theologies that continues into the present, a clash between futurism and preterism.

Counting the Cost

I consider myself a “Christian Zionist,” and by that term, I mean that I am a born-again believer in Christ who believes that God has given Israel a land by unconditional covenant. For some, however, “Christian Zionist” means far more than I, and others who use the term, mean.

Palestinian Christianity. “Palestinian Christianity” is a growing movement that has a number of advocates and organizations. It is strongly opposed to Zionism and what it calls “Israeli occupation of indigenous Palestinian lands.”

Dr. Stephen R. Sizer, a priest in the Church of England who has been banned from serving as a priest until 2030,  is known for his opposition to Christian Zionism, which is the basis of his 2004 Ph.D. dissertation. In 2012, The Board of Deputies of British Jews lodged a complaint against Sizer with the Church of England, alleging that he had made anti-Semitic statements and published links to anti-Semitic websites. Although he did not admit culpability, at a conciliation meeting in 2013, Sizer agreed to have his online web usage monitored.

Sizer says he is convinced that: (1) God does not bless those who bless Israel; (2) the Jewish people are no longer God’s chosen people; (3) the land of Israel was not given exclusively to the Jewish people; (4) Jerusalem is not the exclusive, eternal, undivided capital of Israel; and (5) the Jewish temple must be rebuilt before Jesus returns. 

Sizer also said: “There are certainly churches in Israel/Palestine that side with the occupation [by the Israelis], that side with Zionism. One of my burdens is to challenge them theologically and show that they’ve repudiated Jesus, they’ve repudiated the Bible, and they are an abomination” (Michael L. Brown, Christian Antisemitism, p. 96).

Kairos Palestine is an organization primarily known for its issuance in December 2009 of the Kairos Palestine document, “A Moment of Truth: A Word of Faith, Hope, and Love From the Heart of Palestinian Suffering.” Kairos is a Greek word that means “a decisive moment.” The document claims that the Israeli occupation is a “sin against God,” and argues that any theology that tolerates it cannot be Christian “because true Christian theology is a theology of love and solidarity with the oppressed, a call to justice and equality among peoples.” 

A solution satisfactory to all parties appears virtually impossible to reach. The continual barrage of rockets from the Palestinians adds nothing constructive, nor does the involvement of organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran and its steady supply of munitions. 

Indeed, the words of Psalm 122:6 provide a fundamental responsibility for all Christians: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

The One Who Brings the Rain

As a believer in America today it is easy to get discouraged. Traditional Christian values are considered by many to be evil. We are warned in 2 Timothy 3:3 that in the last days men will be “haters of good.” We often sit around the table and complain about the evils of society and the lack of morality and decency in the world around us. We watch as perversion multiplies and becomes more mainstream, and we opine about how few godly people are left to carry on the good fight.

Certainly, expressing concern over the current state of American morality is warranted as we are taught in both the Old and New Testaments to hate evil (Ps. 97:10, Amos 5:15, Rom. 12:9, Heb. 1:9). As Christians, our hearts should be broken over the way that sin has permeated our society to the point that those who do good are abhorred. It is very easy to feel alone when even our churches shake their little fists in the face of God by affirming and even encouraging extreme immorality.

I am reminded of the prophet Elijah, who after witnessing an incredible display of the power of the hand of God, fell into a fit of depression so overwhelming that he asked God to take his life (1 Kings 19:4). He had just witnessed the defeat of one of the mightiest deities in the ancient Near East with irrefutable evidence that YHWH is the one true God, and he ran in fear from a human queen.

The land of Israel is arid with only a short period of rain during the winter months. Precipitation during the rest of the year is uncommon. Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to witness an unusual thunderstorm at Shiloh. Dark clouds moved in from the west and massive arcs of purple lightning flashed across the expansive skies. The rain began to fall, and seeking shelter, I pondered on the thought that in that part of the world, rain is everything. Any god who could provide the life-giving waters from heaven would be revered and held in high regard. Only a few yards from where I stood, in the 1980s, a silver medallion had been excavated that bore the symbol of Baal Hadad.

Upon entering the Promised Land, the Israelites had confirmed their covenant with YHWH. He would be their God and they would be His people. This covenant was sealed with a ceremony of blessings and curses from the slopes of Gerizim and Ebal (Josh. 8:30-35). God never wavered on His end of the covenant. Israel, however, quickly fell into idolatry, worshipping the gods of the Canaanites. One of the most powerful of these deities was Baal Hadad, the storm god who brought rain and fertility to the land.

A Phoenician king named Ethbaal (“Baal is with him”) married his daughter to Ahab, king of Israel sometime around 871 BC. This Sidonian princess is the infamous Jezebel. While the exact meaning of her name is disputed, one interpretation is that it means, “Where is Baal?” – perhaps a reference to the months in which there is little rain in the Levant. In any case, Ahab built a temple to Baal where he and his wife could worship.

It has been conjectured that Jezebel was a priestess of Baal Hadad. Whether this claim is true or not, the Bible records that she hunted down the prophets of YHWH and had them killed (1 Kings 18:4). This occurred during a three-year period of drought that was God’s judgment on Israel for worshipping the storm god.

Israel was under judgment. Having turned from the God who brought them into the land and with whom they had made covenant, they persecuted His prophets and sought the favor of the demonic gods of Canaan. Good had become evil and evil, good. Baal Hadad was powerless to bring the life-giving rains, but Israel remained in rebellion.

Elijah confronted Ahab and challenged Jezebel’s god in the name of YHWH. Eight hundred and fifty pagan clerics of Baal and Asherah met the lone prophet on Mount Carmel. In a massive spectacle before the king and people of Israel, Baal Hadad was impotent, unable to perform.

Baal was depicted in material culture as a smiting god with a mace raised over his head. In his other hand was a forked lightning bolt, signifying his mastery of the weather. On this day the fire that rained from heaven was not from the hand of Baal, but from YHWH. The fire of God consumed the sacrifice, water, and even the altar while the priests of Baal were forced to watch helplessly.
Baal was defeated. YHWH proved to be the true wielder of the lightning bolt. The people quickly turned on the false prophets and slew them. The skies grew black with clouds and a heavy rain came from the west. YHWH not only hurled His bolt from the skies, but He also brought the rain and revived the land.

In response, Jezebel vowed to kill Elijah. The man of God, after witnessing the total defeat of Baal Hadad, became fearful and ran south into the wilderness, requesting that God kill him. It was then that God spoke to him in a still small voice, informing him that there were faithful men still in Israel and commanding him to institute regime changes in Israel and Syria. The religious and political paradigm would shift once again.

We are very much like Elijah. YHWH sent His Son to conquer sin and death. The battle was won in spectacular fashion 2,000 years ago. The demonic gods of the world were shown to be powerless and toothless when Jesus rose from the dead and claimed our victory.

The world still rages and the forces of evil still threaten, but they are defeated. In the wake of such great triumph, we often fall into despair. Do not fear when the enemy roars. Be faithful and soldier on, knowing that Jesus Christ will soon return and bring a regime change greater than any earthly kingdom in history.

Enjoy more photos from Clayton’s visit to Israel in the 2023-2024 SWRC calendar coming out soon!