Part 13 of 15

Abraham’s “Seed”

Contrary to the assumption of many, Abraham was not a Jew, but his seed (progeny) are “the children of Israel .” Yet, Paul makes clear that Abraham’s seed of note is the “one… seed which is Christ.”

Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the (the Lord’s) promises made. He saith NOT, and to SEEDS, as of many; but as of ONE, 7And to THY SEED, WHICH IS CHRIST.

Christ came into the world in the physical body of Jesus of Nazareth, by means of Abraham’s human lineage, through the kingly line of Judah , to Mary, the wife of Joseph. Unlike Luke’s gospel, in Matthew’s gospel we see that Jesus’ genealogy traces back to Abraham, not to Adam. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David (King), the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1)

The Lord Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead as “the life-giving Spirit” (1Cor 15:45). Today, the “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2a) is literally Christ in Seed-form, able to be germinate His eternal life in whoever will receive Him (John 1:12).

As Abraham’s seed, the Christ-Seed has two manifestations. These two are; in the believers of the nation Israel ; and then differently, the members of “the body of Christ.” Both manifestations are to be born of Christ’s same “Spirit of life.”

Both then will ultimately become expressions of the life and nature by the Christ-Seed within them. Below, Paul makes clear in writing to the Galatian members of “the body of Christ,” that the qualifying aspect of all believers of all ages is their “faith” in Christ. Thus, all believers are of Abraham’s line in that he is the father of all those “which are of faith” in God.

Galatians 3:6-9 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are OF FAITH, the same ARE THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM. 8 … foreseeing that God would justify the heathen THROUGH FAITH, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then THEY WHICH BE OF FAITH ARE BLESSED WITH FAITHFUL ABRAHAM.

Though, as we saw in the last installment, believing Israel and “the body of Christ” together make up “the whole family of God” in heaven and earth, there are great differences in their callings and in their ultimate destinies. Nowhere in the Bible will you find a promise that the believing children of Israel will to go to or dwell in heaven as their final abode. Israel looks for, as Abraham did (Heb 11:10), the “New Jerusalem coming down from heaven” (Rev 21:2) to the earth. Conversely, the “body of Christ” has no promise of the kingdom on earth; looking rather to heaven as their home and eternal abode (Philip 3:20).

God made a promise to Abraham that incorporated the two spheres of heaven and earth. We have two verses below that metaphorically confirm this matter of two manifestations in these two spheres as being of Abraham’s seed. Actually, these verses below refer to the two kinds of lineage springing from Abraham’s faith-seed, which is Christ. There are those of Abraham’s earthy faith-seed, which is the Messianic believers of Israel , who look for the coming Messiah and His kingdom on earth. There also are those of God the Father’s heavenly seed, which is of the Christ-seed deposited into the members of “the body of Christ” – the church.

Genesis 22:17 That in blessing I (The Lord) will bless thee (Abraham), and in multiplying I will multiply thy SEED AS the STARS OF THE HEAVEN, and as the SAND WHICH IS UPON THE SEA SHORE; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Hebrews 11:8-11 (AMP) [Urged on] BY FAITH ABRAHAM, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance11 because of faith also Sarah herself received physical power to conceive a child, even when she was long past the age for it, because she considered [God] Who had given her the promise to be reliable and trustworthy and true to His word. 12 So from one man (Abraham), though he was physically as good as dead, there have sprung descendants whose number is as THE STARS OF HEAVEN and as countless as the innumerable SANDS ON THE SEASHORE.

In the two verses above we see the earth and heaven mentioned again. Most people think “the sand which is upon the sea shore AND the stars of the heavensimply means Abraham will have a great number of offspring in his lineage by his physical “seed.” This is partly true, but there is much more to see in these verses if we look deeper, in the light of the whole Bible. Actually, the “sands” and “stars” of the above verses refer to two different manifestations of Abraham’s “one…seed, which is Christ.”

All the genuine children of God are “born again” of the Father’s “Seed,” which also is Abraham’s “seed, which is Christ.” Peter refers to Jesus Christ as the incorruptible “seed,” and also “the Word of God, which liveth” (Jn 1:1).

1 Peter 1:23 Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible SEED, but of INCORRUPTIBLE, by the WORD OF GOD (Christ, John 1:1), which liveth and abideth for ever.

The Christ-seed will ultimately live in and be expressed in and through all believers of all ages, just as Jesus was the “express image” (Heb 1:3) of the Father. Abraham’s human “seed (sperma)” is mortal and corruptible. This permitted Jesus to die for us. Yet, the Father’s “Seed,” which indwelled Jesus of Nazareth Spirit, now as “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2a), is incorruptible. As Abraham’s “seed, which is Christ” (Gal 3:16), He rose and became available to all believers as “that Spirit” (2Cor 3:17). As the Father’s Seed, Jesus’ Spirit bears the eternal life of God to us.

One day a believing Israel will look upon Him who “they have pierced” (Zech 12:10, below) and “a fountain” (Zech 13:1, below) of His blood shall wash away their sins.

Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and THEY SHALL LOOK UPON ME WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Zechariah 13:1 In that day there shall be A FOUNTAIN OPENED to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem FOR SIN AND FOR UNCLEANNESS.

The Christ-seed will one day be received by the believers of Israel . Believing Israel will ultimately form a trust-bond with the Messiah and be born of “His Spirit” at His 2nd appearing to earth.

Ezekiel 36:25-28 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 28 And YE SHALL DWELL IN THE LAND THAT I GAVE TO YOUR FATHERS; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

His Spirit will then dwell within both “the body of Christ” in heaven and believing Israel as they dwell in the land. This fulfills God promise Abraham to have a “seed” as “sand… and … stars.”