Peace all
I've been trying to work out for a few days how to introduce this discussion.. I would like to spend a few days working on it with you all and please, let's keep to the thread subject and discuss with respect. I have some very exciting things to talk about.
In the OT God made two specific covenant relationships.. One was with Abraham and one was with the nation Israel through the son of Abraham and Sarah.. Isaac. The covenant relationship made with Abraham was unconditional and everlasting and unlike most covenants did not require an oath from Abraham. There were no moral obligations placed on Abraham for the covenant to be fulfilled. God made the covenant and it was going to happen (regardless) He said....
"I will bless you and through you ALL the nations of the earth will be blessed"
The second covenant was with the nation of Israel and although, unconditional in it's application, it was conditional and relied totally on the understanding that "obedience would lead to blessing, disobedience would lead to cursing." It involved a two-way relationship between Israel and God. It involved moral obligations on the part of the nation, that was seen in the Mosaic law .. It was this outward appearance of submission to God, that would see the Nation declare His praises to the rest of the world, and prepare the world for the fulfilment of the first unconditional covenant.
The first covenant was the covenant promise that through the seed of Abraham the entire world would be blessed. This covenant was continued through to and confirmed during King David's reign, when David was promised that there would be a KING on his throne who would reign eternally.
The first covenant was the unconditional promise of a Messiah .. a Saviour, and it has it's roots in the great verse of Genesis 3:15... that satan would bite the heel of the offspring of the woman, but that that offspring would crush the head of Satan. The first Covenant was put in place, not at the time of Abraham, but in the foreknowledge and omniscience of Almighty God, "before the foundation of the world."
The second Covenant was given through one of Abraham's sons.. Isaac and to the nation of Israel. This covenant was dependent on Israel's obedience and together with the promise of blessing for obedience, came the promise of cursing for disobedience.
The second covenant was given to create a nation through which the first unconditional covenant would occur and to create a nation through which the glory of Almighty God would be declared to the world.
God's purpose from before the creation of man, was that people from every tribe , tongue and nation would worship Him. He is the Creator of all the world, and no respector of persons. ALL are His creation and His unconditional promise was and is for All people.
But, if the second conditional covenant was given to Israel and if it's purpose was to declare the praises of God to the rest of the world, what of Abraham's other son, his firstborn Ishmael , and the prayer of Abraham "oh that Ishmael would live before you."
Did God answer Abraham's prayer?
I would like to continue this discussion through the coming week, so please, anyone comment and develop this that I have just written, and tomorrow, I'll post another section, looking at God's specific answer to Abraham's prayer and what are it's implications.
God bless
Carol