PART 1
PART 2
I hope by this video to give you some interpretation of what the Abrahamic covenant is all about. You will note at the beginning this covenant is just opposite from a humanistic world view.
I am reading from the 12th chapter of Genesis … verses 1 thru 3, which reads as follows:
“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families be blessed.”
These three verses were favorite quotes of J. Frank Norris who was the foremost supporter of the Jewish Israelites, at a time when it was unpopular to do so. He, (Norris) was capable of taking complex subjects and reducing the same into plain and simple language. When we depart from the simplistic covenant message that God made with Abraham, then human wisdom soon supplants the real message of faith and obedience. For this reason … every student of history should appreciate the ministry of J. Frank Norris for his understanding of crucial issues as revealed in the bible. So, if we understand the meaning of the Abrahamic covenant it leads to an understanding of many mysteries in the bible.
Abraham is considered to be the father of many nations. If other nations had followed his lead, the world would be a much different place than what it is today. Exploring the meaning, the Abrahamic covenant can open an understanding of many scriptures. It is not accidental that the three great religions, (Christianity, Judaism and Islam) trace their beginnings to Abraham of the old testament. But, unlike Abraham, the man who best exemplified simple faith, somewhere along the line, all but a remnant have gone the way of all flesh or have become so amalgamated, that any resemblance of Abrahamic faith is hard to find even in this late era. Abraham, by faith, was able to understand the true character of a monolithic creator. God (who is one) thus honored Abraham’s faith. It was Abraham who understood the redemptive plan of salvation initiated in the mind of God even before the creation. The folly of Babel has always raised it’s ugly head, sending mixed messages and leaving a trail of despair.
Fifteen hundred years before the event of the gospel, Abraham saw the plan of God afar off, as it were, and passed the message on to his offspring, albeit a remnant, but nevertheless untainted by pagan beliefs. It is no wonder then, that the event of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection has been labeled as the “greatest story ever told.” It is no wonder that the Queen of Sheba, a non-Israelite, exclaimed “The half has not been told.” By this quotation even pagans can have a veiled view of truth. And to this day, pagans strangely so, extol the virtue of Christ Jesus, but sadly stops short of acknowledging His divinity. The immortal Martin Luther’s heart was stirred when he came to realize that the “just” shall live by faith.
Another aspect of the Abrahamic story has to do with God’s instruction for him to leave his native land. I think the underlying lesson to be gleaned from this aspect of his call was to demonstrate the great wall of separation between truth and error. The heart of Abraham was moved by faith to separate himself from pagan beliefs. What is unique about the Abrahamic covenant is the fact that he, Abraham, best understood the mind of God in dealing with fallen humanity.
Fallen humanity can not and does not place proper emphasis on the very sound beliefs that Abraham learned as he communed with God.
Fallen humanity does not see the world thru the eyes of Abraham but rather has developed a palatable view best described in general as humanism, the new-found fad so engrained in the human heart. The concept of humanism is the extreme antithesis of the Abrahamic covenant.
Humanism is the granddaddy of all religions which magnifies unholy self-righteousness. The idea of humanism originated with the tower of Babel, and hence from this event, sprang forth in the heart of Abraham a holy desire to separate himself from paganism. The theory of humanism has found its way into all religions … Christianity notwithstanding. Listen to the average modern sermons coming from sources promoting liberal theology and you will detect a humanistic connection couched in biblical language.
Strange as it may seem, the bible can be construed to support a variety of beliefs … and indeed this is a perplexing phenomenon. But when we depart from the simplistic faith demonstrated by Abraham we’re heading in the wrong direction. Christ Himself eluded to this dangerous tendency of false teachers who He said burden men with heavy burdens.
An understanding of the Abrahamic covenant illustrates the importance of simple faith by which God judges all men. Friends, the way of salvation is simple, yet so sublime. I am not a universalist as some might suppose but I believe that God can hear the simple sinner’s prayer, which is “Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
It matters not what your native culture might have taught you, the God of Abraham, the forerunner of our Redeemer can hear the cry of every seeking soul.
Faith in the goodness of God leads to Godly repentance. Faith creates within a holy desire to follow in His footsteps. There is a kindred spirit that binds all believers together when you can hear the testimony of a broken heart which leads us to say there will be multitudes from every kindred and tongue in the day of the Lord God Almighty.
Sadly, this kindred spirit of error embodied in the concept of humanism can be seen when man begins to listen to unsound doctrine instead of listening to that still small voice.
Roy Falls
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