what did god compare the number of abrahams descendants to?

When God began working with Abram (his proper noun was afterwards inverse to Abraham), God gave him a command and an amazing promise. The command was, "Go out of your country, from your family unit and from your father'due south house, to a land that I volition testify you" (Genesis 12:one).

Explaining the promise He would give Abraham in exchange for his obedience, God continued: "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and yous shall exist a approval. I volition bless those who bless you lot, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (verses 2-3).

This hope had multiple components, including the promise of multiple descendants, fame, divine protection and that Abraham through his descendants would be a approval to all people. Abraham's son Isaac and grandson Jacob were "heirs with him of the same promise" (Hebrews xi:9, emphasis added throughout).

Because of the multiple components that were part of this hope, it is also acceptable to refer to these components as promises to Abraham. Indeed, this is how many translations of the Bible, including the New King James Version, interpret Paul'southward statement to the Galatians: "Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises fabricated" (Galatians 3:xvi).

Our article "Promises to Abraham" explains that these promises were both concrete and spiritual in nature. Physically, Abraham's descendants would go a peachy nation. The spiritual blessing to all people was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, a descendant of Abraham, through whom people of all nationalities may receive salvation (Acts 4:10-12; Galatians 3:sixteen).

In this article, nosotros will examine some of the components of God'south promises to Abraham. Equally we will see, at that place are several additional passages in the book of Genesis that further explain what God was offering to Abraham and his descendants. In addition to Genesis 12:ii-3, which nosotros've already noted, hither are a few more passages in this starting time book of the Bible that further expound upon the great blessing God was offer Abraham.

Promises to Abraham'south descendants (Genesis 12:7)

"Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your descendants I will give this country.' And in that location he built an chantry to the LORD, who had appeared to him."

When Abraham left his country for the land God promised to show him, "he went out, not knowing where he was going" (Hebrews xi:eight). Later on Abraham arrived in the state God wanted him to see, God announced that He would give this land to his descendants. As Abraham obeyed and grew in faith, God connected to reveal to him the blessings he and his descendants would receive.

Expanding the promises (Genesis 13:2, 14-17)

"Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. …

"And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: 'Elevator your eyes now and look from the identify where y'all are—n, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants every bit the dust of the earth; and so that if a man could number the grit of the earth, and so your descendants also could be numbered. Ascend, walk in the state through its length and its width, for I give it to you.'"

God had promised to bless Abraham, and this before long became credible due to Abraham'southward personal wealth. Adding to what He had previously spoken, God now told this patriarch that his descendants would be numerous and that He was giving this land to Abraham and his descendants forever. God and so encouraged Abraham to walk through the land—to bank check out the souvenir that he was being given.

Hope of endless descendants (Genesis 15:iv-half dozen, 18)

"And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 'This one shall non be your heir, simply one who will come from your own trunk shall exist your heir.' Then He brought him exterior and said, 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.' And He said to him, 'And so shall your descendants be.' And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted information technology to him for righteousness. … On the same twenty-four hours the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the dandy river, the River Euphrates.'"

In response to Abraham's statement that he was childless and that a retainer was his heir, God told Abraham that his ain child would exist his heir and that through this child and subsequent generations, his descendants would get numerous, like the stars in the heaven.

A significant detail hither is that Abraham believed that what God had promised would indeed come near. Again, God repeats His promise of land for Abraham's descendants—this time formalizing this part of the promise with a covenant that included specific geographical boundaries.

God's promises to Abraham and Sarah, father and female parent of many nations (Genesis 17:i-8, xv-16)

"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God; walk earlier Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you lot exceedingly.' Then Abram cruel on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 'Equally for Me, behold, My covenant is with you lot, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have fabricated you a male parent of many nations.

"I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will brand nations of you, and kings shall come up from you lot. And I will institute My covenant between Me and yous and your descendants afterwards you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

"Too I give to you lot and your descendants after yous the land in which yous are a stranger, all the state of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I volition exist their God.' …

"Then God said to Abraham, 'As for Sarai your wife, yous shall not call her name Sarai, merely Sarah shall be her proper name. And I will anoint her and also give you a son by her; then I volition bless her, and she shall be a female parent of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.'"

Many years had now gone by since God had commencement promised Abraham that his descendants would become so numerous that they could be compared to the grit of the earth and the stars of the sky. Merely so far, Abraham and his married woman had not had any children. They were both getting older, and information technology was looking similar they would not have whatever children. God took this occasion to remind Abraham that He would multiply him "exceedingly."

At this time God also inverse Abram's name to Abraham, saying he would go a "father of many nations," and the proper noun of his married woman from Sarai to Sarah, saying she would exist a "mother of nations" (Genesis 17:5, 16). Fifty-fifty though it didn't look like Abraham and Sarah would ever accept a kid, God continued to repeat and add details to the original promise He had made to Abraham.

God decides to share His plans with Abraham (Genesis xviii:17-18)

"And the LORD said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blest in him?'"

The setting for this passage is just prior to God'due south devastation of Sodom and Gomorrah due to the wickedness of these cities' inhabitants. Here, in a remarkable verse, nosotros see God'southward thoughts on whether to share with Abraham what He is almost to do. What apparently led God to share His program with Abraham was the fact that Abraham would become a mighty nation and that all nations would exist blessed through this man.

What this poetry tells u.s. is that this promise to Abraham was extremely important to God. God frequently brought upwardly this promise in discussions with the patriarch; and hither, it was obviously an of import factor in God deciding to share with Abraham what He was planning to practice to these cities.

The birth of Isaac (Genesis 21:i-3)

"And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah equally He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac."

Even though Sarah was "by the age" for having children, God miraculously immune her to excogitate and bear a son.This passage shows that God was true to His give-and-take. Fifty-fifty though Sarah was "past the age" for having children, God miraculously allowed her to conceive and conduct a son (Hebrews xi:11). "Therefore from ane man, and him as good equally dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore" (verse 12).

Promise of "the gate of their enemies" (Genesis 22:xvi-18)

"By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this affair, and have non withheld your son, your just son—blessing I volition anoint you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants every bit the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the world shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."

Afterwards Abraham showed that he was willing to sacrifice his only son—the one through whom Abraham expected God to fulfill His promise of many descendants, God repeated again the not bad blessing He said that He would give to Abraham. In addition to his descendants having numerous progeny, God told Abraham, "Your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies."

While various interpretations of this phrase "gate of their enemies" range from having power and dominance over others (legal transactions took place at the gate of a city) to decision-making strategic land and bounding main gates, both of these concepts may have been intended. Seeing the many times God repeats the approving, both are logical in lite of God's statement to Abraham: "I will make you a swell nation" (Genesis 12:2). Smashing nations wield authority and control strategic land and sea gates.

God's promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 26:iii-five; 27:26-29; 28:13-14; 35:11-12)

Afterward Abraham'due south death, God repeated and reinforced the promises to his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. Let's wait at some of these prophecies.

God told Isaac, "Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and anoint you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I volition brand your descendants multiply every bit the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; considering Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws" (Genesis 26:3-5).

Abraham'due south faithful obedience led to these unconditional promises for his descendants.

Isaac passed on these promises through a blessing to Jacob in Genesis 27:26-29. God also repeated the promises to Jacob in a dream in Genesis 28:13-14:

"I am the LORD God of Abraham your begetter and the God of Isaac; the country on which yous lie I will requite to y'all and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the grit of the globe; you shall spread abroad to the westward and the east, to the north and the south; and in you lot and in your seed all the families of the globe shall exist blessed."

God also gave added details to Jacob, whose name God later changed to Israel:

"I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from y'all, and kings shall come from your body. The state which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to yous; and to your descendants afterward you lot I give this land" (Genesis 35:xi-12).

Read more nigh the promise of a nation and group of nations in the promises passed down to Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh in Genesis 48:19, which is explained in our commodity "Blessings of Abraham: How They Came to the United States."

Practise the promises to Abraham still apply?

Today it is commonly understood that Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of God's promise to bless all families of the earth through Abraham. It is also acknowledged that Abraham's descendants multiplied and eventually became the ancient nations of State of israel and Judah. But does God's promise to Abraham have whatever significance today?

While many people readily admit that the approving of Jesus Christ to all peoples continues today, they don't know whether the physical promises to Abraham's descendants are still applicable. Some think that the blessings were fulfilled and, hence, there is no constancy of the concrete promises.

What the Bible teaches is that the concrete blessings to these people will continue until and after Christ's return. For example, Genesis 49:1 presupposes that the 12 sons of Jacob would grow into prominent nations and that they would exist "in the final days."

During His New Attestation ministry building, Jesus told His disciples that in the futurity Kingdom of God, they would sit on thrones "judging the twelve tribes of State of israel" (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30). New Jerusalem will have 12 gates, each named after one of "the twelve tribes of the children of Israel" (Revelation 21:12).

The answer is that both the spiritual and physical components of Abraham'southward hope notwithstanding employ. The opportunity to receive salvation comes through the spiritual part of God'due south promise to Abraham—the coming of Jesus Christ. Making sense of end-time prophecies is enhanced by understanding who the nations are today that are largely comprised of Abraham's descendants. Be certain to read the articles in this section that provide keys to these nations' identities.

Almost the Author

David Treybig

David Treybig is a husband, father and grandfather. He and his wife, Teddi, have two grown children and seven grandchildren. He currently pastors the Austin, Texas, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association. He has served in the pastoral ministry for over 40 years, pastoring congregations across vi states.

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Source: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/12-tribes-of-israel/god-s-promise-to-abraham/

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