Topical Bible: The Promises of God: Made to The Fathers

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The promises of God made to the patriarchs, often referred to as "the fathers," form a foundational element of biblical theology, tracing the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through history. These promises, primarily given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are pivotal in understanding the covenantal relationship between God and His chosen people, Israel, and by extension, all believers.

Abraham

The promises to Abraham are first articulated in Genesis 12:1-3, where God calls Abram to leave his country and promises to make him a great nation, bless him, and make his name great. The promise includes a blessing for all the families of the earth through him: "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:3). This promise is reiterated and expanded in Genesis 15 and 17, where God establishes a covenant with Abram, promising numerous descendants and the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession. The sign of this covenant is circumcision, marking the physical and spiritual lineage of Abraham's descendants.

Isaac

The promises made to Abraham are reaffirmed to his son Isaac. In Genesis 26:3-4, God appears to Isaac and reiterates the covenant: "Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed" . This reaffirmation underscores the continuity of God's covenantal promises through the generations.

Jacob

Jacob, the son of Isaac, also receives the promises of God. In Genesis 28:13-15, during his journey to Haran, Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven and hears the voice of God: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring" . This encounter confirms Jacob as the heir of the covenantal promises, ensuring the perpetuation of God's plan through his lineage.

Theological Significance

The promises made to the fathers are not merely historical or ethnic in nature but carry profound theological significance. They establish the framework for God's unfolding plan of salvation, culminating in the coming of Jesus Christ, the ultimate fulfillment of the promise that "all the families of the earth will be blessed." The Apostle Paul, in Galatians 3:16, identifies Christ as the "seed" through whom the promises to Abraham are realized: "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, 'and to seeds,' meaning many, but 'and to your seed,' meaning One, who is Christ" .

These promises also underscore the faithfulness of God, who remains true to His word across generations. They serve as a testament to God's sovereign choice and His unwavering commitment to His covenant people, providing assurance to believers of God's enduring faithfulness and the certainty of His promises.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 13:32
And we declare to you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made to the fathers,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 26:6,7
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, to our fathers:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of the Promises Made to David in his Son, which are in no Wise ...
... Chapter 8."Of the Promises Made to David in His Son ... say unto my servant David, Thus
saith God Almighty, I ... enemies from before thy face, and have made thee a ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 8 of the promises made.htm

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity God's Testament and Promise in ...
... hand of a mediator.20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.21
Is the law then against the promises of God? ... Now, God has made a testament ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/thirteenth sunday after trinity gods.htm

Light through Darkness
... Could the promises to the chosen nation ever meet with complete fulfillment? ... "Ah
Lord God!" he prayed, "behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 38 light through darkness.htm

Rom. xv. 8
... Rom. XV. 8. Rom. XV.8 "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision
for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.". ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxviii rom xv 8.htm

It is a Ground for Thanksgiving that During the Last Three or Four ...
... First and foremost Christ was "a Minister of the Circumcision, for the truth of
God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers" (Rom.15:8). He was sent ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/it is a ground for.htm

At what Time the Promise of God was Fulfilled Concerning the Land ...
... to reign, the promises of God concerning that people being already in great part
fulfilled: not only those that were made to those three fathers, Abraham, Isaac ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 2 at what time the.htm

That David Made Great Preparations for the House of God; and That ...
... the most holy place, and for the chariot of God, the cherubim ... the priests, and the
Levites, who now contributed and made great and splendid promises for a ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 14 that david made.htm

Whether Christ Should have Preached not Only to the Jews, but Also ...
... was minister of the circumcision," ie the apostle and preacher of the Jews, "for
the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.". ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether christ should have preached.htm

The Promises of the Christian Home.
... descend to the grave and are gathered to your fathers, the assurance ... will surely
require it of thee." These parental promises made to God regard themselves ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xxv the promises of.htm

Christ, Though Known to the Jews under the Law, yet Only ...
... be observed in the nature or quality of the promises, that the ... showing that we are
freely accepted of God, and accounted ... What was shadow, it has made substance ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 9 christ though known.htm