TUESDAY August 25, 2020

The Children of Promise

But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”
Romans 9:6-9

In these verses, Paul referred to some people who dwelt in the land of Israel, but they were not governed by God; they did not know God, nor did they follow after Him. In fact, they had become more like the Gentiles.

Remember, Abraham was given the promise of a son, but instead of listening to God, he listened to his wife Sarah and tried to help God out. He went into his handmaiden Hagar and conceived Ishmael (Genesis 16). Ishmael was not God’s promised son. Later, God came to Abraham and confirmed His promise, saying, “By this time next year, you are going to have a child.” Isaac was the child of promise; the Jews are the children of promise. God’s covenant to Abraham was fulfilled (Genesis 18, 21).

Ishmael is the type of the flesh, and Isaac a type of the Spirit. You see, God does not recognize the work of the flesh, but the work of the Spirit. Isaac was the promised child. God had elected the Jews to be His people.

The Arabs and Jews are brothers, but they still fight against each other, even today. In this passage of Scripture this conflict is seen. You have heard it said by the Palestinians, “The Jews came and stole the land from them.” Yet God had given the Promised Land to the Jews way back in the book of Genesis.

Paul revealed who was given the land through the lineage of Abraham and his promised son Isaac. God spoke this promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:18-21, to Isaac in Genesis 26:3, and to Jacob in Genesis 28:13. The Promised Land extends from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates River. God gave the land to Israel. He fulfills His promises.

It would be far easier to arrest the sun in its course than to hinder the performance of any promise that God has made to his people.
~George Lawson~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!