By Reverend Abraham Park - The Covenant of the Torch (2nd Book)
An heir for Abraham
Abraham had his servant Eliezer of Damascus in mind as his heir, but God said, "This man will not be your heir; but one who shall come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir (Gen 15:4). Then, God took him outside and, showing him the stars in the heavens, said, "So shall your descendants be" (Gen 15:5). This promise was initially fulfilled when Sarah, his wife, gave birth to Isaac (Gen 21:1-7) when Abraham was 100 years old. Afterward, when the 70 members of Jacob's family entered Egypt, they were blessed and multiplied and becameame exceedingly mighty (Exod 1:7, 20). By the time they came out of Egypt, they were a great nation of more than two million people. This was the precise fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham that his descendants would become as numerous as the stars in the sky.
Abraham’s longevity
In Genesis 15:15, God prophesied about Abraham, "And as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age." In accordance with God's Word, Abraham lived until he was 175 years old and was buried peacefully in the cave of Machpelah (Gen 25:7-10). Isaac was 75 years old and Jacob was 15 years old at this time (Gen 21:5; 25:26). Genesis 25:8 states, "And Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people Abraham lived exactly according to God's Word: With a long life I will satisfy him, and let him behold My salvation" (Ps 91:16). Thus, the New Living Translation of Genesis 25:8 states, "And he died at a ripe old age, having lived a long and satisfying life. He breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death." God's blessing of longevity was fulfilled.
Strangers in a foreign land and enslaved for 400 years
Genesis 15:13 states, "And God said to Abram, Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years." This prophecy was fulfilled as the Israelites were enslaved for 400 years in Egypt (Exod 12:40-41; Gal 3:17).
God will judge the nation whom they will serve
Genesis 15:14 states, "But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve." The word judgemeans "to execute and govern." When God heard the groan of the Israelites, He remembered His covenant with Abraham. He fulfilled this prophecy when He Himself came down to judge Egypt (Exod 2:23-25; 4:31; 6:5-6; Acts 7:34). God poured down ten plagues in Egypt, and through the parting of the Red Sea, Pharaoh and his entire army were drowned (Exod 14:26-31; 15:4-5, 10, 19; Ps 78:53; 106:11; 136:15). Thus, God judged Egypt and fulfilled His promise to "judge the nation whom they will serve."
They will come out with many possessions
Genesis 15:14 states, "And afterward they will come out with many possessions." God allowed the Israelites to come out of Egypt with great possessions, thereby fulfilling His promise in 636 years since the covenant was given. Ahead of the exodus, God commanded Moses, "Speak now in the hearing of the people that each man ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold" (Exod 11:2). Here, God is emphasizing that the Israelites must totally obey His command to go and ask the Egyptians for their articles of gold and silver. It must have been a difficult task for the Israelites who had lived practically as slaves for 400 years to go and ask for articles of gold and silver. However, when they obeyed God's command, God moved the hearts of the Egyptians so that the Israelites looked great and fearful in their sight. Consequently, the Egyptians wanted the Israelites to leave their land as soon as possible and gave to them as they requested. So, in effect the Israelites plundered them (Exod 12:35-36). The many possessions in Genesis 5:14 that the Israelites obtained from the Egyptians were the wages that God had accumulated for them. God kept an account of the Israelites' labor in Egypt for 400 years and allowed them to draw their rightful wages at the time of the exodus (Prov 13:22).
The Israelites will possess the land of Canaan and live in it
In Genesis 15:18-21, God assigned the boundaries of the land of Canaan, which the Israelites would possess. The Bible records that the Israelites conquered the land within those boundaries later when they arrived in Canaan (Josh 21:43-45). The complete fulfillment of the Promised Land according to the covenant of the torch was confirmed again through Joshua's last words (Josh 23; 14).
Conclusion: God guided history through His sovereign providence since He first established the covenant of the torch 692 years prior to the conquest of Canaan, and when the time came, He fulfilled every part of the covenant without exception (Ps 105:42-44).
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