I - Abraham's Story in the New Testament - His Geneology

In Matthew 1:1 (NIV), we read these words:

"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham."

And then we read, “Abraham was the father of Isaac . . . “and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.” (Matthew 1:2,16, NIV).

Then we read that the writer had broken the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to the Christ into 3, fourteen separate generations (“Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.” (Matthew 1:17, NIV).

  

"God’s covenant with Abraham established Israel as a chosen people and also affirmed that the whole world would be blessed through his line (Gen. 12:1–3; 22:18)." [1] God promised Abraham that he would be the source of blessing for all peoples (Gen 12:3; see also Acts 3:25 and Gal 3:8). For Matthew, this promise is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. [2]  He " is the fulfillment of "the covenant promises to Abraham, the forefather of the Jews (cf. Gen 12:3; 13:15; 22:18)." [3]

Because God's covenant blessings are seen ultimately and primarily in a Person, not a thing, this enables us to understand how the New Testament writers viewed the Abrahamic Covenant.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:18–20 (NIV),

¹⁸ But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” ¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” ²⁰ For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

"God’s promises find their fulfillment in Christ, indicating that the OT Scriptures should be read as pointing to Christ;" [4] "and all our confidence in God’s promises must come from our trust in Jesus Christ as a person whom we know and can rely on." [5]

Father this is a very difficult concept for me to grasp and apply.  I understand that You have made very specific promises -- tangible promises.  I know that You are faithful and that You are a covenant-keeping God.  But to grasp the fullness of the fulfillment.  To wrap my mind around the fact that it is not ultimately things You promise but a Person -- Your own Son.  This boggles my mind.  It can only mean that as I fully surrender my will and my way to Him, that He alone is the source of blessings.  It can only mean that Christ is better than life; that He is the fountainhead of life; and that there can be nothing better than to gain Christ.  Indeed, Father, to know Him renders everything as garbage. May Your grace grant me increased measure of understanding and faith in this incredible truth.  For the fame and the glory of Jesus I pray.

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1. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (1820). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

2. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Mt 1:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (1869). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2224). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

5. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (2 Co 1:20). Nashville: T. Nelson.